North to South Morocco Tour: Chefchaouen to Marrakech

My family, including my husband and our 16- and 11-year-old daughters, booked a 3-day driving tour with the tour company, picking us up from Fes, taking us to the desert for a camel trek to sleep in the desert, and then delivering us to Marrakesh. They put together a well-designed trip for us with stops at historic sites along the way, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben-Haddou, the Togda and Dades gorges, and through the High Atlas mountains. The camel trek - about an hour long - was easy and unique and took us to the wonderfully-appointed luxury hotel in the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, which included luxurious tents with real toilets and showers in our private tents. The trip included 3 days of driving - covering 700 miles / 1100 kilometers - and all meals and lodging. One of the best parts was our driver Mustapha. He was such easy company, knowledgeable about all things Morocco, a safe driver, flexible, taught us Arabic and Berber words, and helped us bargain for excellent prices on local ceramics and carpets. We had a spacious Mercedes van with plenty of space for us to stretch out. We received a bespoke itinerary, a local cell phone, and a phone call from the tour company to check on us along the way. I would definitely recommend them. Note: There is MAJOR construction on Route 9 from Ouarzazate through the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech, adding an hour or so of driving time.

Our two-week trip to Morocco, arranged by Zicasso’s travel company, was simply magical! We (a party of four over-70 Americans) found it very easy to book a customized adventure with the founder that met and exceeded our desired goals.

Our journey began with a four-night stay in Marrakech, which included a day trip to the Ourika Valley in the High Atlas Mountains. We then traveled overland to the desert (Erg Chebbi), making an overnight stop on the way to and from the luxury tented camp in Merzouga. Following a night's stay in the desert, we continued on to Fes, Chefchaouen (the “Blue City”), and Tangier. We were accompanied by an experienced English-fluent Berber driver who provided the epitome of service. Once we arrived at our destination, our driver ensured we were connected with a local guide for walking tours that were informative and fun. We were free to wander on our own as well.

To Americans contemplating a similar trip, we had two main concerns prior to leaving: the earthquake damage in and south of Marrakech, and the Middle East political situation. We encountered no problems whatsoever related to either. While in Marrakech and the Ourika Valley, we saw evidence of earthquake damage, but experienced nothing we considered a threat to our safety. Meanwhile, the beautiful Ourika Valley was one of many highlights, so we were very glad it was possible to go there. We discovered the wonderful hospitality Morocco is known for during each part of our journey.

As far as personal safety, follow the advice you would in any large city or tourist area: keep valuables safe and don't carry your cellphone in such a way that it could be easily snatched. The same goes for physical health. We followed general advice to enjoy things that were offered to us in restaurants serving tourists or as part of arranged street tours, while avoiding the temptation to try “exotic”, uncooked things we might find on our own. We ate well, enjoyed lots of mint tea, occasional alcoholic drinks, and had no major problems.

In addition to the Ourika Valley, other highlights included visiting the desert region (camel riding is optional, but a fun-filled 45 minutes if you are game), having a meal of delicious couscous in a Berber home, taking a cooking lesson in Marrakech with a chef, shopping in city souks and at the Fes leather and pottery-making establishments, and learning interesting historical facts during guided walking tours of Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen, and Tangier.

If heading north, arrange to stop, if only briefly, at the seaside community of Asilah, which holds a festival each year featuring colorful street murals that remain in place until the following year. While in Tangier, tour the American Legation Museum. Among other things, you will learn about the long history of good relations between the US and Morocco, which, in 1777, was the first country to recognize the US. I could go on!

Speaking for our group, the trip was one that will remain in our memories for years to come thanks to all who were involved!

All accommodations were satisfactory. My favorite city lodgings included the riads in Marrakech and Chefchaouen, where I enjoyed a swim in the indoor pool, and the palace in Fes.

The trip was beyond our expectations. Each city & location has its own unique offerings and beautiful scenery.

Our guide and driver made the trip extra special, providing us unique insights on each city and location. He took great care of us, which was very comforting going to a new country for the first time.Joauad arranged for local expert guides as well for each city, that not only provided the perfect background information but were also very passionate about the topics at hand which made each place very memorable.

If you are thinking of going to Morocco, just do it, you will not be disappointed! This was truly a lifetime experience we will not forget.

We highly recommend this very professional and detail-oriented travel company. Jaouad helped us plan a 10-day trip of a lifetime to Morocco, seven days spent with our driver and guide and two and a half days with Jaouad himself.

Our guide picked us up at the airport in Casablanca where we spent a few hours visiting the Hassan II mosque and the local synagogue. We then drove to Rabat, which we toured for the afternoon and spent the night. On day two, we drove to Fes, stopping at Meknes and Moulay Driss along the way. We did a fun ceramic class in Fes and spent the next day touring this amazing city, including the tannery, the Mellah, the royal palace, and wandered through the souks.

The next day, we drove to Erfoud and then went into the Sahara Desert, where we did a super fun ATV ride and a sunset camel ride, and “glamped” in the desert. The following day, we visited a local market in Rissani and the gorgeous Todra Gorges with an overnight stay in Skoura.

Our last stop was three nights in the magical and very busy city of Marrakech, which included visiting the labyrinth of markets and doing a fun cooking class in the Atlas Mountains. Both our guide and Jaouad were phenomenal! They were fluent in English, very knowledgeable, super nice, and very interesting. We felt like we were continually getting the inside scoop on all things Morocco, ranging from the history of this beautiful country to its culture, to the politics and more.

Jaouad also chose beautiful hotels, most of which were riads, which gave us five-star accommodations in the authentic Moroccan style. I cannot say enough amazing things about our trip, which was perfect from start to finish!