18 Days Egypt Casablanca Chefchaouen Fez Marrakech Tour

After breakfast you meet your private Egyptologist and drive to the edge of the desert, where the Giza Pyramids Complex rises abruptly from the city's fringe. You stand beneath the Great Pyramid of Khufu, sole survivor of the seven ancient wonders, tracing its colossal limestone blocks skyward. Nearby the enigmatic Great Sphinx keeps its age-old watch, while the granite chambers of the Valley Temple reveal how pharaohs were prepared for eternity. A short transfer brings you to the Grand Egyptian Museum, the vast new home of Tutankhamun's complete treasures displayed against a pyramid backdrop. After lunch you continue to Saqqara to admire the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt's earliest monumental stone structure and the blueprint for everything that followed. Your private guided tour returns you to Cairo by evening, your imagination already reshaped by the sheer scale of ancient Egyptian ambition.

• Giza Pyramids Complex — The plateau where three great pyramids and the Sphinx rise from the desert.
• The Great Pyramid — Khufu's monument, the only ancient wonder still standing.
• The Great Sphinx — The lion-bodied guardian carved from a single limestone outcrop.
• The Valley Temple — Granite-lined ritual temple linked to Khafre's pyramid.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — The vast new museum housing Tutankhamun's full collection.
• Saqqara Step Pyramid — Djoser's stepped pyramid, Egypt's oldest monumental stone building.

This morning you fly south to Hurghada, trading the bustle of Cairo for the turquoise calm of the Red Sea Riviera. Egypt is not only temples and tombs, and today is a deliberate pause, a full day to breathe, swim and let the pace slow. You check into your beachfront resort, where powder-soft sand meets some of the clearest, most coral-rich water on earth. The afternoon is entirely yours. You might snorkel over technicolour reefs alive with fish, drift in the warm sea, wander the lively Hurghada Marina at dusk, or simply stretch out with a book beneath a palm. Optional diving and glass-bottom boat trips can be arranged through your guide. This restful interlude sits perfectly between the pyramids behind you and the Nile temples ahead, ensuring you reach Luxor refreshed and ready for the next chapter of your Egyptian journey.

• Red Sea Riviera — Egypt's warm, coral-rich coast famed for snorkelling and diving.
• Hurghada Marina — Waterfront promenade lined with cafes, boats and evening strolls.

After breakfast you travel from the Red Sea coast inland to Luxor, the open-air museum built upon ancient Thebes, and board your elegant Nile cruise ship, your floating home for the coming nights. Once settled and having enjoyed lunch on board, your private guided tour begins on the East Bank at the immense Karnak Temple, a forest of towering columns raised over two thousand years by successive pharaohs to honour the god Amun. You wander its Great Hypostyle Hall, sacred lake and avenue of ram-headed sphinxes. As darkness falls you visit Luxor Temple by night, when subtle floodlighting transforms its colossi, obelisk and graceful colonnades into something genuinely spellbinding. You return to your moored ship for dinner and a restful night on the Nile, the gentle river lapping just beyond your cabin window as the lights of Luxor shimmer along the bank.

• Karnak Temple — Vast temple complex with a hypostyle hall of 134 giant columns.
• Luxor Temple by Night — Riverside temple dramatically illuminated after dark.

You wake aboard your Nile cruise and cross to Luxor's West Bank, the ancient realm of the dead. Your Egyptologist leads a private guided tour into the Valley of the Kings, the hidden desert canyon where pharaohs including Tutankhamun and Ramesses were laid to rest in tombs still ablaze with colour after three millennia. You descend into several painted burial chambers, their walls covered in vivid funerary art and hieroglyphs. Next you stand before the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, its clean colonnaded terraces rising dramatically against a sheer cliff, a fitting monument to Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. Finally you pause at the towering Colossi of Memnon, two weathered stone giants that have guarded the plain for over three thousand years. You rejoin your ship as it begins to sail south, watching timeless riverside life drift past over lunch and dinner on board.

• Valley of the Kings — Royal necropolis of rock-cut tombs, including Tutankhamun's.
• Hatshepsut Temple — Terraced mortuary temple set against dramatic cliffs at Deir el-Bahari.
• Colossi of Memnon — Two towering statues that once guarded a vanished temple.

Today belongs to the river itself as your Nile cruise glides between Luxor and Aswan, past palm groves, sugarcane fields and villages seemingly unchanged for generations. You step ashore to explore the Temple of Kom Ombo, a rare double sanctuary dedicated jointly to Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the elder; its riverside setting is especially striking, and a small adjoining museum displays mummified crocodiles once revered here. Continuing along the route you visit the Temple of Edfu, the most complete and best-preserved pharaonic temple in Egypt, dedicated to the falcon god Horus and reached by horse-drawn carriage through the town. Its towering pylon, courtyards and sacred inner shrine convey the sheer power of temple worship in the Ptolemaic age. Between visits you relax on the sun deck with full-board dining, sipping tea as Egypt drifts by and the golden light softens toward another night on the Nile.

• Kom Ombo Temple — Unique double temple honouring Sobek and Horus, beside the Nile.
• Edfu temple — Egypt's best-preserved temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus.

Your Nile cruise reaches Aswan, Egypt's serene southern frontier and its most beautiful stretch of river. After breakfast your private guided tour explores the mighty Aswan High Dam, the monumental twentieth-century engineering feat that tamed the Nile's floods and created the vast Lake Nasser. You then visit the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry, which reveals exactly how the pharaohs carved these colossal monoliths. By small motorboat you reach the enchanting island Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and rescued stone by stone from the rising waters, its graceful columns mirrored in the river. After a final lunch on board you disembark and transfer to Aswan airport for your short flight back to Cairo, where a representative meets you and escorts you to your hotel for a comfortable overnight in the capital.

• The High Dam — Colossal dam that controls the Nile and formed Lake Nasser.
• The Unfinished Obelisk — Abandoned granite obelisk revealing ancient quarrying methods.
• Philae Temple — Island temple of Isis, relocated to save it from flooding.

A full day uncovers Cairo's layered treasures on a private guided tour. You begin at the historic Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, home to one of the world's greatest antiquities collections and a wealth of royal relics and golden masterpieces. After lunch you climb to the medieval Salah El Din Citadel, whose ramparts survey the whole city, and step inside the alabaster-clad Mohamed Ali Mosque with its soaring domes. You then visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, where the Royal Mummies Hall presents the actual pharaohs in dignified surroundings. As afternoon fades you stroll the lamplit medieval lane of Al Muizz Street, lined with mosques and merchant houses, before losing yourself in the aromas and colour of Khan El Khalili Bazaar, Cairo's centuries-old market for spices, silver, lanterns and keepsakes. You return to your hotel for another restful night in the capital.

• The Egyptian Museum — Landmark museum on Tahrir Square with vast pharaonic collections.
• Salah El Din Citadel — Medieval hilltop fortress commanding sweeping city views.
• Mohamed Ali Mosque — Ottoman-style alabaster mosque crowning the Citadel.
• The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization — Modern museum home to the Royal Mummies Hall.
• Al Muizz Street — Historic medieval street lined with Islamic monuments.
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar — Centuries-old market of spices, crafts and souvenirs.

Today you head north to the Mediterranean and the storied city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great and once the intellectual capital of the ancient world. Your private guided tour descends into the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, an eerie multi-level Roman necropolis fusing Egyptian and classical funerary art. Nearby rises Pompey's Pillar, a towering red-granite column marking the site of the great Serapeum. Along the seafront you reach the handsome Qaitbay Citadel, a fifteenth-century fortress built on the very foundations of the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria. After a seafood lunch overlooking the harbour, you tour the strikingly modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a soaring reimagining of the ancient Library that once held the world's knowledge. As evening approaches you drive back to Cairo, where you overnight, ready for tomorrow's flight that will carry your journey west across North Africa to Morocco.

• Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa — Multi-level Roman tombs blending Egyptian and classical styles.
• Pompey's Pillar — Towering red-granite Roman column at the ancient Serapeum.
• Qaitbay Citadel — Seafront fortress built on the ruins of the ancient lighthouse.
• Alexandria Library — The modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, reviving the ancient library.

After breakfast you bid farewell to Egypt and transfer to Cairo airport for your flight across North Africa to Morocco, landing in Casablanca on the Atlantic coast. This is a travel day by design, a graceful transition from the desert kingdom of the pharaohs to the mosaic of Berber, Arab, Andalusian and French influences that define Morocco. On arrival your Travel Joy representative greets you and transfers you to your Casablanca hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax and settle in. You might take a first gentle stroll in the Atlantic breeze, sample a tagine or fragrant mint tea at a local restaurant, and sense the change of continent and culture. Tomorrow your Moroccan discovery begins in earnest, tracing a route through imperial cities, the blue mountains of the Rif, the golden dunes of the Sahara and the storied medina of Marrakech in the days ahead.

• Casablanca — Morocco's cosmopolitan Atlantic gateway and arrival city.

This morning your private guided tour of Casablanca centres on the breathtaking Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, its minaret soaring above the Atlantic and part of its hall built out over the sea. You take in the breezy sweep of the Casablanca Corniche before driving to Rabat, Morocco's dignified capital. Here you admire the Hassan Tower, the unfinished minaret of a twelfth-century mosque standing above a field of ancient columns, and pay your respects at the exquisite Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a masterpiece of traditional craftsmanship. After lunch you explore the Kasbah of the Udayas, a serene blue-and-white walled quarter overlooking the river mouth, and pass the ceremonial gates of the Royal Palace of Rabat. As the day winds down you settle into your Rabat hotel for the night, having sampled both Morocco's modern face and its deep royal heritage in a single rewarding day.

• Hassan II Mosque — Vast oceanfront mosque with a towering, intricately decorated minaret.
• Casablanca Corniche — Breezy Atlantic seafront promenade of cafes and beaches.
• Hassan Tower — Unfinished 12th-century minaret above rows of stone columns.
• Mausoleum of Mohammed V — Ornate royal tomb showcasing traditional Moroccan craftsmanship.
• Kasbah of the Udayas — Historic blue-and-white citadel overlooking the river and sea.
• Royal Palace of Rabat — The king's ceremonial palace behind grand ornamental gates.

You journey north into the Rif Mountains to reach Chefchaouen, the celebrated blue pearl of Morocco and one of the most photogenic towns on earth. On arrival you set out on foot with your guide through a labyrinth of lanes washed in every conceivable shade of blue, from soft powder to deep indigo, their walls draped with flowers and hung with handmade crafts. You pause in the lively Outa el Hammam Square, the town's beating heart, framed by the red-walled kasbah and the grand mosque, an ideal spot to sip mint tea and watch daily life unfold. The gentle mountain air, artisan workshops and unhurried pace make Chefchaouen a soulful contrast to the imperial cities. After a leisurely lunch of Rif specialities and ample time to wander and photograph at your own pace, you overnight in this enchanting blue town beneath the peaks.

• Chefchaouen City — The famous blue-washed mountain town in the Rif.
• Outa el Hammam Square — Chefchaouen's central plaza beside the kasbah and grand mosque.

After breakfast you descend from the Rif to Fez, the spiritual and cultural soul of Morocco, and plunge into the medieval wonder of Fes el-Bali, the largest car-free urban area in the world. Your private guided tour weaves through thousands of tangled alleys to the Al-Qarawiyyin University, founded in 859 AD and regarded as the oldest continually operating university on the planet. You admire the exquisite tilework and carved cedar of the Bou Inania Madrasa and the delicate Nejjarine Fountain, then reach the famous Chouara Tanneries, where leather has been dyed in honeycombed stone vats using medieval methods for nearly a thousand years. You pass the revered Moulay Idriss Mausoleum, sacred resting place of the city's founder. Immersed in the sights, sounds and scents of this remarkable living medieval city, you return to your Fez hotel for a comfortable overnight.

• Al-Qarawiyyin University — Founded in 859 AD, considered the world's oldest university.
• Bou Inania Madrasa — Ornate 14th-century religious college of carved cedar and tile.
• Chouara Tanneries — Ancient stone dye pits where leather is still worked by hand.
• Nejjarine Fountain — Beautifully tiled fountain in the carpenters' quarter.
• Fes el-Bali — The vast walled medieval medina, largely car-free.
• Moulay Idriss Mausoleum — Sacred shrine of the city's revered founder.

Today is an epic and scenic drive as you cross the Middle Atlas toward the Sahara. You climb through the alpine-like town of Ifrane and the cedar forests of Azrou, where Barbary macaques roam, then descend past Midelt and follow the palm-fringed Ziz Valley oasis toward the desert. By late afternoon the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi rise on the horizon near Merzouga. Here you trade your vehicle for a camel and ride in caravan over the towering sand, the ripples glowing amber as the sun sinks. You reach a comfortable desert camp nestled among the dunes, where a traditional Berber dinner awaits beneath an immense canopy of stars. The silence of the Sahara, the drumming around the fire and a night in the deep desert make this one of the most unforgettable experiences of your entire journey. Tonight you sleep in the dunes near Merzouga.

• Ifrane — Alpine-style mountain town nicknamed Morocco's Switzerland.
• Azrou Cedar Forest — Highland cedar woods home to Barbary macaques.
• Ziz Valley — Lush palm oasis threading toward the desert.
• Erg Chebbi Dunes — Towering golden sand sea near Merzouga.
• Camel Trek — Sunset caravan ride into the dunes to a Berber camp.

You rise early for one of travel's great spectacles, sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes, when the Sahara turns from rose to blazing gold. After breakfast you ride your camel back across the sand and continue to Rissani, the historic caravan town and birthplace of the ruling Alaouite dynasty, whose bustling market has traded for centuries. From here your route heads west along the fabled Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, pausing at the dramatic Todra Gorge, where sheer rock walls tower hundreds of metres above a narrow river path. You then arrive in the rose-hued Dades Valley, famed for its serpentine road, curious rock formations and crumbling earthen fortresses set against the High Atlas. You settle into a hotel with sweeping valley views for a peaceful overnight, the landscape shifting once more from open desert to dramatic mountain oasis.

• Erg Chebbi Sunrise — Dawn over the Sahara dunes before leaving the desert.
• Rissani — Historic caravan town and cradle of the Alaouite dynasty.
• Todra Gorge — Sheer canyon walls rising above a slender river path.
• Dades Valley — Scenic valley of kasbahs, rock formations and winding roads.

A relaxed day of extraordinary scenery brings you along the valley toward Ouarzazate, Morocco's desert film capital. The highlight is the magnificent Aït Ben Haddou, a fortified earthen village of clustered kasbahs rising from a hillside above the river, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most striking sights in all Morocco. You cross the shallow river and climb its ochre lanes with your guide, understanding why it has served as a backdrop for countless epic films from Lawrence of Arabia to Game of Thrones. The mud-brick towers, decorative motifs and commanding views over the palm groves feel utterly timeless. You have ample time to explore, photograph and absorb the atmosphere of this ancient caravan stop on the old Saharan trade route. This evening you overnight nearby, the great village glowing softly amber as the sun slips behind the hills.

• Aït Ben Haddou — UNESCO-listed fortified clay village and famous film location.

This morning you cross the High Atlas Mountains by the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka pass, a serpentine road of Berber villages and staggering views, then descend into vibrant Marrakech, the Red City. Your private guided tour takes in the sumptuous Bahia Palace with its painted ceilings and tranquil courtyards, and the graceful Koutoubia Mosque, whose landmark minaret dominates the skyline. You stroll the serene, olive-shaded Menara Gardens and the electric blues and cactus of the Majorelle Gardens, once tended by Yves Saint Laurent, and admire Moroccan artistry at the Dar Si Said Museum. After lunch you dive into the Medina and its souks, a maze of stalls selling spices, lanterns, leather and carpets, emerging into the legendary Jemaa el-Fna square, which by night erupts with storytellers, musicians, food stalls and swirling crowds. You overnight in Marrakech, thoroughly exhilarated.

• Bahia Palace — Ornate 19th-century palace of courtyards and painted ceilings.
• Koutoubia Mosque — Marrakech's iconic mosque with a towering minaret.
• Menara Gardens — Historic olive groves around a reflecting pool below the Atlas.
• Majorelle Gardens — Vivid blue botanical garden restored by Yves Saint Laurent.
• Dar Si Said Museum — Museum of Moroccan craftsmanship in a fine old riad.
• Medina & Souk of Marrakesh — Labyrinthine old city and bustling craft markets.
• Jemaa el-Fna — Legendary square alive with performers and food stalls by night.

Your remarkable eighteen-day journey across Egypt and Morocco comes to a close today. After a final Moroccan breakfast you enjoy any last free moments, perhaps a stroll for souvenirs or a quiet mint tea, before your Travel Joy representative transfers you to Marrakech Menara Airport in good time for your departing flight. You leave with a lifetime of memories: standing beneath the Pyramids of Giza, sailing the timeless Nile past Luxor and Aswan, wandering Cairo's museums and bazaars, then crossing to Morocco's blue mountains, golden Sahara and the storied souks of Marrakech. It has been our privilege to share the ancient wonders and living cultures of two extraordinary countries with you. We wish you a safe onward journey and would be delighted to welcome you back to Egypt and the wider region again before long. Bon voyage, and thank you for travelling with us.