Grand Tour to Morocco -Sahara, Marrakech, Rabat and Fez- from Tarifa

DAY 1, SATURDAY: TARIFA - TANGIER - RABAT - CASABLANCA

• 8:00: Meeting point will be at the information point at the Tarifa port, boarding passes will be collected.
• 9:00: Fast ferry departs to Tangiers. Please remember you must stamp your passports during the boat ride. From the boat’s deck the silhouette of the city will begin to appear in all its splendor, dominated by the two tall towers of the mosque of Mohammed V and the Spanish Cathedral. In the distance, between the sound of the waves, you can hear the faint murmur of the muezzin calling people to prayer, and it is then that you will begin to feel that you have truly arrived at your destination: Morocco, country of senses.
• When we arrive at the Tanger port, we will be received by our driver
• We will start our route to Rabat, the capital of the kingdom which is located on the Atlantic Coast next to the southern shore of Bu Regreg River which separates the neighboring city of Salé. Archaeological ruins are still conserved here which are known as Chellah.
• During the Almohade Dynasty in 1195, Yaqub al-Mansur planned and carried out the construction of a grand city which would extend over more than 4 hectares surrounded by walls with five large doors. Within these walls, a large mosque was to be built with four hundred columns in order to support the Giralda de Sevilla and the Koutoubia de Marrakech, but the constructions was interrupted when Yaqub died in 1199. The only thing left standing was the minaret called Torre Hasan which was 44 meters high, which is 20 less meters than it was originally planned to be built.
• Upon arrival we will visit Mausoleum de Mohammed V and the famous Tour Hassan
• Free time for lunch.
• After lunch we will continue our route towards Casablanca. Casablanca is the largest city and economic capital of Morocco. It is located along the Atlantic coast just south of the province's capital Rabat. It is the most populated city with the population of six million.
• Leave by coach for a panoramic visit to the great mosque of Casablanca. The mosque Hassan II can be admired here, designed by french architecture Michel Pinseau, it was inaugurated in 1993 after 8 years of work. This mesquita is the tallest building in the arab world, its lights can be seen from afar. The second tallest is La Meca which counts on more advanced earthquake resistance technology.
• Check in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel.

DAY 2, SUNDAY: CASABLANCA - MARRAKECH

• Breakfast in the hotel and check out.
• Depart Casablanca for Marrakech the red pearl of southern Morocco.
• On Arrival we will go to the hotel for lunch and check in the hotel
• Afterwards we will do our guided visit in Marrakech. We start with the external visit of the Kutubía, the twin tower sister of the Sevillian Giralda. We will visit the gardens of Menara, 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 thawing water of the Atlas and thus be able to use it for irrigation. This system is still used after almost 9 centuries of history... We will also visit the Bahia Palace, dedicated by the vizier to one of his favorites, at the end of the 19th century. We will finish the visit in the famous square of Jmaa el Fna, which at this time of the day becomes the greatest spectacle in the world.
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight in Marrakech
• We recommend an optional dinner at the renowned Chez Ali Fantasy show, which represents the different tribes of Morocco and their traditions. After the fantasy, you will go for a brief walk through el Fnaa square to see the nightlife of it

DAY 3, MONDAY: MARRAKECH -TIZNTICHKA -AIT BEN HADDOU -OUARZAZATE- BOULMANE DE DADES

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out
• 8:00 am We will continue our trip towards southern Morocco. We will cross through the majestic mountains of the Alto Atlas and the port of Tzi´n´Tichka, the door entrance to the desert which is 2260 meter high. Here we will pause to contemplate the spectacular views.
• We will continue to Ait Ben Haddou, one of the geological wonders of the world, which has been kept maintained throughout the millennium. Next we will visit a grand fortress which has served as a movie set several times for movies such as ¨Laurence de Arabia¨, ¨Gladiator¨, and ¨La Joya del Nilo¨. It is made from different elements, the adobe seems to mix with the dry land over what used to be a flourishing stream and has now been converted to cropland.
• Free time for lunch
• After the visit of this landmark, we will go to Ouarzazate, former garrison of French troops, located in the meridional zone in the country. Rich with its agriculture and famous for its details in its palm trees, roses and henna that grow on its bank. It is also the mainstay of many movie directors. These attributes have caused numerous economic boosts to this zone and has created many businesses related to the audiovisual world and jobs to many of the residents.
• We continue to Boulmane de Dades
• Arrive at the hotel, check in the rooms
• Dinner and accomodation in Boulmane de Dades
• DAY 4, TUESDAY.- TINERGHIR - GARGANTAS DEL TODRA - SAHARA
• Breakfast in the Hotel and check out. We recommend taking a small backpack and carrying in it what we are going to need this day because today we are going to sleep 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 to spend the night
• We depart towards Tinerghir. The name “Tinerghir” in the Tamazight language means “that of the mountain”, referring to its geographic location between two mountain ranges. Tinerghir is a Kasbah, the final point of the well-known “Route of the Kasbahs”. A city fortified with adobe walls, it owes its origin to old military barracks as it was a key point between the Atlas Mountains and the desert.
• Tinerghir is situated in the mouth of the Todra River. Its waters have made this southern corner into a green oasis, with gardens and palm trees, that extends for 30 kilometers and contrasts sharply with the red rocks of the desert that surround it.
• Free time for lunch on route
• In the afternoon we will continue on to Merzouga, we will pass the night in khaimas,
• Next it’s on to the Gran Erg Chebi (Desert dunes of very fine sand), where our tents are located and where you will enjoy your first contact with the Sahara Desert. We will spend the night in communal tents like the ones that the Desert nomads use, and where you can enjoy a magic night under thousands of stars.
• Camel ride through the desert included
• Dinner and lodging in tents.
• After the dinner will be a fire with music of the berber drums.

DAY 5, WEDNESDAY SAHARA - IFRANE - FEZ

• Arise early in the morning in the Sahara. Its dunes extend far into the horizon and are elevated as high as 150 m.
• The experience of getting to see the first sheds of light in the Sahara is impressive. There is a mandatory wake up call in order to experience the sunrise. We will leave at nightfall to be able to see the sunrise from the dunes. As we go on we can admire the different tones the sand changes as the sun begins to rise.
• Breakfast in the kasbah
• We will continue to Fez, one of the first empire cities. It originated from the 8th century. It is also one of the first sacred cities of the muslim culture in Morocco. It also has the honor have having one of the most ancient universities in the world.
• On the way we will cross the middle and high Atlas, with several stops on route
• Dinner at the hotel
• DAY 6, THURSDAY .- FEZ - CHEFCHAOUEN
• Breakfast in the hotel and check out.
• Walking through the labyrinthine streets of Fez transports us to past worlds in which potters, forgeers and craftsmen coexist with the foreign visitor, who never ceases to be surprised by observing its people and smelling the multiple aromas and smells that flood the atmosphere of this city.
• 9:00 Tour of the old medina and the city of Fez with a local guide.We will start with a panoramic view of the city, including the Merinides tombs. Afterwards we will visit Fez el Jedid, including the Alhuitas Square, outside the Royal Palace and Dar el Makhzen.
• The old Medina is a true labyrinth, with more than 9,400 streets, tall buildings, and winding and narrow pathways that allow little light to reach the floor.
• We will continue to the walking visit of Fez el Bali. We will visit the spice souk of Attarin and the souk of Jenna. We will arrive at Nejjarin Square where the founduk of the same name is located and we will visit the Bounania Madrasa. We will continue towards the Es Seffarin square to finish the morning in the tanners' quarter and see the tanneries.
• Mirrors, perfumes, chickens, pigeons, silverware, gold, babouches, sandals, chadors, chilabas, drums, vegetables, fruits, pottery, ceramics, forging, spices, portraits of the king, cereals, books, glassware and everything imaginable, everything... is here.
• The constant jolting of the donkeys, loaded with goods from various sources, transports you to another world only broken by the scream of "barak" with which the owner of the animal warns passers-by of the passage of the donkey.
• In the afternoon Depart to Chefchaouen
• Dinner and overnight in Chefchaouen

DAY 7, FRIDAY .- CHEFCHAOUEN – TANGER – TARIFA

• Breakfast in the hotel
• 9:00 hrs Tour through the blue city with a local guide and free time in Chefchaouen
• It is located in a natural park, declared as a natural reserve biosphere. Chaouen is a town on a mountain, white and blue, with its wise, kind, and respectful people who offer visitors beautiful panoramas of the urban slope. Beautiful local artisan showings can be seen here as well as enjoying a certain calmness that hard to find nowadays. This place really has you wishing for a return once you leave.
• Check out 12:00
• 14:30 hrs Depart towards Tanger. Free lunch on route
• Arrive at the Tanger port and board towards Tarifa
• 18:00h. Depart to the Fast Ferry to Tarifa
• Arrive to Tarifa
• End of our services.