Morocco w/ Alexandra Dunlap

Ahlan wa sahlan and welcome to Morocco!

On arrival at Marrakech Airport, Our Guide & Driver will be waiting for you outside with an airport sign, as well as our private vehicle that will take you to your hotel where you will start your amazing food adventure after you are well settled in your hotel at the heart of Marrakech Medina, a colourful melting pot where European modernity meets ancient vibes. enjoy a food tasting medina tour later on this time with Marrakech food you will learn about culinary habits , history, culture and get to taste samples of Moroccan food as you go behind the scenes of the markets with a local guide who will provide an insight into Moroccan specialties at hidden stalls in the medina from stops to taste fresh olives, to stops by a neighbourhood oven ( bakery where locals cook their bread ) to taste some freshly cooked bread , then sit in a local café to try mssemen ( Moroccan pancakes) & sfenj ( Moroccan donuts) all with a sweet cup of mint tea. Afterwards you will head to the stalls to have a delicious roasted lamb and local famous dish known as Tanjia , before having a very special spicy herbal tea known as khoudenjal!

*Please note that in order to organize your transfer we need your flight details at least 30 days in advance

Today is free for you to explore Marrakech further.

After breakfast, leave Marrakech and head to the amazing Ait Benhaddou where you will spend the night. Perched on a hilltop and almost unchanged since the 11th century, Ait Benhaddou is one of Morocco's most iconic sites. Its grant kasbah is one of the most beautiful in Morocco and the fortified village is a fine example of clay architecture. You will probably recognize the site, as the town has a long list of film and TV credits, including Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones and Gladiator. 

After breakfast in the hotel, you’ll leave Ait Benhaddou and head to the great today gorges, the highest, narrowest gorges in Morocco. Here you will have the option to hike for an hour within the valley, where you will meet locals and learn about the culture and geography or just sit back relax and enjoy a local lunch (not included).

After a stop here you continue your journey onward to the Merzouga village and the Erg Chebbi dunes. With a backdrop of the orange-coloured Erg Chebbi sand dunes, the charming Saharan village of Merzouga feels wonderfully isolated, like the modern world has left it behind. The Erg Chebbi dunes are the most stunning in the country and an essential part of any visit to Morocco. An erg is a vast sea of shifting wind-swept sand that's formed into picturesque, undulating crests and valleys. The Erg Chebbi is one of the world's iconic landscapes, with towering dunes up to 150 metres in height. Located at the end of a sealed road and just 20 kilometres from the Algerian border this really feels like a frontier country. You will leave your gear at a simple auberge and then ride camels / or a 4*4 into the edge of the Sahara Desert, enjoying a spectacular sunset along the way. The dunes are stunning, especially as the evening light plays across them and set off the colours. Tonight, you will camp out in a comfortable yet traditional style tent, with the chance to try some local cuisine while you sit around an open fire and listen to beats of tribal songs by the campfire.

You will leave Merzouga this morning and head into the Middle Atlas Mountains. precisely to the small town of Midelt where you will spend the night to avoid long driving hours.

You will leave Midelt this morning and head to the spiritual capital of Morocco: the city of Fes. you will also stop by Ifrane or as locals call it little Switzerland a small town known for its snowy winters and tranquility. afterward, continue your journey on to the middle Atlas mountains passing by villages & fertile lands, you will arrive in Fes later on and enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.

Enjoy beautiful panoramic views over the old medina from this spot! Tonight for dinner, you will be served sweet savoury pastilla which is the signature dish of Fes!

After breakfast, you will be picked up to go start a memorable guided walking tour of the old city, known locally as Fes el Bali. You will live a 1001 night’s tale and Step back into the Middle Ages in the labyrinth of the Medina, which is alive with local craftsmen, souks, traditional schools, tanneries and mosques. After walking around this mystical site you visit the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a charming 18th century inn and Medersa Bou Inania that founded in 1351 by a Merenid Sultan this Beautiful building is a living example of Merinid architecture, after lunch you will pass by many gates like Bab lahdid , Bab jyaf & Semmarine, before you reach the Jewish quarter and pass by the restored 17th century Ibn Danan synagogue and Jewish Cemetery with 400-year-old tombstones! finally visit the royal palace ( stop and look from the outside ) , then you will go up hill to visit the enigmatic ruins of the Merenid Tombs (also known as Marinid Tombs), the tombs remain a mystery as there isn't much information about who is buried on the site apart from the fact it was during the Merenid dynasty rule (13th century) .

Day at leisure

Your Morocco adventure ends today after breakfast, you will be dropped off in Fez airport

• Departure transfer to Fez Saïss Airport (FEZ)