Highlights of Northern Morocco and Eclipse

Our tour of Morocco starts in Casablanca, a port city on the country's west coast. Famous for its French colonial architecture and its namesake film, Casablanca has a vibrant metropolitan atmosphere.

If you arrive to the city early, there are plenty of sights to keep you occupied. Get a feel for local life over at the Marche Central, where you'll find stalls of fresh produce and street food vendors or take a stroll in Place Mohamed V, Casablanca's central plaza.

At 7pm, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception for a welcome meeting. If you want to, there'll be the chance to go out for dinner afterwards. If you arrive later, our tour leader will catch you up at a later point.

If you want to receive an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport. The journey to our hotel is around 45 minutes.

We begin today in Casablanca with a visit to the spectacular Hassan II Mosque. Built to mark the King's 60th birthday, this vast landmark is the largest mosque in Africa and the seventh largest in the world. Sitting right on the Atlantic shoreline, a nod to the Quranic verse that “the throne of Allah was over the water“, it can hold more than 100,000 worshippers. It's as much a gathering place for locals as it is a place of prayer. We'll explore its lavish interior before heading up the coast to Rabat, Morocco's capital.

Chosen by the French as their administrative hub in 1912, Rabat's roots reach back far further. The first known settlers arrived here around 8BC in what's now the Chellah district. On arrival we'll take a walking tour through its historic heart, pausing at the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V before winding through the blue and white lanes of the Kasbah des Oudaias with fine views over the Atlantic, finishing up at the Royal Palace.

In contrast to other cities in Morocco, Rabat has a relaxed, European feel to it. The city is easy to navigate, with Hassan II avenue dividing the new town and the old medina which is crammed full of craft shops, exotic spices and food stalls.

This morning we make our way to Meknes, once the seat of power for Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727). Known for his iron-fisted rule, he transformed the city into an imperial capital filled with grand gateways and palaces. With our guide we'll explore its highlights, from the cavernous Heri es-Souani granaries to the ornate Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. We'll also see the great gates of Bab el Khamis and Bab Mansour before ending at the lively medina square, Place el Hedim.

Just outside Meknes lie the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Once the capital of the Berber-Roman Kingdom of Mauretania, this UNESCO site is famed for its intricate mosaics and remarkably preserved remains. A local guide will bring the history of the site to life for us before we continue on our way to Fes.

By late afternoon we reach Fes, Morocco's cultural heart. The city has played a central role in the country's history for centuries, shaping its art, religion and scholarship. There's time this evening to get a feel for the contrast between the old and new quarters, or simply relax and enjoy the local food scene.

Today, we have an entire day to explore Fes. After breakfast, we'll take to the artisan capital with a local guide, starting in Fes el Jadid - known as new Fes, despite dating back to the 13th century. We'll drop by the Royal Palace and marvel at the intricately designed exterior - the palace is not open to the public but remains a must-see on any tour of Fes. We'll also stop by the North Borj viewpoint for a panorama of the city from above.

After lunch, we'll swap new for old and head into Fes el Bali - also known as old Fes. We'll wander through the bustling souks and artisan alleys, where quaint doorways and narrow paths reveal weavers, brass workers, coppersmiths and tanners, who've been practicing their trade for generations. We'll also take in the opulent 14th-century Attarin Medersa, one of Morocco's most captivating medieval colleges.

This morning we bid farewell to Fes, travelling to Chefchaouen, arguably one of the prettiest places in Morocco. It's a drive of around four hours which will take most of the morning with a stop or two along the way, and we'll arrive into the famous 'blue town' for a late lunch. The rest of the afternoon is free to stroll through the cobbled lanes and distinctive blue and whitewashed buildings that make the town so striking. Our base for the next two nights is a bright and spacious riad in the heart of the medina. Featuring a traditional Moroccan hammam, a large roof terrace with fine views of Chefchaouen and an indoor swimming pool and a spa with a wide choice of massages and treatments available, it's the perfect spot to relax and take a break from the bustling streets outside.

Set beneath the towering peaks of the Rif Mountains, we have a full day to delve into the treasures of Morocco's 'blue town', Chefchaouen. After breakfast, accompanied by our tour leader we'll take a stroll into the medina. With its stacked white and blue houses set against red tiled roofs, the town is a photographer's dream. Our walking tour of the medina takes in the narrow, winding lanes of Chefchaouen, which give you an idea of Andalusia's influence over Morocco. There's time to discover many of the artisan stalls and stop for a glass of mint tea in a shaded café watching the world go by. The heart of the medina is the Plaza Uta El Hammam, with a backdrop of the commanding red walls of the kasbah and the Grand Mosque. It's not hard to appreciate why Chefchaouen draws visitors from all over the world with is easy going charm. Lunch is included today at a local family's house. After being welcomed by our hosts, we'll have a short tour of their home and then settle down to enjoy a delicious home cooked three course traditional Moroccan meal followed by tea and pastries. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore at your own pace. You may wish to hike up to the Spanish Mosque for panoramic views or head back to our riad to use the hammam or relax on the terrace with a good book.

Today we head north for the two hour drive to Tangier, our base for tomorrow's eclipse. As we'll arrive before we can check-in, we'll make the most of the time to explore. Heading to Cape Spartel, we'll take in the breath-taking vantage points with sweeping views of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Strait of Gibraltar, where two continents nearly touch, before continuing to the nearby Hercules Caves, said in legend to be where Hercules parted the continents.

Heading back to Tangier, we'll stop at the American Legation, the first US diplomatic mission abroad, established on 17th May 1821, before wandering through the Kasbah and the old town medina. This old quarter sits above the port, its narrow lanes dotted with artisan workshops and framed by minarets that rise over the sea.

Later in the afternoon we'll settle into our hotel, then meet at 6pm for an eclipse briefing led by our expert astronomer. It's a chance to learn more about the celestial show ahead. Afterwards, we'll head out together for dinner in the city.

A total eclipse of the sun will take place today, 2nd August 2027. The moon's shadow will landfall across southern Spain and northern Morocco at 8.40am, reaching totality at 9.47am, at which point the altitude of the sun will be around 38 degrees above the horizon.

In the run up and during the eclipse, we'll be based on the terrace of the historic Hotel de France in Tangiers with uninterrupted views of the eclipse to the east across the bay, with the city of Tangier in the foreground. If you are staying at the Hotel El Minzah, it's a five minute bus journey to the Hotel de France. Please note there will be up to four Explore groups coming together to witness the eclipse.

Explore will have a local astronomer with us to provide expert information and to answer any questions that you may have, as well as providing eclipse glasses for you to watch the phenomenon safely.

The Moon orbits the Earth almost 13 times a year, and an eclipse happens if it lines up exactly with the Earth and the Sun. Solar eclipses occur at New Moon, when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun. Lunar eclipses occur at Full Moon, when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. A total eclipse of the sun occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun, thus completely obscuring the light.

Eclipses do not take place every month because the orbits of the Moon and Earth are tilted at an angle. Most of the time, the line-up is not precise enough for an eclipse. When an eclipse is total, the solar corona can be seen as a white halo around the black disk of the Moon. Near the beginning and end of total eclipses, the thin, visible slice of the Sun appears broken up into blobs of light. These blobs are called 'Baily's beads' after the British astronomer Francis Baily. They happen because the edge of the Moon is not smooth but jagged with mountain peaks. When just one bead is visible, the effect is often likened to a diamond ring. The duration of the total eclipse on 2nd August 2027 will be 4 mins 50 secs making it one of the longest periods of totality this century.

The rest of the day following the eclipse is free to relax or further explore Tangier.

Our tour of Morocco ends at our riad in Tangier.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Tangier International Airport (TNG), which is around a 30 minute drive from our hotel.