losaltos

We (6 healthy and well traveled seniors) will be going to Morocco next May and I am starting the planning process. Of course I have a million questions. Here is a very first draft of an itinerary with several questions attached. Any help from you Morocco experts out there would be fantastic and much appreciated. I should say that we are thinking of hiring a driver to do all this with us, except the train trip from Casa to Fes.
--Arrive Casa and rest
--AM: see mosque and train to Fes
--Fes
--Fes
--Meknes/Volubilis (Should we stay in Fes and do day trip or stay in Meknes?)
--Drive to Merzouga: Do we need to break this trip into two days by staying at Midelt or can we just power through and make it in one day?
--Erg Chebbi for camel and overnight in desert
--In the desert ?
--Drive to Todra Gorge/Ouarzazate/Ait Benhaddou: is this two days? If so is it more interesting to stay oernight at the gorge or in one of the other two places
--Marrakesh
--Marrakesh
--Essarouria (either day trip or staying there)
--Drive or train or fly to Casa to go home

So how far off is this? We figure we want to do about 2 1/2 weeks or so. Possible? Other suggestions?

monsh

Hi Its me again
Your plan is reasonable. I would just add in chefchaoen and go from Casblanca to chefachoen first. By car its 4hrs it seems. It is so so pretty and you can spend one night there or two.

1. Casa and rest
2.See mosque leave for chefchaoen
3.Chefchaoen
4.bus to Fes
5. fes
6. Fes
7.Day trip to Meknes/volubilis
8.Drive to Merzouga. I left at 8 and by 6 we were in time to see sunset on dunes,(we had time to eat, stop for views no problem). we took camel and slept in camp in desert for one night.
9.Travelled to Todra gorge, with several stops to see scenary.Overnight.
10.Visited ait ben haddou and other things. left for Marrakech.arrived late afternoon.
11.Marrakech
12. Day trip eassaouira (plenty of time).
13.Marrakech

If you have 21/2 weeks you can add another day to the Desert experience and visit more off the track places, villages and berbers living in caves for example. Or add another day in Chefchaoen. Or take a day cooking course (I did that in Marrrakech).

You can do all yourself except the bit from Fes to Marrakech (Desert tour) as it is great to travel in a comfortable 4X4, the guide will give you lots of history, explain about the berber culture, visit the local people, its much more fun. I really enjoyed it. Plus being 6 in a car will not be expensive at all. We were 2. It wasn't too expensive and I definitely would do that again. For comfort you may also check how much it will be to take a tour all the way since you are 6 and the cost goes down!

If you go in May you may want to overnight in Kela m'gouna instead of Todra gorge as there will be the flower/rose festival.I stayed there in fact. V pretty. Dont know dates exactly for next year

Hope I helped you

estilata88

Hi,

I have been in Morocco twice, last September and May. I love it and I will come back for 2 weeks in July. In May you will have nice weather, not too hot and not cold.

About your itinerary, I suggest:
--Arrive Casa and rest
--AM: see mosque and train to Fes
--Fes
--Fes
--Meknes/Volubilis (day trip)
--Drive to Merzouga: I drove in a day, I left at 8am and I arrived Merzouga at 6am more or less. You can rest in the riad, you will see sand dunes from the window, it is wonderfull
--Erg Chebbi for camel and overnight in desert, the night in the berber camp is unforgettable!
--In the desert, you can visit nomad families and oasis, I couldn't have time to do that, but in July I will do.
--Drive to Todra Gorge/Ouarzazate. Overnight there.
--Ouarzazate/Ait Benhaddou: you can visit the cinema studios and Ait Benhaddou.
--Marrakesh
--Marrakesh
--Essarouira, overnight.
--Drive to Casa to go home

If you have more days you can add days in the desert or Essaouira, it is just my opinion.

I always travel there with the same guide, he customize the tours for you. If you need help with that I can tell you the company.

losaltos

Thank you estilata88 and monsh: These are both helpful posts. I am debating the stop in Chefchaouen but everyone seems to think it is worthwhile.
monsh: I like the idea of the flower festival so will check that out.
Estilata88: Might I PM you to find out about the guide who customizes your trips?
thanks again

monsh

I would visit Chefchaoen. I prefer to have less days in Fes and put in Chefchaoen than to leave it out. As I said you can have the guide in a comfy 4x4 to travel all the way with you and since you are in a big group the cost will not be expensive, or do it with public transport and use the guide for the desert experience. I went 5 times to morocco and I love it. I always used Hassan of adrartravel, he has lots of experience, v caring and fun and will customize your tour as you wish. He is berber and loves relating about his culture, you will learn allot. Tell him to work around the dates so you will be in kela M'Gouna for the rose festival.

Good luck

julebarbara

Estilata88-Could I also have the name of the guide.
Monsh- we are grandparents travelling with a 12 yr. old grandson. Are the distances and the # of hours in the car too much for active kids. This is the itinerary I would like especially if I could get to have him spend some time at the fossil fields and to see the apes.
Any thoughts about whether Morocco is better at Xmas (I know it will be cold sleeping in the desert) or in summer when he has more time off and things will be less expensive?