Morocco | 10D | Moroccan honeymoon

When you arrive at Casablanca Airport, quickly make your way through customs with our fast-track service. Upon exiting the airport, meet your dedicated driver who will be waiting outside with an OUTstanding travel sign. Drive to Fes with stops en route to visit Meknes and Volubilis, the Roman ruins from centuries ago. Tour the ruins and the stunning imperial gates that dot the neighboring city of Meknes. Lunch will be at a local vineyard, featuring a tour of the property, wine tasting, and a meal made with the day’s fresh produce. Sample the famous Moroccan vin gris (gray wine) and pair wines with locally sourced cheeses. Continue on to Fes, with a late afternoon arrival and check-in along with dinner at your riad.

After breakfast, begin your guided visit of the cultural capital of Morocco. Discover the medina’s Jewish quarter, the medersas (schools), and the legendary tanneries, where ancient techniques are still used to prepare Moroccan leather. Stop by the world’s oldest and longest-operating learning institution, the University of Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859 AD.

Stop for lunch in the medina, and continue your visit of the winding alleys and artisan’s quarters afterward. You’ll pass by many artisan shops where the craftspeople are often live at work weaving carpets, brass etching, or crafting handmade pottery.

Your medina visit will continue with a tasting tour, during which you’ll visit three different food souks. Try traditional Moroccan street food, including dried meats, milawi, harsha, briwats, spicy sardines, spicy potato cakes, soups, olives and more. Investigate traditional cooking methods by visiting a furnace where the water for the hammam (communal bath house) is also heated, and a 400-year-old furan (communal oven and bakery).

After concluding your day’s visit, take the rest of the evening at your leisure.

Mid-morning, meet your guide for another day spent in the historical medina of Fes. The city is known for its artisans, many of whom have been practicing their crafts for years having learned them from previous generations. Meet with local artisans for a DIY workshop. Lunch will be in the medina, and after the workshop, the rest of the afternoon and evening will be at leisure to either continue exploring the medina or relax at your riad to rest up before the journey to the desert.

Embark on an early morning scenic drive that will lead you to the golden dunes of the Sahara, with several panoramic vistas as well as a lunch break en route. Upon arrival, ride camels that will take you on a beautiful path through the tall sand dunes.

Mint tea will be served as you arrive, after which you’ll have some time to enjoy the camp and take in the peaceful quiet of the Sahara. Enjoy a warm Moroccan dinner under the stars, followed by a campfire and live tribal music. Take a few minutes to observe the starlit sky before going to sleep in the comfort of your well-appointed tent.

Begin the day with a sunrise over the dunes and optional sandboarding, followed by a hearty breakfast and a departure from the camp to head towards the Todgha Gorges, otherwise known as Morocco’s ‘Grand Canyon’.

After lunch near the gorges and opportunities to take photos, continue on to check in at your property where you’ll have the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner this evening will be at the property, which is renowned for its top-notch cuisine, a European-Moroccan fusion that changes daily and is locally sourced.

Depart for Marrakech with a stop at Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO world heritage site located in the foothills on the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains, where parts of Game of Thrones were filmed. If you are feeling adventurous, take an ATV Ride around the Kasbah!

After lunch, continue towards Marrakech on a scenic drive venturing through the peaks of the High Atlas Mountains and back down on the other side into the dry flat plains of Marrakech. Arrive in the early evening to your riad and enjoy dinner on your property.

After breakfast, head out for a jam-packed day of sightseeing in Marrakech! Visit the Koutoubia Mosque (the iconic sight of Marrakech), the Bahia Palace (a stunning example of traditional Moroccan architecture), and the Saadian tombs (an ornate resting place). Afterward, head to the medina for lunch, followed by afternoon visits to the medina and the souks.

Delve into the myriad pathways of the Souk, which refers to the market. The markets of Marrakech are located in a serpentine set of alleyways which your expert guide will lead you through. You’ll see the different sections, including the stalls where fresh produce, baked goods, spices, and herbs are sold.

Take a break from the medina in the afternoon to experience a Moroccan hammam and spa treatment! The traditional hammam ritual involves several steps to cleanse, detoxify, and help you relax. You’ll experience one of the world’s most ancient traditions, a black-soap cleanse, followed by a cascading cold-water rinse. This prepares your skin for an invigorating scrub, which leaves you soft and free of accumulated toxins and impurities. After another rinse, a Ghassoul mask of Moroccan volcanic clay is applied to the body, face and hair. The last step of this centuries-old practice of purification is the relaxing massage using pure oils, Morocco’s precious youth elixir! 

If you’d like, return to the famous Djemaa el Fna square in the evening, which becomes especially lively at night. Browse the stalls where juice vendors sell fruit juice of every flavor imaginable, and wander amongst the food stalls serving steaming tagines, roasted meats, and more. Dinner tonight is at your leisure to choose from the many stalls in the square.

Depart from your hotel before sunrise for a 45-minute drive to the balloon grounds. After a quick briefing, you will get on board a balloon that is privatized just for your party. Soar above local villages and the plains of Southern Morocco, as the staff on board the balloon serves you breakfast on board. As part of your breakfast in the air, you’ll get a taste of the Marrakech specialty Bacha Coffee! You’ll then receive your ride certificate before being dropped back off at your hotel.

Once back in Marrakech, head to the stunning Majorelle Gardens. Global fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent made his second home in Marrakech for many decades, and his vision drove every detail behind the lush Gardens, accompanied by a small but must-see Berber Museum. Next door, the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum honors the fashion icon’s love of Marrakech and builds upon the collections housed at the Majorelle Gardens. Take in the beauty of the gardens and museums before taking lunch at your leisure.

In the afternoon, roll up your sleeves for an immersive and fun cooking experience! Accompanied by a local “dada”, or expert cook, dig into all of the key components of a Moroccan meal, starting with how to prepare the famous Moroccan mint tea and bake Moroccan bread. From there, the hands-on portion of the course begins as you prepare a main course of chicken and preserved lemon tagine, along with a tomato and cucumber salad and an eggplant salad. The class ends with a dinner where you eat your very own masterpiece!

Depart to the nearby town of Imlil for a hike in the Berber villages of the High Atlas Mountains. With your private mountain guide, begin the route with about a 1.5-hour hike, after which you’ll head to a local family's home for a traditional mint tea. Next, head to a nearby restaurant with a panoramic view of the Atlas Mountains, where you’ll enjoy a classic Moroccan lunch. Afterward, make your way back to the valley where you started with another 1.5-hour hike. The length and intensity of the hike can be adjusted, and walking sticks and mules are available as well if. Typically, the hike starts at an elevation of about 5,600 feet, and gets to about 6,600 feet. After completing the hike, head to your property to check-in. The rest of the evening and dinner tonight are at leisure.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and drive to Marrakech or Casablanca Airport for your departure flight.