A Taste of Morocco - Imperial Cities and Desert

Our foodie tour of Morocco begins in Casablanca. Situated on the Atlantic coast, here French colonial buildings blend with traditional Moroccan architecture. For those arriving on time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting. If you arrive after 7pm, our tour leader will catch you up as soon as they can. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), which is around 45 minutes from the hotel, depending on traffic. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, it's well worth visiting the Hassan II Mosque, located a short walk from our hotel. This famous mosque is the largest on the African continent and can hold up to 105,000 worshippers. Built in honour of the King's 60th birthday, the mosque is a feat of engineering, built above the water of the Atlantic to honour the Quran, which states "the throne of Allah was over the water".

This morning, we'll travel along the coast, heading north for about 90 minutes, towards the country's capital city, Rabat. Rabat was established as the capital of their protectorate by the French in 1912 and, since independence, has served as the capital of modern-day Morocco. The city's history stretches back as far as 8BC, when settlers arrived in what is now the Chellah area, a district that went on to become a prosperous Roman town, before being transformed into a cemetery by the Merinids. On arrival, we'll have the opportunity to explore the city's historic heart with a guided walking tour. We'll explore the area around the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V before wandering through the Kasbah des Oudaias, originally a fortified town that is now infused with Andalusian flavour. Here, we'll pause for a mint tea at a Moorish cafe overlooking the Bou Regreg River. After a break, we'll continue our journey to Meknes, a two-hour drive away. Once the heart of the Moroccan Sultanate, the city lies amidst the landscapes of the Oued Boufekrane River valley. Here, we'll have a short tour of Lahdim Square with its vibrant food market where various types of olives are displayed. The Phoenicians introduced viticulture to North Africa in the Bronze Age and here, Meknes is the heart of Morocco's growing wine scene. Popular grape varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are easily grown and we'll visit one of the local vineyards for a tour and to sample its produce. After checking into our hotel in Meknes, we'll head out to a local restaurant for dinner.

From Meknes, we'll travel for 45 minutes to the nearby ancient site of Volubilis, the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania Tingitana. A local guide will educate us on the well-preserved mosaics and the layout of the provincial settlement before we visit an ancient oil press in the holy site of Moulay Driss. Here, we'll stroll through the fragrant market of fresh vegetables and marinated olives. We'll travel for a further two hours, to the country's cultural capital Fes, stopping for lunch in a local kebab restaurant on arrival (there are vegetarian options as well as meat kebabs). Fes is the oldest of the imperial cities. Its fascinating history is rich with wars, murders and political intrigue. It's also played an important part in Moroccan trade, culture, religion, and politics. The old and new towns are adjacent but totally separate entities. We'll arrive in time to explore the many great food spots that Fes has to offer. Our tour leader will guide us through the old medina and the narrow streets of the souks, discovering the many ingredients used in traditional Moroccan dishes and explaining the spice blend that makes up the traditional seasoning Ras al hanout.

This morning to begin travelling south into the dramatic landscapes of the Middle Atlas, heading first towards Ifrane where we have a cafe break, before passing by near the small mountain village of Azrou, which in the Berber tongue translates as 'the rock'. This is the land of the fiercely independent Berbers, the Lords of the Atlas, whose traditions and ways still hold sway up here in their mountain strongholds far away from the cities below. The Berbers present us with a unique view of a way of life lost to the rest of North Africa, where music and dance, even language and religion, are far removed from their Arab neighbours. After traversing the Atlas Cedar Forest, we will drive along the high grazing lands where we may stop for mint tea with a nomad family. These high pastures are well known for high quality sheep breading called "Timehdit". We stop for a lunch of grilled lamb (vegetarian alternative available) at a local restaurant. The journey continues along the high grazing lands to the small town of Midelt where we spend the night. The total driving time today is around three and a half hours. Dinner is included at our hotel tonight.

Heading into the mountains, the road we'll take today crosses the High Atlas over Tizi n Talghemet (which translates as the Camel's Pass) and drops down through the Ziz Gorge leading to the large oasis of Tafilalete, home to the largest date production in Morocco. It will take around four hours to get here but we'll stop to stretch our legs and see the date palms. The scenery changes dramatically as we reach Merzouga, at the foothills of Erg Chebbi dunes, where we stop for lunch. The last leg of today's journey to a nomad-style camp is by four wheel drive jeep across the desert, passing sand dunes and dry river beds. On arrival we will have a refreshing welcome drink before settling into our comfortable ensuite tents. Later in the evening there is time to take a walk in the dunes, returning to camp in time to watch the sun set over the dunes. Our camp crew will prepare a delicious dinner served under the stars, after which there is a demonstration of how local bread is baked in a fire pit in the sand accompanied by a freshly prepared glass of mint tea. The tents accommodate up to two people each and beds, mattresses, blankets, and pillows are provided. There are simple shower facilities available in each tent, however due to the nature of the accommodation, hot water and good water pressure can't be guaranteed.

We'll leave the desert behind us this morning and drive along the southern slopes of the High Atlas. After 45 minutes, we'll reach our first stop in the old caravan centre of Sijilmassa, known now as Rissani, where we'll visit its market for spices, traditional herbs, and dates. Here, we'll learn about the origins of the spicy paste harissa and visit a communal oven. In Morocco, using a communal oven to bake your bread and other baked goods is the norm. The ovens are run by workers whose primary job is to bake the edible goods of the community in the large oven, the majority of which is bread. If available, we'll have the opportunity to sample Bissara (a bean dip sometimes served as a soup) and sweet pancakes, two excellent street food snacks. Continuing along the southern slopes of the Atlas for two and a half hours to Tinerhir, we'll enter Todra Gorge, a narrow gorge with tiny villages and fertile fields along the river. The rock walls rise up to 300 metres and attract rock climbers from all over the world. After a short visit, we'll continue to Dades and then on to Boutaghrar in the Rose Valley. Later this afternoon, we'll learn how to make a traditional couscous topped with lamb, a variety of stewed vegetables, and a flavourful broth. We'll also meet a local family for a deeper insight into the Berber lifestyle.

This morning, we'll continue our journey to Ouarzazate, a drive of around two hours, through the road of 1000 Kasbah's. Afterward, we'll head to the World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou, one of the most well-preserved Kasbahs in the south and the setting of many famous movies. In the afternoon, we'll continue over the High Atlas Mountains through the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka Pass to Marrakech (around a four-hour drive). Once we\ ve arrived in Marrakech and had a chance to check in to our hotel, we'll head to the famous Djemma al Fna square, home to a lively food market. We'll split into small groups for a food tour of the small alleyways that make up the maze of streets around the main square. You'll taste your way back to the main square and a final bowl of Moroccan stew, most likely followed by sweet pancakes or doughnuts which will see you off to bed content with a full belly.

This morning, a local guide will take us on a guided tour of the Red City. Like many North African cities, Marrakech is divided into two distinct parts, the Gueliz (the modern French-built city) and the Medina (the Old City), a place where trade and barter amongst the colourful souks still render its ancient heart a glittering cacophony of noise and colour. The city's beating heart is the spectacular Djemaa el Fna, which you'll have explored last night, a site not to be missed and a scene straight out of the pages of the Arabian Nights. Here, we'll find the streets and alleys alive with storytellers and musicians, jugglers and acrobats, snake charmers and clowns. Marrakech is a city like no other, with a staggering array of spectacular architecture and wonderful facades. We'll visit the Koutoubia Mosque and tower as well as the Bahia Palace. In your free time, we suggest visiting the Saadian tombs, Ben Youssef medersa, the Dar Si Said Palace (now the Museum of Moroccan Art) and the Menara gardens. Tonight, we'll have a cookery class to learn how to make a traditional Tagine. This will be our last supper, where we can reflect on all the new flavours we\ ve tried this past week.

Our tour ends after breakfast at our hotel in Marrakech. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK). Depending on the schedule of your flight, you might have some additional time to wander in the souks of Marrakech or buy your last souvenirs before departure.