12-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca
The Casablanca loop that adds the Sahara — Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, a night in the Merzouga dunes, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech, an Ourika Valley day among Berber villages, and the Atlantic coast at Essaouira.
Overview
The Casablanca loop that adds the Sahara — Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, a night in the Merzouga dunes, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech, an Ourika Valley day among Berber villages, and the Atlantic coast at Essaouira.
This is a 12 Days / 11 Nights private tour for your group only, starting with pickup from your accommodation in Casablanca and finishing back in Casablanca. You travel in a private vehicle with driver-guide, so the pace, stops and photo breaks are set around you.
Who this itinerary suits
This itinerary suits travellers with almost two weeks who want the classic north-to-south loop at a comfortable pace, arriving and leaving through Casablanca. Most travel days are 3 to 6 hours. The one long day is Fes to Merzouga, about 8 hours.
The route at a glance
Casablanca (1 night), Chefchaouen (1), Fes (2), a desert camp near Merzouga (1), Ouarzazate (1), Marrakech (3, including a day trip to the Ourika Valley), Essaouira (1) and Casablanca (1).
Compared with the 8-day tour, you add Chefchaouen, the Ourika Valley and the Atlantic coast at Essaouira. Compared with the 15-day itinerary, you spend one night in the desert instead of two and skip the deep south.
8, 12 or 15 days from Casablanca?
All three tours start and end in Casablanca. Here is how they differ:
| Tour | Nights near Merzouga | Also visits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-day tour | 2 (desert camp, then riad or camp) | Rabat, Fes, Todra and Dades gorges, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech | A first trip of about a week |
| This tour (12-day itinerary) | 1 (desert camp) | Chefchaouen, Fes, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ourika Valley, Essaouira | Adding the blue city and the Atlantic coast |
| 15-day itinerary | 2 | Chefchaouen, Fes, Dades Valley, Ouarzazate, Taroudant, Essaouira, Marrakech | A slower trip that includes the south |
Gallery
Highlights
- ✓Chefchaouen's blue medina and Rabat's royal landmarks
- ✓A full day in the Fes medina
- ✓Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- ✓Todra and Dades Gorges, and UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou
- ✓An Ourika Valley day among Berber villages and waterfalls, then Essaouira
Day-by-day itinerary
Arrive Casablanca
Airport pickup and hotel check-in, with time to settle in after the flight.
Casablanca to Chefchaouen
We visit Rabat's Royal Palace grounds, the Hassan Tower — the unfinished 12th-century minaret that's one of the city's best-known landmarks — and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, before continuing north to Chefchaouen, known for its blue-washed medina lanes.
Chefchaouen to Fes
We visit Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco, and Meknes' medina and Bab el-Mansour gate, on the way to Fes.
Fes medina
A full day exploring the Fes el-Bali medina — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world — including the Chouara leather tanneries, the souks, and historic medersas known for their carved cedar and zellige tilework.
Fes to Merzouga
We climb into the Middle Atlas through Ifrane and the Azrou cedar forest, home to Barbary macaques, then drop toward the Sahara. Camels take the final stretch into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a sunset ride, followed by dinner and an overnight stay in a Berber-style desert camp.
Merzouga to Ouarzazate
An early climb for desert sunrise, then a stop in Rissani, the old trading town at the end of the historic caravan route from Timbuktu, and a walk along Todra Gorge, where canyon walls rise roughly 300 meters above the valley floor, before continuing to Ouarzazate.
Ouarzazate to Marrakech
We visit the Taourirt Kasbah, a 19th-century fortified residence once home to the powerful Glaoui family, and, on request, the Atlas Film Studios in what's sometimes called "the Hollywood of Morocco." From there we stop at Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed ksar used in numerous film productions, before crossing the High Atlas at the Tizi n'Tichka pass into Marrakech.
Marrakech sightseeing
A guided day around the Koutoubia, Marrakech's largest mosque; the Jardin Majorelle, a landscaped garden in vivid cobalt blue once owned by Yves Saint Laurent; the Saadian Tombs, a royal necropolis rediscovered after decades sealed off; and Jemaa el-Fna, the main square that turns into food stalls and performers by evening.
Ourika Valley day trip
A day among the Berber villages and waterfalls of the Ourika Valley, in the High Atlas foothills roughly an hour from Marrakech — a quieter, lower-key contrast to the city, usually including a short walk to a waterfall. We return to Marrakech for the night.
Marrakech to Essaouira
We drive to the coast, stopping at an argan oil cooperative along the way — the argan tree grows wild only in this part of Morocco, and the cooperatives are typically run by local women's groups — before reaching Essaouira.
Essaouira to Casablanca via the coast
A scenic coastal route back to Casablanca through Safi, known for its pottery, Oualidia, a lagoon town known for oysters, and El Jadida, with its Portuguese-built fortifications.
Departure
A free morning before the airport transfer.
Where you stay
| Night | Day | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Casablanca | Hôtel Club Val d'Anfa Casablanca or similar |
| 2 | Casablanca to Chefchaouen | Dar Echchaouen Maison d'hôtes & Riad or similar |
| 3 | Chefchaouen to Fes | Riad Ahlam or similar |
| 4 | Fes medina | Riad Ahlam or similar |
| 5 | Fes to Merzouga | Luxury Desert Camp, Merzouga |
| 6 | Merzouga to Ouarzazate | Dar Chamaa |
| 7 | Ouarzazate to Marrakech | Riad Nesma Suites & Spa or similar |
| 8 | Marrakech sightseeing | Riad Nesma Suites & Spa or similar |
| 9 | Ourika Valley day trip | Riad Nesma Suites & Spa or similar |
| 10 | Marrakech to Essaouira | Riad Mimouna |
| 11 | Essaouira to Casablanca via the coast | Hôtel Club Val d'Anfa Casablanca or similar |
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 Casablanca and drop-off in Casablanca
- ✓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
- ✓11 nights accommodation (hotels, riads, and desert camp)
- ✓1 night desert camp near Merzouga, including camel trek
- ✓Breakfast every morning at your hotel, riad or desert camp
- ✓3 dinners — 1 in Merzouga, 1 in Ouarzazate and 1 in Essaouira
- ✓Sunset and sunrise dune experiences
- ✓Sandboarding at the desert camp (optional)
- ✓Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or riad every day
✕ Not included
- ✕Lunches, and dinners in Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech
- ✕Drinks and bottled water
- ✕Entrance fees, including at the Atlas Film Studios
- ✕Tips for guides, drivers, and camp staff
Route map
Frequently asked questions
Can this route end in Marrakech instead of looping back to Casablanca?
Yes — tell us if you'd rather fly out of Marrakech and we'll drop the final coastal leg and end the itinerary there instead.
What is there to do in the Ourika Valley?
It's a half-day-to-full-day trip into Berber villages in the High Atlas foothills, usually including a walk to a waterfall — a lower-key add-on to the main Marrakech sightseeing day.
Is this a private tour?
Yes, fully private for all 12 days — your own vehicle, driver-guide, and pace throughout.
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 and sunrise the next morning.
Are entrance fees to the Atlas Film Studios included?
No — the film studios and other entrance fees are excluded and paid on-site if you'd like to visit them, an optional add-on to day 7.
Is a local guide included for the Fes medina?
Yes — day 4 is a full guided day through Fes el-Bali, including the tanneries and historic madrasas.
Is this trip suitable for older travelers or families?
It's a full 12 days across the north, the desert, and the coast, so stamina for consecutive travel days and comfort with medina and kasbah walking are the main considerations — mention ages or mobility needs when booking.
What should we pack for a route through the desert, mountains, and the Atlantic coast?
Layers throughout — hot desert days, cold desert nights, and a cooler, breezier Essaouira at the end. Comfortable shoes for the medinas and Ait Ben Haddou, and a scarf for the camel trek.
Are lunches and dinners included every day?
Breakfast is included daily; lunches and most dinners aren't, since they're usually taken at a restaurant of your choosing along the route.
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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15-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca
Our longest Casablanca itinerary — the same north-to-Sahara route as our 12-day tour, extended south through the saffron town of Taliouine and Taroudant to Agadir and Essaouira before looping back through Marrakech.
- Chefchaouen, Volubilis, and a full day in the Fes medina
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- The "Route of 1000 Kasbahs" through the Dades Valley to Ouarzazate
- Taliouine's saffron country and the walled town of Taroudant
8-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca
A week-long private loop from Casablanca that takes in both the imperial cities and the Sahara — Rabat and the Fes medina, the Middle Atlas cedar forests, two nights in the Sahara at Merzouga (the first in a desert camp, the second in a riad or back at camp), the Todra and Dades gorges, Ait Ben Haddou, and Marrakech, before returning to Casablanca.
- Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque and Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas
- A full guided day in the Fes el-Bali medina
- Ifrane and the Azrou cedar forest in the Middle Atlas
- Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset and a night in a desert camp
12-Day Morocco Tour from Tangier: Fes, Sahara & Coast
A full loop from Tangier through Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara, and the Atlantic coast, back to Tangier — for travelers who want to see the north, the desert, and the imperial cities in one trip.
- Explore the blue-washed lanes of Chefchaouen
- Guided walks in Fes and Meknes
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- Cross the High Atlas and visit Ait Ben Haddou
13-Day Morocco Tour from Tangier
The full Tangier loop with the coast built in — Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara, Marrakech, a day trip to Essaouira, and a run down to Casablanca and Rabat before circling back north.
- A day exploring Tangier itself — the Kasbah Museum, the medina, and the Caves of Hercules
- Chefchaouen's blue streets and the Roman ruins at Volubilis
- A guided walk through the Fes medina, including its madrasas and tanneries
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes, plus a Berber family visit