16 Day Simply Morocco Small Group Tour
This package includes international airfares and flights will be added to your booking at no additional cost.
This tour is fully escorted by a dedicated tour leader who will accompany you throughout the tour. If your tour includes multiple countries, you will be met by a new tour leader in each country and any internal flights included will be unescorted.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
✓ Includes Return Economy International Airfares
✓ Incredible sightseeing from the Atlas Mountains to seaside Essaouira & the Saharan desert including a guided tour of Volubilis, a Medina walking tour of Fes, access to El Khorbat Museum, half a day hike in the Atlas Mountains and an unforgettable dinner on Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakech
✓ Intimate group size of no more than 16 travellers
✓ 11 nights of accommodation at hand-picked, locally owned and comfortable hotels. 1 night at a traditional Saharan Camp and 1 night at a welcoming home-stay for a rare opportunity to share an evening with a local family
✓ Camel back ride through the Sahara Desert and ride a Mule to a local village
✓ Daily breakfasts, 2 lunches & 4 dinners
✓ The service of a professional English speaking guide
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Prepare to be inspired. Depart today for your journey to Morocco.
Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Morocco. Today you can arrive at any time as there are no organised activities until your welcome meeting with your tour leader at 6pm.
Special Information
Arrival airport transfers are included as part of your package. You will be met upon arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
If Inspiring Vacations has not provided your international airfares, please ensure you provide your flight details via your Traveller Hub portal no later than 90 days prior to travel so that your transfers can be confirmed.
If you are arriving early and have made your own arrangements prior to your tour commencing, airport transfers will not be included. However, if you are purchasing pre-nights accommodation as part of your Inspiring Vacations package, airport transfers will still be provided to the starting hotel.
Hotel check-in is at 2pm. If you arrive earlier, hotel staff will try to give access to your room as soon as possible; however, should your room not be ready, you are welcome to leave your luggage at reception and explore the surrounding area.
This morning we'll visit one of the most impressive sites in Casablanca – the imposing Hassan II Mosque. Opened in 1993, and second only in size to the great mosque at Mecca, the huge building is part on land and part on sea; in one area water can even be seen through a glass floor. The mosque can accommodate 25,000 worshippers and the main roof is retractable to create an open courtyard. It's one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims.
Afterwards, we depart Casablanca for Meknes, once the imperial capital of Morocco.
Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became a capital under Sultan Moulay Ismaïl (1672–1727), the founder of the Alawite dynasty. The sultan turned it into an impressive city in Spanish-Moorish style, surrounded by high walls with great doors, where the harmonious blending of the Islamic and European styles of the 17th century Maghreb are still evident today.
Upon arrival, enjoy an evening at leisure.
Some free time this morning to explore Meknes. Try a regional delicacy of camel burger at a local restaurant, before driving out of the city to the ancient ruins of Volubilis. Once a provincial Roman capital, Volubilis was a distant outpost of the empire, and the well-preserved archaeological remains make for an impressive sight. Volubilis is the foremost Roman site in Morocco and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Upon arrival we'll take a tour around the ruins with a local guide. Don’t forget to take your camera as the town is filled with fantastic mosaics, many of which remain intact.
After time spent exploring Volubilis and imagining the bustling city it once was, continue on to the living museum of Fes. After checking in to your hotel in the late afternoon, the remainder of the day is free for you to spend as you please.
Today we'll head into the old city, known locally as Fes el-Bali, arguably the world's most fascinating and confounding old city. Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres for education and culture, both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and libraries are legendary, its mosques of great renown.
Walk through the twisting streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods, and explore the speciality sections that divide the souk. Stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups line the passageways; the fragrant smell of spices floods the air; and the sound of metalsmiths hammering at copper can be heard echoing throughout the labyrinthine streets.
The rest of your afternoon is spent at leisure exploring this magnificent city.
Leave the intensity of the city behind today, for the sands of the Sahara Desert. Today will be a long travel day so sit back and enjoy the scenery along the way. With a backdrop of the orange-coloured Erg Chebbi sand dunes, the charming Saharan village of Merzouga feels wonderfully isolated, like the modern world has left it behind. Store your main baggage in your overnight camp on the edge of the desert and mount a camel for a 1-hour sunset ride into the desert. The Erg Chebbi dunes are the most stunning in the country and an essential part of any visit to Morocco.
Upon arrival at the desert camp, you will have the opportunity to unwind, gaze at the stars and enjoy dinner.
Walk up the nearest dune for a spectacular sunrise over the Sahara, break your fast with traditional food, and begin the drive to Todra Gorge. On the way visit the oasis museum of El Khorbat, before continuing on to the beautiful Todra Valley,, which follows the foothills of the Atlas Mountains and is dotted with mud-brick villages perched on hillsides. The remarkable scenery – sprawling green valleys and rocks sculpted into stunning formations by the wind – will be your home for the next two nights. This area is best discovered on foot, so you’ll take a short walk through the surrounding farmland and a ruined village.
From here we'll continue on to the Todra Gorge, a canyon, or wadi, that rises for more than 250 metres to form one of the most dramatic and spectacular natural sights in Morocco. A must on any visit is an exhilarating walk through the narrow orange limestone walls.
Today is yours to explore Todrag Gorge at your own pace, and you can choose from one of the many walks that are available to you.
This morning we leave Todra Gorge behind us and continue our journey across Morocco.
On the way, we enjoy a lunch where we will get the chance to meet a local family. Our destination The first stop for us today is the majestic Aït Benhaddou, perched on a hilltop and left almost untouched since the 11th century. Aït Benhaddou is one of Morocco's most iconic sites, its grand kasbah one of the most beautiful in Morocco and the fortified village a fine example of clay architecture. If you think you recognise the place, you probably do, as the town has a long list of film and TV credits, including Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones and Gladiator.
After breakfast, our guide will take us on an orientation tour of Aït Benhaddou to see it’s grand clay kasbah, a World Heritage site.
Our journey will then take us to Toubkal National Park, past snow-capped mountains. We will arrive at Imlil, where you will store your luggage before a beautiful one hour trek to the peaceful village of Aroumd. If the walk isn’t suitable, you can have another authentic experience instead, and take a mule.
The village of Aroumd is perched in the High Atlas Mountains, and is the perfect place to experience Berber culture. Tonight, we will be sleeping in a local homestay. Surrounded by mountains, meet the host family and enjoy Berber hospitality and food.
After spending the night at the homestay, a soft hike to take in the morning air will be the perfect start to the day after breakfast. Weather depending, take in the atmosphere of the trails and the valleys of the High Atlas Mountains.
We then depart for the coast, and drive to the seaside gem of Essaouira. A city where the medina sits up against the Atlantic ocean. This artists' town was once home to sizable British and Jewish populations, and its charm has seduced people like Orson Welles and Jimi Hendrix, who (according to local legend) spent much of his time here in the 1960s.
Join your guide for a walking tour through the old medina, Jewish mellah, the fortified seawall and the port.
Afterwards, you have the rest of the day to explore Essaouira at your own pace. The narrow streets of Essaouira discourages cars, meaning it's an ideal city to explore on foot. Sandstone walkways contrast with whitewashed houses, the bright blue sky and the sand of the surrounding beaches and dunes. Surely one of North Africa's most attractive destinations, you'll soon find yourself slipping into the easy-going pace of this Moroccan town with a European seaside twist. The fishing port is a serious commercial operation and there’s much fun to be had observing the daily catch and its subsequent auction. Elsewhere there are numerous shops and several fine art galleries to distract you, along with a wide variety of restaurants. Your tour leader will help guide you through the maze of options. This evening you might like to indulge in a luxuriating massage and hammam in a local spa.
Time to leave the quaint seaside Essaouira for the bustling hub of Marrakech. Upon arrival, our guide will whisk us on a city sightseeing tour including the Koutoubia Tower, twin tower of the Giralda in Seville, Saadines Tombs and Bahia Palace. We explore medinas and souks on foot before walking into the magic of Jemaa El Fna, packed with fortune tellers, smoking food stalls, fresh juice sellers, acrobats and residents of this great city, all making for the best open air theater. Don’t forget your camera. After some time at leisure, enjoy a typical local dinner
After yesterday’s tour, today is yours to explore Marrakech at your own pace.
Explore the medina and the endless market stalls, Jamma El-Fna square also awaits, where you can finish your day on one of the many rooftop squares overlooking the square.
Today is and early start as you are transferred with the group to Casablanca international airport in time to catch your flight home.
In the event that you wish to prolong your stay in Marrakech or require a different transfer time or date to Casablanca international airport, separate arrangements must be made. Your Tour Leader will be available to assist you in organizing the transfer on-site. Alternatively, you have the option to pre-book the transfer through Traveller Hub up to 60 days before your tour departure date.
Arrive home today after your amazing adventure, we hope you have been Inspired.
Note: Some flight may arrive home a day later
Inspiring Tastes
Inspiring Sights
Inspiring Stay
This product requires full payment upfront to secure your booking.
Once you have created your booking you will be directed to your invoice to choose your preferred payment method.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a”3”
Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Morocco Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. At the commencement of your tour, your Tour Leader will suggest contributing towards a ‘tipping kitty’ which can then be used to tip local guides, hotel staff, driver, etc. You will have complete visibility over amounts tipped and any funds left will be distributed back to travellers. This tipping kitty is not mandatory, however, over time we’ve found it frees travellers from the stress of keeping the right change at hand and not knowing appropriate tipping amounts. We suggest EUR2 for hotel staff, EUR3-4 for local guides and EUR2-3 for the driver (suggestions are per person per day).
Please note that this tipping is not for your Tour Leader. If you are happy with the service provided by your Tour Leader we recommend tipping EUR2-4 per person per day.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $365.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.
Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
Visas may be required.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Group Size
Maximum of 16 people
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre tour accommodation - Casablanca
Post tour accommodation - Marrakesh
Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
This package includes international airfares or has the option of adding international airfares to your booking when selecting your departure city.
If international airfares are included this will be stated in the ‘Inclusions’ section
Alternatively, if international airfares can be added to your booking you will be able to select your departure city after clicking ‘Book Now’ and a cost will be stated next to your selected departure city. This cost will then be added to your booking and flights will be added to your booking.
Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:
Baggage
Included baggage differs based on your country of origin. Included baggage will be as per the following:
|
Country of Origin |
Carry-on Baggage |
Checked Baggage |
|
Australia |
7kgs |
20kgs |
|
New Zealand |
7kgs |
20kgs |
|
United States of America |
15lbs |
45lbs |
|
Canada |
15lbs |
45lbs |
|
India |
7kgs |
20kgs |
|
United Kingdom |
7kgs |
20kgs |
Baggage allowances provided by the airline might differ to the values stated above. However limitations are required due to transport storage restrictions on your selected tour or package.
Flight requests, amendments or preferences
We understand customers may wish to request changes to their included airfares. If you wish to fly with a certain airline, land at a certain time or change your flight in other ways we will gladly provide you with a personalised quote tailored to your specific requirements.
To make a flight request, please click ‘Book Now’ and select Would you like us to contact you around our flight service? By selecting this option you will be sent a request form after completing your purchase to make your request.
We would be more than happy to provide you with a quote for the following requests:
We are currently unable to provide a quote for the following requests:
If we can’t fulfill your request and you still wish to proceed with the booking, please select Land Only (excluding UK customers). This will allow you to travel on the land portion of the package without the included airfares. You will then be able to arrange your own flights separately.
FAQs
For more frequently asked questions please view our FAQs section.
Online check-in
Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.
Click HERE for more information on weather in Morocco.
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