If you are planning your Morocco trip from Fez, this is an ideal journey to experience the real culture of Morocco, learn the rich history, enjoy the great landscapes and meet the local people. You will have the opportunity to explore the authentic medina of the Imperial cities of Fez, Marrakech, Rabat and Meknes to enjoy the displays of traditional art and architecture all around you. Travel to the Sahara desert of Merzouga and have the experience of a camel trek to enjoy a night in a Berber tent with a canopy of stars outside. Reach the medina of Marrakech and the coastal town Essaouira with cool beach.
Outstanding Morocco Tour Starting from the spiritual capital of Morocco Fez to the must-see highlights of Morocco covering the blue town of Chefchaouen, the Imperial cities of Meknes and Marrakech, the stunning snow capped Atlas Mountains and the coastal city Essaouira with its authentic medina.
Welcome to Morocco! Arrive to Fes airport where you will meet your driver and escorted to your hotel. The driver will provide a brief overview of your tour. The rest of the day is at leisure with overnight and dinner at the Riad or hotel.
Meals: Dinner 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. The rest of the day is at leisure with overnight at the Riad or hotel.
Meals: Breakfast included
Today we drive from Fez to Meknes to enjoy a guided tour of Meknes. We start our guided tour in front of the impressive 18th century Bab Mansour, the ornamental gate to the imperial city of Meknes built by Sultan Moulay Ismail. We continue our tour to the small but impressive Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. Then we will pass by the entrance of the Meknes Royal Palace and end up at Moulay Ismail’s massive Heri es Souani. This was his personal stable & granary for his 12,000 horses. After lunch, we'll make our way through the rolling hills for a guided visit of the impressive Roman ruins of Volubilis, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of Northern Africa. Listen to your certified local guide explain about life in the Roman Empire as you peer into old bathhouses, marveling at the still-present mosaic floors and gazing up at the towering marble pillars. We continue the drive towards the blue town Chefchaouen where you spend the overnight with dinner in a Riad or hotel.
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 breakfast at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast included.
After breakfast, you decide what time to leave to the Northern city of Tangier. Upon arrival, you will marvel at the picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean and the famed Strait of Gibraltar, a perfect photo opportunity. Wander through the narrow streets lined with colorful doors, ancient and modern. This historically city has hosted a variety of famous artists including Matisse, Camille Saint Saens, Paul Bowles and William Burroughs, and was home to favorite son, Ibn Battouta. You will visit the cave of Hercules and Cape Spartel before check in the hotel or Riad for the overnight with dinner.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Today you will depart from the northern city Tangier to the administrative capital Rabat. Upon arrival, you will 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. The guided tour will go behind to early ages by visiting the Roman Chellah ruins as a necropolis at the outskirts of Rabat. After lunch, you will continue to Casablanca where you will see the gorgeous mosque of Hassan II and the main interesting sites such as the square of Mohamed V. Overnight with breakfast at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast included.
After breakfast departure to the coastal port city of El Jadida, which was strongly influenced by the Portuguese, visit its citadel, walls, impressive tank and another defense structure that were left behind when the Portuguese left in the 18th century. Inside the walls the Old Portuguese mansions with pilasters and wrought iron balconies, mosques and churches built next to each other. We arrive to the town of Oualidia for lunch. This coastal town is known by the Oysters dishes. We drive to Safi, a city known by its Portuguese architecture, which houses one of the largest ports in the kingdom. Safi town of fishermen and is now known throughout the country for the expertise of its artisans in pottery and ceramics. Arrive to Essaouira for the overnight with dinner in a Riad or hotel.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Today you will have a day at leisure to explore Essaouira, a Famous town 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. Spend the overnight with breakfast at the Riad or hotel.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
After breakfast, we depart from Essaouira towards the high Atlas Mountains. 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. We drive to the high Atlas Mountains via Berber villages and terraced fields of vegetables, fruit trees walnuts & cherries. Check in at the hotel before you meet your local mountain guide to have few hours trek and hike between fields to climb the panoramic view over Imlil valley, Azaden Valley and the high Atlas Mountains over 4000m including Toubkal 4167m, then a nice walk through juniper forest to walk down to Tizi Oussem village, view on Azaden valley, meet local people. Spend the overnight with dinner in a hotel or guest house.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Today you will set out for a hike towards the east up to the Tizi n'Tamatert (2272m) and on through fields of wheat and orchards of walnut, apple and cherry trees until you reach the village of Tamatert (1810m). Once through the village take a path which then leads up through pine and juniper woods; stop at the Tizi to admire the Imlil and Imenane Valleys, the latter with its many terraced Berber villages tucked precariously on to the slopes stretching around you. All along with Adrar n'Oukaimeden (3268m), almost as high as the Rockies, on the southern horizon, with the high peaks of the Tizi n'Eddi (2928m) and the Jbel Angour (3616m) also looming down. We continue the hike along the Tamatert Valley slopes until you reach the location for your field picnic at Amghedoul, surrounded now on all sides by the Toubkal Massif range. Once refreshed, set off back to the Douar Samra, first towards the oldest Berber village in this once-remote area, Tacheddirt, then via Ouaneskra and the other side of the Valley, passing through the villages of Tamegguist and Tinghourine with the stark Jbel Bou Iguenouane (3882m), Tizi n'Likemt (3615m), Aksoual (3842m) and the Azrou n'Tamadot (3664m) until a welcoming return to the village of Imlil where you meet your driver to continue your journey towards the city of Marrakech for the overnight with dinner in a hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast 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 Saadian tombs a 17th century Royal necropolis, 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
Transfer to Marrakech Menara airport for your return flight with plenty of tales of Arabian and Berber days and nights.
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 hundreds of years of history as you tour the important imperial cities of Rabat, Fes, Marrakesh and Meknes.
Explore Tangier the gateway to Africa with its blend of cultures and unique influences.
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.
Sunbathing at the beach resorts of Essaouira. Try kayaking, water boarding and windsurfing for water sports.
Travel through the High Atlas Mountains; enjoy the lush forest area and the sight of Berber homes.
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.
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.