The Sultan's Lost Cipher — Moulay Ismail's Hidden Command
Decipher Moulay Ismail's encrypted military orders hidden within the Royal Stables' architecture before the 1755 earthquake destroys the final clue.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1672, Sultan Moulay Ismail transformed Meknes into the 'Versailles of Morocco,' building a colossal complex to house 12,000 royal stallions—a display of power rivaling Louis XIV himself
The Sultan's Lost Cipher — Moulay Ismail's Hidden Command
You are a secret emissary of Sultan Moulay Ismail, operating in Meknes during the late 17th century.
Your critical mission is to decipher a hidden command before it falls into the wrong hands
Dive into the epic saga of Meknes, the imperial city forged by Sultan Moulay Ismail, where every stone whispers the secrets of its grandeur.
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at Bab Mansour Laalej, the main gate of the imperial city of Meknes. Erected between 1732 and 1735 under the reign of Moulay Abdallah, son of Moulay Ismail, this 25-meter-high structure served as a monumental access to the southern ramparts of the Kasbah. It is adorned with green and white zellige tiles and Arabic calligraphic inscriptions praising the sultan. Its name honors Mansour Laalej, a converted Christian slave and commander of Moulay Ismail's Black Guard, who was the architect of this gate. In 1996, Bab Mansour was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, as an essential part of the Meknes medina, offering a first glimpse into the splendor of the Fès-Meknès region.
Pass through the gate and discover Place El Hedim, created in 1679 by Moulay Ismail after the demolition of the Andalusian quarter and the mausoleum of Sidi M'sem. This vast esplanade, nearly 3 hectares in size, was the beating heart of the Ismaili capital, used for military parades, public executions, and markets. Its name, 'stone column' in dialectal Arabic, underlines its central role in the life of Meknes. Surrounded by traditional cafés and the Meknes Museum, it is also a UNESCO site since 1996, bearing witness to the scale of Moulay Ismail's projects for his city.
As you walk along the Ramparts of the Ismaili Kasbah, you follow in the footsteps of the 25,000 Black Guard soldiers who protected Moulay Ismail's capital. Begun in 1673, these ramparts stretch for a total of 32 km, with an average thickness of 8 meters and a height varying from 10 to 14 meters, punctuated by 40 gates and 16 bastions. The southern part, visible from Bab Mansour and extending about 0.5 km from your starting point, illustrates the defensive power of the imperial city of Fès-Meknès and the strategic role of these fortifications for the Moulay Ismail Circuit.
Your quest then leads you to Heri es-Souani, the Royal Granaries. Built around 1680 under Moulay Ismail, these structures were used to store grain reserves for twenty years of siege. With a capacity of 17,000 m³ spread across six underground vaults supported by 24 stone pillars, these granaries are a masterpiece of engineering. They were connected by a canal to the Agdal Basin, located 1.5 km away, forming an ingenious hydraulic system. The remains of the adjacent royal stables, capable of housing 12,000 horses, complete this UNESCO site, essential for understanding the history of Meknes.
The journey continues to the Agdal Basin, a reservoir completed in 1687 by Moulay Ismail. With an area of 35 hectares, dimensions of 580m x 350m, and a depth of 50m, it could hold approximately 2 million m³ of water. This basin supplied the Heri es-Souani granaries and the royal gardens by gravity, demonstrating Alaouite hydraulic ingenuity. Used for irrigation and as a decorative water mirror during sultanic receptions, it represents the grandeur of the Ismaili capital and the sultan's vision. Your exploration of this Moulay Ismail circuit will have immersed you in the ingenuity and power of Meknes, a city where every monument tells the story of an empire.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Secret Architectural Plan
Decipher the codes left by the builders to reveal the true layout of the royal granaries.
Keys to the Empire
Delve into the logistical and defense strategies that powered the Ismaili empire.
Imperial Citadel
Explore the remains and ramparts of the palace-city desired by Moulay Ismail.
The builder's forgotten plan.
Decipher the secrets of the royal granaries.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Dive into the epic saga of Meknes, the imperial city forged by Sultan Moulay Ismail, where every stone whispers the secrets of its grandeur.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in Meknes, Morocco
See all games in Meknes, Morocco→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
Meknes — Harem's Secret Chronicle
Uncover the forbidden chronicle hidden in Moulay Ismail's harem. Decode whispers of betrayal, lost heirs, and royal intrigue across the imperial monuments to expose the fates of his forgotten women.
Meknès — The Forgotten Oath of the Black Guard
Uncover the shattered oath binding Moulay Ismaïl's Black Guard. Decode fragments hidden in Meknès' imperial ruins to expose a betrayal that doomed the elite Abid al-Bukhari.
Meknès — Shadows of the Black Guard
Uncover the deadly conspiracy within Moulay Ismaïl's Black Guard. Decode clues hidden in gates, granaries and palaces to expose the traitors who plotted his downfall from the heart of the imperial city.
Moulay Ismail's Shadow — Decipher the Sultan's Hidden Conspiracy
Uncover the ruthless secrets behind Moulay Ismail's imperial dynasty. Decipher coded inscriptions, expose palace conspiracies, and track the truth hidden within the sultan's monuments before his enemies silence you forever.
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