Sightseeing with Erlebnis Tours

Introduction

Whatever else you do on your trip to Morocco, make sure you make plenty of time for sightseeing this beautiful country. Morocco is a country full of diversity - snow-capped mountains, ancient pink and red fortress cities, green fertile valleys, limitless expanses of shifting desert and spectacular sandy beaches. There is, of course, an infinite number of touring routes and excursions throughout Morocco that can be contrived, and the section "Places to Visit" in the menu on the left should help in the planning of a suitable itinerary. Below, however, are lists of must-see excursions and routes, that have proved very popular. You can also find a selection of popular tours on our Prices page.

Of course, Erlebnis Tours will take you sightseeing in style, each tour with a personal guide. We own a fleet of minibuses, 4x4s and Mercedes saloons at your disposal. All are in showroom condition, fully insured and come complete with air conditioning. The minibuses are cool, comfortable and luxurious, perfect for long trips. The 4x4s are ideal for rougher terrain, such as the desert, but for the ultimate luxury, the Mercedes saloon is perfect for sightseeing around the towns and cities in style. Of course, since Erlebnis Tours only provides personal tours, you won't be sharing your vehicle with anyone outside of your party - the vehicle and driver are yours for as long as you want them.

Sightseeing in the Cities

The great imperial cities all glory in vestiges of their splendid past. The ornate gateways (babs) into the walled medinas and the decorated towers (minarets) of the mosques are impossible to miss. Unfortunately, nearly all mosques and many zaouias (the centres of a saint's cult) are closed to non-muslims.

The kasbahs are worth a visit and the shade of luxuriant gardens usually a relief after a few hours' heavy sightseeing. Palaces and mansions in many cities have been converted to luxurious hotels, or to galleries and museums. It's usually possible to visit a mausoleum or medersa (once lodging houses for students at the mosque-universities), which are often elaborately decorated. Officially-run monuments charge 5-10 Dirhams per person; smaller sights and medersa are supervised by a gardien, who will expect a tip of a couple of Dirhams.

The really unmissable Imperial City monuments are:

Fez
Karirouyine Mosque (its university is older than that of Oxford and Bologna); Medrassa Atarine; Medrassa Bou Inania; Medrassa Seffarine; Zaouia Moulay Idriss (one of the holiest shrines in Morocco); Place Nejjarine (with its ornately portalled fondouk - an ancient inn-cum-warehouse - and tiled fountain).

Marrakech
Koutoubia minaret; the Saadian Tombs and Medrassa ben Youssef (both fabulously rich in decoration and outshine all other ruined monuments).

Meknes
Bab Mansour (one of North Africa's finest gateways); the mausoleum-mosque of Moulay Ismail (open to non-muslims); the Medrassa Bou Inania.

Rabat
Tour Hassan; Mohammed V mausoleum; Kasbah des Oudayas; the Roman remains and Islamic necropolis of Chellah.

Sightseeing in the Countryside

Some of the must-see excursions and routes are:

From Agadir:
The mountain villages and scenery around Tafraoute (150km south-east); the old Portuguese fishing port of Essaouira (180km north); the argan trees with climbing goats on the road between Agadir and Essaouira.

From Marrakech:
The pass roads through the High Atlas mountains of Tizi-n-Test (to the south) and Tizi-n-Tichka (to the southeast); the highest peak of Morocco, Jebel Toubkal (due south), visible for miles around and climbable from Asni or Imlil; the southern valleys of oases and kasbahs, east and south of Marrakesh and reached via Ouarzazate (210km from Marrakech) - specifically the Draa Valley, the Dades valley and gorges, and the Todra gorge; the really dedicated will press further east into the Sahara to the Tafilalt to watch the sunrise over the dunes; via Beni-Mellal (200km northeast), you can reach the reservoir at Bin el Ouidane and the waterfalls (cascades) at Ouzoud.

From Meknes or Fez:
The cedar forests around Azrou and Ifrane (80km and 60km south of Fez); the Kandar massif (30km south of Fez); the holy city of Moulay Idriss and the nearby Roman ruins of Volubilis (30km north of Meknes); the end of the Middle Atlas mountains to Taza, and further east, the end of the Rif at the Beni-Snassen mountains.

From Rabat:
Sale, Rabat's other half; south via Casablanca (90km) to El Jadida (187km).

From Tangier:
The large market town of Tetouan and the pretty white houses at Chefchaouen and Ouezzane are in the foothills of the Rif mountains; Asihah and Larache are on the west coast.

Enquiries & Booking

To enquire about or to book a personalised private vehicle and driver/guide for your sightseeing tour, please enter your details on the form here and click the submit button. Alternatively you may call us on +44(0)7713 615829 or send an email to enquiries@erlebnis-tours-maroc.com to discuss your itinery and prices.
 

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