City Tours Sahara: Morocco Real Food Adventure

Tour Description:

Lift the Lid on Moroccan Cuisine on this Appetising Adventure

Embark on a flavour-filled journey through Morocco with City Tours Sahara, where Amazigh, Arabic, and European influences blend to create a culinary medley like no other. Over 12 days, follow your nose through mesmerizing markets, master recipes from local experts, and indulge in street food delights and traditional meals in local homes. With bustling medinas, aromatic spices, fresh local produce, and warm Moroccan hospitality, this adventure promises to tantalize your taste buds and leave a lasting impression.

Tour Highlights:

– Experience Moroccan hospitality firsthand with a home-cooked dinner in the Blue City, Chefchaouen, prepared with seasonal ingredients bursting with flavour and love.
– Roll up your sleeves and dive into hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations, where you’ll learn to make couscous, pastilla, stuffed medfouna, and local salads.
– Gain insight into Moroccan food culture by meeting local producers of goat’s cheese in Chefchaouen, exploring tasting trails in Fes and Marrakech’s medinas, and visiting a women’s cooperative producing argan oil.
– Explore Morocco’s highlights, including the Blue City of Chefchaouen, the ancient medina of Fes, the Sahara Desert, and the vibrant city of Marrakech.
– Delight your palate with Morocco’s iconic dishes such as tagine, pastilla, couscous, and camel burgers.

Itinerary :

Day 1: Casablanca

Welcome to Morocco! Your journey kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your tour leader and fellow travelers. While there’s limited free time scheduled in Casablanca, consider arriving a day early to explore the city fully. Designed after Marseille in France, Casablanca is renowned for its art deco architecture. Spend a day exploring the old medina, the city walls, Quartiers des Habous, and take a stroll along the Corniche to soak in the local atmosphere. In the evening, indulge in a welcome dinner featuring delightful traditional specialties.

Day 2: Meknes to Moulay Idriss

Bid farewell to Casablanca and catch an early train to Meknes. Once a provincial town, Meknes was transformed into a spectacular Imperial city by Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century. Upon arrival, embark on an orientation walk to discover Meknes’ charms. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in the medina, sampling a Moroccan delicacy – the flavorful camel burger. Later, drive to Moulay Idriss and settle into a local guesthouse. Experience a demonstration on hand-rolled couscous preparation, followed by an authentic Moroccan dinner.

Day 3: Chefchaouen

Today, journey to Chefchaouen, famously known as the ‘blue city’ for its stunning blue and white architecture nestled amidst the Rif Mountains. Explore the picturesque medina with its striking blue and whitewashed houses, red-tiled roofs, and artistic doorways. Immerse yourself in the relaxed pace of life as you enjoy a home-cooked dinner featuring seasonal ingredients, including the town’s renowned goat’s cheese.

Day 4: Fes

Spend the morning leisurely exploring Chefchaouen before heading to Fes, the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco. Fes offers a vibrant and overwhelming sensory experience with its bustling markets, tanneries, and mosques. Enjoy free time to explore Fes at your own pace, savoring Moroccan specialties like harira (chickpea soup) for dinner.

Day 5: Fes

Embark on a guided walking tour of the old city, Fes el Bali, to delve into its medieval charm. Navigate the labyrinthine streets of the Medina, visiting notable landmarks like the Medersa Bou Inania and a ceramics factory showcasing traditional pottery making. Indulge in a ‘tasting trail’ of local delights before participating in an evening cooking demonstration to learn the art of making pastilla (bastilla), a savory Moroccan pastry.

Day 6: Midelt

Start your day with a delicious street food breakfast of msemmen (flatbread) and coffee or mint tea before departing for the scenic Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop at a local supermarket for insight into contemporary Moroccan food habits and drive through varied landscapes, including cedar forests and farmland, to reach Midelt. Explore the nearby village of Bremmen before enjoying a special dinner featuring aromatic herbs native to the region.

Day 7: Merzouga

Embark on a picturesque drive to Merzouga, offering panoramic views of kasbahs and palm groves along the way. Pause in frontier towns like Erfoud and Rissani before arriving in Merzouga, a small Saharan settlement. Experience a medfouna cooking demonstration, traditional bread prepared with meat and spices, before riding camels to witness a breathtaking sunset over the Sahara Desert. Enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner at your desert camp.

Day 8: M’Goun Valley

After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive to the M’Goun Valley, passing ancient kasbah ruins and austere mountains. Enjoy dinner prepared in a traditional clay pot over an open fire, featuring an Amazigh tagine showcasing the local flavors of the region.

Day 9: M’Goun Valley

Spend the morning exploring the nearby village souk or observing Moroccan bread-making techniques before embarking on a guided hike through the scenic M’Goun Valley. Pass through Berber villages and agricultural land, learning about local produce grown in the region. Enjoy a plant-based dinner featuring fresh ingredients sourced from the valley.

Day 10: Marrakech

Travel to Marrakech, stopping at a women’s cooperative to learn about locally produced argan oil. Continue to Marrakech for an orientation walk and tasting trail through the bustling medina. Indulge in spiced sand coffee at a locally-owned coffee shop before exploring the vibrant Djemaa el-Fna square. Enjoy dinner amidst the lively atmosphere of the square.

Day 11: Marrakech

Start your day with a Moroccan salads cooking class at the Amal Women’s Cooking Centre, followed by lunch. Explore Marrakech’s sights, such as the Koutoubia Mosque and Bahia Palace, before indulging in shopping in the bustling medina. Optionally, join your group for a farewell dinner in the evening.

Day 12: Marrakech

Your food adventure in Morocco concludes today. Enjoy a leisurely morning exploring Marrakech’s attractions, such as the Jacques Majorelle Gardens or the Saadian tombs. Departure from Marrakech or extend your stay to explore more of Morocco’s wonders.

Explore additional activities in Marrakech:
– Asni & Ouirgane day trip with lunch
– Medina, Palaces & Tombs Urban Adventure
– Ourika Valley Day Tour
– Oukaimeden Day Tour
– Cascades d’Ouzoud Day Tour
– Luxury Spa Hammam & Massage