Discover Morocco

Experience Overview

Authentic Morocco, it’s in the ancient medinas, labyrinthine souks, Sahara dunes and rippling Atlas peaks… but only if you know where to look. Thankfully, we know just the person. Join your expert tour leader to immerse yourself in the Imperial cities of Marrakech, Rabat and Fez, sleep in the Sahara after a camel trek, and explore dramatic valleys, oases, gorges and mountains. Along the way, you’ll meet local people to hear their stories, witness daily life and enjoy natural beauty on scenic walks. By the end, you’ll know authentic Morocco isn’t just found in the landmarks, it’s something far deeper.
Trip For You
This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us. Journeys: To see the highlights of Morocco, there are some long journeys. We are not confined to our vehicle though, as there are plenty of photo stops and opportunities to stretch our legs. The approximate drive times are noted in the daily itinerary. Weather: Temperatures are hot in summer (May to September), but we try to make the most of the coolest parts of the day for our sightseeing, so expect some early starts. During winter (November to March), the daytime is usually mild, but it can get cold at night, particularly in the desert and mountains, so pack some winter clothes. Water: It is advisable to only brush teeth with bottled/boiled water and to avoid salads washed with tap water.
Group Description
There is a local tour leader and a driver plus local guides at various sites.
Eating Drinking
Moroccan food is, generally speaking, excellent. Breakfasts usually consist of bread and jam with coffee or tea. Where meals are not included, budget for the following approximate prices. Lunches: 60-100 dirhams (US$6-US$10)Dinners: In cities: 80-250 dirhams (US$8-US$25)In small towns and villages: 60-120 dirhams (US$6-US$12) Drinks in restaurants Soft drinks: 10-20 dirhams (US$1-1.90)Beer: 40-80 dirhams (US$4-US$8)Wine: 180 dirhams (US$18) and more Vegetarians can be catered for, but there is a fairly limited choice of vegetarian couscous, tajine or omelettes. This is particularly the case during the more rural sections of the trip. If you have special dietary requirements, inform us prior to the trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (eg coeliac or vegan), you may find it helpful to bring some food with you from home.
Transportation
For most of this trip, we use a private bus, the size of which depends on the group size. The roads in Morocco are reasonably good and driving conditions in towns and on the plains are good. On mountain roads, the pace is slower. Buses usually have air-conditioning and heating but please note this is not up to European standards.
Joining Instructions
Key information Hotel: Hotel Ayoub, Rue Ibn Qodama, Marrakech 40000 Phone: +212 5244-33374 Recommended arrival time: Hotel check-in is from 2pm, we usually have a welcome briefing around 6pm on the evening of the first day. Airport: Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately a 20-minute drive from the airport. Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Catching your return flight The adventure ends at Marrakech Airport. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times. Marrakech airport The amount of time it takes to get through Marrakech Airport can vary considerably. Therefore, we suggest you mitigate for delays and allow two hours to get through immigration, security and baggage reclaim on arrival. Take a pen with you to complete the arrivals form and have the details of your accommodation to hand for this purpose. Operators are not allowed to wait inside the terminal building for clients, so please find your Exodus representative outside the main doors. Upon departure from Marrakech, we suggest allowing three hours to navigate the airport: check in, bag drop, immigration and security can take even longer on exit. The airport doesn’t accept mobile boarding passes, so we suggest having a printed boarding pass to avoid subjecting yourself to further delays.
Weather Information
From April to June, and in September, Marrakech and the north are pleasantly hot, with temperatures averaging 26C (79F) in the day and falling to 16C (61F) at night. It is unusual for there to be much humidity, so it is quite pleasant except at midday when the sun is very strong. Desert temperatures are like those in Marrakech, with the nights usually a little cooler and the days a little hotter. Mountain temperatures are cooler than in Marrakech. In winter, the daytime temperatures in Marrakech are around 18C-22C (64F-72F) with night temperatures falling to 4C-7C (39F-45F). The days should be sunny and a particularly attractive feature of winter is the clear views of the snow-covered Atlas. The temperatures in the south are generally a couple of degrees higher than those north of the mountains. There is a small chance of rain and it has even been known to snow very infrequently in January and sometimes February on the higher desert plateau (in which case it is cold at night and early in the morning on the southern side of the Atlas).
Spending Money
Allow approximately 30-70 dirhams (US$3.30-US$7.70) per day to cover small souvenirs, soft drinks etc. See the Food & Drink section for more details on expenditure.
Tipping
Our local staff are paid fairly for their work. However, tipping is part of the local culture and generally expected. While tipping is at your discretion, our groups typically ask for advice on how much to give. Below are some recommendations: Tipping kitty: We have found it useful for the group to have a kitty – about 600 dirhams (US$66) per person – to ease the confusion and embarrassment around tipping local staff (cooks, guides, hotel staff etc). If you do not wish to join the group kitty, do not feel pressured. Tour leader and driver: Many also wish to tip the tour leader and driver at the end of the trip; we suggest 55-90 dirhams (US$6-US$10) a day per person for the tour leader and 20-35 dirhams (US$2-US$4) a day per person for the driver. This is completely at your own discretion and to be used as a guideline only.

Highlights

Find authentic Morocco with the expertise of our local tour leader — Immerse yourself in Imperial cities: Marrakech, Rabat and Fez — Journey through the Sahara by camel and stay in a traditional desert camp — Walk through the spectacular landscapes of Todra Gorge and the Ziz Valley — Explore the grand ksar of Ait Benhaddou – a World Heritage site — Gaze over the Atlas peaks from our mountain village retreat

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Trip Details

Product Code: 40074

Tour Type: Small Group

Accommodation: Moderate

Transport: tandards.

Guide Language: English

Travel Styles: Budget

Tour Operator: Exodus Travel

Supplier Code: AME

Starts:

Finishes:

Duration: 12 days

Departures: Guaranteed

Physical Rating: Unknown

Includes

All accommodation: 10 Classic nights (5 hotel, 2 riad, 3 lodge/auberge), 1 Simple night (Sahara camp) — All breakfasts, one lunch and three dinners — Immersive itinerary with all transport (private minibus) and listed activities — Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure — Arrival transfer for any flight, group departure transfer available

Accommodation

Hotels, riad, lodges/auberge, Sahara Camp
We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines. Worth knowing Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.Room upgrades: Upgrade to a higher category of room on Day 1 and 2 of the itinerary – speak to your sales representative for more details.Single rooms: You can request a single room on this trip subject to availability. The single supplement applies to hotel nights only and therefore does not cover any nights in the mountains, desert or Sahara camp.In the Sahara camp, we typically stay in two-person tents; however, if the campsite is full, we use four-person tents.

Price

Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2005 ($167 /day)

Itinerary

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Day 1: Adventure starts in Marrakech

The adventure begins in buzzy Marrakech, a whirlwind of tradition and culture and an invigorating introduction to Morocco. Around 6pm, say salaam alaikum to your tour leader and fellow travellers at the hotel, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Moroccan welcome over dinner. Want to explore further? Secure pre-tour nights through your sales representative. Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

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Day 2: Explore the souks and central square of Marrakech • Optional evening dance show

Join a local guide this morning for an exploration of the city, which takes in: Koutoubia Mosque, the largest mosque in Marrakech; Djemaa El Fna, the main city square, packed with stalls and performers; and the souks, where you can meet the vendors and learn how to properly barter thanks with the assistance of your guide. Then enjoy free time in the afternoon for solo exploration. For a spellbinding evening, consider visiting Chez Ali restaurant to watch their nightly show, which combines traditional songs, dances, fantasia and even equestrian aerobatics. Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

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Day 3: Explore the enormous Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca • To the capital, Rabat

Leave around 7.30am and transfer (2hr 30min-3hr) to Casablanca, taking a route through semi-arid plains with views of the Atlas Mountains. Upon arrival, we visit the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, which has a soaring 689ft (210m) minaret and a retractable roof to enable the sea breeze to cool the building. We have a guided tour of the mosque and the stunning ablutions hall with a local specialist. Please note: knees and upper arms must be covered. After, we drive (1hr 30min) to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Here, we have free time to explore. Although mostly modern, Rabat has an excellent old town, where you can see distinctive buildings with Moorish and Andalusian designs. Also visit the Jewish Quarter (Mellah) before continuing to the busy souk to sample locally made treats, such as harsha (a semolina bread) with amlou (a special almond paste).

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Day 4: Explore the Roman site of Volubilis • To Fez

Depart Rabat this morning and transfer (4hr 30min) to Volubilis, the largest and best-kept Roman ruins in Morocco. Under the Romans, it was an affluent city. This can be seen in the beautiful second-century forum, the basilica and the capitol. We wander through the streets, discovering remains of townhouses with mosaic floors and see baths, oil presses, aqueducts and shops, all of which reveal the daily lives of the inhabitants. After exploring this site with a local guide, we transfer (one hour) to the ancient city of Fez.

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Day 5: Tour the ancient madrasas and medina of Fez

Join your tour leader today for an immersive guided tour of Fez, the intellectual and religious centre of Morocco. Our five to six-hour exploration takes us to landmarks of the city, including the ornate city gate known as Bab Boujloud and the historic madrasas (theological colleges) of Al-Attarine and Bou Inania, plus the Jewish District (Mellah). No exploration of the city would be complete without a visit to the medina, one of the largest in the world, an immense warren of souks, home to thousands of craftsfolk with their tiny shops opening onto the narrow alleyways.

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Day 6: To the Ziz Valley • Stop to see Barbary macaques

Leave Fez early, around 7.30am-8am, beginning the long but rewarding drive to the Ziz Valley. Our first pause is in the cedar forest near Ifrane, where Barbary macaques live among the Middle Atlas trees; it’s also a useful comfort stop before we continue south. We then continue to Er-Rich for lunch, before a final stop near the Ziz Valley, where the road gives us our first look over the palm-filled valley carved by the Ziz River. Arriving around 4pm, we have time to rest and enjoy the pool. Later, you can join a 1hr 30min walk in the valley, a gentle introduction to life among the palms.

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Day 7: See the fossils of Erfoud • Sunset camel trek • Camp under the stars

Continuing our journey, we drive (one hour) to Erfoud. Though small, this oasis town has become known for fossils, which are excavated locally and cut, carved and polished by master crafters. Spend time here browsing the fossil markets before we complete our journey (one hour) to the village of Khamlia on the edge of the Sahara. Upon arrival, we leave our main luggage at a local inn, taking only what we need for the desert in an overnight bag. We then have time for optional activities, including a Gnawa performance and home-cooked medfouna (stuffed flatbread), before we meet our transport: a caravan of camels led by cameleers. They’ll show you how to mount and ride your camels, before we start our trek (45-60 minutes) into the dunes. There’ll be time for photo stops and to watch sunset, before we arrive at our camp, where we enjoy dinner and music under the stars.

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Day 8: Todra Gorge walk • Lunch at a local family home

Leaving the Sahara, we journey (five hours) to Todra Gorge, a dramatic limestone tunnel formed by the River Todra. Here, we walk (45-60 minutes) along a narrow road with plenty of photo opportunities. Of course, there are the usual pop-up souvenir stalls to tempt you. We then visit a local family home for lunch (paid for locally). Aside from enjoying delicious Moroccan cuisine, this is also an excellent chance to experience traditional Moroccan life, which your tour leader will be happy to talk you through. After, we depart for Skoura, an oasis town of rammed-earth buildings, where we can unwind with a dip in the pool.

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Day 9: Hike through Skoura oasis

Join a local guide today to hike (one hour to 1hr 30min) through Skoura oasis. Stroll through palm groves, visit traditional kasbahs (entrance is 50 dirhams per person), and learn about local farming. With a guide, we also observe daily village life and enjoy scenic views of the lush oasis against the desert landscape. This afternoon, relax and enjoy the hotel pool. Alternatively, you could enjoy an optional visit to Amridil Kasbah (paid locally).

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Day 10: Wander the narrow lanes of Ait Benhaddou • Stay in the Atlas Mountains

Leave Skoura this morning and transfer (1hr 30min) to the well-preserved ksar (fortified village) of Ait Benhaddou. This World Heritage site is one of the most spectacular in the Atlas range, and the location of several Hollywood films including Gladiator (2000). Here, we tour the atmospheric alleys and visit Akhenif Lglaoui, a women’s weaving co-operative specialising in preserving Moroccan textile arts while supporting local Amazigh women. After, we continue (four to five hours) through the mountains to Ouirgane, a rural village in Toubkal National Park.

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Day 11: Free day to relax in the Atlas Mountains • Optional walk in the mountains

After a busy few days of adventure, today has been left free for you to relax in your beautiful mountain setting. You can unwind by the pool, enjoying the views, or join a walk with a local guide around Lake Ouirgane and the surrounding area. This evening, we come together for a farewell meal, in which we can unite and discuss our favourite moments from the tour.

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Day 12: Adventure ends in Marrakech

You’ve explored Imperial cities, camped in the Sahara and walked through some of the most spectacular landscapes in Morocco; but, after breakfast, we transfer (two hours) to Marrakech, where our adventure ends at the airport. Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, perhaps in Marrakech or the relaxed seaside cities of Essaouira or Agadir, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.

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