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Overview:
Duration
10 Days - 9 Night
Departure
08:30 am
Starting Location
Fes
Ending Location
Marrakech
This 12-day tour from Casablanca, looping back to either Casablanca or Marrakech, blends Morocco’s imperial grandeur, mountain serenity, desert mystique, and medina allure into one epic journey.
You’ll visit four imperial capitals, explore UNESCO-listed medinas, ride camels across the Erg Chebbi dunes, and experience Berber hospitality under a canopy of desert stars. The tour is designed to balance adventure and relaxation.
Why go
why take a 12 Days tour Itinerary from Casablanca ?
Imagine walking along ancient mosaic paths in Volubilis, breathing in the cedar-scented air in Ifrane, known as “Little Switzerland,” and sipping spiced mint tea at a kasbah perched on a cliff overlooking the Dades Valley.
Every day, history and landscape intertwine to create a sensory narrative: the echo of prayers across the kasbah walls in Rabat, the cobalt hush of the alleys in Chefchaouen, the silent swell of the golden waves in Merzouga, and the drumbeat pulse of Marrakech at dusk.
This is more than a tour—it’s a living storybook of Morocco’s timeless contrasts.
Tour Highlights
- Ouzoud Waterfalls: Rainbow Views
- The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
- Hassan Tower and the Oudayas Kasbah in Rabat
- Bab Mansour Gate, Meknes
- Fes el-Bali (medina) and al-Qarawiyyin University
- Essaouira's ramparts and medina
- Chefchaouen's Blue Medina and Spanish Mosque Overlook
- Erfoud’s Fossil Workshops
- Camel trek in Erg Chebbi and enjoy a feast in a desert camp.
- Todra Gorge canyon walk
- Dades Valley's "Monkey Fingers" rock formations
- Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO ksar
Itinerary – 12 Days tour Itinerary from Casablanca
Day 1: Arrival in Casablanca & Corniche Transfer
Your adventure begins when you step off the plane at Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport. Your private driver will greet you and take you on a short transfer to your ocean-view hotel along the Corniche.
After settling into your room, stroll along the palm-lined promenade and breathe in the Atlantic breeze as you watch locals jog, visit cafés, and take sunset strolls.
One of the highlights is the monumental Hassan II Mosque, which is perched on a promontory above the sea. It has the world’s second-tallest minaret and is one of Africa’s largest mosques.
Its handcrafted marble facades and retractable roof embody Moroccan craftsmanship on a grand scale.
Return to your hotel for dinner at your leisure and sample fresh seafood by the water’s edge. Rest well in anticipation of your northward journey tomorrow.
Day 2: Casablanca → Rabat → Meknes → Fes (≈338 km; ~4 h 30 min)
Depart at 8:00 a.m. for Rabat, Morocco’s coastal capital. There, you will see the unfinished Hassan Tower, an incomplete 12th-century minaret rising 44 meters, standing beside the ornate Mohammed V Mausoleum.
Its marble courtyards invite reverent exploration. Stroll along the whitewashed ramparts of the Oudayas Kasbah overlooking the Bouregreg estuary, then continue to Meknes, one of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities.
There, Bab Mansur al-‘Alj, an 18th-century ceremonial gate adorned with green zellij tilework, ushers you into El Hedim Square, where local vendors sell olives, spices, and leather goods.
In the late afternoon, continue to Fes, arriving by early evening to check into your riad in the maze-like medina of Fes el-Bali.
Day 3: Deep Dive into Fes with a Local Guide
Awaken to the call to prayer echoing off the terracotta rooftops, then meet your local guide at Bab Bou Jeloud to discover Fez’s hidden treasures.
Wander through the narrow alleys of Fes el-Bali and visit the University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 857 AD and considered the world’s oldest continually operating university.
Also visit the ornate Bou Inania Madrasa, whose geometric stucco and carved cedar ceilings showcase Marinid artistry.
Peek into the centuries-old Chouara Tanneries, where vats of natural dyes transform hides into supple leather. Then, lose yourself in souks filled with copperware, ceramics, and aromatic spices.
Spend the afternoon at leisure in the riad’s courtyard or explore the serene Jnan Sbil Gardens before enjoying dinner at a rooftop café with a view of the glowing medina.
Day 4: Fes → Rif Mountains → Chefchaouen → Fes (≈252 km; ~4 h)
Today, you will cross from the plains into the Rif Mountains, where winding roads will reveal olive groves and red-clay villages.
Arrive in Chefchaouen, known as the “Blue Pearl,” by late morning. Its alleys are awash in indigo and cobalt.
Stroll through Uta el-Hammam Square beneath the crenellated kasbah, and then sip mint tea on a rooftop overlooking the medina’s labyrinth of painted facades.
Hike to the Ras el-Ma spring, where cool mountain waters cascade through pines into shaded pools. After enjoying a simple, hearty lunch at a local eatery, browse hand-woven blankets and artisanal pottery.
As the afternoon light softens the town’s hues, return over mountain passes to Fes, arriving in time for a tranquil dinner at a riad.
Day 5: Fes → Ifrane → Azrou → Erfoud → Merzouga (≈460 km; ~7 h)
Depart early for the Middle Atlas and pause in Ifrane’s Alpine-style town square, nicknamed “Little Switzerland,” to admire the manicured parks and chalet-inspired architecture.
A short drive will take you to Azrou’s cedar forest, where Barbary macaques play among the ancient trees.
Continue through Midelt’s apple orchards before descending into the Ziz Valley’s ribbon of date palm oases.
In Erfoud, the “fossil capital,” tour marble workshops that craft 400-million-year-old relics into elegant keepsakes.
By late afternoon, you will arrive at Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi dunes. Here, you will mount your camel for a golden-hour trek to a Berber desert camp where a starlit feast and peaceful silence await.
Day 6: Merzouga → Berber Family Visit → Merzouga (≈45 km)
At dawn, you will awaken to the soft glow of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Then, you will return to camp for a hearty Berber breakfast beneath swaying palms.
In the middle of the morning, a short 4×4 excursion will bring you to a nearby Berber village. There, welcoming hosts will offer you mint tea in the shade of a traditional tent, giving you an intimate window into desert traditions and daily life.
Learn how families use goat hair to weave sturdy tents and hear stories about the trans-Saharan trade routes that once passed nearby.
Next, visit the seasonal Dayet Srij (Flamingo Lake), where pink flamingos and native ducks gather in the brackish waters following autumn rains.
Pause on its pebbled shore to photograph their mirrored reflections against the dunes. Back at camp, you have the option of going sandboarding or simply soaking in the vast silence before gathering as the sun dips low and paints the sky apricot and rose.
Enjoy a second night in your desert camp with a communal dinner and stories around the fire under a deep blue sky.
Day 7: Merzouga → Rissani → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley (≈255 km; ~4 h)
After having breakfast in the dunes, drive south to Rissani, a bustling market town that was once the capital of the Tafilalet region.
There, you will find souks brimming with spices, dates, and leather goods, as well as lively bartering.
From there, your journey continues west into the High Atlas Mountains. You will reach the Todgha (Todra) Gorge, a limestone canyon carved by the Todgha River over millennia.
Disembark for a 30-minute walk along the narrow gorge, which is flanked by 300-meter-high cliffs that glow golden in the afternoon light.
Continuing toward the Dades Valley, you follow the “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs,” with each mudbrick fortress perched like a sentinel on the red-clay cliffs.
In the Tamlalt Valley, pause to marvel at the “Monkey Fingers” rock formations—wind-sculpted spires rising from the ochre soil.
As dusk approaches, you settle into a cliffside riad overlooking the valley. Its terraced gardens are alive with the scents of almond and poplar trees.
Enjoy dinner with panoramic views of the gorge as the stars begin to sparkle above the silent peaks.
Day 8: Dades Valley → Skoura → High Atlas → Marrakech (≈326 km; ~5 h)
The morning light reveals the Dades River winding through lush palm groves below your riad’s terrace.
After breakfast, journey south to the Skoura Oasis, where verdant date palms and rose gardens surround the imposing Kasbah Amridil, which was photographed for films like Lawrence of Arabia.
Leaving the oasis, you ascend the Tizi N’Tichka Pass (7,413 ft), which has hairpin turns and sweeping vistas of the High Atlas Mountains.
You will pause at a mountain village to enjoy fresh mountain butter tea and local breads.
As the road descends toward Marrakech, the red-clay walls of the “Ochre City” appear on the horizon. Arriving in the late afternoon, you check into a riad within the medina and have time to wander the labyrinthine streets and explore spice stalls and lantern-lit souks.
In the evening, you find yourself in Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakech’s legendary square, where storytellers, musicians, and sizzling food stalls come together to create a sensory tapestry beneath the Koutoubia minaret.
Day 9: Marrakech Sightseeing with Local Guide
Meet your local guide at sunrise outside of the Bab Jemaa el-Fnaa gate to explore Marrakech’s imperial heritage.
The first stop is the Bahia Palace, whose marbled courtyards and carved cedar ceilings exude 19th-century opulence.
It was built for the grand vizier, Ba Ahmed. As you wander past bejeweled arcades, you will learn about the palace’s expansion by Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz’s court.
Next, the Saadian Tombs beckon you with their finely inlaid mausoleums, hidden behind groves of date palms.
After a break for mint tea, you stroll through the Medersa Ben Youssef, once the largest theological college in North Africa. You admire its intricate stucco and zellij tilework.
Have lunch on a rooftop terrace overlooking the medina’s terracotta rooftops. In the afternoon, explore the Majorelle Garden, famous for its vibrant blue villa and exotic plant collections.
Then, return to your riad for a moment of respite before venturing into Jemaa el-Fnaa in the evening to enjoy its food stalls and cultural performances.
Day 10: Marrakech → Ouzoud Waterfalls → Marrakech (≈156 km; ~2 h)
An early departure will take you northeast to the Ouzoud Waterfalls, Morocco’s tallest at 110 meters.
The falls plunge through terraced olive groves. A riverside path leads to panoramic viewpoints, and you can hike down stone steps to feel the mist on your face.
You may encounter playful Barbary macaques along the way. Enjoy a picnic lunch by the water’s edge with views of rainbows arching through the falls’ spray.
Then, you climb back to the clifftop café for mint tea and more views before returning to Marrakech in the afternoon.
You have the rest of the day free for last-minute souk shopping or a spa experience at your riad’s hammam.
Day 11: Marrakech → Essaouira (≈191 km; ~2 h 30 m)
This morning, drive west to the Atlantic coast and the fortified port city of Essaouira, arriving by late morning.
Walk along the 18th-century ramparts overlooking the harbor and spot the gnarled fishing boats bobbing in the turquoise waters below.
In the medina, whitewashed walls trimmed in cobalt blue lead to artisan workshops where craftsmen create Thuya wood wares and silver jewelry.
Have lunch at a seaside stall and sample the day’s fresh catch, grilled over charcoal. Afternoon highlights include the Scala Bastion and the bustling fish market, where seabirds circle overhead.
As the afternoon breeze picks up, you can stroll along the wide, sandy beach or watch windsurfers skim the waves.
In the evening, enjoy a rooftop sunset over the city’s blue roofs and look forward to a peaceful night by the coast.
Day 12: Essaouira → Marrakech Menara Airport (≈177 km; ~2 h 30 m)
On your final morning, enjoy a seaside breakfast of freshly baked msemen pancakes with local honey.
After one last walk along the ancient ramparts, your private transfer departs for Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), covering 177 kilometers in about two and a half hours on the coastal highway.
Along the way, you will pass argan groves where goats climb tree branches in search of fruit.
With ample time for check-in upon arrival at RAK, you reflect on twelve days of imperial cities, mountain passes, desert dreams, and coastal breezes—a journey that revealed Morocco’s many faces in vivid detail.
Included in the Tour
- 4×4 desert excursions.
- Private, air-conditioned 4×4 transport with an experienced driver-guide
- Two camel treks in Erg Chebbi
- Fossil workshop visit in Erfoud.
- Airport/riad pickup in Fes
- Camel trek into Erg Chebbi dunes
- English-speaking driver-guide
- Private air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan.
Not Included
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Lunches
- Drinks
Tour Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to bring a sleeping bag for the desert?
No need! The desert camp provides clean bedding and warm blankets, even in winter.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations?
Many nationalities travel visa-free to Morocco for up to 90 days; check your country’s requirements. Routine vaccines (tetanus, hepatitis A) are recommended.
What happens to your luggage when you ride a camel?
Your luggage remains in the vehicle or is taken to camp while you ride camels with a small daypack.
How private is the tour, and can I customize it?
The tour is fully private—vehicle and guide are exclusively for you. You can add extra nights, detours, or special stops by requesting at least two weeks before departure.
What’s the difference between luxury and standard camps?
Luxury camps feature private ensuite tents with comfortable beds and showers. Standard camps offer traditional Berber tents with shared facilities. Both provide hearty meals and campfire evenings.
Can families with children join?
Yes. Camel rides are slow and safe for kids, and many camps welcome families. Let us know children’s ages so we can arrange suitable tents and camels.
Tour map
Good to Know
- You can expect to be picked up around 8:30 a.m.; your driver will confirm the exact time the afternoon before departure.
- All desert camps provide beds, mattresses and warm blankets - no sleeping bag required.
- Is this tour suitable for first-time visitors?
- Bring layers. Mountain mornings can be chilly, and desert days are hot.
- Carry Moroccan dirhams in small bills, as ATMs are available in major towns.
- Language: Learning a few words of Tamazight or Arabic greetings will help you connect with the locals.
- Dietary needs: Please inform us in advance if you require vegetarian or gluten-free options.
- Safety: The camel trek is gentle, but hold on tight when mounting or dismounting.
- Flexible schedule: Let your driver-guide know if you would like to make extra stops or take photo breaks.
Booking
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Important Note: Customize Your Tour
This tour is just a suggestion – if it doesn’t suit your style, feel free to contact us for a tailor-made Morocco adventure; prices depend on group size and choice of accommodation, with per-person prices decreasing as your group grows.
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