Romantic Trip

Brief Description

Experience the delights that Morocco has to offer, in a magical, enchanting and romantic trip, where you can search the subtleties of Moroccan culture and discover new surroundings.

With a rich diversity of landscapes to discover, in this trip you can enjoy the diversity of the colors and odors of spices of Marrakesh, the singing of the breathtaking Ouzoud Falls, the pure and clear air of the Atlas, the lush environment of the Dades valley, the knowledge of an ancestral life-style of an Oasis and the magic of the Desert. In this trip you will be able to contact with the genuine Morocco, on a journey with an environment of privacy with the mystery and charm of Morocco.

This tour passes in the most photogenic places of Morocco, and the myriad of typical colors and places will surely be to your liking. You can take a photo-shoot in an oasis in the desert, sleep under a sea of endless stars in the desert, ascent to the sky in a hot air balloon and have a romantic dinner in an old Arabian palace.

The tour is planned in detail for you, depending on the time available and your preferences. Contact us to start planning the most adequate trip for you. The following route and program is only an example of this type of excursions, and is thus only a suggestion.

Route

Day	Route
Day 1	Casablanca – Marrakech
Day 2	Marrakech
Day 3	Marrakech – Ouzoud Waterfalls – Demnate
Day 4	Demnate – Ait Benhaddou – Dades Valley
Day 5	Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Ziz Valley
Day 6	Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Desert of Merzouga
Day 7	Desert of Merzouga – Khamila  – Zagora
Day 8	Zagora – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Day 9	Marrakech
Day 10	Marrakech

 

Itinerary

Day 1 : Casablanca – Marrakech

Arriving at the airport of Casablanca, you will be welcomed by our guide that will be waiting for you.

To start the tour we will go to one of the major wonders in Morocco: the Hassan II Mosque, the second highest mosque in the world, and a rare example of mosques that can be visited by non-Muslims. In the mosque, your guide will teach you about the religious traditions and rituals of the Muslim religion. In the words of the author of the book Morocco Country Study Guide, the Hassan II Mosque “undeniably marks the continuity of a modernized ancestral art and bears the sign of innovations that are due not only to technical reasons but also to a fertile exploration of new aesthetic possibilities”.

After that, you can have some coffee and try the delicious traditional pastry in the park “de la ligue Arab”, the biggest park in the city of Casablanca, or have some soda by the sea. Take the opportunity to visit the famous Rick’s café, a piano bar created to recreate the ambience of the movie Casablanca . After the trip by plane, it may also be pleasant to walk outdoors through the corniche.

Then we will go directly to Marrakech from where we will begin the knowledge of the fantastic Moroccan cuisine in an exotic environment such as the Jma el Fna square.

Day 2: Marrakech

On this day, we will visit Marrakech, the peal of the South, and the cosmopolitan centre of the country. The surprising architecture, the intense scent of spices, the colorful and exotic atmosphere, secrets of its history make this city the most desired and visited city of Morocco.

During the day you will be accompanied by a touristic guide/historian exclusively dedicated to the city of Marrakesh, so that you can enjoy the best the city has to offer.

The attractions are multiple: the Bahia Palace (opulent building from the 19th century), the Ben Youssef Medersa (old Muslim university), Majorelle’s gardens, etc. In this unforgettable day you will be able to visit all of them. Enjoy also the Souk (traditional market), where the commerce, the city’s main activity, is chaotic.

In the afternoon you can enjoy a ride in a traditional barouche in order to explore the city in a private environment.

The day will end with dinner at the fantastic Jamaa el Fna square, where the mix of smells, music and spectacles are inspiring, and where tourists and locals often merge and dine side by side. Here you can experience the best of Moroccan street cuisine, among a variety of different sandwiches, teas. There are various stalls with a different specialty, and of course, the typical dishes, from Tagine to Couscous. All at Moroccan prices. It is an experience not to be missed, ideal for those who have just arrived in the country and want to share the exuberant and captivating life of the city.

Day 3: Marrakech – Ouzoud Waterfalls – Demnate

We will leave in the morning to Ouzoud, where there are water cascades with a height of 110m surrounded by a green landscape, composed, among others, by olive trees. This verdant area is ideal to escape the hectic pace of Marrakesh, finding the peaceful landscape and the fauna and flora that fill this landscape. In the area, you can find small waterfalls that are in the surroundings of the greater waterfall. An highlight of this region is the small Rhesus monkey (Atlas monkeys) that inhabit this area and that interact with some frequency with the people. The water is pure and drinkable, and it is possible to bathe under the waterfalls.

We will then go to Demnate where there are interesting caves with stalactites, traces of dinosaur footprints among others. The cave of Imi n’ifri is the largest, in height, of northern Africa and is in a perfect location for a quiet and private walk by the river. Then you can stay in a hotel with a stunning view.

Day 4: Demnate – Ait Benhaddou – Dades Valley

We will continue our tour by heading towards the High Atlas. The first stop will beat a traditional Berber village. Then we will take the high mountainous roads of the high Atlas, and take some photos while enjoying the pure air and calm of the Atlas. On the way we will pass in some cooperatives of argan oil, extracted here by ancient methods, that, along with its derivatives, is delicious in the Moroccan bread.

By lunchtime we will stop at Ait Benhaddou, the most important place on the Thousand Kasbahs’ route, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is very famous for having been used as the set in Hollywood movies, such as “The Mummy”, “The Gladiator” and “Game of Thrones”. We continue the tour through the “Route of the Thousand Kasbahs” to Kalaat Mgouna – The City of Roses. We will also visit the palm grove of Skoura. The day will end in peace, in the breathtaking valley of the Dades.

Day 5: Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Ziz Valley (Oasis)

In the morning there will be time to enjoy a stroll along the river, surrounded by the sumptuousness of this unique and rocky landscape. We will visit the Todra Gorges, where the cliffs reach 650m in height and are separated by only 10m in length.

Then we will go to the Ziz Valley where you will have the unique opportunity to live Morocco’s traditions in the exclusive atmosphere of an oasis sheltered from the great tourist routes.

You will be warmly received here, as only Moroccans can. Being a host is an ancient art with deep cultural roots in Morocco. In this genuinely calm environment, there is a sense of time being suspended. The peace of being in this palm grove is like being in the desert, but surrounded by a luxuriant and harmonious nature.

Everything that is cooked here is entirely of biological origin and comes from the forest of palm trees that Moroccan women turn into tasty banquets.

Day 6: Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Merzouga Desert

In the morning, enjoy exploring the Ziz Valley with local guide who will show you the most beautiful and paradisiacal places of this valley.

You can do different activities here, such as a Moroccan cuisine workshop with local products of the day that you can pick up yourself, stroll in the palm tree forest along the river to the old Ksares, participate in the manufacture of traditional Moroccan rugs, make Tattoos with henna, listen to and dance to traditional Berber songs and more. At lunch you can enjoy a picnic in the shade of the palm trees.

If you want to, you can do a photoshoot in this place, with traditional Moroccan Berber clothes with a professional photographer. You can take outstanding photos inside the oasis, along with its many treasure, the old abandoned castles, the lush environment of its forest; or take panoramic photos from your lodging, where you have a privileged view. This photoshoot can be extended to include the desert.

Then depart towards the desert of Merzouga.

In the way you will pass by Erfoud. Near Erfoud there are places where today it is possible to find fossils of trilobites, ammonites among other primitive species. This leads to the conclusion that the soil of the Sahara Desert has long been the back of an ocean. Here you can also buy original fossils at very low prices. For those in love with science and adventure, it is possible to go looking for fossils with a local professional, and working them afterwards.

In the late afternoon depart for a camel ride through the dunes of Erg Chebbi for about an hour until you reach the Berber tent where you will spend the night. The colors of the late afternoon in the dunes are the delight for those who enjoy photography.

There, dinner will be served and then there will be traditional live music around a bonfire. This music based on drums and guitars is engaging and irresistible.

Day 7: Desert of Merzouga – Khamila  – Zagora

Wake up after an unforgettable night and feel the cold light invading the open space of the desert. You can climb to top of a dune, while the desert is waking up.

During the morning, carry out various activities in the desert, which can be of the most varied types: extreme sports, workshops of Moroccan cuisine or drums or even contact with the nomads, engaging in their music and traditions.

Next, we will go to the depositary of the nomadic peoples of Khamila, a lost village where the original Gnawa people live, first brought from the Sudan as slaves. There you can enjoy its music, lifestyle, culture and tradition.

The evening will be spent in a Kasbah / hotel which is connected to the SaharaSky, the first private astronomical observatory with sophisticated telescopes in Morocco, available to guests after dinner, subject to good visibility conditions. Expect to see the Milky Way as you never imagined, and it will be explained by scientists who are the owners. They are happy to offer an unforgettable pedagogical and wonderful night with professional telescopes in the magic of the desert, now made available to all.

Day 8: Zagora – Ouarzazate – Marrakech

After another unforgettable night we will continue to Marrakech along the paths of the high Atlas.

Ouarzazate is known as the city “Doors of the Desert”, for its location in the Atlas mountains between the Sahara Desert and Marrakech. In addition to the scenery, here you can visit the Kasbah Taouirt of the old fortress, the Pasha Glaoui palace, near the Medina, and the famous movie studios that have filmed several historical movies, including the famous Lawrence of Arabia.

On the way to Marrakesh, we will make stops, especially in the argan oil cooperative (or argan), a unique oil in the world that is used in cosmetics and which, in its culinary version has a unique flavor and numerous benefits. Perhaps this is why it is known to Moroccans as the “gold of Morocco”.

Arrive in Marrakesh where you can revisit the Djema El Fna square or dine in a restaurant overlooking the city.

Day 9: Marrakech

Early in the morning, depart for the unique experience of climbing to the skies in a hot air balloon and flying over Marrakech and its palmeraie. You will have a privileged view of this ancient city as well as the Atlas mountains. A memorable romantic trip and activity in the heart of Morocco.

There are several activities that can be done in Marrakech or near Marrakech, from hiking in the Atlas (40 minutes from Marrakech), water sports such as water skiing, mountain biking, driving a 4×4 motorbike through the surrounding desert plains, among others.

Alternatively, you can explore the city, always full of surprises and with lots of romantic nooks and crannies. There are open spaces such as the lush gardens of Majorelle, created by the painter Jacques Majorelle in 1931, later bought by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, or sumptuous palaces with a fascinating decoration, such as the Bahia palace.

Conquer and let yourself be conquered by the city of Marrakesh. You can walk freely through the city, find wonders in your souk (traditional market) or visit the monuments of the city, among which stand out:

Ben Youssef Medersa: This ‘Madrassa’, Arabic term to designate an Islamic university, was ordered to build in Marrakesh in the 14th century by the Sultan Ali ibn Yusuf of Morocco from the Merinides dynasty. Today it can be visited and is one of the best examples of the splendor of Moroccan decoration.

Koutoubia Mosque: The largest mosque in Marrakech, it is also, by far the most photographed monument of Marrakesh. The Koutoubia Mosque dates from the 12th century and it served as a model to the Seville’s Giralda and Hassan’s Tower in Rabat. It has a central location in Marrakech, since it stands on the Djema El Fna square.

Bahia Palace: Undoubtedly today’s the most emblematic monument of Marrakesh. The palace was built in the 19th century. with the extravagant dream of being the best of Marrakesh. The palace is breathtaking and delighted and inebriated. It also has a huge garden, a central courtyard and several richly crafted rooms that were decorated by artisans who came from the city of Fes just to work on its construction.

Majorelle Gardens: This is the only botanical garden in Marrakesh. It was projected by Jacques Majorelle and it belongs to Yves Saint-Laurent and Bergé Pierre since 1980. Enjoy a walk surrounded by exotic plants from all over the world.

Saadian Tombs: These tombs from the 16th century were ordered by Ahmad al-Mansur and in there were the bodies of around 60 members of the Saadian Dynasty originated from the valley of the Draa River, on the south. Curiously the tombs were only founded in 1917, being now one of the most visited monuments in Marrakesh.

La Menara: This garden of Marrakesh is located 2 km away from the Jemaa el-Fna Square and it is the favorite place for all the Marrakech to walk on a Sunday afternoon. These gardens were built in the 12th century, but the recent layout is from the 16th century.

La Koubba almoravid: This rare almoravid building from the 12th century was ordered by Ali Ben Youssef from Morocco in 1106. You can visit the complex and see a water reservoir for cleaning before the prayer, with a impressive roof.

Romantic dinner in one old Arabic palace with live shows and a banquet environment.

Day 10: Marrakech

After breakfast there will still be time for the latest purchases in the fabulous Medina market of Marrakech or visit something of interest.

Transfer to the airport and farewell.

Good trip back with the heart full of good memories of this magical country!

 

Additional Information

Included with your excursion

• Transportation from and to the airport;
• Private transportation in a 4×4 during the whole tour with driver/guide that speaks English (fuel included);
• Accommodations with breakfast;
• Dinner in Dades Valley, Ziz Valley, Merzouga, Zagora, Demnate and one dinner in an old Arabic palace in Marrakech;
• Official guide of the cities of Marrakech;
• Camel Ride in the desert;
• Activities in the Ziz Valley, such as Moroccan cuisine workshop, trekking in the valley, photo-shoot with traditional nomad clothes;
• Astronomy night (Zagora);
• Hot air balloon.

Not included in the excursion

• Drinks, other meals and snacks;
• Entrance in Museums.