Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: Spain & Morocco with Premier Lodging
Day 1 Arrive in Granada
25-minute private van transfer
Welcome to Spain! Arrive in Granada and meet your guides at the train station or airport. Transfer to your hotel where you'll have time to settle in and relax or do a little exploring on your own. Meet up with the group and guides for a welcome dinner this evening, and an introduction to Andalusia. This southernmost region of Spain was the last remnant of legendary Al-Andalus, and its legacy remains in the distinctive architecture, cuisine, and culture you will discover along the journey.
Accommodation: Hotel Alhambra Palace
(D)
Day 2 Marvel at the Alhambra Palace & Albayzin
20-minute private van transfer
5 hours walking tours with 450' elevation gain and 200' elevation loss
Spend an unforgettable morning at the Alhambra, the magnificent Nasrid palace-fortress that crowns Granada. Built as a fortress and transformed into a royal city, this UNESCO-listed masterpiece dazzles with intricate stonework, carved arches, reflective pools, and elegant courtyards. Wander the terraced Generalife gardens, once the grounds of the summer palace, inhaling the scent of orange blossoms under arched lookouts. In the late afternoon, explore the Albayzin, the historic Moorish quarter that was home to everyday life beyond the palace walls. Walk its hilly medieval lanes to picturesque Sacromonte, an old Romani neighborhood known for its cave houses. End the day with dinner and a passionate flamenco performance in one of the caves—a tradition rooted in Southern Spain's Al-Andalus period.
Accommodation: Hotel Alhambra Palace
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Explore Frigiliana, Hike & Enjoy the Mediterranean
1.5-hour private van transfer
2 hours/3-4 miles hiking with 1,050' elevation loss
Leave Granada this morning and transfer to Frigiliana, one of Andalusia's most beautiful pueblos blancos (white-painted towns), a gleaming gem that still preserves its Moorish layout. After exploring its patterned cobbled lanes, flower-draped balconies, and steep stairways, prepare to get your feet wet on a refreshing walk into the Rio Higueron canyon. Hike along—and in—the river as it winds through narrow rock walls, small waterfalls, and lush vegetation. Transfer to Nerja, a classic beach town known for cliffside coves and the Balcon de Europa, its iconic sea-view promenade. Savor a special wood-fired paella lunch at a beachfront chiringuito, then enjoy a flexible afternoon and evening to swim, stroll, and choose your own delicious dinner spot.
Accommodation: Parador de Nerja
(B, L)
Day 4 Hike the Karst Formations of Antequera
1.5-hour private van transfer
2 hours/4 miles hiking with 700' elevation gain and loss
Today you swap sand for stone, heading inland to El Torcal de Antequera Natural Park, a part of the UNESCO-listed Antequera Dolmens Site. This extraordinary karst landscape began as seabed more than 150 million years ago, then rose and eroded into a maze of sculpted limestone towers, stacked slabs, narrow passageways, and otherworldly natural forms. Hike one of the park's scenic trails, keeping an eye out for wildflowers, birds, and ibex moving across the rock. Continue to the town of Antequera, where the afternoon is free to relax or explore before dinner. We recommend checking out the nearby Bronze Age megalithic tombs called dolmens at the eastern edge of town.
Accommodation: Parador de Antequera
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Follow the Path of the Mills toward Ronda
2-hour private van transfer
1-2 hours/4 miles hiking with 300' elevation gain
After breakfast, travel to a pueblo blanco in neighboring Cadiz Province, where you will embark on a gentle village-to-village hike to Setenil de las Bodegas. Follow the river along the Sendero de los Molinos, a medieval cattle route that connected fourteen Al-Andalus water mills with the city of Ronda, passing olive groves, wheat fields, and remnants of ancient mills. Have lunch in Setenil de las Bodegas, built directly beneath the overhanging ledge of a gorge. The village's houses and lanes tuck into the rock itself, creating cave-like streets with natural stone roofs. Continue by vehicle to Ronda, a dramatic clifftop city split by the deep El Tajo gorge and linked by its famous arched bridge, Puente Nuevo. The old Moorish quarter and newer town stand on opposite sides, creating one of Spain's most striking urban landscapes.
Accommodation: Parador de Ronda
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Hike Through Ronda Olive Groves & Taste Wines
40-minutes private van transfer
2 hours/4 miles hiking with 800' elevation gain and loss
Enjoy an invigorating hike this morning in the rugged hills around Ronda. Departing from the Parador, walk through one of Ronda's most historic neighborhoods before descending to a trail surrounded by olive groves just outside the old town. The upward views of the gorge and the iconic Puente Nuevo are stunning. Later, travel by vehicle further into Ronda's countryside for a guided tour and tasting at a local winery, followed by lunch. The vineyard setting is beautiful, with views of rolling hills and rugged limestone outcrops. Return to Ronda for time to explore independently—cross the bridge, wander the old town, or relax on the Parador's terrace overlooking the gorge before dinner on your own.
Accommodation: Parador de Ronda
(B, L)
Day 7 Cross the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier
2.5-hour private van transfer + 1-hour ferry ride
Set out early for Tarifa, the southernmost point of mainland Spain and the closest European gateway to Morocco. On a clear day, the Rif Mountains rise across the Strait of Gibraltar—a thrilling preview of the journey ahead. This is the fabled location of the "Pillars of Hercules," the mythic gateway between the known world and the unknown. Board the ferry and cross the legendary waterway where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and Europe meets Africa, an ancient conduit between cultures. Arrive in Tangier and transfer to your hotel, then head out on an optional guided walk through the medina, the walled old city whose lanes, gates, markets, and sea-facing position have drawn travelers for centuries. Tonight, enjoy your first Moroccan dinner of the trip.
Accommodation: Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier
(B, L, D)
Day 8 Discover Chefchaouen’s Blue Walls
2.5-hour private van transfer
3-4-hour walking tour with 500' elevation gain and loss
Deep in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is known worldwide for its spellbinding blue walls. Andalusi architectural influences that echo Granada's Albayzin quarter were brought here as people migrated after the fall of Granada in 1492. Arrive in the "Blue City" in time for a delicious lunch and settle into your riad before exploring the beautiful medina on a guided walking tour. Follow winding lanes past blue stairways, artisan shops, and quiet courtyards up to the Spanish Mosque for an iconic sunset view over the city, mountains, and radiant blue walls below.
Accommodation: Lina Ryad & Spa
(B, L, D)
Day 9 Hike in the Rif Mountains
1.5-hour private van transfer
5 hours/7 miles hiking with 1,650' elevation gain and loss
Gear up for a scenic hiking adventure in Talassemtane National Park, a protected landscape of russet limestone cliffs, forested pine valleys, and clear mountain water in the Rif Mountains. Follow shaded trails along the river toward the first of the tumbling Akchour Waterfalls, keeping an eye out for birds and other wildlife and lush views of the valley. Pass emerald pools and limestone formations, having worked up an appetite by the time you reach the main falls. Savor a tagine lunch with a view of the cascade and perhaps dip your feet in the water. Return to Chefchaouen for a second evening at your charming riad, with time to relax, revisit favorite lanes, or discover new ones.
Accommodation: Lina Ryad & Spa
(B, L, D)
Day 10 Visit Roman Volubilis & Continue to Fes
4.5-hour private van transfer (via Volubilis)
1-hour walking tour
Depart for Fes, Morocco's cultural heart, but first stop at Volubilis. A walk through this UNESCO-listed Berber-Roman archaeological site reveals mosaics, columns, arches, and remnants of grand villas on a wide open plain. Passing through the remarkably well-preserved ruins with your guide, imagine the once-thriving city at the edge of the Roman Empire. After a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Fes and check in to your hotel, with time to freshen up before dinner. Fes is a centuries-old imperial city of tangled medina alleys, bustling souks, artisan workshops, and exquisite Moorish architecture where Morocco's history unfolds. Enjoy a relaxed evening before tomorrow's adventure.
Accommodation: Hotel Sahrai
(B, L, D)
Day 11 Experience the Magic of Ancient Fes
20-minute private van transfer
4-hour walking tour
Today your guide takes you deep into Fes el-Bali, the sprawling medieval walled medina and one of the great cultural treasures of Morocco. Navigate labyrinthine lanes chock full of souks, artisan workshops, mosques, madrasas, fountains, and centuries of craft tradition in this ancient UNESCO-listed quarter. Visit the iconic Chouara Tannery, one of the oldest tanneries in the world, and explore the intricate tilework and carved arches of Bou Inania Madrasa, a theological school and mosque built in the 14th century. Continue into Fes Jdid, established in the 13th century as an extension of the old city by the Marinid Dynasty. Tonight, gather for a special farewell dinner and toast the journey from Granada's Al-Andalus palaces to Fes's Andalusian quarter.
Accommodation: Hotel Sahrai
(B, L, D)
Day 12 Depart from Fes or Rabat
2-hour private van transfer to the Rabat airport
After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Fes or Rabat for your onward flight. Leave Morocco with vivid memories of two continents connected by history and geography, from the Alhambra glowing above Granada to white villages tumbling down Andalusian hillsides, across the Strait of Gibraltar to Chefchaouen's blue Moorish lanes, Rif Mountain waterfalls, and the unforgettable energy of Fes. The Al-Andalus journey ends today, but its architecture, flavors, landscapes, and stories travel home with you.
(B)
