8-Day Luxury North Morocco And Chefchaouen Itinerary
An 8-day northern Morocco itinerary offers a perfect blend of imperial history, coastal charm, and vibrant blue streets. The optimal route traces a classic circuit from Casablanca or Tangier to Chefchaouen, Fes, and Rabat.
Authentic experiences abound in northern Morocco, which extends beyond the Sahara and Marrakech. Tasslemante National Park and the Rif Mountains, where we spend a memorable night, are part of this immersive experience that mixes cultural exploration with remarkable natural beauty. We will visit the mind-blowing blue city of Chefchaouen as part of this exploration. Bread vendors, riad owners, and tour guides are just a few examples of the locals you can expect to encounter in Morocco; they are all eager to teach you about their history and culture.
8-Day Luxury North Morocco And Chefchaouen Highlights
- Day 1: Adventure starts in Casablanca
Accommodation: Hotel Idou Anfa (or similar)
Meals included: Dinner - Day 2: Explore the Hassan II Mosque • To Tangier
Accommodation:Hotel Charf (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast - Day 3: Option to visit the American Legation Museum • To Chefchaouen
Accommodation: Hotel Puerta Azul (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast - Day 4: Explore the blue alleys and artisan shops of Chefchaouen • Bread-making class and evening feast
Accommodation: Hotel Puerta Azul (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast - Day 5: Walk to a waterfall in Talassemtane National Park
Accommodation: Caiat Lounge Refuge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner - Day 6: Explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis • To Fez
Accommodation: Riad Tafilalet/Dar Fes Tresor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast - Day 6: Explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis • To Fez
Accommodation: Riad Tafilalet/Dar Fes Tresor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast - Day 7: Explore the medina and tanneries of Fez • Free afternoon for solo discovery
Accommodation: Riad Tafilalet/Dar Fes Tresor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast - Day 8: Train to Casablanca or Marrakech • Adventure ends
Meals included: Breakfast
A Detailed 8-Day North Morocco And Chefchaouen Itinerary
Day 1: Adventure starts in Casablanca
Casablanca, the commercial center of Morocco, is a great place to start your journey.
When we meet up as a group for the first time at around 6 o’clock in the evening, say salam alaikum to your tour guide and other passengers. We’ll go over the itinerary and get to know each other better.
The next step is for your tour leader to organise a group meal, which will guarantee a warm Moroccan welcome.
Accommodation: Hotel Idou Anfa (or similar)
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2: Explore the Hassan II Mosque • To Tangier
Our study of the world-renown Hassan II Mosque, one of the biggest in the world, will surely be the highlight. A 655-foot-tall (200-meter) minaret and a retractable roof let in sea breezes, which keep the inside relatively cool.
Coverage of the knees and upper arms is mandatory.
After that, we’ll say our goodbyes to Casablanca and move to Tangier, a journey of around 5 hours and 30 minutes. En route, we’ll stop at a store so you may buy lunch. On our way to Tangier, we want to stop at Perdicaris Park, a scenic overlooking the sea and, on clear days, Gibraltar. Another alternative is to go to the adjacent Atlantic Coast Caves of Hercules, where the legendary Greek hero supposedly slept before finishing his eleventh labour, and then unwind on the beach.
Accommodation: Hotel Charf (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3: Option to visit the American Legation Museum • To Chefchaouen
Some possible activities include a visit to the Kasbah Museum, a break for tea at the boho seaside Cafe Hafa, or a visit to the American Legation Museum, which is the sole US National Historic Landmark abroad.
We leave for Chefchaouen, located in the Rif Mountains’ foothills, at midday and travel there for three hours. Arrival is followed by free time to explore the charming, blue-washed streets or witness the sunset at the hillside Spanish mosque. The vistas over the blue town make the crowds worthwhile, though.
Accommodation: Hotel Puerta Azul (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4: Explore the blue alleys and artisan shops of Chefchaouen • Bread-making class and evening feast
Get a feel for Chefchaouen on foot this morning with a guided tour that will lead you through the medina’s shady alleyways, by the city’s blue-washed walls and artisan boutiques.
Then, take advantage of your free time to wander the town on your own or people-watch at a café in Uta el Hammam Plaza.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, we go to the community-oriented Café Clock, where the employees are offered national training opportunities, transportation to the American Language Centre in Fez to practise English, and other perks.
Here we have a fun, hands-on cooking class where we visit the local ferran (community bread oven) and learn how to make traditional Moroccan breads and pastries. At last, we enjoy our finished products with a side of jam, olive oil, fresh butter, and Moroccan mint tea.
Accommodation: Hotel Puerta Azul (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5: Walk to a waterfall in Talassemtane National Park
Take an hour-long drive to Akchour in Talassemtane National Park to see the region’s stunning landscapes and the wildlife that calls them home, including Bonelli’s eagles, Atlas flycatchers, and barbary macaques.
After an hour of walking, we reach a tranquil waterfall, where we may sit on a platform and enjoy the scenery. We can also stop by God’s Bridge, a magnificent rock arch that you are welcome to cross if you so like.
Our excursion continues after lunch as we make our way into the park, eventually arriving at an isolated refuge in the Rif Mountains. A memorable night awaits us at our humble abode, which boasts breathtaking views of the rocky valley.
Accommodation: Caiat Lounge Refuge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis • To Fez
Wave goodbye to our mountain home as we embark on a four-hour transfer to Volubilis, the largest and most well-preserved Roman site in Morocco. Volubilis was once a substantial Roman town and is now a World Heritage site. Stroll around the streets and find mosaic-floored townhouses, as well as spas, oil presses, aqueducts, and stores that show how the people lived there.
After spending some time here with a local guide, we’ll continue the two-hour trip to Fez, Morocco’s historic capital and a religious and intellectual hub. As we spend the night in a typical riad, we experience the warm hospitality of Morocco once more.
Accommodation: Riad Tafilalet/Dar Fes Tresor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 7: Explore the medina and tanneries of Fez • Free afternoon for solo discovery
This morning, we’ll be joining a local guide for a walking tour that will take us into the world’s largest medina, a maze of souks where thousands of craftspeople live and work in tiny shops that open onto the winding lanes.
We conclude our tour at al-Karaouine University, the world’s oldest institution of higher education and a pillar of Islamic scholarship, which dates back to the ninth century. Along the way, we stop by the Chouara Tannery, where we can marvel at the vibrant dye vats. Today, we will have a late lunch from 3 to 4 pm, and then we will have some free time to explore on our own.
Accommodation: Riad Tafilalet/Dar Fes Tresor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8: Train to Casablanca or Marrakech • Adventure ends
In order to catch the train from Fez, we will be rising early today and bringing a snack for breakfast. Please specify your preferred destination when you make your reservation; we may arrange transportation from Casablanca or Marrakech (at an extra fee).
You can take the same train to Casablanca at around 10:30 in the morning and to Marrakech at about 2:15 in the afternoon. Talk to your salesperson about adding on additional nights in Marrakech or our Marrakech and the Sahara tour if you’re interested in prolonging your vacation.
Meals included: Breakfast
End of the 8-Day Luxury North Morocco And Chefchaouen Itinerary