Pick-up and Drive to Fes

Meknes - Begin your journey in Rabat with an early breakfast before heading to the Imperial City of Meknes. Founded at the end of the 17th century, Meknes was once the capital of Morocco during Sultan Moulay Ismail’s reign. Much of the city is undergoing renovation, including the Bab El Mansour gate and the old Medina. Enjoy a brief driving tour to appreciate this charming town.

Volubilis - Continue your drive to Moulay Idriss, located about 33 kilometers north of Meknes, for lunch at a fantastic restaurant perched on a steep hillside over five levels, offering iconic views of Moulay Idriss’ mausoleum and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The atmosphere is eclectic, the décor unique, and the food delightful, with some delicious gris wine available. Proceed to the well-preserved Roman ruins of Volubilis, dating back to the first and second centuries. Volubilis is Morocco’s best-preserved archaeological site and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, renowned for its beautifully preserved mosaics.

Fes - Finally, arrive in Fes and check into your accommodation.

Fes City Tour

Fes - After breakfast, dedicate the entire day to exploring Fes, the Kingdom’s spiritual and cultural heart. The historical tour includes visits to the Royal Palace and the Mellah (Jewish district), along with a stroll through the fascinating ancient medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Fes El-Bali. Don’t miss the Tanner’s Quarters, small museums of Moroccan art and culture, the water clock, the vibrant Souk el-Attarine, Fondouk el-Nejjarine, and the Medersa Bouanania, a stunning example of Islamic architecture. Discover traditional Moroccan art throughout the visit, including crafts, embroidery, and weaving.

Fes Cooking Class

Fes - Embark on a gourmet journey of Moroccan cuisine at a selected restaurant. The experience begins with a shopping trip to local shops in the souks to purchase ingredients, followed by a hands-on workshop where chefs teach age-old methods and recipes passed down from their mothers and grandmothers. Enjoy the lunch (Chicken tajine with preserved lemon and olives) you prepared in class, then spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Desert Camp Experience

Ifrane - Depart Fes for Merzouga, passing through Ifrane, a haven of tranquility and greenery. Lakes, fountains, and the feeling of solitude are both surprising and refreshing.

Midelt - Stop in Midelt for a truly traditional lunch. Shortly after, you can already sense the desert.

Merzouga - Continue to your bivouac camp, where you’ll stay in a luxurious tent. Arrive midday, in time for a camel ride and to watch the sunset over the sand before enjoying a traditional Berber meal accompanied by folklore musicians.

To Skoura

Rissani - After breakfast, leave the desert and drive to Rissani to explore this small market town.

Skoura - Drive to Tinghir and the Todra Gorge. Known as the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs, this area features typical villages clustered around a ruined kasbah or ksar (fortified houses and watchtowers) until you reach Kalaat M’Gouna in the Valley of Roses. In spring, the terraced fields above the M’Gouna River offer a stunning display of pink blooms, and the area hosts a rose festival. This region is renowned for its perfumes and cosmetics made from rose water, as well as the hospitality and warmth of its people. Arrive in Skoura and check into your accommodation.

To the Imperial City of Marrakech

Marrakech - After a leisurely breakfast, depart for Marrakech, a five-hour drive from Skoura. Visit Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco, and the famous Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a Heritage site where films like Gladiator and The Mummy were made, and enjoy lunch there. Continue over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi N’Tichka pass (elevation 2260m), an awe-inspiring pass that crosses the Atlas and connects Marrakech to Ouarzazate, built to bypass the old caravan route to the Draâ.

Marrakech Historical and Foodie Tour

Marrakech - Meet your guide this morning at your accommodation to begin a walking gastronomic tour of the souks. Discover and sample classic Moroccan cuisine while exploring authentic local shops and markets. Your itinerary includes a bakery, the “doughnut man,” the farnashi for the tangia, a market for fruits and vegetables, an olive market, and a meshoui tasting. The shopkeepers’ smiles will enhance the experience as you see everything from finely embroidered shoes and belts to various spices, woodwork, brass, and copper-work, as well as kaftans ranging from simple cotton to those with intricate embroidery. Food samples will be available at the stalls, and the tour guide can take you to Le Jardin if you wish to sit and enjoy some coffee or tea. Explore all that this wonderful city has to offer, such as the Bahia Palace, the Dar El Pasha Museum, and the recently rebuilt Medrasa.

Marrakech Cooking Class

Marrakech - This morning, head to a traditional Riad for an engaging hands-on cooking class that feels like authentic home cooking. After a welcome mint tea and shopping for ingredients at the small local souk, the cook will guide you through traditional techniques and recipes. Enjoy what you have prepared for lunch (Moroccan Tanjia)!

To Essaouira - Winery Tour

Essaouira - Depart Marrakech for the approximately two-and-a-half-hour journey to Essaouira, stopping en route to visit an Argan oil cooperative that supports divorced and widowed women by providing them with work. Learn about the processing of the unique argan nut that grows locally and is used to produce argan oil for cooking and cosmetics. Shortly after the visit, stop for a relaxing lunch under the trees at a Moroccan vineyard exclusively dedicated to grape varieties of the Rhone Valley. The winery was established in 1994 by a winemaker who learned the trade in France in Chateauneuf du Pape. Then arrive in Essaouira, a charming fishing port on the Atlantic Ocean.

Essaouira City Tour

Essaouira - Enjoy a morning guided tour of Essaouira port and medina, visiting local artisan workshops along the way. With a gentle touch, Essaouira awakens the artist within each of us. Abandoned by the Portuguese in 1541, it wasn’t until 1765 that the Alaouite Sultan Sidi Mohammad Ibn Abdullah transformed Mogador into a fortified city. Although the ramparts were not very effective in keeping out marauding tribesmen, Essaouira is now a charming artist’s town with its old port and cannons overlooking the fishing fleet. Wander through the narrow alleyways of the Medina to witness artisans at work crafting wooden tables, boxes, and various items in lemon or Thuya wood inlaid with mother of pearl. The Romans used the purple dye produced by the shellfish to color the togas of the wealthy.

Essaouira Cooking Class

Essaouira - After a leisurely breakfast, head to the selected Moroccan cooking workshop for your morning cooking class and discover the secret spices and techniques used in Moroccan cooking. Expect an intimate, hands-on class with a gentle dada (traditional Moroccan cook). Enjoy what you have prepared for lunch (fish-based tajine).

Drive to Rabat

Rabat - Your driver will pick you up to drive back to Rabat.

• Lunch
• Pick up & Drop off at your accommodation
• Dinner
• Private Vehicle, 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser + fuel
• Entrances fees to the sites visited with the guides
• Airport transfers to and from your hotel/riad
• Licensed Tour Guide
• Bottled mineral water in the vehicle daily

• Flights
• Meals other than those specified in detailed itinerary
• Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks
• Tips
• Accomodation
• Porterage

Our ‘food tour’ or ‘culinary journey’ is designed to expose you to the historical and cultural facets of Morocco through its gastronomy. These food and drink excursions feature carefully chosen food and beverage tastings that can shed light on local lifestyles or highlight location-specific dishes like those found in the Municipal Market or street vendors.
The prime focus of our tour is undeniably to appreciate the diverse meals and drinks provided during the visit, but it offers much more. The Moroccan food expedition marries context, past, and taste, transforming into an enlightening encounter with the local region. Between meals, tour guides impart knowledge about local traditions, popular destinations, among other things.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.