Morocco & Sahara Tour: 6 Nights from Istanbul

Meet in front of the Türk Hava Yolları (Turkish Airlines) counter in the international departures terminal of Istanbul Airport 3 hours before the flight. After baggage and ticket procedures, departure for Casablanca at 11.50 on Türk Hava Yolları (Turkish Airlines) flight TK 617. Following arrival in Casablanca at 14.50 local time, our Marrakech city tour begins with the vehicle waiting for us at the airport. Upon arriving in Marrakech, we begin exploring the city, whose narrow streets will take you back centuries and whose name derives from the words "mur akush," meaning "Land of God" in the language of the Berbers, North Africa's oldest indigenous people. One of the country's most important tourist centers, Marrakech is also known as the "Red City" because of its famous red walls.

After breakfast at the hotel, we join the Magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Essaouira Tour. Having hosted civilizations along its coast since ancient times, Essaouira lies on the Atlantic Ocean and is known for its medina (city center), surrounded by white old-city walls, as well as its narrow streets and traditional markets. With its city center included on the UNESCO "World Heritage" list, Essaouira is both a fishing port and a tranquil coastal town where art and culture intertwine. The city has a considerably calmer atmosphere than Marrakech, offering visitors a relaxing escape. Over the years, this atmosphere has also attracted many world-famous artists, including Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix and Orson Welles, turning the city into a center of art and culture. Most recently, the town also hosted filming for the famous television series Game Of Thrones. Among the sights on our tour are the Essaouira ramparts and Essaouira Castle, Essaouira Port, where the fish market is located, and the world-famous Medina. While exploring Essaouira, where the elegance of traditional Moroccan architecture meets traces of modern life, you will also have the opportunity to enjoy shopping.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Ouarzazate. Our first stops along the way will be the Film studios and Ait Ben Hadou. Here, we will see the film studios where The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander the Great and the television phenomenon Game of Thrones were filmed, before continuing to Ait Ben Haddou, a historic village famous for its traditional earthen architecture. Located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains on the old Sahara caravan route, this impressive settlement gives visitors the feeling of traveling through time with its high mud-brick walls, corner towers and narrow streets. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, Aït Ben Haddou offers photographers incredible shots, particularly with its buildings taking on red hues at sunset. At the final stop of our tour, we arrive at our hotel in the city of Ouarzazate, which has hosted many Hollywood films and Hollywood artists, and have free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off toward the Sahara Desert. With views of the desert on one side and the Atlas Mountains on the other, our first stops will be Todra Valley and M'gouna (City of Roses). We then 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 sky in the darkness of the desert at night and the sunrise in the morning. Overnight at our camp in the desert.

After breakfast at the hotel, we visit Ifrane, located at an altitude of 1.700 metres and noted for its orderly urban plan. With its clean air, broad avenues and chalet-style architecture featuring sloping roofs, it is known as the "Switzerland of Morocco." After our visit here, we depart for Fes. Built around the Fez River, which flows from west to east, this walled city is also known as the "Mecca of the West." Fes city center is listed as a World Heritage Site and is one of the world's largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones. On our old-city tour, we will see Bou İnania and Al Attarine Madrasas, unique examples of Islamic architecture, the Andalusian Mosque, Karaouine University, the world's old institution of higher education, Nejjarine Square and the artisans' bazaar. In the tanneries where leather is processed in the Medina, techniques that have remained unchanged since the Middle Ages are still used. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we join the "Magnificent Blue City of Chefchaouen" tour. Located in northwestern Morocco at the foot of the Rif Mountains, this enchanting town is famous for its blue-painted buildings and is therefore also known as the "Blue City." With every corner and street painted in different shades of blue, Chefchaouen attracts visitors with its unique atmosphere as well as its natural beauty. As you wander through the city's narrow streets, you can discover its traditional bazaars, handicraft shops and local restaurants. The city also bears traces of the local culture and way of life, and the local people, who keep Berber traditions alive, offer visitors a warm welcome. Chefchaouen's unique blue atmosphere and natural beauty have made it one of Morocco's most appealing and unforgettable destinations. After our tour, we set off for Meknes. Located between the coastal plains and the peaks of the Atlas Mountains, the city has been a commercial and cultural crossroads since Antiquity. Known as the "city of a hundred minarets," Meknes is home to many structures.

After breakfast and check-out procedures at the hotel, our Casablanca city tour begins. Morocco's main port, the city is famous for Casablanca, the 1942 Hollywood production named after it, and is both the country's economic center and its most populous city. As you walk through the city's streets, you can see Islamic, French and Berber influences reflecting its rich cultural heritage. Among the sights we will see are Mohammed V. Square, the heart of Casablanca, United Nations Square, where Morocco's past and present blend magnificently, Hassan II Mosque (from outside), famous for its majestic structure and for having the world's 2nd tallest minaret, the Old Medina, the Hobus district, famous for its open-air markets, and Ain Diab and Corniche on the coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. After our tour, departure for the airport at the time advised by our guide. After baggage and ticket procedures, departure for Istanbul at 16.45 on Türk Hava Yolları (Turkish Airlines) flight TK 618. Arrival at 23.25 local time and the end of our tour.