Morocco Highlights From Agadir - 12 Days

Agadir - Essaouira. Your tour begins in Agadir, where your driver will meet you at Agadir Al Massira Airport or your hotel. From here, we will start exploring the city.

We visit the Port Marina to see the traditional craftsmanship used to build wooden fishing boats, a practice that has continued for hundreds of years. We then head to the ruins of the Agadir Oufella Kasbah, destroyed in the 1960 earthquake. Located on a hilltop, the kasbah offers a bird’s eye view over the city and the harbour, home to the largest sardine fishing port in the world where daily fish auctions take place.

We also visit the old quarter of Talborjt and a centre for the production of argan oil. Our day ends at the colourful walled souk, home to Agadir’s bustling local market. After, we will continue our journey to Essaouira.

Essaouira - Marrakech. This morning, we tour the coastal town of Essaouira before continuing to Marrakech. Known for its fishing port and blue fleet of wooden boats, Essaouira is one of Morocco’s most popular seaside towns.

We explore several of the town’s highlights, including the Skala du Port, the ramparts with cannons from the Portuguese era, and the wood souk where local artisans create products from the region’s distinctive thuya wood. We also walk through the well-preserved medina, with its maze of streets and blue front doors, and visit sites such as the Jewish Synagogue and the beach.

ssaouira has long attracted artists and creatives, including Orson Welles and Jimi Hendrix. Welles filmed scenes of Othello here. If visiting in late June, you may experience the renowned Gnaoua World Music Festival.

You will have many options for lunch in Essaouira. Near the port, you can choose fresh fish or seafood that has just been brought in by the fishermen.

After lunch, we travel approximately three hours inland to Marrakech. On arrival, we check in to our riad or hotel, where we spend the night.

Marrakech - Casablanca. After breakfast, we depart Marrakech and travel to Casablanca. Today is primarily a travel day as we make our way to Morocco’s largest city. Once we arrive, the remainder of the day will be at leisure.

Casablanca - Rabat - Chefchaouen. Today, we tour Casablanca before continuing north. We take a panoramic tour of Morocco’s largest city and economic centre and view the exterior of the Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in North Africa and the thirteenth largest in the world.

We then travel to Rabat, Morocco’s capital. Here we see the Royal Palace, located at the end of the Mechouar, a large parade ground. The palace dates back to 1864 and remains the principal residence of the King of Morocco. We also visit the fortified Kasbah of the Oudayas.

Continuing to Meknes, we explore El Hedim Square, the Mausoleum of Sultan Moulay Ismail and the old medina. We also view Bab Mansour Laleuj, an iconic gateway known for its geometric decoration, inscriptions and marble columns. We stop here for lunch before continuing to Volubilis.

Along the way, we visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis, which remained largely intact until an earthquake in the mid eighteenth century. We then continue to the blue city of Chefchaouen where we spend the night.

Chefchaouen - Tangier - Fes. We explore Chefchaouen before travelling towards Fes. Known as the Blue City, Chefchaouen takes its name from the surrounding mountain peaks, which resemble the horns of a goat.

We walk through the medina, famous for its blue-painted doors and walls. The colour is said to symbolise the sky and heaven, while another theory suggests it was introduced by Jewish refugees in the 1930s. Chefchaouen is also known for its distinctive handicrafts, including wool garments and woven blankets.

We then visit the Caves of Hercules in Tanger. After time for lunch, we continue our journey to Fes.

After breakfast, we will be met by a local guide who will take us to visit some of the most remarkable places in the oldest Imperial City.

We explore the Mellah, the medina and view the exterior of the Kairaouine Mosque, the holiest and second largest mosque in Morocco. We also visit the University of Al Karaouine, recognised as the oldest continually operating university in the world, and the Bou Inania Medrasa, one of the most famous Quranic schools in Morocco.

Our visit concludes at the Chouara Tannery, one of the best-known traditional tanneries in the city.

Fes - Ifrane - Azrou - Erfoud - Merzouga. We will start the journey by picking you up at your hotel as we leave Fes and travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains towards Ifrane, often called the Little Switzerland of Morocco. We stop here to discover this mountain town before continuing to Azrou.

In Azrou, we visit the cedar forest, home to the endangered Barbary apes. Here we have the opportunity to see the cedar woods and wild monkeys and take photographs.

We continue to Midelt, known for its apples and minerals, where we stop for lunch in a local restaurant. Our journey then takes us through the Ziz Valley, where we stop at a panoramic viewpoint to take photos.

Finally, we arrive in Erfoud, where we visit the old date market and local fossil workshops.

Merzouga - Khamilia - Rissani - Erg Chebbi - Merzouga. Today, we tour the area around the dunes of Erg Chebbi. We begin with a visit to Khamlia, a small desert village near the dunes, where we visit a Berber home and listen to traditional Gnawa music that originated in West Africa.

We then continue to Rissani, a small oasis town near the northwestern edge of the Sahara and the historic capital of Tafilalet. Here we visit the famous market of Rissani, known for its jewellery, spices, crafts, souvenirs and local goods. While in Rissani, we stop for lunch and try the traditional Moroccan pizza known as Medfouna.

Afterwards, we return to our hotel in Merzouga to prepare for our journey to Erg Chebbi. We then take a camel ride to the desert camp, where we spend another night under the stars.

Merzouga - Jorf - Todra Gorge – Dades Valley. This morning, we leave camp and ride our camels out of the desert, returning to our original point of departure. We then travel back to the hotel where you can shower and collect your luggage before we continue our journey towards Ouarzazate.

Along the way, we stop to see the irrigation canals in Jorf before continuing to the Todra Gorges, where we visit the highest gorges in Morocco.

We then travel through the Valley of Roses and visit a women’s cooperative where a variety of rose based and organic products are produced. Our day ends in the Dades Valley, where we check in to our hotel and enjoy dinner.

Dades Valley - Ouarzazete - Aït Benhaddou - Marrakech. After breakfast, we travel from the Dades Valley towards Marrakech. Our first stop is in Ouarzazate, where we visit the Taourirt Kasbah, one of the best known Berber kasbahs in the region.

We then continue to Ait Ben Haddou, where we spend time exploring the famous ksar. A local guide will lead a one hour visit through the village and explain its history, after which you will have free time to explore further and enjoy lunch.

After lunch, we visit the nearby Telouet Kasbah, once the residence of the powerful Glaoui family. We spend about an hour visiting the kasbah before continuing our journey.

We then travel through the High Atlas Mountains, stopping along the way for photos of the surrounding Berber villages before arriving in Marrakech.

Today, our guide and driver will pick us up to explore the city of Marrakech and discover the historic medina.

We visit the Majorelle Garden, home to many fountains, a remarkable collection of cacti and more than fifteen bird species native to North Africa. The garden was owned by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé from 1980 to 2008, and after Yves Saint Laurent’s death his ashes were scattered here.

We also visit some of the city’s most important sites, including the Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque and the new city district of Gueliz.

After our tour of Marrakech, we return to our hotel for the evening. You will then have time for dinner.

Marrakech - Agadir. After our final breakfast, we depart Marrakech and travel towards Agadir. Once we arrive, you will be dropped off at your hotel or at Agadir Al Massira Airport.