Itinerary
- Day 1
Tangier to Chefchaouen
You'll land in Tangier and have choices to make right away. The medina is there if you want to start exploring immediately, or you can relax at Zoco Chico square and get your bearings. Most people head straight to Chefchaouen though, which means driving into the Rif Mountains. On the way, there's a stop at Cascades d'Akchour where you can hike out to see the waterfalls if you're up for it. Once in Chefchaouen, the blue-painted streets are narrow and easy to get lost in, which is actually half the fun. Plaza Outa el Hammam is the main square where locals gather. The kasbah has gardens worth checking out, and if timing works, you can climb up to rooftops for views or hike to the abandoned Spanish Mosque to catch the sunset over the Blue City.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to Cascades d'Akchour (Waterfalls of Akchour)
- Explore Chefchaouen medina
- Kasbah tour including garden and museum
Optional Activities
- Visit medina in Tangier
- Café in Zoco Chico square
- Paseo along Tangier promenade
- Climb to Hotel Atlas rooftop for panoramic views
- Hike to abandoned Spanish Mosque at sunset
Landmarks/POIs Zoco Chico Cascades d'Akchour Plaza Outa el Hammam Grand Mosque of Chefchaouen Kasbah of Chefchaouen Ras el Ma Spring Spanish Mosque - Day 2
Volubilis - Meknes - Fes
Early morning light in Chefchaouen's empty streets is worth photographing before you head out toward Fes. The drive takes you through Volubilis, where Roman ruins sit on a hilltop, and you'll see merchant homes with heating systems still intact, temples, and mosaics from centuries back. After that, you stop in Meknes to see Bab al-Mansour gate and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. The Royal Stables are there too if you want to walk through them. From Meknes, the road climbs toward Fes, and stopping near the Merenid Tombs at dusk gives you good views of the city spreading out below. You'll settle into a riad for dinner once you arrive.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Volubilis Roman ruins
- Visit Bab al-Mansour gate in Meknes
- Visit Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
- View Merenid Tombs
Optional Activities
- Visit Royal Stables in Meknes
- Explore Ville Impériale in Meknes
- Explore Meknes medina
Landmarks/POIs Volubilis Bab al-Mansour Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail Royal Stables of Meknes Merenid Tombs - Day 3
Fes
This day focuses on Fes el Bali, the medieval medina at the city's heart, and you'll have a local guide which really helps navigate the maze. Starting at Bab Boujeloud gate, you walk down Talaa Kebira past souks selling everything from metalwork to spices. The Chouara Tannery is the main event here, where you can see the 11th-century dye pots from above. Climbing to shop rooftops gives you better views of the leather workers doing their thing below. Later, you head to the Al-Qarawiyyin Library and Mosque, which dates back to 859 CE and ranks among the world's oldest functioning libraries. It's a lot of walking, but moving at a slower pace with your guide makes it manageable.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Fes el Bali medina
- Explore souks and shops
- Visit Chouara Tannery
- Visit Al-Qarawiyyin Library and Mosque
Optional Activities
- Climb rooftop of leather shop for tannery views
Landmarks/POIs Bab Boujeloud Talâa Kebira Chouara Tannery Al-Qarawiyyin Library and Mosque - Day 4
Fes
Morning starts at the Batha Museum, a 19th-century palace filled with traditional Moroccan arts, tilework, and pottery. The Andalusian-style gardens there are peaceful if you need a break from walking. From there, you walk toward the Mellah for views across the city, then continue into Ville Nouvelle where the architecture shifts completely to modern French-influenced buildings. A ceramics and tile collective is next, where you'll watch artisans shaping clay and painting designs, and see tile masters creating those intricate mosaics by hand. Later, you spend time relaxing in Jnan Sbil gardens with fountains and a small lake, which is a nice way to wind down after a full day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Batha Museum
- Explore Mellah (old Jewish quarter and cemetery)
- Tour ceramics and tile collective
- Relax in Jnan Sbil (Bou Jeloud Gardens)
Optional Activities
- Explore Ville Nouvelle
- Watch tile masters at work
Landmarks/POIs Batha Museum Mellah Jnan Sbil (Bou Jeloud Gardens) - Day 5
Fes to Merzouga
Travel south toward Merzouga means climbing over Col du Zad pass through cedar forests, and if you're lucky, you'll spot Barbary Macaque monkeys hanging around. Midelt is where you stop for lunch before pushing over Tizi n'Talremt pass into the Ziz Valley. The landscape shifts to palm clusters and hidden oases, and you'll pass fortified ksars built to protect trade goods. Erfoud is next, a town known for dates and fossil mining. By afternoon, you reach Erg Chebbi's massive sand dunes. You'll ride a camel through the dunes to your desert camp, climb up a dune to watch the sunset, then return for dinner around the campfire.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Delicious dinner at desert camp)
Included Activities
- Hike through cedar forests of Middle Atlas
- View fortified ksars
- Visit Erfoud fossil mining collective
- Camel ride through Erg Chebbi dunes
- Watch sunset from sand dune
- Dinner at desert camp
Optional Activities
- Stop for lunch in Midelt
Landmarks/POIs Col du Zad Moulouya River Tizi n'Talremt Pass Ziz Valley Erfoud Erg Chebbi - Day 6
Todra Gorge - Ouarzazate
The dunes look completely different at sunrise, so watching that happens first. If you want to try sandboarding, rentals are available right there. After leaving the dunes, you visit Khemliya, a traditional Saharan village with residents originally from Mali. Then comes Rissani, a market town where the livestock auction is happening and there's an actual donkey parking area, which is more functional than it sounds. Tinerhir is your next stop, followed by the Todra Gorge, where 984-foot walls rise around you and the Todra River runs shallow enough to wade through. The drive west takes you through Boumalne Dades and the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, past Kela'a M'gouna with its rose bushes, and finally to Ouarzazate for a studio tour showing how films get made in Morocco.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sandboard rental at Erg Chebbi
- Visit Khemliya traditional village
- Explore Todra Gorge
- Relax in Todra River
- Travel through Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs
- Studio tour in Ouarzazate
Optional Activities
- Experience Rissani livestock auction
- Visit Kela'a M'gouna farmland and rose bushes
Landmarks/POIs Khemliya Rissani Todra Gorge Todra River Boumalne Dades Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs Kela'a M'gouna - Day 7
Aït Benhaddou - Marrakech
Early morning means heading to Ait Benhaddou, Morocco's most famous kasbah and a UNESCO site dating back to around the 11th century when it was an important trade route stop. The narrow streets and passageways of this mud-brick settlement take time to explore properly. After that, you drive the winding road over the High Atlas mountains with Mount Toubkal visible in the distance. Stopping near Tizi n'Tichka Pass gives you panoramic mountain views. An Argan Oil Cooperative in Taddert shows how the oil gets produced before you descend into Marrakech. Once settled at your hotel, you head to Jemaa el-Fna square and see the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque with its 253-foot minaret and surrounding gardens. The evening involves wandering the square watching musicians, performers, snake charmers, and the constant activity around the food stalls.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Aït Benhaddou medina
- Visit Argan Oil Cooperative
- View Koutoubia Mosque and gardens
Optional Activities
- Stroll in Koutoubia Mosque gardens at sunset
- Eat or café at Jemaa el-Fna square
Landmarks/POIs Aït Benhaddou Mount Toubkal Tizi n'Tichka Pass Jemaa el-Fna Koutoubia Mosque - Day 8
Marrakech
A calèche, which is a horse-drawn carriage, takes you through Marrakech's medina so you can see the medieval fondouks, old merchant inns now converted to homes or shops. The souks are tucked behind restaurants and ordinary doorways, so having someone who knows the way helps. Souk el Attarin focuses on spices, Souk Chouari has woodwork, Souk Smata sells babouche (traditional slippers), and Souk des Tenturier is where you can watch traditional cloth dyeing happen. Ben Youssef Madrasa is a 16th-century Koranic school with fine Islamic architecture, ornate interiors, carved cedar ceilings, sculpted plaster, and zellij tilework that takes time to appreciate properly.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Calèche (horse-drawn carriage) tour of medina
- Explore souks: Souk el Attarin, Souk Chouari, Souk Smata
- Visit Souk des Tenturier
- Visit Ben Youssef Madrasa
Optional Activities
- Explore fondouks converted to residences or shopping areas
Landmarks/POIs Souk el Attarin Souk Chouari Souk Smata Souk des Tenturier Ben Youssef Madrasa - Day 9
Casablanca
The kasbah area south of Jemaa el-Fna is where you start, visiting the Saadian Tombs to see 500-year-old craftsmanship and the sunken gardens of El Badi Palace with its 17th-century architecture. Walking through the mellah leads to the 19th-century Bahia Palace. If you want to see clothing, antiques, jewelry, and carved cedar displays, the Dar Di Said Museum covers that. Later, you drive north along the Atlantic coast to Casablanca, Morocco's modern commercial hub. Walking along Boulevard de la Corniche beach promenade toward the Hassan II Mosque means seeing the 690-foot minaret, the world's tallest. The sunset behind this architectural feature is worth timing right. Dinner at Rick's Café, which recreates the classic Casablanca film, wraps up the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Saadian Tombs
- Explore El Badi Palace sunken gardens
- Visit Bahia Palace
- Stroll Boulevard de la Corniche
- View Hassan II Mosque exterior
Optional Activities
- Visit Dar Di Said Museum
- Dinner at Rick's Café
Landmarks/POIs Saadian Tombs El Badi Palace Bahia Palace Dar Di Said Museum Boulevard de la Corniche Hassan II Mosque Rick's Café - Day 10
Casablanca
Your final morning involves exploring the Hassan II Mosque in its oceanside location. A guided tour shows you the hand-carved stone and wood, intricate marble floor detailing, and gilded ceilings up close. After that, you head to the airport for your return flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Morning tour of Hassan II Mosque interior
Landmarks/POIs Hassan II Mosque
