Day 1. (Friday) COSTA DEL SOL – TARIFA/ALGECIRAS – TANGIER – FEZ
Departure from the Costa del Sol towards Tarifa or Algeciras and boarding towards Tangier, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. Upon arrival, presentation of our guide and then we continue towards Larache, a picturesque port city located on the Atlantic coast, on the left bank of the Lucus River estuary, with houses with white walls and light blue carpentry. Free time for lunch (optional). We continue the trip to Fez, the oldest of the imperial cities of Morocco and famous for its ancient walled city, which many compare to that of Jerusalem. Arrival at the hotel. Free time, dinner and accommodation.
Day 2. (Saturday) FEZ – IFRANE – ERFOUD
Breakfast. In the morning we will visit Fez, the oldest and most monumental of the Imperial Cities, to discover the most interesting places of this wonderful city: the 7 gates of the Royal Palace, the Jewish Quarter or Mellah, the Bab Bou Jeloud gate that gives access to the Medina. We continue with a walk through its magnificent Medina or ancient city, declared a World Heritage Site, we will visit the Medersa, one of the main schools of the Koranic religion in Morocco, its Al Karaouine Mosque, one of the largest architectural complexes in Fez known for housing the oldest university in the world, and later we will discover the famous tanners’ neighbourhood, with its countless pits full of natural dyes that make up a colourful landscape. After visiting Fez, we begin the journey towards the desert. Today we will cross the Middle Atlas and experience a drastic change in landscape along the way. We will stop in Ifrane. For a moment we will feel as if Switzerland had been located in Africa, hence its nickname “little Switzerland“. This city was built during the French protectorate in the 1930s. Continuation of the trip to Erfoud, land of fossils and juicy dates. Arrival at the hotel and free afternoon. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 3. (Sunday) ERFOUD – MERZOUGA
Today a fascinating day awaits us, enjoying the immensity and solitude of the desert, but also, if you wish, getting to know the culture of the nomadic Berber peoples, an ancient ethnic group, a relic of the pre-Islamic world and who live in one of the most inhospitable places of the Earth, still maintaining their lifestyle and traditions. After breakfast, your guide will offer you the possibility of taking an unforgettable excursion in 4×4 vehicles and getting to know the nomadic peoples of the area, enjoying a folklore show of Gnawa music in the small town of Khamlia, along with a delicious lunch in an oasis. At the indicated time, we head to the Sahara, here the road blurs and the dunes mark the horizon. “When a rich family refused to help a poor woman and her son, God took offence and buried them under mounds of sand 50 km from Erfoud, today known as the Erg Chebbi Dunes in Merzouga.” This is what the legend tells about these majestic dunes. Upon our arrival, the camels are waiting for us to make the last journey to the camp, riding on the backs of these beautiful animals. An unforgettable experience! Arrival at the nomad camp and accommodation in jaimas (fully equipped nomad tents). At night, dinner by candlelight and accompanied by Berber music. Accommodation under the stars.
Day 4. (Monday) MERZOUGA – RISSANI – MIDELT – MEKNES
We will have breakfast surrounded by dunes. Optionally, you can contemplate one of the great events of a stay in the Sahara, the sunrise between the dunes. Today we will say goodbye to the desert, we leave the South to enter the North. Our first stop will be in Rissani, which in its time was an important enclave where desert caravans met. Rissani ‘s position was so strategic that the Filali Dynasty (ancestors of the Alaouite Dynasty that rules the country today) had their epic battle here to replace the Saadim. After that, we will cross the Middle Atlas and experience a new change of landscape along the way. A long but fascinating journey awaits us. As we leave the rolling dunes of Merzouga, the landscape gradually transforms into a succession of towering mountains and cedar forests. As we ascend the winding roads of the Middle Atlas, we encounter stunning panoramas, lush valleys, and picturesque villages with their adobe architecture clinging to the mountain slopes. Arrival at the hotel in Meknes, dinner and accommodation.
Day 5. (Tuesday) MEKNES – VOLUBILIS – TANGIER – TARIFA/ALGECIRAS – COSTA DEL SOL
Our last breakfast in Morocco. In the morning, we will do a guided tour of Meknes, one of the Imperial Cities of the 17th century, located in the heart of the Middle Atlas and surrounded by 40 km of walls. We will visit the Bab Al Mansour Gate, entrance to the old town and without a doubt the most beautiful gate in Morocco. We continue the trip to Walili, the ancient Roman Volubilis, one of the most important Roman cities of the time. We will visit the archaeological site, walking along the Decumanus Maximus, the main road that crossed Volubilis and admiring the Tangier Gate, the floors of the nobles’ houses, adorned with impressive mosaics, or the Arc de Triomphe, ordered to be built by the emperor Marcus Aurelius. Continue to Tangier, the Moroccan capital of the Strait of Gibraltar, a cosmopolitan city that has always been coveted by many civilizations due to its strategic location, at the main gateway between Europe and Africa. Arrival at the port of Tangier and take the ferry to return to Spain through the Strait of Gibraltar. Transfer to points of origin. Farewell to our staff and end of our services.
