Casablanca to Casablanca, this 14-day private tour runs north to Tangier, east to Fes, south to the Sahara and back through Marrakech and Essaouira. Licensed local guides lead the visits in seven places, and one English-speaking driver stays with you in a private SUV with fuel included. Thirteen nights of accommodation include breakfast every day, and the group is limited to 14 guests.
Rabat opens the tour on Day 1, followed by Tangier on Day 2, Chefchaouen on Day 3, and Meknes, Volubilis and Fes on Days 4 and 5. Day 6 is the longest drive, about six and a half hours from Fes by way of Ifrane and the Midelt nature reserve to Erfoud, in the Ziz valley.
Days 7 and 8 cover the Sahara and the gorges, with a sunset camel ride at Erg Chebbi and a night in a luxury desert camp. The tour then crosses the High Atlas to Marrakech by way of Ait Ben Haddou, adds a guided day and a free day there, and finishes with a day on the coast at Essaouira before the return to Casablanca.
Most of Morocco's imperial and coastal cities sit on this route. It begins on the Atlantic coast at Casablanca and Rabat, reaches the Strait of Gibraltar at Tangier, and climbs into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, known as the Blue Pearl.
South of Fes the landscape opens out, from the cedar forests around Ifrane to the palm groves and fortified villages of the Ziz valley and the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. The tour returns through the gorges of Dades and Todra, Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass, before ending in Marrakech, Essaouira and Casablanca.
Stamina matters more than skill on this tour. Several days are long, with drives of four to six and a half hours broken up by stops, and the drive from Fes to Erfoud on Day 6 is the longest.
Visits are on foot, through medinas, kasbahs and gorges, and there is a camel ride on Day 7. Tell the team in advance about any mobility needs, health conditions or dietary requirements so that the days and the stays can be planned around them.
One English-speaking driver stays with you from the first day to the last, and licensed local guides take over for the visits in Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and Marrakech. The guided visit and entrance fee for the interior of the Hassan II Mosque and for the Ait Ben Haddou kasbah are included.
The plan gives the long drives some breathing space, with a full guided day in Fes, a guided day and a free day in Marrakech, and a sunset by the sea at Essaouira. The group is limited to 14 guests.
Your private driver meets you at Casablanca airport and drives you to Rabat, about an hour away, where you check in at Sofitel Rabat Jardins des Roses or a similar hotel. In the afternoon you tour Rabat: the ancient site of Chellah with its Phoenician origins, the Hassan Tower, the Royal Palace, the 12th-century Kasbah of the Udayas and the Andalusian Gardens.
A drive of about two hours takes you to Tangier, where you check in at Dar Chams Tanja, Royal Golden Tulip, or a similar hotel. An orientation tour covers Cap Spartel and the Hercules Cave. There is free time for lunch and your own exploring, and dinner is at a local restaurant.
The drive to Chefchaouen takes about two hours, with a visit to Tétouan on the way. In Chefchaouen you explore the blue walls, narrow alleys and mountain setting of the old town, and stay at Dar Echchaouen or a similar hotel.
From Chefchaouen the road continues to Fes, about four hours in total, with stops at the imperial city of Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. You check in at Palais Faraj Suites and Spa, or a similar hotel, and have free time to relax or explore Fes.
With a licensed guide you visit the Attarine Medersa, the Moulay Idriss mausoleum, the Nejjarine Fountains and Museum, the exterior of the Royal Palace and the Jewish quarter of the medina.
The longest drive of the tour, about six and a half hours, crosses fertile valleys, cedar forests and lakes. You stop in Ifrane, picnic at the nature reserve near Midelt, and descend into the palm groves and fortified villages of the Ziz valley. You arrive in Erfoud and stay at Hotel Xaluca Maadid Arfoud, with breakfast and dinner included.
A drive of about an hour takes you to Merzouga. You visit Rissani and the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sherif, the ruins of Ksar Abbar and the village of Khamlia, then have lunch and time to relax. In the evening you ride a camel to watch the sun set over the dunes, and spend the night at Sahara Stars Camp, a luxury desert camp, with breakfast and dinner included.
You watch the sun rise over the desert and have breakfast among the dunes. The drive to Dades Gorge takes about four hours, with a visit to Todra Gorge, small Berber villages and the town of Tinjdad on the way. You stay at Hotel Xaluca Boumalene Dades, with breakfast and dinner included.
You visit the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou and cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass on the way to Marrakech, a drive of about five hours. You check in at La Maison Arabe Hotel.
A licensed guide leads a private tour of Marrakech: the Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque, then the medina, the souks and Djemaa el-Fna.
Use the day as you like: stroll the souks and landmarks, visit the Jardin Majorelle, take a cooking class, relax in a traditional hammam or fly in a hot air balloon. Activities on this day are extras and are not included.
The coast is about two and a half hours away. You visit argan tree orchards and a women's cooperative, explore the backstreets, artisan quarters and beaches of Essaouira, and watch the sun set over the sea.
The drive to Casablanca takes about five hours. You stop at the Hassan II Mosque and can stroll the Corniche or visit the Morocco Mall, then check in at a local hotel for your last night.
After a leisurely breakfast you have time for last-minute shopping or a little more of Casablanca before the transfer to Casablanca airport for your flight.
Typical stays are Sofitel Rabat Jardins des Roses in Rabat, Dar Chams Tanja, Royal Golden Tulip in Tangier, Dar Echchaouen in Chefchaouen and Palais Faraj Suites and Spa in Fes for two nights. Further south you stay at Hotel Xaluca Maadid Arfoud in Erfoud, Sahara Stars Camp, a luxury camp at the dunes, and Hotel Xaluca Boumalene Dades at Dades Gorge.
In Marrakech you stay three nights at La Maison Arabe Hotel, and the nights in Essaouira and Casablanca are in local hotels confirmed at booking. Rooms are arranged for two guests sharing, breakfast is included every morning, and dinner is included in Erfoud, Merzouga and Dades Gorge. Listed hotels may be replaced with similar properties depending on availability.
Night one is in Rabat, followed by Tangier, Chefchaouen, two nights in Fes, Erfoud, the desert camp at Merzouga and Dades Gorge. Nights nine to eleven are in Marrakech at La Maison Arabe Hotel, then Essaouira and Casablanca.
The named hotels are Sofitel Rabat Jardins des Roses, Dar Chams Tanja, Dar Echchaouen, Palais Faraj Suites and Spa, Hotel Xaluca Maadid Arfoud, Sahara Stars Camp and Hotel Xaluca Boumalene Dades. Properties can change with availability, and the team confirms the final list at booking.
The shorter drives are the airport to Rabat (about an hour), Rabat to Tangier and Tangier to Chefchaouen (about two hours each), and Marrakech to Essaouira (about two and a half hours).
The longest are Day 6 from Fes to Erfoud at about six and a half hours, Day 9 from Dades Gorge to Marrakech and Day 13 from Essaouira to Casablanca at about five hours each, and Days 4 and 8 at about four hours each. Stops are built into the longer days.
Breakfast is included every day. Three dinners are included, in Erfoud, at the Merzouga desert camp and at Dades Gorge.
Meals not named in the plan, and all drinks, are paid for separately. The plan also lists dinner at a local restaurant on Day 2 and a picnic lunch near Midelt on Day 6.
One English-speaking driver stays with you throughout the trip in a private SUV with fuel included.
Licensed local guides lead the visits in Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and Marrakech. The Hassan II Mosque interior and the Ait Ben Haddou kasbah are guided visits with entrance fees included.
The tour is limited to 14 guests, and you travel in a private SUV. Larger parties should ask how the vehicles are arranged, as the plan describes a single SUV.
The price is based on two guests sharing a room. If you need a different arrangement, ask the team when you enquire.
On Day 7 you drive about an hour to Merzouga, visit Rissani, the ruins of Ksar Abbar and the village of Khamlia, then ride a camel to watch the sun set over Erg Chebbi.
You sleep at Sahara Stars Camp, a luxury desert camp, with dinner included. At sunrise on Day 8 you watch the light come up over the dunes and have breakfast among them before driving to Dades Gorge.
Day 11 is open. You can walk the souks and landmarks, visit the Jardin Majorelle, or take a cooking class.
A traditional hammam and a hot air balloon ride are also possible. Activities on this day are extras and are not included, so ask the team to arrange them.
Guided visits and entrance fees are included for the interior of the Hassan II Mosque and for the Ait Ben Haddou kasbah.
Licensed local guides are included in Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and Marrakech. If you want to know about entrance fees at other sites on the route, ask the team before you book.
International flights, drinks and meals that are not named in the plan are not included. Extra activities on the free day in Marrakech are also paid for separately.
Transport to and from the meeting point is not included, although airport pickup and drop-off at Casablanca are part of the tour.
Your private driver meets you at Casablanca airport on Day 1 and drives you to Rabat, which takes about an hour.
On Day 14 you are transferred to Casablanca airport for your departure flight. Share your flight times when you enquire so the transfers can be timed to match.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Such an amazing experience! We had an absolutely wonderful time. The paragliding, quad biking, and dinner show were all fantastic and so much fun. Everything was well organized, and our guide was truly amazing, very friendly, welcoming, and great company throughout the whole experience. We felt comfortable and had…
Operated by Barbaro Tours Morocco, a partner of adventuro.
Central & Atlas Mountains, Morocco
From €126
Central & Atlas Mountains, Morocco
From €74
