Salaam Alaikum! Welcome to Morocco and the great city of Casablanca. If you’re arriving today, you’ll take a private transfer from the airport to your hotel. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, maybe you’d like to visit the art deco Villa des Arts – this gorgeous gallery dates back to the 1930s and holds numerous exhibitions of contemporary Moroccan and international art. If you're looking for a different cultural experience, you can discover a unique part of Moroccan history at the Museum of Judaism. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. Some travellers have reported being approached by locals offering excursions before their Tuuur trip commences. This has been particularly prevalent in and around the hotels used by Intrepid. These guides are in no way connected to Tuuur and we cannot guarantee the safety or quality standards of their tours. We advise customers against joining any tour offered by the unauthorised guides.

After breakfast this morning, visit the Hassan II Mosque – one of Casablanca's most impressive sites and the Islamic world's third-largest mosque. This colossal building sits partly on land and partly on the sea, allowing visitors to look through a glass floor in one area, straight down to the water. This is one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims. Travel by private vehicle to the village of Moulay Idriss, the holiest Islamic town. Head out on a leader-led walking tour, stopping for an optional home-cooked lunch before setting off again. Your next stop is Volubilis – a partly-excavated Amazigh-Roman city outside of Meknes. Explore the ruins and abandoned stones with a local guide, which are covered in wildflowers in the spring. Arrive in Fes, your final destination, and sit down for an included pastilla dinner. This Moroccan specialty is a delicious sweet and savoury pastry parcel of shredded chicken and almonds. Your travel time today is approximately 5 hours. The sun can be incredibly fierce in summer at Volubilis, so bring a hat and plenty of water.

Today, you’ll discover the city of Fes. The spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco – Fes is a feast for the senses. Join an expert local guide and head into Fes el Bali – arguably the world's most fascinating Old City. Walk along the twisting streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods. Filled with dye pits and traditional stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups, it’s not hard to imagine yourself back in the Middle Ages. Visit the Al-Attarine Madrasa, built by the Marinid sultan Uthman II Abu Said in 1323-5. Functioning as a religious school, this is one of several such schools located within the medina. You’ll then explore the tanneries and the Fondouk Nejjarine – a beautifully restored 18th-century inn with a courtyard. Stop for a refreshing mint tea at a local café and take in the views of the bustling medina. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon for a free evening. Today’s experience will include shopping in carefully selected places. As the receipt of commissions or kickbacks in exchange for recommending particular shops, services or activities is ingrained in the culture of the Moroccan tourism industry, Tuuur has established a centralised system of receiving and distributing payments from these recommended suppliers. For more information, please refer to the Money Matters section of the Essential Trip Information or speak to your leader. If you are not interested in shopping, please speak to your leader about your options. The medina is complicated to navigate, so leaving and re-joining the group can be difficult.

After breakfast, hit the road again and drive through ever-changing scenery, from barren mountainsides to fertile valleys, on the journey to Merzouga. Stop for coffee in Ifrane in the Atlas Mountains along the way. Take in the views over Ziz Valley and stop for lunch in Midelt – a town in the high plains between the Middle Atlas and High Atlas Mountain ranges. When you arrive, leave your gear at your overnight camp, then climb aboard your designated camel for a ride into the edge of the Sahara – what better way to enjoy the sunset? Tonight, sit under the expansive night sky and try some fantastic local cuisine around an open fire, enjoying live music and dancing. Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours. Today’s camel trek is a loop from your camp on the edge of the desert and back. If you don’t wish to ride a camel, you can walk alongside the camels or relax at the camp. Tonight’s accommodation will be in nomadic style tents, with a dining tent and a bathroom tent. Blankets and mattresses will be provided ensuring you a comfortable stay. Electricity is very temperamental and relies on batteries, therefore it’s better to come prepared with devices fully charged. If you prefer not to walk or participate in the camel ride, a 4WD drive can be arranged instead. This can be organized directly with your tour leader and will cost approximately 100 MAD per person.

Rise and shine nice and early this morning and climb one of the sand dunes to watch the sunrise over the Sahara. Then drive to Todra Gorge – a massive trench that rises over 250 m to form one of the most dramatic and spectacular natural sights in Morocco. When you arrive, head out on a leisurely walk through the Todra Valley with your leader. You’ll walk through shaded palm groves and local farms – thanks to the abundance of water here, there are orchards of almost every variety! Think apples, pears, plums, apricots, quinces, pomegranates, figs, almonds and peaches as well as tomatoes, mint, squash, carrots, turnips, beans and grapes. All these plantations belong to locals who you’ll meet along the way, learning how they take care of the land using traditional irrigation techniques. Tonight, you might like to enjoy an optional dinner of all the local produce you’ve seen growing around you. Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.

This morning after breakfast, you’ll drive to Ait Benhaddou. Sitting on a hilltop and almost unchanged since the 11th century, this is one of Morocco's most iconic sites. If you think you recognise the place, you probably do, as the town has a long list of film and TV credits, including Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones and Gladiator. Enjoy a walk through the winding streets of the Old Town and ksar, making your way to the top of the hill, from where you can enjoy views of the surrounding plains. Then, join a local artist for a painting workshop. You’ll create your own image of the iconic view of the ksar. Visit the Tawesna teahouse – a community-run establishment that provides local women an income to support themselves and their children. Using ingredients sourced from local cooperatives, the women prepare mint tea and pastries while sharing their stories with those who pop in. After heading to your hotel for the night, maybe sit back on the rooftop terrace and watch the sun setting over the kasbah before a group dinner. Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.

Today, you’ll drive to the bustling Marrakech. Upon arrival, you are invited for lunch at the Amal Association – a restaurant and non-profit organisation that supports local women through employment and training on their path to financial independence. After experiencing Amal's delicacies, meet your local guide who will lead you through the medina, sharing the city's history and hidden tales during the walk. Visit Le Jardin Secret – a 19th palace complex with traditional gardens, a shop and a cafe. Then, head to the great square of Djemaa el-Fna – one of the largest public spaces in the world. Tonight, you might like to head back to Djemaa el-Fna – when night falls, it transforms into a hive of henna painters, performers and storytellers share the square with a street food bazaar of stalls loaded with Moroccan delicacies. You might also like to head out to an optional final dinner at a local restaurant with your fellow travellers and tour leader. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

There are no activities planned after breakfast today, so you’re free to leave your accommodation at any time. It’s worth adding a night or two in Marrakech, so you can do some extra activities like cooking classes and cycling tours, exploring nearby towns or visiting a hammam. If you wish to spend more time here, just speak to your booking agent.