10-Day Morocco Tour from Fes: Sahara, Marrakech & Rabat
A full loop out of Fes — a day in the medina to start, the Sahara and the kasbah road, Marrakech, Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, and Rabat, back to Fes in ten days.
Overview
A full loop out of Fes — a day in the medina to start, the Sahara and the kasbah road, Marrakech, Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, and Rabat, back to Fes in ten days.
This is a 10 Days / 9 Nights private tour for your group only, starting with pickup from your accommodation in Fes and finishing back in Fes. You travel in a private vehicle with driver-guide, so the pace, stops and photo breaks are set around you.
Gallery
Highlights
- ✓A full day in Fes's UNESCO medina before the road trip begins
- ✓Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- ✓Walk Todra Gorge and drive the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs" to Ait Ben Haddou
- ✓A full day in Marrakech — Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and the Koutoubia
- ✓Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque and Rabat's Hassan Tower on the way back
Day-by-day itinerary
Fes medina
Before the road trip begins, we spend the day in the Fes el-Bali medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world — a maze of narrow lanes that's genuinely easy to get lost in without a guide. We take in the area around the Al Quaraouiyine University, founded in the 9th century and considered one of the oldest continuously operating universities anywhere, and the Bou Inania Madrasa, a 14th-century Islamic college known for its carved cedar, zellige tilework, and marble. The night is spent in a traditional riad — a Moroccan house built around an interior courtyard, usually converted into a small guesthouse.
Fes to Merzouga
We cross the Middle Atlas through Berber villages and cedar forest, watching for Barbary macaques along the way, before descending into the Ziz Valley's palm groves en route to Merzouga. Camels take over for the final stretch — a roughly hour-long ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes, timed for sunset — followed by dinner and an overnight stay in a Berber-style desert camp. It gets noticeably cold after dark, so a warm layer is worth packing even after a hot day.
A day in the Sahara
With a full day here, there's time to properly explore the dunes around camp and visit Khamlia village to hear its resident Gnawa musicians — a spiritual music tradition with roots in West Africa, brought along historic trans-Saharan trade routes. It's a relaxed day compared to the driving days on either side of it. The night is at a riad in Merzouga, or back at the desert camp if you prefer.
Merzouga to Dades Valley
We walk part of Todra Gorge, where canyon walls rise roughly 300 meters above a river-fed valley floor, before continuing to the Dades Valley — known for its dramatic eroded rock formations and old kasbahs built to guard the valley's harvests.
Dades Valley to Ait Ben Haddou
We follow the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs" — the valley route lined with fortified earthen structures — to Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco's most recognizable ksar and a UNESCO World Heritage Site used in numerous film and TV productions. It sits on a hillside above the Ounila River with narrow lanes and uneven stone paths, worth 45-60 minutes on foot.
Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakech
We cross the High Atlas at the Tizi n'Tichka pass, a switchback road above 2,000 meters, before arriving in Marrakech in time for an evening at Jemaa el-Fna — the city's main square, which shifts from a daytime market into food stalls, musicians, and storytellers after dark.
Marrakech sightseeing
A guided day covers the Bahia Palace, a 19th-century palace known for its carved cedar ceilings and tiled courtyards; the Saadian Tombs, a royal necropolis sealed for decades before being rediscovered in the 20th century; and the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech's largest, whose minaret has served as a model for other structures in the region.
Marrakech to Casablanca
We drive north to Casablanca, Morocco's largest city, to visit the Hassan II Mosque — one of the largest mosques in the world and one of the few in the country open to non-Muslim visitors, with a minaret roughly 200 meters tall and a guided tour available outside prayer times.
Casablanca to Fes via Rabat
We stop in Rabat, Morocco's capital, to see the Hassan Tower — the unfinished minaret of a 12th-century mosque project — and the grounds around the Royal Palace, before continuing to Fes.
Depart Fes
A final free morning for any last-minute shopping in the medina — leather goods, ceramics, and spices are common picks — before departure.
Want to change the pace or add a night?
Every tour is private and can be adjusted. Send us your dates and group size.
✓ Included
- ✓Pick-up in Fes and drop-off in Fes
- ✓Private trip — your group only
- ✓Private transportation in an air-conditioned, comfortable vehicle
- ✓Fuel and all vehicle expenses
- ✓Private English-speaking, well-experienced driver-guide for the whole trip
- ✓9 nights accommodation (riads, hotels, and desert camp)
- ✓1 night desert camp near Merzouga, including camel trek
- ✓Breakfast every morning at your hotel, riad or desert camp
- ✓4 dinners — 2 in Merzouga, 1 in the Dades Valley and 1 in Ait Ben Haddou
- ✓Guided sightseeing in Fes and Marrakech
- ✓Sandboarding at the desert camp (optional)
- ✓Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or riad every day
✕ Not included
- ✕Lunches, and dinners in Fes, Marrakech and Casablanca
- ✕Entrance fees to monuments, palaces, and mosques
- ✕Tips and personal expenses
- ✕Travel insurance
Route map
Frequently asked questions
Is there a shorter version of this loop?
Yes — our 4-day Fes-to-Merzouga desert trip covers the Sahara portion alone if you don't need the full imperial-cities loop.
How much driving is involved each day?
Most days run 3 to 6 hours on the road with regular stops — it's an active itinerary, but never a single marathon driving day.
Is this a private tour?
Yes, fully private throughout — your own vehicle, driver-guide, and pace for the whole 10 days, ending back where you started in Fes.
Is the camel trek and desert camp included?
Yes — one night at a Berber-style desert camp near Merzouga with a sunset camel trek in, plus a full free day in the Sahara on day 3.
Can non-Muslim visitors enter the Hassan II Mosque?
Yes — it's one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, with guided tours run outside prayer times.
Is a local guide included for the Fes and Marrakech sightseeing?
Yes — day 1 in the Fes medina and day 7 in Marrakech are both guided, which matters most in Fes el-Bali's maze of lanes.
Is this trip suitable for older travelers or families?
It's a full 10 days covering four cities and the desert, so the things worth flagging when booking are stamina for consecutive travel days and comfort with uneven medina and kasbah paths. The pace itself is moderate, not rushed.
What should we pack for a route through cities, mountains, and the Sahara?
Layers for the swing between coastal Casablanca and Rabat and the cold desert nights, modest clothing for the Hassan II Mosque, and comfortable shoes for the medinas and Ait Ben Haddou.
Are entrance fees to palaces and monuments included?
No — entrance fees to monuments, palaces, and mosques are excluded throughout and paid on-site.
Customize your journey with Through Morocco
Want to add a day, skip a stop, or travel at a different pace? This itinerary is a starting point — tell us what you have in mind and we'll adjust the route.
Have a question?
We're here to help you plan your Morocco trip. Send us a message and our team will reply with availability, pricing, or a personalized itinerary just for you.
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8-Day Morocco Tour from Fes: Imperial Cities, Rabat & the Sahara
The full northern loop before the desert — Meknes and Volubilis, Rabat, Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, and a full Marrakech sightseeing day, then south through the Sahara and back up to Fes.
- Roman ruins at Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes
- Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas and Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque
- A full guided day in Marrakech — Jemaa el-Fna, Majorelle Garden, Bahia Palace
- Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n'Tichka and visit Telouet Kasbah and Ait Ben Haddou
7-Day Fes to Marrakech Tour: Medina, Sahara & Kasbahs
A one-way route from Fes to Marrakech that swaps backtracking for forward motion — Middle Atlas cedar forests, a night in the Merzouga dunes, and the kasbah road south, ending in Marrakech.
- Guided walk through the Fes medina and tanneries
- Drive the Middle Atlas cedar forests toward the desert
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- Cross the Dades Gorge and Tizi n'Tichka pass
6-Day Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech
A slower Fes-to-Marrakech desert route with a genuine rest day in Midelt built into the drive south, plus a full day exploring around Merzouga before the Dades Valley and Ait Ben Haddou.
- Middle Atlas cedar forest and Barbary macaques near Azrou
- A full day in Merzouga — Khamlia village, Gnawa music, and a nomadic family visit
- Walk Todra Gorge's 300-meter canyon walls
- Drive the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs" through the Dades Valley
4-Day Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech
The Fes-to-Marrakech desert crossing with an extra day built around Merzouga — Barbary macaques in the Azrou cedar forest, a full day in the dunes, and Ait Ben Haddou on the way in.
- Spot Barbary macaques in the Azrou cedar forest
- Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes for an overnight camp
- A full day around Merzouga — Khamlia village and a nomadic family visit
- Walk Todra Gorge and drive the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs"