Exploring the Soul of Morocco: Beneath the Great Moroccan Atlas

Departure from Barcelona at 7:00 AM on a direct flight to Fez. Arrival at 8:25 AM local time (at this time of year, Morocco is one hour behind). Passport control and baggage claim.

Meet your tour guide and transfer to the medina for a walking tour with a local guide of the ancient medina of Fez, one of the most authentic and best-preserved in the Arab world. We will explore its labyrinthine medieval alleyways, where artisan workshops, mosques, and palaces are hidden amidst the bustle of its people. At midday, we will have lunch at Bab Sahara, a recently restored traditional palace.

In the afternoon, we will depart south to cross the Middle Atlas Mountains to reach Ifrane, a town known as "Little Switzerland" for its strong resemblance to that country. We will cross the famous forests of giant cedar trees and, if we are lucky, we may be able to feed a colony of wild monkeys that inhabits the mountaintops. We will continue to Aguelmane Sidi Ali, a special place located at an altitude of 2,200 meters.

Accommodation and dinner at Xaluca Spa Aguelmane Sidi Ali, a refuge built in 1935 and recently restored for a charming night.

*Note: Flights are not included. These are recommended flights. Please inquire about other departure times and airports.

This morning we will wake up at the foot of the deepest natural lake in the country. We can enjoy a privileged natural setting, stroll around the lake, climb to the crater of a nearby volcano, or visit a nomadic family. We can also take advantage of the hotel's facilities, such as the heated pool or, optionally, the spa and hammam services. Lunch at Xaluca Spa Aguelmane Sidi Ali.

In the afternoon, we will continue our journey towards the desert. We will pass through the Ziz Valley, with its more than ten million palm trees, and arrive in Erfoud, a city known as the "Gateway to the Desert."

Accommodation and dinner at the Kasbah Hotel Xaluca Erfoud, considered unique in Morocco for its distinctive features.

Today we'll experience a full day in the desert. We'll travel along one of the tracks used in the Dakar Rally, visiting villages and desert nomads. We'll stop at quarries of marine fossils, dating back 360 million years, and enjoy a picnic lunch in a genuine oasis.

We'll continue to Erg Chebbi, a desert of incredibly fine sand dunes, where we'll trade our 4x4 vehicles for camels to venture into the heart of the dunes and witness an unforgettable sunset.

We'll arrive by camel at Bivouacs Xaluca, where we'll stay in traditional Berber tents like those used by desert nomads. Accommodation and dinner are included. Sleeping under the stars will be a truly unique experience.

"A Date with Sunrise." We recommend waking up early to hike to the top of the dunes and watch the sunrise. After a Bedouin breakfast, we'll depart in vehicles that will take us around the erg to the abandoned village of Merdani.

We'll continue to Khamlia, a village of Sudanese origin, where its inhabitants will treat us to traditional dances and mint tea. Later, we'll go to Rissani to visit its market, unique in these latitudes, where the desert tribes and nomads stock up on supplies. It's interesting to see its donkey "parking lot." Finally, we'll climb to a natural viewpoint to bid farewell to the desert with a beautiful panoramic view.

Return to Erfoud and lunch at Restaurant des Dunes, the most authentic Berber pizzeria in the city.

Arrival at Kasbah Hotel Xaluca Erfoud to enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. After the desert experience, some time to relax is much appreciated. We can swim in the pool, enjoy the jacuzzi, play tennis or mini-golf, or opt for a hammam or a massage. For the more adventurous, there is also the possibility of taking an optional quad bike excursion through the dunes surrounding the hotel.

Accommodation and dinner at Kasbah Hotel Xaluca Arfoud.

We depart by road for Tinghir, a town offering a beautiful panorama of contrasts with its pink houses and palm groves, an ideal starting point for exploring the famous Todra Gorge, where we can take a short walk following the course of the river.

Later, we continue to Boumalne Dades, a town located in the Valley of the Birds, at an altitude of 1,612 meters, in the High Atlas Mountains. Lunch at the Hotel Xaluca Dades.

In the afternoon, we will travel through the Dades Valley to its gorges and reach a viewpoint, where we will enjoy tea. During the descent, we will stop at the well-known "monkey's paws" rock formations.

Overnight stay and dinner at the Hotel Xaluca Dades.

Today we'll venture deep into the Central High Atlas Mountains in 4x4 vehicles, discovering spectacular landscapes and villages of shepherds who preserve their ancestral customs. We'll arrive at the starting point of our hiking route, where we'll leave the vehicles and walk for 3 to 4 hours through the M'Goun Geopark, in the area surrounding Jbel M'Goun, the second highest mountain in the country at 4,068 meters.

We'll cross the Ifess-Fess gorges, a place accessible only on foot or by mule, always following the course of the river. Lunch will be a picnic. We'll arrive at the mountain refuge, where we'll spend the night. Accommodation and dinner are included. We'll enjoy a special night in a unique setting.

*The hiking route is designed for all levels and paces. No special preparation is required, just a desire to walk and enjoy nature. We will be accompanied by mules and porters, so there's no need to carry any weight: backpacks and water will be transported by the animals. The most unique aspect of this excursion, besides being in a very pristine area little known to conventional tourism, is that much of the route follows the river, with more time spent in the water than on land. Therefore, we recommend paying special attention to appropriate footwear.

If weather conditions prevent access to the refuge, the excursion will be replaced with an alternative, and overnight stays will be in other types of accommodation or in a hotel, depending on availability.

This morning, again on foot and accompanied by the muleteers and the mountain guide, we will retrace part of yesterday's route until we reach the 4x4 vehicles.

Once in the vehicles, we will visit villages such as Ait Ahmed ou Amer and Boutaghrar, and see the caves where nomads still live in the mountains. Lunch will be at a gîte d'étape.

Return to Hotel Xaluca Dades. Free time to relax. Overnight stay and dinner at Hotel Xaluca Dades.

This leg of the journey covers a considerable distance (approximately 310 km), but the spectacular scenery will more than make up for it. We'll depart for Marrakech.

Along the way, we'll visit Aït Benhaddou, a kasbah declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the setting for numerous film productions. Lunch will be at a local restaurant.

We'll cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass, the highest mountain pass in the country accessible by road. Here, we'll leave behind the lunar landscape and enter a landscape of predominantly green and ochre hues.

We'll arrive in Marrakech in the afternoon. A visit to the incomparable Jemaa el-Fnaa is highly recommended as it becomes a first glimpse of the city. At this time of day, it's filled with storytellers, fortune tellers, jugglers, tooth pullers, dancers, and snake charmers. As night falls, small, illuminated food stalls begin to appear in the open air, offering the opportunity to sample typical dishes.

Overnight stay in a riad in the medina.

Last day of driving in 4x4 vehicles.

This morning, we'll visit the Marrakech medina on foot with a local guide. We'll begin by admiring the Koutoubia Mosque minaret, a twin of the Giralda, and continue with a visit to the Bahia Palace.

We'll wander through the narrow streets of the souk, where we'll have the opportunity to see various artisans at work weaving carpets, making babouches (traditional slippers), and crafting an endless variety of high-quality handicrafts. We'll also visit a Berber pharmacy, where they'll share some of their traditional secrets. Lunch will be at a traditional restaurant.

Afterward, we'll return to Jemaa el-Fnaa, where the daytime atmosphere is completely different from the nighttime one. The afternoon is free.

At the agreed-upon time, transfer to Marrakech airport for your 9:40 pm return flight. Arrival in Barcelona is around 1:00 am local time.