Jewels of Morocco

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south. Morocco also claims the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and several small Spanish-controlled islands off its coast. It spans an area of 446,300 km2 (172,300 square miles) or 710,850 km2 (274,460 square miles), with a population of roughly 37 million. Its official and predominant religion is Islam, and the official languages are Arabic and Berber; French and the Moroccan dialect of Arabic are also widely spoken. Moroccan identity and culture are a mix of Arab, Berber, African and European cultures. Its capital is Rabat, while its largest city is Casablanca.

The country’s attractions can be divided into seven regions – 1} The four Imperial cities — the four historical capital cities of Morocco: Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat; 2} Casablanca — Morocco’s largest city; home of the Hassan II Mosque, which has the world’s second tallest minaret at 656 feet; 3} Tangier and the surrounding area; 4} Ouarzazate — a noted film-making location; the fortified village (Ksar) of Ait Benhaddou west of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; 5} Agadir and its beach resorts; 6} Tarfaya and its beach resorts; 7} Fez – Morocco’s second largest city and it is the science and spiritual capital of Morocco. It contains an old area which is considered the biggest area in the world where vehicles can’t get in. It is also the home of “Al Qarawyien” the world’s oldest university. 8} Merzouga – Merzouga is a small village in south-eastern Morocco, about 35 km (22 miles) southeast of Rissani and about 55 km (34 miles) from Erfoud.

While Morocco was a French Protectorate (from 1912 to 1956) tourism was focused on urban areas such as the Mediterranean cities of Tangier and Casablanca. Tangier attracted many writers, such as Edith Wharton, Jack Kerouac, Paul Bowles, and William S. Burroughs. There was a period of beach resort development at places such as Agadir on the Atlantic coast in the 1970s and 1980s.

Tourism is increasingly focused on Morocco’s culture, such as its ancient cities. The modern tourist industry capitalizes on Morocco’s ancient Roman and Islamic sites, and on its landscape and cultural history. 60% of Morocco’s tourists visit for its culture and heritage.

Agadir is a major coastal resort and has a third of all Moroccan bed nights. It is a base for tours to the Atlas Mountains. Other resorts in north Morocco are also very popular. Casablanca is the major cruise port in Morocco and has the best developed market for tourists in Morocco.

In the recent times, activity and adventure tourism in the Atlas and Rif Mountains are the fastest growth area in Moroccan tourism. These locations have excellent walking and trekking opportunities from late March to mid-November. The government is investing in trekking circuits. They are also developing desert tourism in competition with Tunisia.

This itinerary was curated for those who have limited time and yet wish to cover all the important highlights of Morocco. The tour takes us through Casablanca, Tangier, Fez and Marrakesh over a period of 8 days, covering multiple ancient sites including UNESCO World Heritage and varied landscapes which offer jaw-dropping sceneries.