Journeys: Morocco Highlights

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included. Please note that this tour does not spend any time in Casablanca. You may wish to come a day early in order to explore Casablanca, and take some time to see its medina, beachfront, and classic examples of Art Deco architecture. Be sure to also visit the spectacular Hassan II Mosque. Entrance is only permitted via guided tours, which operate from Saturday to Thursday at 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, and 15:00, and on Fridays at 9:00, 10:00, and 15:00. These times are subject to change (particularly around Ramadan), please double check times with your hotel. Tickets can be purchased at the mosque.

Included Experiences

• Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group: Your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Set out on a guided tour of two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visit the remains of the medieval city of Meknès, which served as Morocco’s imperial capital in the 17th century. Then, venture to Volubilis and discover the soaring columns and remarkably well-preserved mosaic floors of this ancient Roman outpost. Continue to Fez and enjoy lunch at a G Adventures–supported women’s cooperative before checking in to our hotel. Meknès is one of the four Imperial cities and its name and fame are closely linked to that of the Moroccan Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made Meknès the centre of his empire and built many of the monuments that remain today. Continue through the rolling hills to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. Once an important Roman town situated near the westernmost border of Roman conquests, Volubilis was listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.

Included Experiences

• Volubilis Guided Tour: Listen to a certified local guide explain life in the Roman Empire at this UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the impressive, well-preserved Roman ruins. Peer into old bathhouses, marvel at the still-present mosaic floors, and gaze up at towering marble pillars. Hear stories about life in this Roman city that will leave you in awe of just how far their empire stretched.
• Meknès City Tour: Enjoy a guided visit of the Imperial City of Meknes. The least visited of the Imperial cities; Meknes has a unique feel to it. Visit the Bab Mansour historic landmark, and 18th-century Bab El Khmiss, the ornamental gate to the city. Wander the bustling souk to browse the vast array of clothes, spices, handicrafts, and of course food. The visit also includes stops at Dar Jamai: The National Museum of Music and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail.
• AFER Association Community Lunch: Enjoy a G Adventures-supported traditional lunch that benefits rural Moroccan women and children with disabilities. The association provides vital services including literacy and vocational training, health services, disability assistance, and the operation of a local ambulance. AFER’s training center hosts culinary programs recognized by the state, and each year it graduates 30 students, many of whom go on to work in the project. Through this work, AFER creates sustainable employment, fosters community cohesion, and showcases Moroccan culture to travellers. During your visit, enjoy a traditional home-cooked Moroccan meal, featuring classic dishes such as vegetable tagine or roasted chicken with onion sauce, and meet some of the women that are part of this important community program. This experience not only supports livelihoods but also celebrates Moroccan heritage and rural resilience.

Step back in time on a walking tour of the medina of Fez, a spellbinding World Heritage site dating back to the 9th century. Skirt past donkey carts as you take in the dazzling sights, from colourful mounds of spices to vividly painted ceramics, and observe Fez’s famous tanners treating and dying hides in the traditional manner. Pay a visit to the breathtaking Madrasa al-Attarine, a masterpiece of intricate Islamic architecture, and pass by the famed Al-Karaouine Mosque—home to the longest continually operating university in the world.

Included Experiences

• Fès Medina Guided Tour: Follow a local guide through the Fès medina, one of the world’s largest medinas with more than 9000 winding streets lying within 365 hectares. See buildings in the medina that date back to the 9th century; there are 350 mosques in the medina that are still in use today. Enter through one of the great gates into the chaos. Explore the artisans’ quarters as well as the many carpenters, bakers, butchers, and spice sellers. Visit the mausoleum and the Al Qarawiyin University. A highlight of the tour is the view of the famous Fès tannery from the balcony of a leather shop, where you can observe the men hard at work treating and dyeing the different hides. Take some time to shop for leather goods before returning to your hotel.

Optional Experiences

• Ville Nouvelle Exploration: Hit the newer part of Fès to see life in action. Find a sidewalk café to sip mint tea and watch everyday life go by.

Watch cedar forests give way to palm groves as we travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains to the fabled Sahara. Spend the night in a kasbah-style hotel at the edge of sweeping sand dunes. Start early and watch the scenery of this diverse country change while travelling over the Middle Atlas mountains. Pass through cedar forests and the ski area of Ifrane into the desert regions. Drive by the vast palm groves of the Ziz Valley and right up to the majestic Saharan sand dunes. Keep your eyes open for a glimpse of Barbary apes en route. Spend the night in a comfortable Kasbah-style desert hotel at the edge of the dunes.

This morning, explore the Sahara on a thrilling 4x4 excursion. Visit the village of Khamliya, where we’ll meet a group of Gnaoua musicians. Learn about the history of this famed genre of Moroccan music, and enjoy a hypnotic performance. Later, share mint tea with Amazigh (Berber) nomads in the Sahara, and gain insights into their way of life. Transfer to Tinghir this evening.

Included Experiences

• 4x4: Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
• Sahara Dunes & Culture Excursion: View the golden dunes of the Sahara desert on a 4x4 excursion. Drive around the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi and take in the view of the seemingly endless sea of sand. Watch the dunes as the colours creep across the landscape and look out for the kohl mine en route to the village of Khamlia. Here you will meet Gnaoua musicians and learn about the history of Gnaoua music in the Sahara. Enjoy a performance by these talented artists. Depart back through the desert region and visit local Amazigh living in the area, learning about their way of life and sharing in some mint tea in one of the homes.

Venture into the Dades Gorge, admiring its dramatic rock formations. Continue along the Road of 1,000 Kasbahs and pause at the maze-like Taourirt Kasbah. In Ouarzazate—home to one of Morocco’s largest film studios—choose to take a lesson in traditional Amazigh medicine with a local herbalist. Start the morning with a visit to the Dades Gorge with its unusual natural rock formations and stunning scenery. Continue with a scenic drive along the "Route of a 1000 Kasbahs" with an included visit to Kasbah Taourit. Continue to Ouarzazate, a former Foreign Legion stronghold. In Ouarzazate opt to visit an Amazigh herbalist and find out about the traditional medicines and cooking spices of the Amazigh people.

Included Experiences

• Dades Valley and Route of 1,000 Kasbahs scenic drive: Drive through the scenic Dades Valley and “Route of 1,000 Kasbahs”, passing by many of the mud-brick fortresses and abandoned villages. Stop at the Dades Gorge to admire the formations of the rock and the kasbahs built with their backs against the rock for protection.
• Guided Tour Ouarzazate: Visit the Taourirt Kasbah, a palace built in the 19th century for the relatives and servants of the ruling el Glaoui family. Originally, the Kasbah had hundreds of rooms and riads, but now the structure is partially destroyed. UNESCO has helped with the restoration of the Kasbah, allowing travellers to wander through the halls and rooms. It feels like you’ve stepped back in time.

Optional Experiences

• Amazigh (Berber) Herbalist Lesson: Learn about the traditional, natural remedies and cooking spices of the Amazigh people. Both herbalists and pharmacists swear by the healing properties of natural ingredients like ginger, argan oil, and mint leaves. Even ingredients usually found in a yummy tajine like saffron and cumin are used as pain relievers and to help with circulation.

Discover the magical, twisting lanes of Aït Ben Haddou, an ancient fortified village and UNESCO World Heritage site, then continue along high mountain roads to Marrakech. Take some free time to wander this legendary city—a melting pot of Amazigh, West African, Mediterranenan, and Arab influences—and venture off the beaten path into hidden neighborhoods and artisan quarters. Continue on to the village of Aït Benhaddou. During your visit to the Kasbah, lose yourself in the narrow, winding passageways and feel the magical atmosphere of this incredible structure. Travel to Marrakech through the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2200m in the High Atlas Mountains. Travel along winding mountain roads with breathtaking views from the highest peaks of Morocco.

Included Experiences

• Aït Ben Haddou Kasbah Tour: Explore the UNESCO World Heritage site and kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, the most famous ksar in the Ounila Valley, located in the foothills of the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains. Of all the remaining kasbahs in Morocco, the walls and interior of this area are the most intact. It's a collective grouping of dwellings inside defensive walls and was once one of the many trading posts on the route linking Sudan to Marrakech. The kasbah still houses a few families, but many now live in the adjacent village. Like many of the earthen built fortresses in Ouarzazate, Aït Ben Haddou has been used in many film and television productions like Gladiator, Babel, and Game of Thrones.
• Free Time: Take time to explore Marrakech at your own pace.

Visit a historic riad for a hands-on cooking class with a renowned Moroccan chef, learning how to roll semolina and measure out spices for an exquisite tagine. Enjoy your creations for lunch, and spend the afternoon exploring Marrakech at leisure. Choose to immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of Djemaa el-Fna, the city’s main square, where storytellers and magicians captivate passersby; or tour the elegant Majorelle Gardens. Later this afternoon enjoy free time to explore the fascinating city of Marrakech and dive into the labyrinthine souks. Travellers and locals alike find everything they desire here. Whether it’s spices, traditional jalabas and slippers, or famous Moroccan lanterns, the selection here is exhaustive. Don’t forget to bargain; that’s definitely part of the fun. Opt to indulge in the chaos of the famous Djemaa el Fna square to watch acrobats and fortune tellers plying their trade.

Included Experiences

• Moroccan Foodie Experience: With its unusual combination of cultures – Amazigh (also known as Berber), French, Jewish, Andalucian – Morocco is known for some incredible flavours that visitors talk about (and miss) long after they return home. In the heart of bustling Marrakech, visit a historic riad for a hands-on cooking class led by a renowned Moroccan chef who will discuss key ingredients and techniques. From the making of different salads to measuring out spices for a mind-blowing tagine, learn the culinary tricks of a master while preparing lunch as a group, which we’ll all sit down to eat (and marvel at).
• Free Time: Spend free time relaxing at one of the tea houses around the square, indulging in the ubiquitous sweet mint tea, watching the hustle and bustle from your shady spot. Or head to Djemaa el Fna Market for some lively entertainment.

Optional Experiences

• Musée de Marrakech: Wander around the salons of the ornate Mnebhi Palace displaying various collections of Moroccan art forms.
• El Badi Palace: Visit the ruins of what was once the most ornate palace of the 16th-century. Its sunken gardens and pools give a glimpse into its former glory.
• Marrakech Medina Walk and Spice Shop: Let a local guide show you the best of Marrekech. Head into the maze of tiny streets and alleyways of the ancient medina to really get a taste of everyday life in Marrakech. See the Koutoubia Minaret and head to a spice shop to discover an array of Moroccan spices.
• Jardins Majorelle: Visit this enchanting garden in the heart of the city designed by French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962). Follow the pathways through trees, exotic plants, streams, and pools while watching the numerous birds who call this peaceful paradise home. (Please note that the entrance fee to Musée Yves Saint Laurent is an additional 30 MAD.)
• Djemaa el Fna Market Square Visit: Wander past fresh orange juice stalls and water sellers in colourful costumes reminiscent of an era past. See storytellers, magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines as the day progresses. When the sun sets, the square fills with dozens of food stalls, and is packed with locals, entertaining chefs, and waiters. Grab a spot on a bench with other diners and try the “tanjia” (slow cooked lamb), harira soup, grilled seafood, famous Moroccan couscous, tajine, snails, or even sheep’s head (for the truly adventurous). Wash it all down with some spiced tea.

Depart at any time.