Morocco Overland cultural Group Tours

After breakfast, our small group will prepare to start a cultural and historic trip towards Fez, exploring ancient rights and cultural encounters traveling overland. We will proceed on an excursion for the day, traveling east in the hinterland and covering most of the highlights of ancient Moroccan history. The first stop will be the ancient Roman city of Volubilis, where Islam was introduced firsthand to Berber natives. Volubilis was a critical city in the imperial Roman department of Mauritania (modern-day Morocco and the western Sahara) during the reign of Caracalla. Volubilis is impressively well preserved, and the genius of Roman urbanism is still intact. The two central integral streets in every Roman castrum, the Cardo and Decumanus, are prominent. The Cardo is the north-south boulevard, and the Decumanus is east-west. The intersection of the two is the heart of every Roman city. There, you will find the ruins of the ancient forum.

In the neighboring hills of the vicinity, the holy citadel of Moulay Idris is nestled. Founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idris al Akbar, grandson of the prophet Mohamed (s.a.w.s), this citadel is considered to be both the cradle of Sufism to Moroccan society as well as the first Islamic capital for the premier Arab dynasty. The city was created primarily for the indigenous groups that migrated with Moulay Idris from the Middle East. Your guide will take you around the narrow streets of this ancient hill town to explore a 13 hundred years old city that still keeps its lively existence like a medieval city inside its walls. We will overnight in this holly city that was a forbidden city for non-Muslims till 2004. Our diner and accommodation are at a traditional guesthouse well equipped with all the amenities that suit your comfort.

Our specialized guide in archeology will take you on a monumental discovery of Volubilis, just one mile from Moulay Idriss. Volubilis is an exciting archeological site of the ancient Roman capital of Mauritania, Tangitana. Our Morocco cultural and adventure trip will proceed to Fez, where we will overnight and prepare for an in-depth cultural tour of the city. Most of our Morocco tours go through Fez as it is the heartbeat of Morocco spiritually, intellectually, and historically. Dinner and accommodation will be in a riad in Fez

The full day will be devoted to the historic guided visit of Fez ancient Medina. Extremely enthralling, Fez is a feast for the senses with its haunting yet beautiful sounds, visual splendor, and evocative smells. Fez is the most ancient of the imperial capitals, the most complete medieval city of the Islamic world, and a UNESCO world heritage. Time spent in Fez will reveal much about the sophistication of the Moroccan artisan, providing an unparalleled experience to all visitors who seek in-depth cultural discoveries. Your morning will be devoted to visiting historical sites in the medina. Drive down the hills to the gate of Bab Guissa, where you will leave your vehicle and walk into an ancient world. Fez has preserved its medina as it was centuries ago. Not even a bicycle can be used as a tool for transportation. Only donkeys, mules, and horses can help move all the city produces and needs as supplies.

Your local guide will take you to all the Islamic highlights you must visit and give an overview of these sites' historical and cultural aspects. Walking in the narrow medieval streets of Fez is also an experience among guilds and markets of all colors and sounds. You will end your Fez walking tour with your private small group back to your hotel for dinner and other accommodations.

You will spend your day discovering the rural environs of the Atlas Mountains’ Berber villages and wards, natural landscapes, and cultural markets. Covered with evergreen pines, tall cedar trees, and poplars and laced with flowing streams, your first view of the Middle Atlas Mountains will appear oddly un-Moroccan. Passing by Imouzzer, with a quick stop at the Swiss-like town of Ifrane, you will soon come across the first real town of the Middle Atlas, Azrou.

Azrou is an important market center for the region’s Berber tribes, located at a major junction of mountain routes for all these ethnic groups. Your driver will take a little detour in a cedar forest to introduce you to one of the oldest inhabitants of this region, the apes. This may also coincide with the encounter of a nomadic Berber family in its temporary encampment while you are trekking the Atlas Mountains. As nomads are very hospitable people, we are invited to at least have mint tea under their tents whenever we encounter them. Midelt's Middle Atlas ranges give way to the High Atlas Mountains, whose peaks are visible through the haze, soaring to over 12,000 feet. You will stop in Midelt for lunch, enjoying the dramatic sight before you. After you arrive at your Sahara Camp, you will leave your vehicle and ride your camel over the dunes of the Sahara. You will conclude your day in your camp over the dunes of Merzouga, where tents are pitched to allow you to enjoy a night under the African Skies. After dinner, the Rokba drummers will illuminate your night with their lively dances and moving chants. Enjoy this encounter of man and nature at its best on this wonderful Morocco overland adventure tour. You'll then continue your overland trip to Erfoud, one of the most delightful southern regions consisting of a dry, exploring the red belt of the desert with a sudden drop into the lush valley of Ziz, with copious date palm groves and flowing streams. Visit the gorges of Ziz and some of the oases and natural sites before you reach the magnificent oasis of Merzouga.

You will wake up early to take a walking moment to reach the highest peak of the dunes and watch the sunrise over the spectacular Merzouga dunes. This is a natural experience that should not be missed. Afterward, you will eat breakfast with the Tuaregs and continue onward hiking and trekking peaks and valleys that highlight your Morocco tour. You will leave the Sahara camp, traveling west toward the Valley of Todra, between the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. You will reach Tinghir, the town where we will spend the night. Only 15 kilometers from Tinghir inside the Valley of Todra, you will find the Todra's highest and narrowest gorges in the region.

Next, you will proceed on your Morocco adventure experience traveling through the Dadès valley, wherein, in the spring, thousands of Persian roses bloom in hedgerows, filling the air with their heavenly perfume. You will also be trekking trails of the thousands of Kasbahs scattered along the Dadès River, majestic sandcastles with a visually appealing, timeless beauty. You will continue to explore the Dadès Valley, traveling through El Kelaâ De Mgouna and Boumalne to view the inimitable natural vistas and unusual rock formations. You will then continue overland to Ouarzazate, one large oasis that intercepts water flow between the Dadès, the Drâa valleys, and the majestic High Atlas Mountains natural landscapes. This is an ideal desert town to stop for the night. You will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations in your hotel in Ouarzazate.

Following our adventure in the footsteps of Paul Bowles, our great explorer traveled through, we will overland to Taroudant, stopping at the village of Taznakht and Taleouine, the Zafran growing capital, where you will feast on a typical Berber tagine lunch. You will pass through indigenous argan and thuya tree forests, where you may see the region's notorious tree-climbing goats. Finally, you will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations.

You will spend your morning touring the city of Taroudant cultural and historic sights with our special guide. Surrounded by red ochre walls, Taroudant is one of south Morocco's most ancient fortified cities, with its rich bazaars reflecting a strong tradition of arts and crafts, spices, and leather goods trade, silversmiths and oils are what fill up the exotic markets of Taroudant. Visiting this elegant cultural imperial city is like discovering the classic Marrakech of the 1940s, a beautiful, exotic, and laid-back walled oasis. Welcome to a walking tour of a real Moorish exotic city. After your historic and cultural walking tour of Taroudant, you will conclude your day with a festive dinner at your hotel.

You will begin your day by traveling to Essaouira (Mogador), a picturesque city with a rich history and culture; from one exotic environment to another will be your overland trek today. With fascinating antiquity, Essaouira was occupied by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, supplied essential purple dyes to the Romans, absorbed the sophisticated arts of the silversmith, and spent centuries as a Portuguese enclave. Despite the obvious influence of these civilizations, Essaouira has managed to remain a small, authentic Berber town. Alive with the breath of fresh air provided by the Atlantic, Essaouira is a jewel nestled in the rugged coast, with a vast expanse of empty sands trailing back along the promontory towards the south. After an introductory cultural tour to Essaouira, you will conclude your adventure discovery day with dinner and other accommodations in your Luxury hotel.

After breakfast, you will cross the Argan forests in a surreal setting of African arid terrain with rugged prehistoric trees nowhere to be found on Earth. These are the famous Argan Trees. On this overland adventure tour, you will undoubtedly see the tree-climbing goats as they love the berries of the Argan trees. Finally, arriving in the foothills, which overlook the magnificent oasis city of Marrakech Alhambra. Some of the stops, as mentioned above, will include visits to Berber villages, scenic views, and traditional markets. You will devote your afternoon to exploring Marrakech's many historical and cultural sites, starting at the Menara Gardens, a magnificent Royal Edifice overlooking a pool surrounded by flowerbeds, reflecting the image of an exquisite Moorish edifice. It was constructed in 1866 for dignitaries who enjoyed glorious sunsets with the ethereal Atlas Mountains as a backdrop. The pool also functions as an innovative irrigation system that serves dry life in the desert. Your walking cultural tour of Marrakech will cover many impressive sites, including the Koutoubia minaret (which is identical to la Giralda, a tower found in Sevilla, Spain) and the Saadian tombs, which demonstrate Moorish architecture at its best. The tombs consist of sixteenth-century mausoleums, which had lain walled-in and undiscovered until 1917. Next, you will explore the gardens of then the Majorelle. Finally, you will return to your hotel for a halal dinner and other accommodations.

Today, you will go as a small group on a hiking excursion to the High Atlas Mountains, exploring Berber villages and natural sites. In the morning, you will venture into the high-atlas mountains to visit the Telouat fortress. The fortress is what remains of a stronghold belonging to the Berber chieftain El Glaoui (the lord of the Atlas). You will stop for lunch in Taddert and eat at the highest pass in Morocco, Tizi n'Tishka. In the afternoon, you will return to Marrakech. A Farewell Dinner will be offered at a Typical Moroccan Restaurant with a Berber show.

You will depart for the Casablanca airport early in the morning. You will catch a flight connecting you to your next destination with a lifetime of memories packed neatly into your suitcase. Another option if you leave Tangier is to take the Marrakech Express Train. We hope you have enjoyed your Morocco overland adventure tour. Come back and visit us on one of our other Morocco Hiking and trekking overland expeditions. See you soon.