Day Excursions

Choose your date and departure city! We’ll show you why it’s about the journey as well as the destination.  Start your day in any one of Morocco’s great cities, and explore the unique highlights of the surrounding region. Maybe it’s a scenic drive, maybe it’s a challenging hike… a visit to an artist’s workshop, or maybe tea with a Berber family… we  design our tour routes to maximize your encounters with the culture and the Moroccan people.

Day excursions depart from your accommodations or other location as you prefer. Your driver will pick you up promptly at 8:30 a.m. and deliver you back again by 5:00 p.m., or as you prefer.

See tabs for tour options from:

• Marrakech
• Fes   
• Rabat    
• Tangier    
• Casablanca

• CASCADE D’OUZOUD: Fall in love again – this time, with the beautiful waterfalls that are a signature destination of the Atlas Mountains. Dropping 110 meters into the canyon below, the falls are seldom without a rainbow. Have lunch at one of the cafes tucked into the trees along the path to the falls, perhaps spot some of the Barbary apes hanging around. This trip takes you through the breathtaking peaks and valleys of the Atlas range, through Berber villages, and terraced fields. Time permitting, you can also visit the natural bridge and caverns at nearby Demnate, surrounded by 100-year-old olive groves that produce some of the country’s best olive oil.
• OURIKA VALLEY: Your destination is the village of Setti Fatma, nestled in a canyon with no fewer than seven beautiful waterfalls. Hikes range from easy 20-minute walks to strenuous climbs through streams and large boulders. Even if you’re not a hiker, you’ll appreciate the stunning scenery in the region. Visit Berber villages, local potters and tradescraft workshops and share tea with locals along the way. You’ll also visit a jewel of a saffron farm and botanical garden where you can sip saffron tea and discover the fine points of cooking with the world’s finest saffron!
• IMLIL: Spectacular mountain scenery is your constant companion on this journey into the High Atlas. Perched atop verdant terraced fields, Imlil is a world away from the heat and hustle of Marrakech. Regardless of your level of ambition or interest, there’s a beautiful walk or hike in store. (Mules are available to carry children.)
• AGAFAY DESERT: If you’re aching for a camel ride and a desert visit but don’t have the time to cross mountain passes for the Sahara experience, this trip’s for you! Just half an hour from Marrakech, the Agafay Desert is stony rather than sandy, and offers breathtaking views of the Atlas Mountains. You can ride a camel, then visit a Berber village and have tea or lunch with a family there. Make it special: Plan your camel ride for the afternoon, then stay overnight in a deluxe tent camp!
• OUIRGANE: The region that takes in Imlil, Asni and Ouirgane is scenic, culturally rich, and entirely authentic. There are opportunities for hikes and walks of any degree of challenge, breathtaking viewpoints, and sweeping valleys dotted with Berber villages. Visit local potters, tradescraft co-operatives and workshops, and the private collection of Moroccan textiles at the
  

  Musée Histoire Tissée.

• ESSAOUIRA: Surf’s always up in Essaouira! Stroll the wind-swept beaches, then visit the bustling harbor where you can see ships being built before your eyes. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, Essaouira’s medina is a treasure trove of quality arts and crafts produced by local artisans. Don’t miss the array of gleaming fish and fresh fruit and vegetables in the market, then settle at one of the excellent seafood restaurants for a sumptuous lunch. Make it special: Climb aboard a camel for a ride along the beach. (Horses also available.) Visit a nearby winery for a tour and tasting or visit to a women’s co-operative where argan oil is produced.

• OUALIDIA: It’s oyster heaven in Oualidia! Raw, fried, breaded or sauced – eat your fill! There are none finer! Not a fan?  Other seafood delights are on the menu – and so are golden beaches! Take a boat tour of the placid lagoon and Atlantic breakwater or indulge in a refreshing swim. On your way back to Marrakech, find a lasting memento of your day on the coast at the pottery works at Safi.
• KSAR AIT BEN HADDOU: Cross the Tichka Pass to reach this UNESCO World Heritage site on the plains approaching Ouarzazate. This is one of the best-preserved examples of red pisé (rammed earth) architecture. Note: This is a long day, returning at approximately 7:30 p.m. Make it special: stay overnight in Ouarzazate, and tour the city, the Taourirt Kasbah, and Atlas Studios before returning to Marrakech.

• VOLUBILIS: Just a short hour’s drive from Fes, tour the substantially intact and well-preserved Roman ruins of the city of Volubilis. The site consists of houses of the wealthy with glorious mosaic floors, as well as those of ordinary working people. The remains of shops, public baths, and facilities for the production of olive oil provide remarkable insight into life of this important Roman capital of bygone days. Complete your visit of the area with a short drive to the nearby village of Moulay Idriss perched on the hillside above Volubilis. This town is holy to Muslims as the site of the tomb of Idriss I, the first Muslim leader of Morocco. This trip can be combined with a half-day tour of Meknes.
• MEKNES: Meknes is one of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities (current or former capitals) along with Fes, Rabat, and Marrakech. The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and easily navigable without a guide. At your option, we’ll transport you to points of interest that are beyond comfortable walking distance. Optional: Cap off the day with a winery visit and tasting – Meknes is at the heart of Morocco’s growing wine industry!
• AZROU FOREST/SOURCE DE L’OUM RHBIA: Just an hour from Fes, you’ll find yourself in the cool cedar forests near Azrou, home to wild Barbary monkeys. Some are not so wild… not if you have peanuts or juicy dates. They’ll delicately take them from your fingers, and then shamelessly look for more. You can visit Ifrane, Morocco’s “Little Switzerland” with its leafy boulevards and steeply angled roofs designed to shed the winter’s heavy snows.  Or continue into the mountains to the lovely waterfalls at Source de L’Oum Rhbia. Relax in one of the carpeted reed cabanas that line the river while local villagers prepare lunch for you.

• SIDI BOUKNADEL: Escape the city for the cool green oasis of the gardens at Sidi Bouknadel. This national cultural heritage site is a testament to both horticultural and artistic achievement. But you’ll be totally captivated by the aviary, pools and fountains, and secret passages between the lovely gardens.
• MOULAY BOUSSELHAM: Moulay Bousselham is a key destination for birds – and for birders! We’ll arrange a morning boat tour of the Merja Zerga lagoon, where an expert guide will help you spot native and migrating bird species according to the season. You’ll finish in time to have lunch at a local café where fresh seafood is a specialty, and time also to visit some of the golden beaches along the coast as you return to Rabat.
• VOLUBILIS: The Roman ruins at Volubilis are just a two-hour drive from Rabat. The site consists of houses of the wealthy with glorious mosaic floors, as well as those of ordinary working people. The remains of shops, public baths, and facilities for the production of olive oil provide remarkable insight into life of this important Roman capital of bygone days.

• GROTTES D’HERCULE: Just a short distance out of town at Cap Spartel, the Grottes d’Hercule is part of a complex of caves sculpted by the relentless swells of the Atlantic ocean. One part of the complex opens to the sea while another opens to land. The view from the  “Africa”-shaped opening to the sea is dramatic, as the rushing waters swirl into deep pools at the base of the cliff face. Travel further down the coast for lunch at the seaside town of Assilah, then discover the off-the-beaten-path ruins at Lixus, once a flourishing Roman center in North Africa. According to legend, the mythological garden of the Hesperides, keepers of the golden apples sought by Hercules, was located here. However, it’s the ruins of the amphitheater, mosaics and other structures that are the real draw.
• TETOUAN: Tetouan has a vivid history, having been settled, claimed, ruled, or otherwise controlled by Berbers, Phoenicians, Romans, Spanish – even pirates for a time! The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and on account of its renown for skill in the creative arts, is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network. Savor a taste of Andalusia in everything from art, architecture and cuisine as you tour this memorable city!
• CHEFCHAOUEN: High in the Rif Mountains, the “Blue Village” of Chefchaouen is full of charm and intrigue! The distinctive ethereal blue color is said to have been brought to the town by Jews fleeing the Spanish inquisition, and that in their tradition, although it is likely also true that in the 1970’s, residents were encouraged to expand this practice as a way to draw tourists. Be as it may, Chefchaouen has much to offer the day tripper. The medina is full of unique textiles and other wares unique to the area, the excellent cuisine touched with a little Spanish. Chefchaouen is woven into a mountain hillside: be prepared for steep steps and uneven pavement.  There is also good hiking in the nearby Talassemtane National Park.

• EL JADIDA: El Jadida is a bustling port city that carries with it its historic roots as a fortified city built by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. It marries European and Moroccan influences in its architecture and culture. The remains of the Old Portuguese City (fortifications and ramparts) are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the serene underground Manueline cistern and the late-Gothic Church of the Assumption are not to be missed.
• SAFI: If you love hand-crafted pottery, Safi is a must-see on your Moroccan tour itinerary! Plan a visit to the excellent National Museum of Ceramics housed in a Portuguese-built fort, then stroll through the artisanal workshops in the hillside Colline des Potiers quarter. Ceramics are still made in traditional ways here, and you can see the preparation of the clay itself, the artisans at work, and the wood-fired ovens. Want to make your own pot? You can – and have it shipped to you! Or find a treasure in one of the many shops selling the distinctive Safi pottery. 
• RABAT: A visit to Rabat is a great way to fill a few hours if you’ve just arrived in Morocco, and want a short sight-seeing jaunt while you adjust to a new climate and time zone, or if you have an evening flight home and have a day to available for one more adventure! Just an hour from Casablanca, Rabat is Morocco’s national capital and one of Four Imperial Cities. Take in the Kasbah des Oudayas, the Chellah, and other sites, have lunch on a historic floating restaurant, then return to Casablanca.

PRICE PER PERSON:

FROM USD $125

Some day excursions are priced individually if lunch or guided walks are included. Some offer these options at an additional cost. See “What’s Included” tab or contact us for details.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION:  All ground transportation in a private 4X4 vehicle or 8-passenger van (depending on numbers), including the vehicle, fuel, and services of your Moroccan host/driver each day.  Transfers to/from your accommodations or other location as you prefer are also included.

MEALS:   Lunches may be included on all excursions at your option.  A picnic lunch is usually included on walks/hikes of over 1.5 hours. Contact us if you would like lunch included in the price.

GUIDING SERVICES:   We hire a professional guide fluent in the language of your choice for guided mountain walks/hikes or walking tours of the medinas in Fes, Marrakech, Tangier, Tetouan, and Chefchaouen. We also hire a guide fluent in your languae for your visit at Volubilis. The guides and walking tours are included in the price. No guide is needed at the Majorelle Gardens (Marrakech; if you visit) or in Rabat and Essaouira. Guides are included in the admission price at the Hassan II Mosque (if you visit.)

ADMISSION FEES:     Admission fees to various attractions recommended on the day excursion itieraries are not included in the base price so that you can customize your program. We can make reservations on your behalf, and provide a quote for various admissions or activities for your approval prior to payment. 

NOTE:    Payments made on your behalf for third-party services or activities are non-refundable.

NOT INCLUDED:

GRATUITIES:     Gratuities are not included so that you can make a personal decision about how or if you would like to recognize the services of your driver, guides, and other service personnel who help you along the way.

PERSONAL BEVERAGES:     Meals, personal beverages (including bottled water, soft drinks, fruit juices and alcohol) are not included, nor are snacks you might purchase along the road.