GRAND TOUR FROM CASABLANCA TO TANGIER.

GRAND TOUR OF MOROCCO FROM CASABLANCA TO TANGIER

SATURDAY: ARRIVAL IN CASABLANCA

• Arrival at Mohammed V airport and transfer to the hotel.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Free day .
• Casablanca was the inspiration for Humphrey Bogart's 1942 film. It is the main and largest city in Morocco, the country's first industrial, commercial and port centre. Situated on the Atlantic coast and surrounded by the Chauia plain, it enjoys a magnificent temperate climate all year round. With its cosmopolitan and westernised atmosphere, it is the modern face of modern Morocco.
• If your arrival is before 16:00 hrs.
• Panoramic tour of Casablanca. Here you can admire the exterior of the Grand Mosque Hassan II, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau, was inaugurated in 1993 after 8 years of work, this mosque is the highest in the Arab world, the lights of its minaret, 200 meters high, can be seen from several kilometres away, and is the second largest after the mosque in Mecca. This architectural masterpiece is equipped with the latest technologies such as earthquake resistance, self-opening roof, heated floor and electric doors (outside visit, entrance not available during the tour schedule).
• Dinner at the hotel

SUNDAY: CASABLANCA MARRAKECH

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Departure to Marrakech
• 13:00 hrs. Lunch at the hotel.
• Afterwards we will have a guided tour of Marrakech. We start with the exterior visit of the Kutubia, the twin tower sister of the Giralda in Seville. We will visit the Menara gardens, which have a large pond of 30,000 square meters, which was built in the time of the Almohads, who designed a whole system of underground channels to take advantage of the melt water of the Atlas and thus be able to use it for irrigation. This system is still in use today after almost 9 centuries of history. We will also visit the Bahia Palace, dedicated by the vizier to one of his favourites at the end of the 19th century.
• We will end the day in the Jmaa el Fna Square, which at this time of the day becomes the greatest spectacle in the world. From the afternoon onwards, the most unusual characters take over the space: storytellers, snake charmers, fortune tellers and sorcerers, dentists with their trophy cabinets, women tattooing with henna, fakirs, acrobats, musicians, boxers, artists, healers, etc.
• Orange juice sellers take advantage of the abundance of orange juice in the region to do their business, while others sport the typical attire of the old water sellers, although they often don't have a drop and are just trying to charge tourists for a photo. It really is an amazing place
• For those who want transport, you will return to the hotel at 20:00 hrs, by prior arrangement between the group and the guide. Those who do not want to return to the hotel can stay in the square and return on their own.
• Free dinner in Marrakech. However, the dinner of the renowned Chez Ali Fantasy show, representing the different tribes of Morocco and their traditions, will be offered as an option.

MONDAY: MARRAKECH - TIZI N TICHKA - AIT BEN HADDOU - OUARZAZATE - BOULMANE DE DADES

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out
• 08:00 hrs. We resume our journey to reach the great south of Morocco, crossing the majestic High Atlas Mountains and the Tzi n Tichka pass, gateway to the desert at an altitude of 2,260 metres, where we will make a stop to contemplate the spectacular views that can be seen from there.
• We will continue to Ait Ben Haddou, one of the geological wonders of this planet, which has remained a universe apart for millennia. We will visit a magnificent fortress that has served as a backdrop for such famous films as "Lawrence of Arabia", "Gladiator" and "The Jewel of the Nile". It is made up of several buildings, the ochre of the adobe seems to blend in with the dry ground over which a large stream once flowed and which has now been converted into farmland.
• After visiting this emblematic site, we will continue to Ouarzazate, a former garrison of French troops, located in the southern part of the country, rich in agriculture and famous for the dates of its palm groves, the roses that grow on its banks and henna. It is also a favourite place for great film directors, which has boosted the area economically and has led to the creation of numerous companies related to the audiovisual world, and employment for many of its inhabitants.
• We will continue to Boulomane de Dades, the valley of the Dades river is located in a deep gorge of Morocco located in the High Atlas, between the towns of Boumalne Dadès and Msemrir. This part of Morocco is famous for its landscapes and for the hospitality of its people, mostly Berbers.
• Arrival at the hotel, distribution of rooms and dinner at the hotel.

TUESDAY: TINERHIR - TODRA GORGES - SAHARA

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
• We recommend that you bring a small backpack with you today and carry in it what you will need for the day, as today we will sleep in khaimas in the desert. When we arrive in the desert we will leave most of the luggage in the van and we will take only this small backpack with what we will need for the night.
• Departure from the hotel to continue our journey along the well known Kasbahs route.
• We leave for Tinerghir, where we will take a detour to the Todra Gorges. There we can admire the wonderful palm groves that help to withstand the heat of these places.
• Free lunch
• In the afternoon, we will continue our route to Merzouga, we will spend the night in khaimas, next to the dunes of Erg Chebbi in the Sahara desert from where we will be able to contemplate a spectacular starry sky.
• Camel ride in the desert included
• Dinner and overnight in khaimas.
• After dinner there will be a fire with Berber drum music.

WEDNESDAY: SAHARA - IFRANE - FEZ

• Sunrise in the Sahara. Its dunes stretch to the horizon and some rise more than 150m. The experience of seeing the first rays of sunrise in the Sahara is breathtaking.Today you must get up early for an unforgettable date with the sunrise.
• Breakfast at the Kasbah
• After breakfast we will leave for Fez, the first of the Imperial Cities, its origin dates back to the 8th century. It is also one of the first holy cities of Muslim worship in Morocco and is proud to be home to one of the oldest universities in the world.
• On the way we will cross the Middle and High Atlas Mountains, with several stops en route.
• Dinner at the hotel.

THURSDAY: FEZ - CHEFCHAOUEN

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out
• Strolling through the labyrinthine streets of Fez transports you to past worlds where potters, smiths and craftsmen coexist with the foreign visitor, who never ceases to be surprised by observing the people and smelling the many aromas and smells that fill the atmosphere of this city.
• 09:00 hrs Departure for a guided tour of the city of Fez. We will start with a panoramic view of the city, including the Merinides tombs. Then we will visit Fez el Jedid, including the Alaouite square, the exterior of the Royal Palace and Dar el Makhzen.
• Continue to Fez el Bali for a walking tour. We will visit the spice souk of Attarin and the souk of Jenna. We will arrive at the Nejjarin square where the founduk of the same name is located and pass by the Bounania Madrasa. We will continue to Es Seffarin square to finish the morning in the tanners' quarter and see the tanneries.
• Mirrors, perfumes, chickens, pigeons, silverware, gold, slippers, sandals, chadors, djellabas, drums, vegetables, fruits, pottery, ceramics, wrought iron, spices, portraits of the king, cereals, books, glassware and everything imaginable, everything... is here.
• The constant rattling of the donkeys, loaded with goods of various origins, transports you to another world only broken by the cry of "balak" with which the owner of the animal warns passers-by of the passing of the donkey.
• In the afternoon we start our way to Chefchaouen, also known as the blue village of the Rif Mountains.
• Arrival in Chefchaouen and check in at the hotel.
• Dinner at the hotel

FRIDAY: CHEFCHAOUEN - TANGIER

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out at 12:00 noon.
• 09:00 hrs Guided tour of Chefchaouen
• Chaouen is a village perched on the mountain, white and blue, of wise, kind and respectful people, offering the visitor beautiful urban panoramas in decline, precious samples of local craftsmanship and a peace and serenity that today is difficult to find. From there you leave with a strong desire to return and stay longer, talk to the people and find peace.
• After the visit free time to enjoy Chefchaouen, a village easily manageable.
• Free lunch, we recommend ordering a sandwich in any of the many places to eat in Chefchaouen.
• 14:30 hrs Departure to Tangier.
• Arrival Tangier transfer to your hotel and end of our services.

If you wish, you can add an extra night in Tangier to the end of the Tour to facilitate your return by plane. It will include an extra night in Tangier and transfer to the airport. € 40 supplement per person (€ 60 July and August).  Ask us for more info!