The Ultimate Morocco Experience

Welcome to Morocco! Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by a Jaya Travel ambassador who’ll transfer you to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to unwind. Dinner and overnight at the Riad Slitine, or similar.

Today, you’ll join an escorted tour of Marrakech in the medina, an old walled section of town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. One feature is the Kutubiyya Mosque (Koutoubia Mosque), a 250 ft (77 m) tall architectural and religious gem.

Then, continue to Bahia Palace, an example of royal life in the 19th century. Your next stop is the Tiskiwin Museum (Maison Tiskiwin), which houses an impressive collection of North African art. Later, you’ll visit the main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa (Djemaa el-Fna), which is filled with orange juice stalls, vendors, fire-eaters, mime artists, snake-charmers, and street musicians.

Following your visit, return to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure; a perfect opportunity to freshen up and get ready for dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight at Riad Slitine, or similar.

As you leave Marrakech, the distant haze will resolve into a jagged mountain range – the High Atlas Mountains. After passing over Tizi n Tichka Pass (7500 ft high/2260 m), a totally different picture is unveiled: the mountainous landscape of Anti-Atlas. Later, stop in Ouarzazate for lunch at your own expense. Past that, you’ll reach another lush area – the Skoura Palm Grove. Then travel to Kelâat M’Gouna, famous for the nearby Valley of Roses. Two factories in the area distil and export eau-de-rose, the most sought after product. If you’re traveling in May then you’ll observe the Roses Festival, where a local girl is crowned ‘Rose Queen’ after the 7 day celebration. Boumalne Dades follows, the starting point to explore the Dadès Gorges.

Dinner and overnight at the Riad Slitine, or similar.

Today’s first stop is Tinghir (Tinerhir) to see its extensive palm grove, ksours built into the rocky hills, and mysterious Jewish quarter. A hidden gem is the 19th-century adobe mosque nested within the crumbling ksour, a heaven for photography enthusiasts. Todra Gorges (Todgha Gorges) lie only 10 mi (15 km) from Tinghir, presenting the spectacle of crystal clear rivers and huge walls changing color in the daylight. More than 150 routes are bolted into the 1,000 ft (300 m) high walls, and at every hour of the day people rock climb their way up.
Before reaching Merzouga, you’ll pass Erfoud and Rissani. In Erfoud, your group tour may stop to visit Musee des Oasis if time allows. The most important city in Morocco was Sijilmassa—the ruins of which lie opposite Rissani. In Merzouga, you’ll see the first leviathans of sand forming the Sahara: the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Surf the sandy sea on a powerful 4WD Land Rover to the desert camp.

Dinner and overnight under at Xalucca Dades, or similar.

This morning, enjoy a sunrise camel ride along the golden sand dunes in Merzouga. Return to the riad for breakfast before transferring to Zagora via the Alnif and Tazarine Villages. There is no traffic on the road to Tazzarine, providing you with a scenic link between Tafilalet and Draa Valley. Aside from the landscape, this region’s main attractions are fossils and prehistoric rock carvings. The scenery grows wilder as you approach Tazzarine, set in a grassy oasis surrounded by mountains. Continue to Zagora, famous for the largest palm valley in Morocco. Dinner and overnight at Madu Camp, or similar.

After breakfast, enjoy an escorted tour of Zagora which features some of the oldest villages in Morocco. Visit the Tamegroute village’s library, which houses ancient Koranic scripts dating back to the 12th century. Walk through the pottery section of Tamgroute, then transfer to Ouarzazate along the Draa valley. After lunch at Agdez (optional), you’ll continue to Ouarzazate for dinner, and overnight at Riad Lamane, or similar.

Begin the day with a tour of Ouarzazate, a city originally built as a French garrison in the 1920s. Today, it’s a regional trade center known for pottery and carpets. Discover Taourirt Kasbah, which consists of clay houses and towers that are beautifully decorated with geometric motifs. On the way, you may visit Atlas Film Studios (optional). Continue to Aït Benhaddou, home of the region’s most exotic Kasbahs, where structures perch upon the steep slope defying the laws of gravity. Some of these buildings have been featured in films, including Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Gladiator (2000). Then you’ll travel over the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech, observing everyday life in remote towns.

Dinner and overnight at Dar Chamaa, or similar.