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…
Overview
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.
This is a 8 Days / 7 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 4x4 or minivan with driver-guide, so the pace, stops and photo breaks are set around you.
Who this tour suits
This tour suits first-time visitors with about a week who want both sides of Morocco: the imperial cities and the Sahara. You start and finish in Casablanca, so there is no one-way flight to arrange.
Two days are long drives, Fes to Merzouga (about 8 hours) and the Dades Valley to Marrakech (about 6 hours), broken up with regular stops. Two days have no long drive at all: the guided day in the Fes medina and the day in Marrakech.
Why this route
In eight days you see Rabat, the Fes medina with a local guide, two nights near Merzouga (the first in a desert camp after a sunset camel ride), the Todra and Dades gorges, Ait Ben Haddou and a full day in Marrakech. It is our shortest tour from Casablanca, and it still gives the Sahara two nights instead of one.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| This tour (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 |
| 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
- ✓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
- ✓The Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
- ✓Two nights in the Sahara — a desert camp under the dunes, then a riad in Merzouga
- ✓Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas
- ✓A full Marrakech sightseeing day
Day-by-day itinerary
Casablanca to Fes via Rabat
Pickup in Casablanca and a stop at the Hassan II Mosque — one of the largest mosques in the world and one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors. We continue up the coast to Rabat for the Kasbah of the Udayas, a fortified old quarter overlooking the Atlantic, and the Hassan Tower, the unfinished 12th-century minaret, before driving inland to Fes for the night.
Fes medina
A full day in the Fes el-Bali medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. We take in the Royal Palace gates, the area around Al-Qarawiyyin University — founded in the 9th century and considered one of the oldest continuously operating universities anywhere — the tomb of Moulay Idriss II, and the Chouara tanneries, where hides are still dyed by hand in stone vats.
Fes to Merzouga via the Middle Atlas
We climb into the Middle Atlas through Ifrane, a hill town built in a European chalet style, and the Azrou cedar forest, home to Barbary macaques often seen roadside. The road then drops through Midelt and the palm-lined Ziz Valley to Merzouga, at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. In the late afternoon, camels take over for the ride into the dunes at sunset. Dinner and the night are at a desert camp.
A day in the Sahara around Merzouga
Sunrise over the dunes and breakfast at camp, then a slower day in the desert around Merzouga, with time to explore the villages and landscapes at the edge of Erg Chebbi with your driver-guide. Dinner and the night are at a riad in Merzouga, or back at the desert camp if you prefer.
Merzouga to the Dades Valley via the Todra Gorge
An early start to watch the sunrise over the dunes before riding back out and driving west. We stop at the Todra Gorge, where the canyon walls narrow to a few metres apart and rise around 300 metres overhead, then continue to the Dades Valley for dinner and the night.
Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou
We follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through Kelaat M'Gouna, known for its rose valley, and Skoura's palm oasis to Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco's best-known ksar (fortified earthen village) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a walk through its lanes. We then cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, above 2,000 metres, arriving in Marrakech in the evening.
Marrakech sightseeing
A guided day around the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech's largest; the Majorelle Garden, a landscaped garden in vivid cobalt blue once owned by Yves Saint Laurent; the Bahia Palace, known for its carved cedar ceilings; the souks; and Jemaa el-Fna, the main square that shifts from daytime market to evening food stalls and performers.
Marrakech to Casablanca
Breakfast, then the drive back north to Casablanca for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.
Where you stay
| Night | Day | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casablanca to Fes via Rabat | Riad Ahlam or similar |
| 2 | Fes medina | Riad Ahlam or similar |
| 3 | Fes to Merzouga via the Middle Atlas | Luxury Desert Camp, Merzouga |
| 4 | A day in the Sahara around Merzouga | Riad Azawad or similar, Merzouga (or the Luxury Desert Camp if you prefer) |
| 5 | Merzouga to the Dades Valley via the Todra Gorge | Riad Dades Paradise or Riad Sahara Stars |
| 6 | Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou | Riad Nesma Suites & Spa or similar |
| 7 | Marrakech sightseeing | Riad Nesma Suites & Spa 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 and drop-off in Casablanca
- ✓Private trip — your group only
- ✓Private transportation in an air-conditioned, comfortable vehicle (van or 4WD SUV)
- ✓Fuel and all vehicle expenses
- ✓Private English-speaking, well-experienced driver-guide for the whole trip
- ✓5 nights hotel/riad accommodation (Fes, Merzouga, Dades Valley, Marrakech)
- ✓1 night desert camp near Merzouga, including camel trek
- ✓Breakfast every morning at your hotel, riad or desert camp
- ✓3 dinners — 2 in Merzouga and 1 in the Dades Valley
- ✓Local guide for the Fes medina day
- ✓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 and Marrakech
- ✕Drinks and bottled water
- ✕Entrance fees to mosques, palaces, kasbahs and monuments
- ✕Tips and personal expenses
Route map
Frequently asked questions
Does this tour go into the Sahara?
Yes — you spend two nights in the Sahara near Merzouga: the first in a desert camp after a camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, with the sunrise over the dunes the next morning, and the second in a riad in Merzouga, or back at the camp if you prefer.
Is the Hassan II Mosque tour included or extra?
The exterior visit and orientation stop is part of the itinerary; a guided interior tour can be added on request, subject to prayer-time closures.
Is this a private tour?
Yes, fully private throughout — your own vehicle, driver-guide, and pace for all 8 days, ending back in Casablanca.
Which is the longest driving day?
Day 3 (Fes to Merzouga) and day 6 (Dades Valley to Marrakech) are the longest — most of the day on the road, broken up with regular stops: Ifrane, the cedar forest and the Ziz Valley on day 3, and the kasbahs, Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass on day 6. Day 4 in the desert is deliberately slower.
Is a local guide included for the Fes medina?
Yes — day 2 is a full guided day in Fes el-Bali, which matters given how easy it is to get lost in the medina's lanes without one.
What should we pack?
Layers for the Middle Atlas and the desert, where nights can be cold even after a hot day, modest clothing for the Hassan II Mosque visit, sunglasses and a scarf for the dunes, and comfortable shoes for the medinas and the Todra Gorge.
Are entrance fees and meals included?
Breakfast is included every morning, plus 3 dinners: at the desert camp, at the riad in Merzouga, and in the Dades Valley. Lunches, dinners in Fes and Marrakech, drinks and entrance fees are not included.
What does the 8-day tour from Casablanca cover?
Day 1 drives from Casablanca to Fes via Rabat, day 2 is a guided day in the Fes medina and day 3 crosses the Middle Atlas to Merzouga. Day 4 is spent in the Sahara, day 5 goes through the Todra Gorge to the Dades Valley, day 6 continues via Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakech, day 7 is Marrakech sightseeing and day 8 returns to Casablanca.
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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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.
- 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
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 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
8-Day Tangier Morocco Tour: Chefchaouen, Fes & the Sahara
A tighter week-long loop out of Tangier than our longer tours — the north, the Sahara, and Marrakech, with an airport transfer built into the final day.
- Chefchaouen's blue-washed lanes in the Rif mountains
- Roman ruins at Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes
- A guided day in the Fes medina, including its historic tanneries
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes