Premium Morocco in Depth with Essaouira

What's Included

• Accommodation
  Comfortable hotel (15 nights), Feature Stay (2 nights)

• Meals
  13 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 8 dinners

• Complimentary Arrival Transfer

  A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included for arrivals on Day 1 or if pre-tour accommodation is booked through the provider.

• Casablanca - Welcome Dinner

  Enjoy a welcome dinner in Casablanca with your group in a traditional restaurant.

• Casablanca - Hassan II Mosque

  Visit the massive Mosque of Hassan II in Casablanca, one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims.

• Rabat - Kasbah des Oudaias

  Explore the lovely walled quarter known as the Kasbah des Oudaias in Rabat.

• Rabat - Hassan Tower

  Visit the vast minaret of the Mosque of Hassan II in Rabat.

• Rabat - Mausoleum Mohammed V

  Visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat.

• Meknes - Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail

  Visit the shrine of Moulay Ismail in Meknes.

• Volubilis - Picnic Lunch

  Enjoy a picnic lunch of fresh bread, cheese, and seasonal fruits and olives at the ruins of Volubilis.

• Volubilis - Entrance and guided tour

  Take a guided tour of the ruins of Volubilis, a provincial Roman capital.

• Meknes - Medina walking tour

  Explore the charming streets of Meknes’s medina with a guided walking tour.

• Chefchaouen - Goat Cheese Tasting

  Taste some of Morocco's best goat cheese in Chefchaouen.

• Chefchaouen - Medina walking tour

  Discover Chefchaouen with a guided tour of the medina.

• Fes - Home-cooked Pastilla Dinner

  Enjoy a pastilla dinner in a local home-turned-restaurant in Fes.

• Fes - Medina walking tour

  Explore the old medina of Fes with a guided walking tour.

• Fes - Funduq al-Najjarin

  Visit the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th-century inn in Fes.

• Fes - Medersa El Attarine

  Visit the Al-Attarine Madrasa in Fes.

• Fes - Tea Break

  Take a break for traditional mint tea in a family-owned tea house in Fes.

• Sahara Desert - Camel ride

  Ride a camel through the Sahara Desert to your feature stay camp.

• Khemliya - Village walking tour

  Explore the village of Khemliya on a guided walking tour.

• Khemliya - Medfouna cooking demonstration

  See how the local speciality dish of medfouna is made in Khemliya.

• Sahara Desert - Amazigh dinner with Gnaoua music

  Enjoy a traditional feast with live Gnaoua music under the stars in the Sahara Desert.

• Todra Gorge - Hike

  Take a short and gentle hike through the stunning Todra Gorge.

• Dades - Tea-making demonstration

  Enjoy tea with a local Amazigh family in the Dades Valley.

• Dades - Hike

  Explore the beauty of the Dades Valley on a guided hike.

• Skoura - Kasbah and Oasis visit

  Visit the Skoura Oasis and its kasbahs, including the Kasbah Ameridhl.

• Ait Benhaddou - Leader-led ksar walk

  Walk through the winding streets of Ait Benhaddou's Old Town with a leader-led tour.

• Ait Benhaddou - Lunch at Tawesna

  Enjoy a lunch at Tawesna, a community-run teahouse in Ait Benhaddou.

• Ait Benhaddou - Taman’Art Space Studio Visit

  Visit Taman’Art Space, an art studio and cultural centre in Ait Benhaddou.

• Tahnaout - Cooking class

  Take a hands-on cooking class with a celebrated local chef in Tahnaout.

• Marrakech - Medina walking tour

  Explore the old medina of Marrakech with a guided walking tour.

• Marrakech - Palais Bahia

  Visit the many salons and chambers of the Bahia Palace in Marrakech.

• Marrakech - Fresh orange juice tasting

  Taste freshly squeezed orange juice from a local stall in Marrakech.

• Essaouira - Seafood Market Lunch

  Enjoy a seafood market lunch in Essaouira.

• Essaouira - Leader-led orientation walk

  Take a leader-led orientation walk in Essaouira.

What's Not Included

• Tipping and Gratuities

  Tipping and gratuities are not included in the tour price.

• International Travel

  International travel to and from Morocco is not included in the tour price.

Transport

• There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from the main tourist routes. High passes, windy roads, and rough surfaces make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days, we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. The best part about all of these long drives is the spectacular views and fun stops en route such as mountain passes, kasbahs, palmeries, sand dunes, goats up trees, etc.
• We also use public transport on some of our trips around Morocco. Be it a train or a public bus, remember that the best part of it is the possibility to interact with local people traveling along with you.

Accommodation

• The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
• Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
• We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid style of travel, but please note that service and accommodation in Morocco may be different from standards you are used to at home.
• OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
• The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
• RIADS
• On each departure of this trip, we aim to spend at least one night in a traditional Moroccan riad. In the height of the season, however unlikely, there may be an occasion when contracting a full group in a riad will be impossible due to high demand and availability.
• TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
• Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite (even if you paid for single room supplement) and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
• HEATING
• Some of our guesthouses/hotels are unable to supply heating as this would be a major financial and environmental strain. It's also a case of energy supply and timing provisions, which is limited in some places. Please be prepared for cold showers, which are a pleasure for most of the year. Air-conditioning systems (if available) don't always function.
• CHECK-IN TIME
• Throughout the trip, we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
• PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
• If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

Important Information

• 1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
• 2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room?on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip?and is subject to availability. There are a limited number of single supplements available per trip departure. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
• 3. If you are flying into Marrakech we can provide an optional transfer to the starting point city of Casablanca. This transfer is on request and prepaid. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Mode of Transport

Travel involves long days on the road, with some rough and challenging routes. Public transport, including trains and buses, is used for local interactions. Early departures ensure optimal time at destinations, with scenic views and interesting stops along the way.

Accommodation

Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of hotels, riads, and a feature stay camp in the Sahara Desert. Rooms are typically twin/multi-share, with some shared facilities. Expect traditional Moroccan decor and occasional alternative arrangements due to availability.