Magnificent Kingdom of Morocco and the Sahara Desert 6 Nights - with THY on October 25 (Special for October 29)

1. Day İstanbul – Casablanca – Marrakech

Meeting 3 hours before the flight at the Turkish Airlines counter in the international departures terminal of Istanbul Airport. After baggage and ticket procedures, depart for Casablanca at 11:50 on Turkish Airlines flight TK 617. Upon arrival in Casablanca at 14:50 local time, our tour begins with transfer to Marrakech by our vehicle waiting for us at the airport. Upon arrival in Marrakech, we begin exploring this city, whose narrow streets will take you back centuries and whose name comes from the Berber word “mur akush,” meaning “Land of God.” Marrakech, one of the country’s most important tourist centers, is also known as the “Red City” because of its famous red walls. On our city tour, the Bahia Palace, which offers a wonderful impression of what it was like to be a 19th-century nobleman in Morocco, the Koutoubia Minaret, one of the city’s most important landmarks, the Majorelle Gardens, home to a collection of plants from around the world, and Djemaa El Fna Square, the heart of the city known as the “Courtyard of Souks and Wonders,” will be among the places we see. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. 

2. Day Marrakech – Essaouira – Marrakech

After breakfast at the hotel, we join the UNESCO World Heritage Magnificent Essaouira Tour. Essouira, which has hosted civilizations on its coast since ancient times, is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast and is known for its medina (city center) surrounded by white old city walls, narrow streets, and traditional markets. Listed by UNESCO as a “World Heritage” site, Essaouira is not only a fishing port but also a tranquil seaside town where art and culture are intertwined. The city offers visitors a relaxing escape and has a much calmer atmosphere compared to Marrakech. Over the years, this atmosphere attracted world-famous artists such as Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix, and Orson Welles, turning the city into a center of art and culture. The town also hosted the filming of the famous Game of Thrones series. On our tour, we will see the Essaouira ramparts and Essaouira Castle, the Essaouira Port with its fish market, and the world-famous Medina. While exploring Essaouira, which combines the elegance of traditional Moroccan architecture with traces of modern life, you will also have the opportunity to enjoy shopping. After the tour, we return to our hotel in Marrakech. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
 

3. Day Marrakech – Film Studios – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Ouarzazate. Along the way, our first stops will be the film studios and Ait Ben Haddou. Here we will see the film studios where The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander the Great, and the television phenomenon Game of Thrones were filmed, and then we will move on to Ait Ben Haddou, a historic village famous for its traditional earthen architecture. Located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains along the old Saharan caravan route, this impressive settlement offers visitors a true journey through time with its high adobe walls, corner towers, and narrow streets. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, Aït Ben Haddou offers incredible photo opportunities, especially at sunset when its structures take on a reddish hue. Our final stop on the tour is Ouarzazate, a city that has hosted many Hollywood films and Hollywood stars, where we arrive at our hotel and have free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
 

4. Day Ouarzazate – Sahara Desert (Merzouga)

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off toward the Sahara Desert. With desert on one side and Atlas Mountains views on the other, our first stops will be Todra Valley and M’gouna (The Rose City). Then we continue to our hotel in Merzouga (Sahara Desert). Upon arrival, we settle into our rooms and enjoy the desert. Do not forget to photograph the night sky in the desert darkness and the sunrise in the morning. Overnight in our desert camp.
 

5. Day Sahara Desert (Merzouga) – Ifrane – Fes

After breakfast at the hotel, we head to Ifrane, located at an altitude of 1,700 meters and known for its orderly urban layout. Because of its clean air, wide avenues, and chalet-style architecture with sloping roofs, it is referred to as “Morocco’s Switzerland.” We then continue to Fes. Following the tradition of naming countries after their capital cities, as seen in Tunisia and Algeria, Morocco also takes its name from the city of Fes. Built around the Fez River, the walled city is also known as the “Mecca of the West.” The Fes city center is listed as a World Heritage Site and is one of the largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones in the world. On our old city tour, we will see the Bou Inania and Al Attarine Madrasas, exquisite examples of Islamic architecture, the Andalusian Mosque, the Karaouine University, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the world, Nejjarine Square, and the artisans’ bazaar. In the Medina, tanneries use techniques that have remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. 
 

6. Day Fes – Blue Chefchaouen – Meknes – Rabat – Casablanca

After breakfast at the hotel, we join the “Magnificent Blue Chefchaouen” tour. Located in the foothills of the Rif Mountains in northwestern Morocco, this enchanting town is famous for its blue-painted buildings and is therefore also known as the “Blue City.” Every corner and street is painted in different shades of blue, and Chefchaouen attracts visitors with its unique atmosphere as well as its natural beauty. As you stroll through its narrow streets, you can explore traditional markets, handicraft shops, and local restaurants. The city also reflects traces of local culture and lifestyle; the Berber people who preserve their traditions offer visitors a warm welcome. Chefchaouen’s unique blue atmosphere and natural beauty make it one of Morocco’s most attractive and unforgettable destinations. After the tour, we head to Meknes. Situated between the coastal plains and the peaks of the Atlas Mountains, the city has been a commercial and cultural crossroads since ancient times. Meknes, the “City of a Hundred Minarets,” is home to many structures. In Meknes, one of the country’s four imperial cities, our city tour will include Bab Mansour city gate, with its striking Moorish-style architecture; the Agdal Basin, built by Moulay Ismail; Lahdim Square; and Dar El Makhzen (the Royal Palace). After the tour, we head to the magnificent capital Rabat. Upon arrival, our panoramic city tour will include Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built in memory of the grandfather of the current king, the pioneer of Morocco’s independence, and the Royal Palace. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in Casablanca. Overnight and dinner at the hotel.
 

7. Day Casablanca – Istanbul

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out procedures, our Casablanca city tour begins. Morocco’s main port, the city made famous by the 1942 Hollywood film Casablanca, is the country’s economic center as well as its most populous city. As you walk through its streets, you can see the influences of Islam, French, and Berber heritage reflecting its rich cultural past. Among the places we will see are Mohammed V Square, the United Nations Square, where Morocco’s past and present are blended magnificently, the magnificent Hassan II Mosque (from the outside), one of the world’s tallest minarets, the Old Medina, the Habous district famous for its open-air markets, and the coastal Ain Diab and Corniche along the Atlantic Ocean. After the tour, we depart for the airport at the time indicated by our guide. After baggage and ticket procedures, depart for Istanbul at 16:45 on Turkish Airlines flight TK 618. Arrival in Istanbul at 23:25 local time and the end of our tour.