Discover the rich history and unique natural beauty of Morocco from Marrakech to visit the Royal cities of Marrakesh, Fes, Meknes and Rabat, Chefchaouen and beyond. Explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis; journey through the stunning Rose Valley, discover the fascinating Sahara desert and enjoy sunset riding camels to Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga to Todra and Dades gorges, the Kasbah of Ait Benhdaou and the peaks of the Atlas Mountains. The entire Morocco will dazzle you with its rich history, unique landscapes and welcoming people.
Morocco is a country that draws you in. This escorted tour from Marrakech highlights the best of Morocco. A journey of a lifetime awaits you in Morocco on this exhilarating Moroccan adventure. From the colorful, heady markets filled with the rich scents of spices to the vibrant Atlas Mountains, the ancient Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou and the vast Sahara Desert, to the history of Fes, Rabat and Meknes, there’s plenty to amaze to see in this incredible North African country.
Welcome to Morocco! Upon arrival to Marrakech you will meet your driver and transferred to your hotel for the check in. The driver will provide a short overview of your entire trip in Morocco. The rest of the day is at leisure. It’s possible you’ll like to begin your exploration of this exceptional and vibrant city, or chill out in your lodge and uncover its facilities. Spend the overnight with dinner in a Riad or hotel.
Meals: Dinner included
After breakfast, you will be escorted by a local tour guide to explore the city of Marrakech. You will visit the main historical monuments including: the gorgeous Bahia palace built in 19th century, the Koranic School of Ben Youssef, and the Koutoubia mosque built in 12th century. You will also visit the famous Souks; a great place for shopping where you can buy presents for your family, friends or yourselves. Relax in the Majorelle Gardens, a peaceful space in the New Town with exotic botanical plants brought from all over the world. You will finish your tour in the main square of Djemaa Lefna with its story tellers, snake charmers, musicians, acrobats and open air food stalls. You will also have free time to enjoy a soft drink in one of the cafes where you can get amazing panoramic views across the square. Spend the overnight with breakfast at the Riad or hotel.
Meals: Breakfast included
After breakfast at the hotel we will head to Essaouira. You will have the opportunity to see the Argan trees, important to the region both economically and ecologically. You may also see local goats perched in the trees feeding on the fruit and leaves. At the women's Co-operative of Argan Oil, there will be an opportunity to learn about the wide ranging applications of the oil from cosmetics to medicines. Famous for its fine wood- work, Essaouira is also home to the silver souk art galleries and islands. It’s easy to see why Essaouira is often dubbed the ‘Jewel of the Atlantic’. This place has earned such a following that Orson Welles filmed Othello here in 1949. You’ll visit the Skala Fortress, the port. Essaouira is a melting pot of locals and foreigners who came and stayed have created a laid back, atmospheric and intriguing resort. Windsurfers love Essaouira, clean waters and it’s the Atlantic Trade winds that have ensured the large-scale operators stay out and the character stays in. Check in and overnight with dinner at the hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
After breakfast at the hotel, depart towards the coastal city of Agadir for a short break and lunch in a seaside Restaurant. Afterwards, we continue to Taroudant, often referred to as a mini Marrakech, a walled city with plenty of history. Located around 90 kilometers from Agadir, it’s a conveniently close destination to glimpse into the Morocco of old. The city served as the capital for a short period of time during the Saadian era. There’s a small leather tannery outside of the sand-colored fortifications, and the city is known for its souks and crafts. Compare and contrast goods in the Arab souk and the Berber souk, and shop for traditional items like rugs, jewellery, spices, metalwork, pottery, and clothing. Spend the overnight with dinner at the hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Today we will drive from Taroudant south via the Anti Atlas Mountains. We will stop in the town of Taliouine known as the capital of Saffron. There is the possibility of enjoying a visit of a local Cooperative to see the production process of Saffron. Afterwards we continue the drive to visit the famous Kasbah of Ait Benhdaou, one of the most spectacular fortresses in the South of Morocco and a UNESCO world heritage site. After visiting the Kasbah and enjoying lunch, we leave to Ouarzazate where many famous movies have been shot such Alexander the Great, The Mummy, The jewel of the Nile, Kingdom of heaven Etc. Overnight with dinner in a hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
After breakfast, you will drive through Skoura Palm groves and the Rose valley to reach Todra Gorges where many of rock climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport. Later we continue our journey, following the ancient Bedouin trading routes parallel with the Middle Atlas, passing a series of the fortified villages with outstanding pre-Saharan architecture. The route to Erfoud is one of the most pleasing of all the Southern routes. The town is in a dry red built of desert and was built by the French as a central administration town. It is known for its rich black fossils marble. The stone is sculpted to bring the fossils into relief on everything from ashtrays to washbasins and more. We head down to the spectacular Merzouga dunes where sand dunes signify the start of the mighty Sahara Desert. We leave our vehicle and take a camel ride into the desert to a Berber camp. To seal this as an experience of a life time, why not surf the Sahara Desert and try sand Dunes Boarding! After dinner we gather round the fire and enjoy the desert night perhaps with traditional Berber drums.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included.
After a picturesque sunrise with breakfast at the camp, you will leave the desert riding the camels to Merzouga to venture into the Atlas Mountains heading a different part of Morocco. We cross the verdant oasis and magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock and through the Tizi Ntalghamt Pass to Midelt passing millions of palm trees and fortified villages characterized by fascinating southern architecture. We stop for lunch in the small town of Midelt, a sleepy village flanked by the verdant beauty of the Middle Atlas Mountains, bursting with colorful minerals that mottle the mountainside in a blaze of ruby. Continue through the Middle Atlas mountain range and great forests of cedar trees, terraced farms and sienna mud-brick Berber villages via Ifran a charming ski resort and Azrou an important handicraft centre specialized in the work of cedar wood. We arrive to the old city of Fez for the overnight with dinner in a hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
After breakfast, you will meet your private tour guide to enjoy a guided city tour to explore the first imperial city of Morocco, Fes; this UNESCO World Heritage Site was founded in the 9th century, and is home to the world's oldest university. The first stop of the morning is a visit to the entrance of the largest royal palace in Morocco. Afterwards, we will drive for a wonderful panoramic views of the whole medina from the southern tower of Fes, visit a pottery co-operative where tiles and Moroccan mosaic are made. We will visit the tanneries, to watch the locals working with the skins of animals such as goat, camel and cow. We will explore a Medrassa (Koranic school), the Nejjarine fountain, the Moulay Idriss mausoleum, and the Karaouine Mosque University. Enjoy a Moroccan lunch at a traditional restaurant in the Medina. Afterwards, continue to explore the medina and its narrow alleys house hundreds of merchants and craftsmen selling a range of products such as dates, fish, spices, copper urns and musical instruments. Spend the rest of the day at leisure with overnight at the hotel or Riad.
Meals: Breakfast included
Today you will take a day trip to Volubilis the Roman Ruins and an open air museum. Volubilis is not as spectacular as the Roman sites on the Mediterranean rim but it is still a relaxed way of envisaging an important part of Moroccan history. Afterwards, drive towards Meknes, the fourth of Morocco’s imperial cities and the 17th century heritage where we will stop for lunch and hang around the historical huge walls of the medina. After lunch, we take a glimpse to Bab Mansour and enjoy a visit of Moulay Ismail’s shrine. Continue the journey towards the blue town Chefchaouen where you spend the overnight with dinner in a Riad or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Today you will explore the blue town of Chefchaouen which is a Morocco popular tourist attraction and welcoming town situated in the Rif Mountains just south of the Mediterranean coastline in northwest Morocco. This nice bleu city is known for its traditional buildings. Enjoy a walk to explore the white and blue washed walls of the medina and the markets that offer some unique native handicrafts. Chefchaouen is a fantastic destination for photography with its wonderful views of the Rif Mountains. Spend the overnight with dinner at the hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Today you can choose to have some more time in the blue Chefchaouen. Then, you drive to the administrative capital Rabat where you see Hassan Tower as a 12th Century mosque that was collapsed by Lisbon earthquake. You will have the chance to visit the ornamented mausoleum of Mohamed V and Hassan II. The building is considered a masterpiece of modern Alaouite dynasty architecture, with its white silhouette, topped by a typical green tiled roof. You will also reach the old Oudayya Kasbah at the side of Bou Regreg River. This fortification was built as a military defense in the 12th century by the Almohads dynasty. You can also go behind to early ages by visiting the Roman Chellah ruins as a necropolis at the outskirts of Rabat where you spend the overnight with dinner in a Riad or hotel.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
After breakfast, drive from Rabat to Casablanca for the sightseeing of the city that includes the impressive Mosque of Hassan II, opened in 1993. It can accommodate 25,000 worshippers and is one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims by the beautiful Corniche seaside. Take a moment to catch your breath and to admire the serenity of the Atlantic Ocean. Continue on a short drive through the residential areas of Casablanca to the city center to visit the Mohamed V Square, the Habous quarter and the Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral. After lunch, we will leave to the second imperial city Marrakesh for the overnight with dinner in a Riad or hotel.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Marrakesh is a perfect entertaining destination offering attractions and leisure facilities for every taste and fancy. The city features magnificent gardens and modern entertaining complexes as well as scale shopping centers. Near the heart of the city there are popular scenic and well equipped golf centers enhancing facilities to fully enjoy the game and embrace the beauty of surrounding nature. Marrakesh also offers a rather rich night life and night entertainments choice for its guests. There are also center features the first class service and the visitors of the Hammam and Spa centers have a chance to enjoy a genuine Turkish bath. You can also discover the secrets of Moroccan cuisine by joining one of our popular cooking classes. Spend the overnight with breakfast at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast included
Transfer to Marrakech international airport for your return flight with plenty of tales of Arabian and Berber days and nights.
Explore hundreds of years of history as you tour the important imperial cities of Rabat, Fes, Marrakesh and Meknes.
Feel the unique pulse of Africa in the mythical Djemaa el Fna square of Marrakesh where snake charmers, acrobats and story tellers breathe in the sweet aromas of spices wafting through the air.
Enjoy the authentic medina and fresh seafood in the coastal city of Essaouira.
Visit the ancient Kasbah of Benhaddou that was used as a backdrop for legendary Hollywood movies like Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia and Jewel of the Nile.
Discover the hidden delights of a desert camp in the desert of Merzouga. Savor a magical sunset and dine under the stars while enjoying a musical performance by a local band.
Travel through the High Atlas Mountains; enjoy the lush forest area and the sight of Berber homes.
Have a unique sensory experience in Fes, watching the dyeing skills of tanners on display as they use age old techniques to soak and dye skins.
Explore the blue-washed streets of Chefchaouen which is irresistibly photogenic. Discover the medina cast in shades of azure and aquamarine.
Walk through cosmopolitan Casablanca, marveling at the stunning art deco buildings before heading to see the glory of the King Hassan II Mosque.
Tripadvisor previous guests reviews
We were booked and had paid a deposit for a trip late March of 2020, which was canceled due to the pandemic. Said, the owner of MD, went to extraordinary lengths to refund the deposits for our travel group of six from the U.S. Apparently the Moroccan banking system is not "user friendly" when it comes to wire transfers for reasons unclear to me. Nevertheless, Said managed to refund all our money using a very creative approach. We would DEFINITELY travel with MD in the future given this level of honesty and effort; but we do hope that MD will accept credit cards rather than wires in the future. Thank You Said & Morocco Discovery!
Three of use booked a 19-day with Moroccan Discovery Holidays for March, 2020 and paid a 50% deposit. When Morocco closed its borders due to Covid. Initially we put our trip on hold and asked Said to hold our deposit. Said agreed to this. When it appeared holiday travel would likely go on for many months we asked for a refund. Said again agreed but the Moroccan banks, being what they are, refused to release all of our deposit. With some pressure on the bank from us and Said's help we did receive 100% of our deposit.
We planned our April-May 2020 trip to Morocco in the late fall of 2019 and worked with Said at Morocco Discovery. We were taking our adult children and their partners and Said was patient and added everything we wanted and more. One month prior to travel we were surprised by the pandemic, with flights cancelled, borders closed and no idea when we could travel again. Said remained as diligent, helpful and honest throughout the arduous process of refunding our downpayment. We were thrilled with Said, and his company's commitment to customer service and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone travelling to Morocco. As soon as it is safe again it is our intent to rebook with them!
From their already outstanding reviews when I started working with Sayd, this was an amazing experience. I got prompt friendly responses to every question I had and as this was our first trip to Africa I had a lot of questions. The price was incredibly reasonable - I don’t know how they can put the trip together on this budget. We stayed at amazing Riads in every city with excellent food every evening and great breakfasts - our driver was AMAZING- he was always ready wherever we were 1 minute before we needed him. The prearranged guides were the best. If you are going to Morocco - you want to go with Morocco Discovery and you definitely want a driver.
I have to admit, when I first started looking at using a local Moroccan tour company for our trip I was very nervous. After having toured Morocco for 11 days with Morocco Discovery Holidays, I would HIGHLY recommend them without any hesitation. Said worked with me for over a year to come up with a customized trip that included everything we (2 couples) wanted to see and more. Every change I made to the itinerary was completed within hours of my request.. and I made many. Said is very prompt at responding to e-mails and questions. Having a private driver was definitely the ideal way to see Morocco. Our driver, Mohamed was amazing. From the minute he met us at the airport (with sweets to welcome us) until he dropped us off at the port for our journey to Spain, Mohamed could not do enough for us. Mohamed is funny, engaging, very knowledgeable and was totally flexible and I felt very safe at all times, even on the curvy, narrow road. If I wanted him to turn around so I could take a picture, he would…and Did!! LOL Our Riads were beautiful and the meals that were included were some of the best meals we had in Morocco. I cannot say enough about the 5* service and attention we received from Morocco Discovery Holidays and Mohamed during our trip.
Mr Said provided us with a very pleasant and safe driver (Mustafa) as well as a new van, so we had a very enjoyable round trip Casablanca-Rabat-Fes- Marrakech-Casablanca. Local guides accompanied us in Fes and Marrakech, and we could have had other tours but we opted to spend more time walking around the towns. The Riads selected for us were very satisfactory and service all round was great. No hesitation at all in recommending Morocco Discovery.
Said arranged an excellent holiday for us. We began with one of the standard trips as our starting point and adapted it to better suit our needs with an added night here and there and starting in Marrakesh rather than Casablanca. Everything went very smoothly from start to finish.The choice of the Riads in which we stayed was great, as were the guides that were arranged for us. Abdoul proved to be a first rate driver - safe, dependable, friendly and very professional. We felt very comfortable being driven by him and we enjoyed his company.