Northern Morocco
Tangier, Chefchaouen and Fes
The north of Morocco is a world apart from the imperial cities of the south. The Rif Mountains descend toward the Mediterranean and Atlantic, the light is different, the architecture carries echoes of Andalusia. This seven-day private journey takes you through the finest of the north, from the cosmopolitan port of Tangier to the extraordinary blue-painted medina of Chefchaouen and the medieval grandeur of Fes.
Two nights in Chefchaouen give the journey time to breathe, with one day for the hike to the Akchour Waterfalls, one of the most beautiful natural sites in northern Morocco. Two nights in Fes allow a full day exploring the Chouara tanneries, the great medersas and the ancient lanes of one of the most extraordinary medieval cities in the world.
The journey is entirely private throughout. Your vehicle, your guide and your programme belong entirely to you, with every detail arranged in advance.
What is Included
Included in Your Journey
- Private air-conditioned transport and professional driver throughout
- All airport and port transfers
- Carefully selected hotels in every city
- Experienced private guide in each city
- Guided hike to Akchour Waterfalls in the Rif Mountains
- Full day guided exploration of the Fes medina
Not Included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals unless specified
- Tips and personal expenses
Trip
Highlights
What makes northern Morocco one of the most distinctive and most rewarding private journeys available in the country.
Chefchaouen, the Blue City
Tucked into a fold of the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is one of the most visually extraordinary towns in Morocco. Every lane, doorway and staircase is painted in a different shade of blue, from pale sky to deep cobalt, creating an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in North Africa.
Akchour Waterfalls
A full day hike from Chefchaouen into the Rif Mountains to the extraordinary Akchour Waterfalls, where streams cascade through deep cedar and oak forests. The trail follows the Oued Kelaa river through gorges of extraordinary beauty, with natural swimming pools at the waterfall base.
Tangier, the Gateway City
At the point where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and Africa meets Europe, Tangier is one of the most historically layered cities in Morocco. The Kasbah, the medina, the Grand Socco and Cap Spartel at the tip of the African continent each carry centuries of extraordinary history.
Fes, the Living Medieval City
The medina of Fes is the largest car-free urban area in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Two nights give you a full day to explore the Chouara tanneries, the extraordinary medersas, the ancient Al-Qarawiyyin university and the labyrinthine specialist souks.
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
The journey ends with a final night in Casablanca, Morocco's cosmopolitan modern capital. The Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in Africa, stands at the edge of the Atlantic with its 210-metre minaret visible across the city.
Entirely Private, Your Pace
Every element of this journey is private. Your vehicle, your guide and your schedule belong entirely to you. No group departures, no fixed timings. If you want more time in a particular lane of the Fes medina or a longer morning in Chefchaouen, you simply have it.
Your 7-Day
Itinerary
Click on any day to read the full description. Transfer times are indicative and may vary depending on traffic and road conditions.
Upon arrival at Tangier airport, your guide welcomes you and transfers you to your hotel. The afternoon is free to explore with your guide ; the Kasbah with its extraordinary views across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain, the old medina and the Grand Socco, before a first evening at one of Tangier's excellent seafood restaurants.
After breakfast we drive into the Rif Mountains toward Chefchaouen, where the first view of the blue and white houses stacked against bare limestone peaks is one of the most beautiful sights in northern Morocco. We check in and spend the afternoon wandering the blue lanes with your guide, allowing the extraordinary palette of blues to reveal itself gradually. Dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Plaza Uta el-Hammam.
A full day in the Rif Mountains on one of the most beautiful hikes in northern Morocco. We drive to the village of Akchour where the trail follows the Oued Kelaa river through an extraordinary gorge of cedar, oak and carob trees, past turquoise natural pools to a dramatic cascade dropping into deep green water. Those with energy can continue to God's Bridge, a natural rock arch of extraordinary scale carved by the river over millennia. We return to Chefchaouen in the afternoon light with the evening free to explore the medina.
After a final morning walk in the blue medina, we drive southeast through the Rif Mountains toward Fes, arriving mid-afternoon. We check in to our riad in the heart of the medina and in the late afternoon take a first orientation walk with your guide, learning the extraordinary logic of a city inhabited continuously for over 1,200 years before the full exploration tomorrow.
A full day in the medina of Fes. Begin at the Chouara tanneries where a scene unchanged for a thousand years unfolds below the viewing terraces. Visit the extraordinary Bou Inania Medersa, walk past Al-Qarawiyyin founded in 859 AD, the oldest university in the world, and explore the Al-Attarine Medersa, widely regarded as the most beautiful building in Fes. In the afternoon, browse the specialist souks of the dyers, weavers, brass workers and woodcarvers. Dinner at a riad restaurant in the medina.
After a final morning in Fes we drive west to Casablanca, arriving mid-afternoon. We visit the magnificent Hassan II Mosque ; 25,000 square metres of hand-carved plaster, painted cedarwood and Italian marble, with the world's tallest religious minaret at 210 metres rising over the Atlantic. The evening is free to walk the Corniche and enjoy a final dinner at one of Casablanca's excellent seafood restaurants.
After breakfast your guide arranges your transfer to Mohammed V Airport. Should you wish to extend your stay, we can arrange additional nights in Casablanca or a journey south to Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains or the Sahara Desert.
Physical Requirements
This journey involves two to three hours of walking per day in the cities. The Akchour Waterfalls hike on Day 3 is the most active day, covering four to five hours on mountain trails ; it is accessible for anyone with a reasonable level of walking fitness. Good shoes are recommended. The pace every day is set entirely by you and your guide.
Accommodation
In Chefchaouen, a riad or boutique hotel directly adjacent to the blue medina. In Fes, a traditional riad within the medina. One night each in Tangier and Casablanca in comfortable city hotels. All accommodation is personally reviewed and selected for quality, location and character.
The North of Morocco, Often Overlooked and Always Extraordinary
Most visitors to Morocco never reach the north. They fly into Marrakech and return south. The north is a different country ; the light, the food, the architecture and the relationship with the sea all create a character entirely its own. Tangier, Chefchaouen and Fes together make one of the finest private journeys in Morocco.
Ready to Discover the
Other Morocco?
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