14-Day Morocco Grand Tour from Casablanca

Highlights

• Hassan II Mosque, Rabat and the medina of Fes with a guide
• Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis
• Azrou's cedar forest and a night in Midelt
• Camel trek and a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes
• Todra Gorge, Dades Valley and Kasbah Amridil
• Saffron country around Taliouine and the walls of Taroudant
• Agadir, Essaouira and a guided tour of Marrakech

Photo gallery

1. Day 1

   Casablanca – Rabat

   We greet you at the airport and visit the Hassan II Mosque and the corniche in Casablanca, then drive to Rabat to see the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas before checking in to a riad in the medina.

   Overnight:

   Riad in the Rabat medina

2. Day 2

   Rabat – Meknes – Volubilis – Fes

   Drive to Meknes, the city of Moulay Ismail, to see Bab Mansour, the Sahrij Souani basin and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. After lunch, explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis, where some original mosaics remain in very good condition, and continue to Fes via the foothills of the Rif.

   Overnight:

   Riad in the Fes medina

3. Day 3

   Guided tour of Fes

   With a guide, walk through the alleys of Fes — the Royal Palace gate, the Mellah, Al Quaraouiyine, the tanneries, the Attarine Madrasa and the Moulay Idriss mausoleum. After lunch, visit a tile cooperative and a panoramic viewpoint, and finish with a drink in the Ville Nouvelle.

   Overnight:

   Riad in Fes

4. Day 4

   Fes – Ifrane – Azrou – Midelt (about 200 km)

   Travel through the Middle Atlas to Ifrane, the "Switzerland of Morocco", and Azrou, a Berber town in the middle of the cedar forest where you can see Barbary macaques. Continue through the hills of the Atlas to Midelt.

   Overnight:

   Hotel in Midelt

5. Day 5

   Midelt – Errachidia – Ziz Valley – Merzouga (about 240 km)

   Cross the Tizi n'Talghemt pass and the Ziz Gorge, watching the landscape change as you near the desert. Lunch in Errachidia, then follow the Ziz Valley via Erfoud and Rissani to Merzouga, where mint tea awaits at your riad.

   Overnight:

   Riad in Merzouga

6. Day 6

   Merzouga – desert day and camel trek

   Explore the area — the Gnawa community and their music, the lake of Merzouga and its birdlife, and a nomad crafts house. In the afternoon, an experienced cameleer leads you into the dunes. Dinner in front of your tent and a night at the camp, which has flushing toilets.

   Overnight:

   Desert camp, Erg Chebbi

7. Day 7

   Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley

   A sunrise camel ride back to Merzouga across the Erg Chebbi dunes, then breakfast. Drive via Rissani and Tinghir to the Todra Gorge for lunch, then on through the Dades Valley, with its earthen kasbahs and "Monkey Toes" rock formations.

   Overnight:

   Hotel overlooking the Dades Valley

8. Day 8

   Dades Valley – Bouthrarar – Skoura – Ouarzazate

   Follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs towards Kelaat M'Gouna, the "Rose City", where you can buy rose water. Meet Berber nomads in the area, then continue to Skoura and visit Kasbah Amridil, with a walk in the valley and lunch overlooking it. In Ouarzazate, you can choose to visit the film studios.

   Overnight:

   Riad in Ouarzazate

9. Day 9

   Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Taliouine – Taroudant

   Visit Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then drive via Taznakht to Taliouine, the centre of Moroccan saffron production, with the option to visit a saffron cooperative (and, during the harvest, to see families picking saffron). In the afternoon, explore the ramparts and medina of Taroudant, often called "little Marrakech".

   Overnight:

   Hotel in Taroudant

10. Day 10

    Taroudant – Agadir – Essaouira

    Drive to Agadir for lunch and a walk along the seafront promenade, then follow the coast north through argan country — where goats famously climb the argan trees — to Essaouira.

    Overnight:

    Riad in Essaouira

11. Day 11

    Essaouira

    A guided tour of Essaouira — the Skala fortress, the port, the souks and the thuya-wood workshops, the Mellah and the beach. Known as the "city of the wind", Essaouira attracts wind- and kitesurfers, and hosts the Gnaoua World Music Festival each June. Lunch of fresh fish, cooked to order, and a free afternoon.

    Overnight:

    Riad in Essaouira

12. Day 12

    Essaouira – Marrakech

    Drive to Marrakech, stopping at a women's argan oil cooperative. After checking in, enjoy the evening at Jemaa el-Fna, with its musicians, storytellers and food stalls.

    Overnight:

    Riad or hotel in Marrakech

13. Day 13

    Exploring Marrakech

    Visit the Majorelle Garden, the Koutoubia, the Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, with lunch near the square and an afternoon in the souks and at your own pace.

    Overnight:

    Riad or hotel in Marrakech

14. Day 14

    Marrakech – Casablanca airport

    Transfer to Casablanca airport for your flight home.

Practical information

Tour type

Private tour with your own driver and vehicle

Starts

Casablanca airport

Ends

Transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca airport

Frequently asked questions