Essaouira is a tourist town thanks to a mild climate, beautiful beaches, and historic monuments and sites. The medina was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
The city is also renowned for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with powerful winds that blow almost constantly in the bay.
In 1506, the Portuguese built a fortress there called ‘Castelo Real de Mogador’ but due to the resistance of the local population, the Portuguese left on the 4th of December 1510, although despite being abandoned it remained protected by the Saadians during the seventeenth century.
In 1760, sultan Mohammed III ordered the construction of the city and hired a French architect, Théodore Cornut. In 1775 the Sultan ordered the demolition of the Castello Real and the stones were later reused in the construction of the Port Esqala. Years later the city became one of Morocco’s main commercial centers. Until the 1960s, Essaouira was generally known as Mogador, the most likely theory is that the name comes from the Berber name ‘Mugadir’ which means ‘the one surrounded by ramparts’.
Your Accommodation / Airport, Train-Bus Station or wherever you want
30 Minutes Before Departure
DESERT TOUR FROM CASABLANCA TO ESSAOUIRA IN 10 DAYS
After your arrival at MOHAMMED V airport in CASABLANCA where you will be welcomed by a member of our team, we will drive inside Casablanca to have a visit to the Great Mosque of Hassan 2, then drive directly to the capital Rabat to visit Kasbah Oudaya and Hassan tower. After that, we will drive to the pearl of the Rif Mountains the town of Chefchaouen via Ouzan. Overnight in Chefchaouen.
After breakfast you will have a visit to the medina of Chefchaouen, then drive to Fez via the lavish green landscapes of the Ouazan region. we will visit the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, the most remote former territory of the Roman Empire. Then we continue our way via one of the greenest landscapes of Morocco, to stop for a panoramic view of Sidi Chahed lake. Then hit the road to the cultural capital of Fes. Overnight with dinner at Riad in Fez.
After having rest and take breakfast, an official local guide will be there in the hotel waiting for you to start an explorative journey of the Medina where you will visit the many hidden treasures that only the inhabitants of the place know about. Fes served as the capital of Morocco for more than 350 years and is home to the University of Al Karaouine, the oldest operating university in the world. Your guided tour will take you to the Moulay Idriss mausoleum, the Nejjarine Fountains, and the Tanneries.
After lunch, you will also view the exterior of the Royal Palace and walk through the famous Jewish quarter “the Mellah”, where you will have the option to visit one of the few living synagogues in Morocco. Your tour of Fes includes a short visit to the famous ceramic factory, and then you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view over the whole Medina of Fes. Back to Riad.
in the morning we pick you up from your accommodation in Fes then we will start our journey which will take us along the beautiful south road, where the landscape changes dramatically from the snowy hills of Ifrane the cleanest city in Morocco to the Cedar Forest of the middle Atlas, then the dry weather of the desert. Along the way we will stop to visit the Ifran’s Lion, then we will stop to visit the Atlas apes, we continue our way to join Awfouss Oasis, one of the largest oases in North Africa.
Upon your arrival at Merzouga, you will have a camel trek crossing the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi to spend a night of your life under the clear sky and inside the nomad tents in a camp in the middle of the desert, a chance to get to know the real inner-you. Overnight with dinner at a Luxury Bivouac.
After breakfast, you may begin a trip to explore the encompassing of Merzouga by going to the antiquated showcase of Rissani, verifiably known as Sijilmassa which is one of the foremost vital halt points for caravans coming from the Sudan locale toward Marrakesh.
In Rissani you may have the chance to walk in its antiquated showcase and visit the conventional herb drug store, at that point drive back to Khamlia where you’ll have Moroccan Pizza in a nearby eatery looking at the hills, at that point appreciate the Gnawa music. Within the afternoon you’ll camel journey over the brilliant rises of Erg Chebbi to spend a night beneath the nomad’s tents camp within the center of the forsake. Overnight at the forsake camp.
You will have to wake up early to catch the sun rising up from behind a sea of sand dunes one of the most beautiful sunrises in the world, then you will camel trek back to the hotel where you will shower and have breakfast. After refreshing up, we will depart to Dades Gorges, including a visit to Rissani’s famous souk, the town where the Alaouist dynasty started ruling Morocco since 350 years ago until the moment.
Then we will pass through the town of Erfoud, very well known for fossils, also an international dates festival takes place in this town. We continue our way through a desert-like landscape and villages to join the wonderful Todra Gorges, a very beautiful canyon with 300m high walls and a 20m wide mouth. We hit the road to Dades. Overnight and dinner at the hotel.
After breakfast we will take the road to the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou via the Rose Valley including a stop at a rose distillation Unit in order to get a clear idea of how rose productions are manufactured, then continue by passing by the Skoura Palm grove and the road of 1001 Kasbahs, then we continue to join Hollywood of Africa, the city of Ouarzazate, very well known for being the spot of the international movie makers and in which famous movies were filmed such as “ The Mummy”,” Prince of Persia”, “Gladiator” and so many other movies.
Then we continue our way to the famous UNESCO World Heritage site Ksar or Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a very wonderful fortified city that stands at the edge of a hill separated by a running Ounila river. Then we drive via the Atlas Mountains to pass via one of Morocco’s amazing roads, the Tichka Pass which stands 2260m above sea level. Then we will stop for a cup of coffee and a visit to the women’s Argan oil co-operative. After that, we continue to join the red city. Overnight with dinner at Riad in Marrakech.
After breakfast you will be joined by an official local guide to see all the sites of historical and cultural interest, The morning begins with a visit to the magnificent Koutoubia Mosque as the landmark of Marrakech which has inspired other buildings such as the Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat. Your next stop is the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs. The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back to the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur. The tombs were discovered in 1917 and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The mausoleum comprises the interments of about sixty members of the Saadian Dynasty that originated from the valley of the Draa River.
After a lunch break, You Continue to the world-famous Jemaa el Fna Square, which houses an array of food, snake charmers, local musicians, and fortune-tellers. There’s nowhere on Earth like the Jemaa el Fna, the square at the heart of old Marrakesh. You will also walk through the souks and view hundreds of handicrafts. A night with breakfast at the Riad/Hotel.
Start Our journey from Marrakech to Essaouira. On-Road, you will see many Argan trees, important to the region both economically and ecologically. You may also see local goats perched in the trees feeding on the fruit and leaves. At the women’s Cooperative of Argan Oil, there will be an opportunity to learn about the wide-ranging applications of the oil from cosmetics to medicines.
After several stops to take photographs, you will continue your travel to Essaouira. You’ll visit the Skala Fortress, the port, the souks, and see Thuya wood carved by artisans, walking through the alleys of the medina and past the hundreds of handicrafts. Today you will have lunch in a Moroccan way, buy fish cooked to order. The afternoon is free to walk and explore by yourself. Overnight accommodation with dinner and breakfast at the Hotel.
After having a great time and enjoying the different roads and places in Morocco with us, Your driver will take you from your accommodation in Essaouira to MOHAMED V Airport through the highway, depending on your flight time, Hope to see you soon
