Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech; Evening Tour at Jemaa el-Fna Square
Jemaa el-FnaSquare and Old Medina Welcome to Morocco! Your trip begins today in Marrakech, the third largest city of Morocco. When you land at Marrakech’s airport, your private driver-guide will pick you up and take you to the hotel. ★ Evening Tour in Marrakech Medina:Around 18:00 pm, your private tour guide will pick you up and get you on something you’d never expect – a traditional horse-drawn carriage, which will take you to Marrakech Medina (medina refers to “historic center of a city”). About 20 minutes later, you will arrive before Koutoubia Mosque, the largest of its kind and a landmark in Marrakech, from which a 2-hour guided walking tour in the medina will start. We will navigate through alleys and varied souks to find the world’s largest night market at Jemaa el-Fna Square. You will see different faces from different countries and pass by over 3,000 stands. Aroma from myriad food stands and sounds from snake charmers’ flutes, fortune-tellers, and shouting vendors fill the air. It can be overwhelming! But no worries; you will spend an easy evening around your professional guide. End the tour at a rooftop bar, where you can savor a panorama of the moon-lit yet sleepless Jemaa el-Fna, over a glass of mineral water, local beer, or fresh juice we will order for you.
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Day 2: Marrakech Highlights Tour, Transfer to Essaouira
★ Half-Day City Tour in Marrakech:This morning, your private guide will take you from the hotel to tour Marrakech’s highlights. We will spend around 4 hours visiting these attractions in order: Jardin Majorelle (a landscape garden) -> Koutoubia Mosque -> Saadian Tombs -> Bahia Palace -> Jemaa el-Fnaa (pass by) -> Mellah (Jewish quarter). Regarding lunch, your guide will recommend restaurants that cater to your interest. If this is your first visit to Morocco, why not try some local dishes? Chicken and lemon tagine, pastille, hummus, vegetable salad, and Harira soup will together make a perfect meal! Later, we will drive west toward the Atlantic coastal town of Essaouira. After 2.5 hours, you will arrive at a local hotel. Spend the remaining time as you like. ► Useful Tips: ● The closest beach is only 200 meters (656 feet) away from your hotel across a road. ● It’s only 5-15 minute walk from your hotel to Essaouira Medina. Compared to it of Marrakech, the medina here is cleaner and quieter, and offers many restaurants for you to choose at mealtime. ● The hotel itself also provides three restaurants to eat. Vegetarian? Halal? Gluten-free? À la carte? They get you covered! ● Trying traditional hammam, Moroccan version of public bath, is a must in Essaouira. If you are concerned about the sanitary conditions of hammams in the medina here, you can experience it in your hotel. Meals: Breakfast
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Day 3: Morning Tour of Essaouira and Free Afternoon
★ Morning Walking Tour in Essaouira:In the morning, your private driver-guide will pick you up and show you around this charming town. Besides plenty of beaches and enchanting sea views, it’s also special for being a historic North African town with 18th-century European-style fortifications, which makes it a UNESCO-preserved site. After visits to a fishing market and Essaouira Port, you will tour the Ramparts and Medina of Essaouira. Lunch in on your own arrangement. We will escort you back to the hotel later. Enjoy a free afternoon. For the wind that blows hard in some seasons, Essaouira is known as “Wind City of Africa” and was developed as far back as the 1960s to one of the five great destinations for windsurfers. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, windsurfing here won’t let you down. Late into the afternoon, seat yourself on a rock amidst sea breeze to watch the sun set, the spectacle of which will leave a lifetime memory. Meals: Breakfast
Old Medina Try Local Food
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Day 4: Transfer to Agadir; Visit Marina D’agadir, Agadir Oufella Ruins, and Souks
After breakfast, we are heading to Agadir (a 3-hour drive of 175 kilometers or 108 miles). Along the way, stop by Marina D’agadir, icon of the new city built by the once earthquake-destroyed Agadir. It’s where to find luxury holiday apartments, fashion shops, as well as cafes and restaurants - choose one to have lunch. Afterwards, let’s head to Agadir Oufella Ruins. A cable car will take you to the old Kasbah, probably the only structure that survived the devastating earthquake in 1960. It serves as the right place to feel Agadir’s past, as well as a lookout to see the spectacular coastline and the entire city. By the end of today’s trip, we will spend a while at Souk El Had d'Agadir, a lively market selling fresh vegetables, spices, nuts, garments, and souvenirs. Experiencing the energy of local daily life here can be inspiring. Meals: Breakfast
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Day 5: Transfer to Mirleft via Tiznit; Visit Lagzira Beach
After breakfast, let’s head for Mirleft. 1.5 hours into the drive, stop by Tiznit, a little town built in 1881. You will experience a thick Moroccan vibe here, as locals in fancy traditional Moroccan attire can be found everywhere. We will while away some time strolling the old Tiznit Medina, featuring a red city wall as long as 5 kilometers (3 miles), 8 ornate gates, and a 20-meter spire. As Tiznit crafts the best silver jewelry in Morocco, you might want to browse around some silverware shops, and search for souvenirs from objects like rings, necklaces, bracelets, as well as tableware and knives. Drive for 1 more hour and we will arrive in Mirleft to visit Lagzira, Morocco’s most beautiful beach. Desolate as it is, Lagzira is a breathtaking blend of sandy beach and red sandstone formations, including a giant arch - a natural wonder formed by Atlantic crashing waves. Strolling, swimming, surfing, exploring, photographing… Just find a way to relax, until it’s time for us to take you back to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast
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Day 6: Drive to Anti-Atlas Mountains: Mirleft - Tafraoute - Taroudant
► Today’s drive: 297 km (184 mi); 6 hoursAfter breakfast, we will continue the tour to the Anti Atlas, a mountain range characterized by an ochre barren landscape. Then a 3-hour drive will take us to Tafraoute, a town located in a valley full of Pink Granite Rocks, also famous for the Painted Rocks by Belgian Artist Jean Verame. Crafts of the area are also very characteristic, especially the babouches, a kind of Moroccan leather shoes and local specialty. Take a look inside if interested. This afternoon, continue with a 3-hour drive to our destination, Taroudant. On arrival, head to your hotel and check in. Meals: Breakfast
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Day 7: Taroudant Sightseeing, Drive to Ouarzazate
In this morning, sightsee around the town. Regarded as one of the most ancient imperial cities, Taroudant is called “Grandmother of Marrakech” and considered as one of the most elegant towns in Morocco. While navigating the mazy paths in the Taroudant Medina, enjoy the views of pink-shaded walls, palm trees, vibrant Berber markets, and tannery or other shops. You can explore the Berber souk, where you can find pottery, dried fruit, leather, spices and argan oil. Continue traveling towards the High Atlas with a 4-hour drive. Along the way, enjoy the sceneries of Berber Villages and Atlas Mountains. Your experienced driver guide will provide many opportunities to take your best photographic shots of the trip. Arrive in Ouarzazate at about 18:00 pm and check in to your riad. Meals: Breakfast
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Day 8: Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou; Drive to Marrakech
Ait Benhaddou After breakfast, you will visit the Atlas Corporation Studio, where used in many famous movies such as The Four Feathers, The Mummy, Gladiator, Cleopatra and The Jewel of the Nile. Next, drive to visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the UNESCO historical site built by one of the last Berber chieftains, Et Hami El Glaoui. It is also the best preserved example of Moroccan Kasbah (the fortified village) complex. After lunch, we will continue our way drive through the Tizi-n-Test Pass, which rises 2,100 meters above sea level over the High Atlas Mountains. As the path goes between the lush mountains of High Atlas and the bleak Sahara, we will stop to photograph the magical landscape. Then we will head to Marrakech and check in at the hotel. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 9: Departure from Marrakech
After breakfast, we will take you to the airport and bid you farewell for homeward flight. Wish you a safe return journey with good memories of Morocco! Meals: Breakfast
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