North to South Morocco Tour: Chefchaouen to Marrakech

Flawless doesn't begin to describe how incredible and meticulous the planning and taste that went into designing our Spain and Morocco trip. I reached out to Zicasso’s travel specialist far in advance, describing a dream vacation for my husband and me that included a near-impossible amount of locations to cover through both countries in only two weeks. We had tried coming up with an itinerary with another planner prior to meeting the travel specialist, but it did not work out. When we shared our vision with the travel specialist, he materialized it on paper in a way that made sense and even made adjustments that fit within our budget. We got to see every location with enough time to savor each.

The order of travel from Barcelona to Andalucía to Morocco was an intricate weave that told a story of cross-cultural exchange. We started off with Gaudí architecture and the Sagrada Família, sunsets at the Puente Nuevo, Alhambra, and Córdoba, marveled at the grandeur of the mosque cathedral, savored seafood paella and Picasso art in Málaga. We finished off road-tripping in Morocco, starting from the blue city of Chefchaouhen, continuing our journey through Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Marrakech, and the Atlas Mountains. It was nothing short of magical.

We will never forget the beauty of the sun rising above the Atlas Mountains, private candlelit dinners on our private terrace in the riads, the colors of the souks, and the hospitality of our Moroccan hosts. Each riad was carefully selected and far exceeded our expectations. And of course, our driver in Morocco was an absolute delight and went above and beyond. Besides providing transportation, he acted as a friend who showed us the ins and outs, helping us see Morocco in a way that we would not have if we went in a large group or had chosen to come alone. Overall, my husband and I cannot recommend our travel specialist enough.

This was our fourth trip with Zicasso and, like the others, it was amazing and memorable. Even being back home for a while now, I’m still constantly thinking about how fun and unique this experience was. Morocco isn’t easy to navigate, but Zicasso, our travel specialist, and our team expertly guided and educated us on the special history, culture, food, traditions, and sites of this beautiful country.

We started in Marrakech and had night and day food tours in the medina. It was immersive and interesting, and almost an assault on the senses–super-cool experiences. We learned about the cultural influences through the centuries and our guides were experts in their historical and local knowledge. The street food night tour was an evening to remember, sampling all sorts of local foods at places that would be impossible to find on the web.

After our days in Marrakech, we traveled in a loop around Morocco for several days, passing through the High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate, Skoura Oasis, Merzouga, and the Sahara, followed by two and a half days in Fes, another cultural gem. It was an unforgettable journey, filled with highlights:

The boutique hotel in a literal oasis was beautiful and so well appointed–such friendly staff and owners, and perfect food.

Ait Ben Haddou (a kasbah) was like nothing we’d ever seen–no wonder it has been used in so many films. Our private guide there had been in nine movies!

The Sahara trek was unbelievable and my personal highlight. I almost still can’t believe it. A one-hour guided walk on a camel (they were friendly!), stopping to watch a beautiful sunset. It reminded me of the "Dune" movies. The moon literally rose on the opposite horizon as the sun was setting. Then, another 30 minutes on the camels under moonlight to a luxury camp. I say “camp,” but the small restaurant was deluxe and our tent was warm, luxurious, and, of course, had a full, regular bathroom. So not exactly camping!

Fes was super-interesting and our driver and guide ensured we saw so much of what makes Fes the cultural capital.

This was, overall, such a fun experience that will stay with me forever. We’ve recommended Morocco to many since returning!

Every detail of the itinerary was amazing. Thanks to Zicasso’s travel agent. From our driver to the riad and hotel accommodations, and each location we visited (Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, the Atlas Mountains, a camel ride at sunset with glamping in the Sahara Desert, and Marrakech), we were partnered with a local guide who showed us magnificent sights and enriched our experience with historical information. Everything was beyond our expectations!

We recently returned from a 12-day trip to Morocco. It was an incredible trip! We started in a kasbah in the High Atlas Mountains and then traveled to Essaouira, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, and ended in Marrakech. We had excellent accommodations, transportation, and local guides.

The trip was planned and booked through the tour operator. Zicasso’s travel specialist was easy to communicate with and addressed all of our concerns. It was a pleasure to meet him in Marrakech for tea and an escort around the square. The people of Morocco were warm and kind. We look forward to returning and spending time in the desert, and we would definitely book with the tour operator again.

We had the most amazing time in Morocco, thanks to our wonderful Zicasso trip planners. From the very beginning of the planning stages, our agents were not only super-accommodating, but provided great ideas to make our trip as special as could be!

Once we landed, our guide and driver made sure we were comfortable throughout our trip. We visited Marrakech, Merzouga, Fes, and Chefchaouen. Each of these destinations were special in their own way and we had amazing tours in the medinas, visited gardens and museums, had a cooking class and, of course, a wonderful night in the desert.

None of this could have been possible without the expertise of the entire team at the travel agency. The logistics were impeccable, the hotels so beautiful, and suggestions for shopping and meals were perfect as well!

We cannot thank the team enough for such a special experience and we hope to work with them in the future! Thank you so much!

Zicasso’s travel company was wonderful. The itinerary was great, but required more time in the car than would be ideal. The accommodations they chose were excellent and the restaurants that were included, as well as those suggested, were terrific.