Morocco Express

Morocco Express

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tourhub | Encounters Travel | Morocco Express | 518
tourhub | Encounters Travel | Morocco Express | 518 tourhub | Encounters Travel | Morocco Express | 518
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5 Days From

$520

Morocco Express

5 Days Starting and ending in Marrakesh, Morocco

Visiting: Marrakesh, Sahara Desert, Essaouira

Tour operator:

Encounters Travel

Tour code:

518

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 16

Physical rating:

All Ages / Not applicable

Age range:

8-95

Special diets catered:

Request dietary needs

Tour operated in:
English
Interests:

History

From:
$520

NB: Prices correct on 01-Jun-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Experience some of the highlights of Morocco on this short but action packaged 5-day tour. On our Morocco Express tour you'll get an opportunity to explore the historic city of Marrakech, with its bustling medina and maze like markets. You'll also leave the city behind, pass over the High Atlas Mountains and head out into the golden sand dunes of the Sahara Desert, where you'll embark on a camel trek and spend the night at an authentic Berber camp, under the starry skies of the desert. Returning to Marrakech, you'll have a second opportunity to explore the city before heading to the coastal town of Essaouira where you'll have time to explore the port and the old Portuguese streets of the Medina. Accommodation on this tour is in 3 to 4-star hotels, plus a night in an authentic berber camp whilst in the desert and transportation is either by minivan or 4x4 land cruiser (and of course, camel whilst in the desert!).

Highlights

  • Soak up the energy of Djemaa el Fna Square filled with its snake charmers, buskers and story tellers

  • Spend the night in a traditional berber camp enjoying local food, music and an amazing night under the stars

  • Experience the stillness and immensity of the Sahara Desert

  • Relax on the laid-back shores of Essaouira, enjoying a fresh seafood BBQ on the waterfront

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive In Marrakech & Transfer To Hotel

Location: Marrakesh

Accommodation: Hotel, Marrakech hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Welcome to Morocco! After a short transfer from the airport, you will have a free day to explore this vibrant city. Tonight you will meet your fellow travellers at your pre-departure meeting at 6pm, organised at the joining hotel in the heart of town.

Day 2 : Sahara Desert, Camel Trek And Berber Camp

Location: Sahara Desert

Accommodation: Camp, Berber Desert Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we enjoy a stunning drive over the High Atlas en-route to Zagora. We pass through the Draa Valley, a green and lush land of palmeries and amazing vistas. It is then time to head towards the great desert, where we transfer to camels for a trek into the Sahara Desert for a night at our Berber Camp. We enjoy local food, music and an amazing night out under the Saharan stars.

Day 3 : Return To Marrakech, Time To Explore

Location: Marrakesh

Accommodation: Hotel, Marrakech hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Leaving the desert, we travel back to Marrakech stopping for lunch en-route. We arrive back in Marrakech, where we have dinner in Djemaa El Fna (the legendary Main Square). The name Marrakech conjures up images of an exotic city, of magic carpets, snake charmers and spices brought in by camel trains. Set within the rose-coloured walls of the medina lies a reality that is not that far removed from an exotic film set - a tangle of winding streets that open onto verdant gardens and dark alleyways that lead to bustling souks. You can explore the central square, the Djemâa-el-Fna, an extraordinary gathering and marketplace. It is full of colour, spicy aromas and traders. It is worth going to the marketplace in the evening when overflowing with food stalls, dancers, acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians and henna artists. Towering over all this is the Koutoubia mosque, the tallest building in the city, and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the city's residents.

Day 4 : Coastal City Of Essaouira

Location: Essaouira

Accommodation: Hotel, Essaouira hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

We leave Marrakech after breakfast and take a leisurely drive to Essaouira, on the Atlantic Coast, a colourful fishing town situated within 15th century Portuguese fortifications, where great beaches and surf beckon. You have the day to relax on the beach or alternatively explore the UNESCO-listed medina with its various souks and woodcarving workshops. Any city gate leads to the medina, so you’re unlikely to get lost. The beach is in front of the Medina and there are plenty of cafés with terraces, both ideal for relaxing for a few hours. Blue doors and window frames abound as do the artists shops – buy a carpet or Thuya wood carving or sit on the beach sipping a mint tea as the sun sets. There is the opportunity to do some optional activities, such as quad biking, surfing, horse trekking and wind surfing before relaxing for the evening. We spend the night in Essaouira.
Extra days can be organised in Essaouira if required. Please contact us for details.

Day 5 : Essaouira To Marrakech

Location: Marrakesh

Meals Included: Breakfast

We leave Essaouira after breakfast and travel back to Marrakech, arriving there at about lunch time. .The trip ends upon arrival back in Marrakech, we normally arrive in the early afternoon. For this reason, please do not book return flights from Marrakech any earlier than the evening of your trip finish date.

What's Included

  • Accommodation - 3 nights in 3/4hotel (shared rooms) 1 night desert camp

  • Arrival Transfer from Marrakech airport included on Day 1 (or if pre-trip accommodation is booked directly with Oasis for our joining hotel)

  • Transport in 4 x 4 Land Cruiser or Minivan

  • Desert Camel Trek

  • Overnight Sahara Berber Camp

  • Services of Local Crew

  • 4 breakfasts, 2 dinners, including a Berber camp dinner

What's Not Included

  • Visas

  • Optional Excursions as listed in the Pre-Departure Information

  • Flights

  • Airport taxes

  • Drinks

  • Meals not listed in the itinerary

  • Tipping kitty $30 USD - for hotel porters, hotel waiters, local guides used for City tours, airport drivers, Berber camel herders, restaurant tips & Tour driver

  • The tipping kitty does not cover your Nomadic guide, so please feel free to offer a tip at the end of the tour if you are happy with the service provided

  • Travel Insurance

  • End of trip Airport Transfer

Check out our Q&As

  • Do you require a visa for this holiday?

    Visa arrangements are the responsibility of the traveller, and requirements are subject to change by the local authorities. We recommend that you contact your closest Moroccan consulate or embassy for current information for your nationality. Currently, many nationalities (including USA, Canada, UK, European, Australian, New Zealand) do not need to obtain a visa to enter Morocco as long as your stay is for less than 3 months. Other nationalities should check with their local consulate.

  • What currencies are required for this tour?

    The local currency in Morocco is the Dirham. We recommend you bring some cash in a hard currency (US Dollars, GB Pounds, Euros) and a good ATM card. Most major currencies can be converted at most banks, but it's not wise to carry too much. Euros and US Dollars are welcomed more than GB Pounds. Travellers cheques are not easily exchanged. It can be awkward outside of Marrakech to find an ATM machine that takes your card as many Moroccan banks have ATMs that only work with Moroccan cards. Don't put your card in an ATM unless you see the symbol that matches your card on the machine, as you might lose your card! We also suggest trying to avoid using Post Office ATMs. In some smaller towns there are no ATMs that take foreign cards, so be sure you get enough cash to carry you until the next major city. BCM seems to be the best bank, accepting foreign cards in most of their ATMs. While in Morocco you will need sufficient funds to cover meals not included in the itinerary, drinks, snacks, souvenirs, tips and personal expenses such as laundry. These should generally all be paid for in Moroccan Dirham. It is difficult to recommend a level of personal spending money which will suit everyone as this can differ greatly, but as a guideline, we would suggest allowing USD 15-25 per person per day as a minimum. Allow more if you plan on doing lots of shopping, or buying many alcoholic drinks.

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    You should ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including emergency evacuation and repatriation. Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary according to the country you are visiting and where you are travelling from. We recommend you contact your GP/medical practitioner or a travel clinic for current information on vaccinations needed for your destination. You should ensure that you are up to date with vaccines and boosters recommended for your normal life at home, including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions. In addition, additional courses or boosters normally recommended for the countries in this region are: South Africa: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. Namibia: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from an infected area. Botswana: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted or travelled through an infected area. Zimbabwe: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. Zambia: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. Malawi: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. Tanzania: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. Kenya: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from an infected area. Uganda: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from an infected area. Sudan: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. A certificate may also be required for those departing Sudan. Morocco: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria not normally present. Yellow Fever certificate not required. The above information can change at short notice. For up to date health information & vaccination requirements we recommend that you contact your medical practitioner or a travel clinic. Malaria: Vaccinations are not available against Malaria, which is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can be very serious and sometimes fatal. You should avoid mosquito bites by covering up bare skin with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers and applying insect repellents to exposed skin. When necessary, sleep under a mosquito net. Mosquitoes are most active during and after sunset. You should consult with your GP/medical practitioner/travel clinic about the most appropriate malaria prophylactic medication to take for the regions you are visiting. Yellow Fever: This disease is spread by infected mosquitoes that bite during the day. A Yellow Fever Certificate of vacinnation is often required as a condition of entry depending on which country you are arriving from, or that you have travelled or transitted through recently (including connecting flights with stopovers of over 12 hours). You can view this US CDC information about where the virus is present and follow the links to further information detailing which countries need you to have a Yellow Fever vaccination as part of their entry requirements. Please ensure you have this certificate organised in advance and with you and to hand during the trip. Please inform us of any pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma and any prescription medicine you may be taking. We also need to know about any food allergies or physical disabilities that you may have. If you are travelling on an Overland tour or your trip includes wildlife safaris then please bear in mind that you may be travelling on bumpy roads and/or rough ground for several hours at a time. This can be very uncomfortable or painful if you have a bad back, and make such conditions worse. Please contact us if you have any concerns.

  • Is travel insurance compulsory?

    Yes! Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event).

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    You are always able to change your travel date. However, some charges may apply depending on how long before your departure you make the change. Our flexible booking conditions and reduced charges will apply if you are changing date because of a Covid-19 reason or because your government is advising against travel to your destination. Please check our detailed booking conditions for full details.

  • When is my balance payment due?

    60 days prior to departure

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    On most of our group tours, solo travellers may choose to form a temporary 'tour bubble' and share a room with another traveller of the same sex in the group. If a room share is not available then a single room supplement may be payable, with the costs for these kept as low as possible. We have also removed compulsory single supplements from many of our tours, and are reducing the cost by 50% on s

  • Can I transfer my booking to someone else?

    Customers may transfer their booking or any Credit on File to another person who satisfies all the relevant conditions to the tour, provided that we are notified not less than 7 days before departure, and the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us. The Client and new booker are jointly and severally responsible for any outstanding payments and a transfer administration fee of GBP50 / USD75 / CAD100 / AUD100 / NZD100 / EUR75 / ZAR1000 / INR5000 or GBP100 / USD150 / CAD200 / AUD200 / NZD200 / EUR150 / ZAR2000 / INR10,000 if the transfer is made less than 60 days before departure. Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed (for example flight tickets, Gorilla Permits) and any alteration could incur a cancellation and rebooking charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Devin R  

Morocco

September 2022

Great experience. The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. Trip was very rugged at times and that’s ok because it was experiencing a different place than where we were from. Highly recommend but keep an open mind and go with the flow

Helen C  

Morocco on a shoestring J

June 2017

7-day excursion to the four royal cities of Morocco. Excellent introduction to Morocco. Booked online and all contact with Encounters Travel was via email but they were very responsive to all questions. The tour was as promised, we were met at the Casablanca airport, delivered to our hotel where we met up with the tour guide and group the next morning. The multi-lingual guide was charming, well-informed and eager to show us his country. The bus was comfortable and the driver was excellent, which was greatly appreciated in the crazy city traffic of Casablanca and Marrakesh. The hotels were decent--we did not upgrade to the 5 star option--with clean rooms, tasty breakfast and dinner buffets that were part of the package, free WiFi but few additional amenities. The exception, the hotel in Marrakesh that was newer and had a beautiful pool area that was refreshing after a day of touring in the hot sun. All-in-all, we felt we got more than our money's worth out of this tour.

GLee  

Morocco Mosaic Tour

August 2014

Had an excellent trip with diverse experience across Morocco. The trip was very smooth and great value for money, highly recommended!

1 Dates & Availability

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Thursday - Monday

Jul 04, 2024 - Jul 08, 2024
$520
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Thursday - Monday

Nov 28, 2024 - Dec 02, 2024
$575
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Tuesday - Saturday

Dec 24, 2024 - Dec 28, 2024
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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Encounters Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform encounters travel, 60 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Encounters Travel requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of encounters travel charges.

    Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 35% of booking price.

    At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.

    At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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