Southern Moroccan Adventure

Arrival & Welcome to Morocco!

We begin the trip in Casablanca, your arrival flight should arrive to Casablanca International Airport on March 3 (or earlier). After customs and baggage claim, you’ll be welcomed by our driver and guide, who will take you to our hotel, Le Casablanca. Rest and refresh for as long as you wish here. In the afternoon, we’ll get to visit Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in Africa and a stunning example of Moroccan architecture! (Approx. 30 mins driving time).

We’ll all meet in the evening for drinks at the hotel before  dinner at Rick’s Cafe.

Today, we’ll have the morning at leisure to relax before meeting for lunch at La Sqala, a lovely Moroccan restaurant with open seating in an outdoor garden.

Then we'll visit Casablanca’s Habous district in the afternoon, which is one of the most popular shopping areas in the city. Our guide will walk us through the district giving us some background and guides are always there to help us negotiate for any Moroccan goodies that catch our eye! Its a wonderful country for shopping! 

After a day spent in Casablanca, we’ll have the rest of the afternoon at our leisure before meeting back at the hotel for dinner. Its a chance to get some rest as tonight will be a late one. 

After dinner we’ll make our way to Casablanca Airport to catch a late evening flight to Errachidia, the closest airport to the Sahara Desert. The only flight leaves at 11pm but luckily its under 1 hour. We’ll be picked up upon arrival at the airport driving south to Erfoud, where we’ll spend the night at Palais Masondoia  (Approx. 1.5 hours driving time).

Your pillow will be a welcome sight tonight. 

After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll make our way out to the Sahara Desert! We’ll stop for lunch and then we'll head through the dunes arriving at our desert camp (Approx. 1 hour driving time).

Upon arrival, we’ll get settled into our luxury tents (complete with a bathroom and shower!) and take time to enjoy the surrounding scenery. Close to golden hour, we’ll take a camel ride through the dunes to experience the traditional nomadic lifestyle and a glorious sunset.

Tonight we’ll enjoy a homemade dinner in the camp’s dining tent and will have the rest of the evening to sit by the campfire, enjoy some live music and stargaze! 

Our home in the desert is at the Luxury Desert Camp.

Whomever is in the mood to wake up early, we'll set our alarms to catch the sunrise over the Saharan dunes, something you'll never forget. Otherwise, we’ll meet for a delicious breakfast at the desert camp and have the option to sand-board down the dunes. Sadly its time to bid farewell to the desert and head to Dades, a town located halfway between the Sahara and Marrakech.

We’ll stop for lunch en route and take the opportunity to snap photos and enjoy a stretch your legs walk through the Dades Gorges, known as Morocco’s Grand Canyon. 

Upon arrival at our rustic mountain lodge with charming rooms for the evening, we’ll relax with a gourmet dinner. The chef here is known for his Moroccan-European fusion cuisine that changes daily based on local ingredients (Approx. 5.5 hours driving time total).

Overnight stay at Chez Pierre.

After breakfast, we’ll depart for the Ochre City of Marrakech! We’ll make a stop at Ait Ben Haddou, a popular filming location where Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia and other shows have been shot. We’ll take a brief visit of the Kasbah and have lunch nearby and then continue the drive to Marrakech (Approx. 7 hours driving time in total).

After arriving and checking in to our riad, we'll enjoy some free time to settle in and explore the local area. In the evening, we have the option to visit the famed Djemaa el Fna Square, which comes alive at night. Storytellers hold audience’s captive, juice vendors call out the flavors they have available, and live musicians perform in the middle of the square.

Dinner will be at our beautiful property, the Riad Elegancia, with time to relax after a long day of travel.

We’ll wake up to breakfast on the riad’s terrace and then head out to explore Marrakech’s old city. Our guide will take us on a walking tour of the most notable monuments, followed by a lunch break in the medina. 

In the afternoon, we'll continue our exploration of the medina and the souks, where every imaginable good is sold, from spices to shoes to handmade carpets. Once again, our guide will help us negotiate at the souks!

After a long day of exploring we will head back to the hotel for some much needed rest and relaxation. 

Dinner will be on your own tonight at your leisure.

This morning, after breakfast, we have a hammam spa trip planned to get you scrubbed and relaxed. The traditional hammam ritual involves several steps and is one of the world’s most ancient traditions. First you'll start with a black-soap cleanse, followed by a cascading cold-water rinse. This prepares your skin for an invigorating scrub, which leaves you soft and free of accumulated toxins and impurities. After another rinse, a mask of Moroccan volcanic clay is applied to the body, face and hair.  The last step of this centuries-old practice of purification is the relaxing massage using pure oils, Morocco’s precious youth elixir!

Once you're feeling relaxed and refreshed, we’ll head to the Majorelle Gardens for a self-guided visit through the colorful paths! The gardens are filled with exotic plants and trees from all over the world. Next door sits the YSL Museum, home to original work of the internationally renowned designer, Yves Saint-Laurent. Once you’ve made your way through the gardens, take some time to check out the museum and learn more about YSL.

Lunch today is at the Amal Association, an organization dedicated to empowering disadvantaged women in Marrakech. They do a delicious lunch here and we have the opportunity learn more about the critical work they do.

This evening we will conclude the trip with a private tagine cooking class and a farewell party at a privatized venue. While our wonderful meal is cooking, we’ll celebrate together with entertainment and traditional henna artists. It’s the perfect way to end our unforgettable adventure in Morocco.

But wait....for those taking the extension there's more!

For those of you not joining the trip extension to Essaouira, we must bid a melancholy but heartfelt farewell to our new friends and the sights and sounds of the past week’s adventures.

Ideally, your return flight is from Marrakech airport (a 15-20 min drive from the hotel), but if you booked a round-trip flight to/from Casablanca, we’ll arrange for you to be driven to the Casablanca Int’l airport. Casablanca is 2.5-3-hour drive from Marrakech, so make sure your departing flight is in the late afternoon or evening to ensure plenty of time to get to the airport, and for customs and security. If you prefer, you can also book a connecting flight from Marrakech to Casablanca. 

For those of you joining the trip extension to Essaouira ... onward!

While others depart, those continuing will have the morning at leisure in Marrakech. Then we’ll pack up and head to Essaouira, the charming coastal town which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site that lies just a few hours west of Marrakech. (approx 3-hour drive)

We’ll stop en route to see the tree goats and visit an argan oil co-op to learn how this famous health and beauty product is made. Most argan oil is made by women and is critical to the local economy and their families. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local vineyard on the outskirts of town.

Upon arrival we’ll check-in at the Riad Villa Maroc allowing some free time to relax before meeting up for dinner at the hotel.

After a breakfast of Moroccan pancakes or Viennese pastries, we’ll be treated to a half-day guided visit of Essaouira where we’ll visit the city’s old ramparts, the Medina, artisan cooperatives, and heritage sites. With its brilliant blue and white architecture, windswept beach, and easy-going charm, Essaouira is a lovely change from the hectic pace of Marrakech. 

We’ll learn about the city’s history and the influence left over the centuries by the Carthaginians, Romans, and Portuguese. Behind the 18th century sea walls are thuya wood workshops, artists’ enclaves and silent alleyways where cats sun themselves and veiled women emerge from studded doorways. The harbor is a photographer’s dream, with fishing nets laid out on the quayside, boats unloading their catches and the smell of freshly grilled sardines and lobsters in the air.

A lunch of fresh seafood at La Coupole located right on the beach will be included. 

After lunch, the rest of the afternoon will be at your leisure to enjoy the nearby beach, do some last minute shopping or simply soak up the sun! We’ll meet back up later in the evening for our final dinner together at Dar Baba for some Mediterranean fusion cuisine. 

Sadly, we must bid farewell to your new friends and the wonderful Moroccan people who have supported our journey. We'll drive back to Marrakech airport (~3 hours) or Casablanca airport (~4.5-5 hours). Please make sure your departing flight is in the late afternoon or evening to ensure plenty of time to get to the airport.