Morocco Discovery 13-Day Trip

$2850 $2705 / per person

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Morocco Discovery 13-Day Trip

Morocco is a melting pot of culture. It combines the old world order of the Romans and Berbers with the modern revolution that is redefining the cities of Casablanca, Marrakech, and Fez. Several cultural influences have shaped Morocco, right from the Romans to the Arabs and this has helped build a unique culture that is reflected in both the food as well as the architecture of Morocco. As a part of this 13-day Morocco Discover Tour, delve into the incredible culture of this country.

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2+ Age

AFC Special Tours

Escorted Tours

Women Adventure

Departure
Casablanca
Departure Time
Depends on your Arrival time
Return Time
Depends on your return flight time
Dress Code
Casual
Included
Camel trek (one camel per guest)
New air-conditioned vehicle 4WD or Minivan/Mini Bus
Overnight in Desert Luxury Camp
Professional driver/Tour guide during the tour
Not Included
Entrance Fees
Flights
Local guides in major cities: Fes; Marrakech, Casablanca mosque, Volubilis; Essaouira, Atlas Mountains
Lunches and drinks unless specified
Meals as per itinerary
Personal expenses
Pick-up and Drop Off Service

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Tour Plan

Day 1: Casablanca Arrival

Arrive at Casablanca, where you will be picked up from the airport and Visit the creative district, known as the Art Deco and tour this cosmopolitan city

Day 2: Casablanca to Essaouira

Drive along the coastal road to reach Essaouira to explore the Medinas, and check out Art Galleries in this coastal town.

Day 3: Exploring Essaouira

Today take the entire day admiring the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Museum, the ancient port of Skala Du, and Dar Souiri cultural hub which is famous for architecture, music concerts, and film screenings, explore the winding streets of the medina as well as giving you a full history of the city. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.Essaouira is one of the prettiest and most relaxed towns in Morocco. Located on the Atlantic coast, it is surrounded by long stretches of beach, with wind and waves that have drawn the windsurfing and surfing communities here. They have perpetuated the laid-back atmosphere that grew in the town during the 1960s, when this undiscovered gem was a favourite retreat of artists and musicians, including Jimi Hendrix. The appeal of the town lies in the beautiful juxtaposition of the imposing Portuguese ramparts and the rolling surf of the Atlantic. At the heart of the town the harbour, fortified by the Portuguese, is home to a large fishing fleet that ensures Essaouira’s fish restaurants are amongst the best in the country. Essaouira is also famous for the woodcarving of local artisans, who sell their wares in souqs beneath the ramparts.

Day 4: Essaouira to Marrakech

Visit a famous winery and enjoy a wine tasting session, followed by a horse carriage ride across some of the well-known spots in Marrakech. Enjoy Moroccan food and try your hand at building some designer tiles, and clay pots under the guidance of local artisans.

Day 5: Explore the colorful Medina of Marrakech

The driver and guide will pick you up in the morning to explore some of the hidden gems of Morocco’s most important city.A lively, colorful city, Marrakesh is defined by its old medina and souqs, which lattice the center and resound with the hum of craftsmanship and the tantalizing aroma of exotic spices. At the heart of the medina is the Djemaa El Fna, an open space that comes alive at night with entertainers and soothsayers amid the food stalls. Over its turbulent history, the city has fallen in and out of favor with the ruling sultans, but its function as a trading place has continued regardless. Rising above this activity are proud reminders of the city’s past in the towering minarets, ornate tombs, and cavernous palaces. These are encircled by ochre ramparts, shaded beneath palms, and framed by the distant backdrop of the Atlas Mountains. Marrakesh’s many gardens offer a haven of tranquillity in this busy city. The best known of these is the Majorelle Garden, where vibrant plants surround a striking cobalt-blue Art Deco pavilion.

Day 6: Full day trip to Atlas Mountains and Berber Villages

Today, you get acquainted with Morocco’s ancient Berber tribes by visiting a native village on the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.The Atlas Mountains are three distinct ranges that run in bands across Morocco’s interior, dividing it into strips of lower-lying land. The first north is the Middle Atlas, while the southern range is the Anti Atlas attempt to keep desolate Western Sahara at bay. The central High Atlas range is the most dramatic and by far the most accessible, containing North Africa’s highest peak – the 4,167-metre Mount Toubkal – as well as countless Berber villages terraced onto precipitous ledges. From Marrakesh, it only takes around 45 minutes to drive to the High Atlas, a wonderful chance to retreat to the clear mountain air.

Day 7: Marrakech – Kasbah ait ben haddou – Dades Gorges

Today will include a visit to the world heritage kasbah ait ben haddou, marked as a world heritage site since 1987 and a famous fortified village that still attracting various directors all over the world, many famous films were shot in this site such as; Gladiator, Mommy, Heaven, Games of Thrones, …, where you will learn about the impact and historical relevance of this 17th century Kasbah. After the visit, we will head to the world-famous Dades Gorges where you will spend the night in typical kasbahs.

Day 8: Dades Gorges – Todra Gorge – Merzouga desert

After breakfast, we will drive through the road of 1000 kasbah to reach Todra gorges, on-site you will have a guided walking tour through the palm oasis of Todra, then, head towards the Merzouga desert, ride camels in a camel caravan to assist to a beautiful sunset over the golden sand dunes of Erg Chebbi and spend a romantic night in a luxury desert camp under nomadic tents or starry sky. with bathrooms ensuite

Day 9: Merzouga Desert to Fes

In the morning, try to wake up early to enjoy a lifetime beautiful sunrise in the Sahara desert. then, ride camels or Jeep back to the hotel, where you will meet your driver/guide to start a new explorative journey towards the city of Fes, through the palm grove of Ziz and the middle Atlas Mountains, visit the cedar forest to meet wild Barbary apes before reaching Fes at the end of the afternoon.

Day 10: Fes City tour

Explore the narrow medinas which are car-free zones, and take up a traditional cookery course in Fez, explore the picturesque colorful markets, visit the workshop pottery, as well as the old koranic school (Medersas).Despite the modernization, what will enchant you is the old-world architecture that still prevails in different parts of the city. There are wonderfully designed mosques such as MedersaBouInania and Medersa el-Attarine, that even though don’t open their door to non-Muslims, can be seen from outside. The complexly done tile work is an absolute artistic delight.The King’s Palace, Saadian Tombs, and Jewish quarters are other well-known places of interest that one can explore. The King’s Palace is open only to the members of the Royal family. Others can enjoy viewing it from outside. Another noteworthy thing is that the city is full of fountains, just like important kingdom cities used to be way back in time. And given that it is still traditional, both men and women should cover themselves well when they are exploring the city.Contrary to what the world believes, the world’s oldest university is not anywhere else but at Fez. The University of Al-Qarawiyyin is supposed to have been established in 859 AD, and UNESCO granted it a heritage status. There are so many more places to visit in Fez, such as the ancient tanneries, and the colorful bazaars. Make sure you are carrying your camera along!

Day 11: Fes – Volubilis – Meknes – Chefchaouen

Visit the capital of Moulay Ismail, check out the Royal Palace, and explore the only Jewish Quarters in a Muslim country, known as the Mellahs. then, head to the famous blue medinas of Chefchaouen. You will be in the vicinity of the Rif Mountains, as the city of Chefchaouen is on the foothills of the mountain. The medinas are small and can be explored by taking a walk around.

Day 12: Chefchaouen – Rabat – Casablanca

In the morning, you will leave for Morocco’s capital Rabat. In between, you will halt at Lixus, which is a site of ancient Roman ruins such as temples, baths, and 4th-century walls.Explore the Islamic and French influences of Rabat, such as the French-styled parks, and the very famous Hassan tower. If you are clueless about the sights to visit, you can hire a guide too!on your own pace or just relax on the beach enjoy the fresh air of the Atlantic.After exploring Rabat we will head towards Casablanca through the highway.

Day 13: Return Flight

Depends on your flight time, you will be dropped off at the airport for your return fight back home.

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10 Days Morocco Cultural Tour from Marrakech

Plan Your Dream Trip to Morocco Without Breaking the Bank with AFC Morocco Tours

What’s included in this Tour

A fully customized itinerary based on your interests and schedule 24/7 in-destination support from our local office in Morocco
All accommodation stays, tours, and transfers for scheduled activities are covered unless otherwise listed in the itinerary
A certified private driver for tours and transfers
Local certified private guides in the Major Cities
A meet and greet at the airport or your accommodation from your driver or manager assigned to you.
Arrival and departure Airport pickup.
Certified and professional tour leader during the tour
Breakfast each day at your Riad or hotel, plus any meals indicated in the itinerary.
12 nights’ accommodation at the hotels mentioned above (or hotels or Riads of the same category).
Water and Snacks in Vehicle
Camel ride experience in the Sahara Desert Tour in Sahara
Cooking class in the Sahara desert camp
11 Breakfasts
04 dinners
03 lunches
SPA in Marrakech: Traditional Hammam and Massage

What’s not included

Travel insurance, which we offer and can be purchased after you’ve booked your tour Visas (unless noted)
Tips for services and experiences
Lunches, and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), unless specified in the itinerary Dinners and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcohol) unless specified in the itinerary Entrance fees to historical monuments
Local Guide's fee unless specified in the included section. Henna Tattoo experience
Hot Air Balloon Tour leader services
Personal charges such as laundry, phone calls, SIM cards, or room service Early check-in or late check-out from hotels (unless otherwise specified) Additional sightseeing, activities, and experiences outside of your itinerary
Optional enhancements like room or flight upgrades, local camera or video fees Passport fees, and immunization costs.
Taxes, and personal things purchased
Does not include domestic or international travel.
Everything that is not mentioned in‘’ THE PACKAGE PRICE INCLUDES

20 Things You Must Know Before Visiting Morocco - AFC Morocco Travel Tips

More and more people are visiting Morocco every year. It’s a beautiful country. If you plan on going, here are a few pointers to help you prepare for your trip.

Dress Appropriately

Overall, guys can dress however they like, but women need to dress more conservatively. Although you see many tourists wearing whatever they want, we chose to cover up as much as possible to avoid unwanted attention. Even if you’re traveling with a group of guys, you may still get harassed. Some of the girls in our group got groped on multiple occasions even though we were paired off with a male buddy. It was mostly really old men, and it happened more often in crowded places. When visiting mosques, you need to cover down to your wrists and ankles. For the ladies out there, it really helps to have a shawl/scarf handy in case you need it.

Currency and Cost

More established shops will take credit cards, but most smaller markets, street vendors, and cabs will not. Be ready with the local currency. The Moroccan Dirham (DEER-HAM) goes for roughly 9.20 Dirhams (DH) per 1 USD or 10 per 1 euro. We thought things would be cheaper in Morocco, but because of how touristy the country has become, the prices were comparable to Europe. Our tour guide recommended each person exchange 100 euros per day.

ATMs.

Exchange enough money when have a chance. ATMs can run out of money especially during a holiday or on the weekend also keep in mind some machines will let you withdraw up to $400.00 a day. There are many exchange offices especially in the big cities, your tour guide will help you get the best exchange rates. Also, traveler’s checks are pretty much useless in Morocco. It’s hard to find a place to cash them.

Keep Correct Change with You

Moroccan cab drivers rarely “have change” when you need it. To avoid overpaying, keep your coins. Most of our cab rides within the city were roughly 30 Dirhams, be careful when the cab driver says I will charge you a flat fee (it’s illegal), once you’re inside the cab look at the meter it should read something like 2.3 DRS during the day and 3.2 DRS during the night, roughly a 10 minutes cab ride should cost you around $8.00, do the best you can to have small change with you (coins).

Tipping

Have some change ready for tips. A good general rule of thumb is 3 to 5 DH at a local place and 5 to 10 DH at nicer places (coffee shops), when you dine at a restaurant a 10% tips is greatly appreciated. For your driver and guide 15 to 20% is greatly appreciated.

Be Wary of Local Guides.

It’s definitely great to hire a local guide to help you get an inside perspective on the country and navigate through the maze of the medinas (old towns) but be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. The local guides have built relationships with many different stores, and they are most likely getting a cut of the sales. Don’t be fooled when they say they are trying to help you haggle to get the best price. I always offer them a 70% off the asking price, we start negotiating until we meet somewhere in the middle, put your poker face on. For this reason, our guides and drivers will stay with you from the beginning to the end of the tour to avoid such miss-step.

Stay Away from Strangers Offering Free Tours or Directions.

Even if you don’t hire a local guide, there will be a lot of locals offering you tours while you’re walking around the markets and medinas. If you go with one of them you may end up completely lost and pressed to spend money. Most of the time they will ask for a tip afterward too. This is the same as asking for directions. A lot of them will offer to walk you to where you’re going but then ask for a tip. If you’re so inclined, always have money to pay them off or just plan ahead and ask your hotel or pull up some maps when you have WIFI. And this is the reason why we have well-trained staff professional chauffeurs and nationally certified guides that offer you protection to your experience.

Fridays are Holy Days and Prepare for Holidays

Keep in mind that it is a Muslim country, so pay attention to their holidays otherwise you might be there when everything is closed. Also, most shops and attractions are closed during the mid-day prayer then everything is back to normal after that. During Ramadan most food places will be closed until late afternoon, however, you can still find some places where you can eat, the restaurant at the hotels, and Riads are always open. If you arrive in Morocco on Eid al-Adha, where they slaughter and sacrifice helps. Shops restaurants will be closed for at least 4 to 6 days and banks will be close for at least 2 days.

Careful What Water You Use

To stay on the safe side, drink bottled water and even use it to brush your teeth. the water bottle is really useful when you’re in Morocco.

Pack Some Immodium

Because the food, the meat, and the vegetables are all organic and they are not processed in most cases you will be fine but just to be in the safe case, bring some medication with you.

Watch Your Pockets

Most Moroccans are friendly and honest, but be careful about pickpockets in any major city especially in crowded places like the markets.

What Language Do They Speak?

Moroccans speak a mixture of Arabic, Berber, English, Spanish, and French. You’ll be fine with English in most of the larger cities, but you’ll probably need a translator in the rural parts of the country.Here are a few basic Arabic words that came in handy:

Hello(Peace Be With You): Salam Alikome (salaam a eleikum)
Thank You:Choukran (shokran)
No Thank You: La Choukran (la shokran). This one is useful when you have a bunch of street vendors hassling you to buy something.
Watch Out: Although you won’t use this yourself, you’ll most likely hear this in the medinas or souks (outdoor markets). It will be said by locals coming by with a mule, motorcycle, or cart and is a warning to move to the side.

Visiting Mosques:

If you’re hoping to visit Mosque in Morocco, you might be out of luck unless you’re Muslim. Most mosques are off-limits to non-Muslims, with the exception of the massive Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. They are still beautiful to take photos from outside though!

Do I Need a Visa or Vaccines?

Almost all English-speaking countries (except South Africa) do not require visas to enter the country. The CDC also doesn’t require any vaccines although many would recommend Hepatitis A and Typhoid shots. Find out more details from the CDC here.

Ask Before Taking Photos (And You May Have to Pay).

When you’re walking through the markets, be careful about taking photos of people and shops. Unless you are purchasing something, they may get angry at you and even demand money for the photos. When taking photos of the snake charmers, you need to pay 20 DH. Some may even hassle you for more, so it’s good to first establish a price before taking a photo.

Souvenirs to Bring Home:

Leather and carpets are well known in Fez. Fragrances, oils, and spices (like saffron) are famous in Morocco. Your tour guide will have recommendations for each product you want to get as a souvenir.

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Overall, Morocco is a beautiful country, and you will be happy to experience it. As long as you’re completely aware of your surroundings, and you go in with the right mindset and expectations, you can have a wonderful experience.

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Morocco Discovery 13-Day Trip