Itinerary
- Day 1
Marrakesh
You'll arrive at Menara International Airport where your private driver meets you for the transfer to your Marrakesh accommodation. If your flight gets in early, the day is yours to settle in and rest. If you're feeling up to it, there's optional exploring available including Bahia Palace from the 19th century with its gardens, the intricately decorated Saadian Tombs, and you can catch views of the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque. By evening, head over to Jemaa El Fna square where you'll find dinner options and live entertainment.
Optional Activities
- Visit Bahia Palace (19th-century palace with beautiful gardens)
- Explore Saadian Tombs (Italian Carrara marble with honeycomb plasterwork and gold accents)
- View Koutoubia Mosque from outside (largest mosque in town, built in 12th century)
- Visit Jemaa El Fna square for evening entertainment and dinner
Landmarks Bahia Palace Saadian Tombs Koutoubia Mosque Jemaa El Fna - Day 2
Marrakesh to Essaouira
You'll travel 3 hours to reach Essaouira, a coastal town famous for its surfing beaches. Along the way, stop at a local women's association that makes argan oil, and you might see goats actually climbing the argan trees. Once in Essaouira, walk through the impressive seawalls, explore the Old Medina, and check out the active fishing harbor. The well-preserved Jewish quarter shows how different communities lived together. You'll handle lunch and dinner on your own.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit local women's association for argan oil production
Optional Activities
- Stroll the seawalls of Essaouira
- Explore Old Medina area
- Visit the fishing harbor
- Tour the Jewish quarter
Landmarks Essaouira Seawalls Essaouira Old Medina Essaouira Fishing Harbor Essaouira Jewish Quarter - Day 3
Essaouira to Casablanca
Leave early and head to Casablanca following the coastal route with a few stops along the way. You'll pass through Safi, which has great surfing beaches, then stop in El Jadida to tour the Portuguese cistern and ramparts and visit the Church of the Assumption before grabbing lunch. After that, continue to Asilah, a town known for its artistic scene and a crumbling 16th-century medina. Once you reach Casablanca, check into your hotel and the evening is free.
- Meals
- Dinner
Optional Activities
- Tour Portuguese cistern in El Jadida
- Walk the ramparts in El Jadida
- Visit Church of the Assumption in El Jadida
- Explore Asilah's artistic medina
Landmarks Safi Portuguese Cistern El Jadida Ramparts Church of the Assumption Azemour - Day 4
Casablanca to Rabat
Start with a tour of Hassan II Mosque, a striking building with one of the world's tallest minarets and very detailed interior work. It's the only mosque open to public tours, so you'll get to see some of the finest Moroccan architecture. After lunch (on your own), head to Rabat, the capital. See Hassan Tower, a 12th-century minaret from a mosque that was never finished, and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V. You'll walk around and take in the Almohad Dynasty architecture and the surrounding red sandstone tower with its columns.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Hassan II Mosque
Optional Activities
- Visit Hassan Tower monument
Landmarks Hassan II Mosque Hassan Tower Mausoleum of Mohamed V - Day 5
Rabat to Tangier
After breakfast, travel to Tangier via the Atlantic Coast. You'll stop in Asilah, an old Portuguese colony town with clean beaches and Spanish-influenced architecture. Visit the unique Hercules Caves, which the Phoenicians supposedly helped create and which connect to Greek mythology. Arrive in Tangier, Morocco's northernmost city and the gateway to Europe by ferry toward Spain. Spend time exploring the diverse culture shaped by all the travelers who pass through, and the evening is yours to relax.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Asilah beaches and architecture
- Visit Hercules Caves with optional paid guide
Landmarks Asilah Hercules Caves - Day 6
Tangier to Chefchaouen
After breakfast, drive toward Chefchaouen, passing through Tetouan first, a beautiful town at the foot of the Rif Mountains. You'll tour Tetouan's ancient UNESCO World Heritage medina on your own, which has barely changed for centuries. Then continue to Chefchaouen, where you'll see blue walls, doors, and archways in soft pastels and deeper shades throughout. After settling into your riad, explore at your own pace or rest. Head to Outa el Hammam main square to watch people go by and wander the narrow streets to see how locals actually live.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Tour Tetouan's ancient medina (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Explore Chefchaouen's blue medina
- Visit Outa el Hammam square
Landmarks Tetouan Medina Chefchaouen Medina Outa el Hammam - Day 7
Chefchaouen
Wake early and watch the sunrise over the mountains from the Spanish mosque as Chefchaouen's blue buildings glow in the morning light. Use the quiet time before shops open at 10 am to walk around town. Take a guided hike in the Rif Mountains through cedar forests toward the Cascades d'Akchour waterfall, where you might see smaller falls and can take a refreshing dip depending on the weather. Check out God's Bridge, a natural rock formation you can reach via a steep path or see from the canyon. Return to Chefchaouen, visit the medina market for fresh fruit, and people-watch before dinner.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided hike in Rif Mountains to Cascades d'Akchour
Optional Activities
- Watch sunrise from Spanish mosque
- Hike to God's Bridge
- Explore medina and market
Landmarks Spanish Mosque Cascades d'Akchour God's Bridge - Day 8
Chefchaouen to Fes
Say goodbye to Chefchaouen with time for early morning exploring or a relaxed café breakfast at Place Outa el-Hammam. Head south to Fes, stopping at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins. You'll see merchant homes, temples, and mosaics at this complex. Continue to Moulay Idriss, a historic Islamic capital founded in 789 CE by Moulay Idriss, which has the only round minaret in Morocco. Stop in Meknes to explore its smaller medina, gardens, palaces, Bab al-Mansour gate, and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail at a relaxed pace. End in Fes, Morocco's first imperial city, and check into your riad in the medina.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Tour Volubilis Roman ruins (optional guided tour available)
- Explore Moulay Idriss
- Tour Meknes medina and Ville Impériale area
Landmarks Volubilis Moulay Idriss Meknes Medina Bab al-Mansour Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail Fes Medina - Day 9
Fes
After breakfast, meet your Fes-born guide for an exploration of the UNESCO-protected medina with its narrow alleyways and donkey-width roads. Your local guide shares hidden stories, quiet corners, and stories about daily life while showing you madrasas and palaces. You'll meet local artisans to learn about Moroccan crafts and the traditional methods used in tanneries and mosaic workshops. Return to your riad in the afternoon for some downtime, then head out for a guided visit to a traditional hammam (public bath) where you can relax and soak after a long day of walking.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided medina tour with local guide
- Visit tanneries and mosaic workshops
- Guided hammam (traditional public bath) visit
Landmarks Fes Medina - Day 10
Fes to Merzouga Desert Camp
Start early for an extensive journey to the Sahara Desert. You'll cross the Middle Atlas Mountains through Azrou's cedar forests with optional stops at Cèdre Gouraud Forest to possibly spot Barbary Macaque monkeys. Stop for lunch in Midelt, Morocco's 'Apple City' on a high desert plateau. Continue through dramatic mountain ranges, valleys, and canyon passes along the Ziz Valley, an ancient Saharan Trade Route. See fortified ksars and early sand dunes, plus ancient water-mining methods. Visit Erfoud's fossil market and artisan collectives. Near Merzouga, get ready for a camel ride to your desert camp, arriving just before sunset. Watch the colorful sunset and enjoy traditional Berber music by the fire under stars.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Berber music by the fire)
Included Activities
- Camel ride to desert camp
Optional Activities
- Stop at Cèdre Gouraud Forest to see Barbary Macaque monkeys
- Visit fossil artisan collective in Erfoud
Landmarks Azrou Cedar Forests Cèdre Gouraud Forest Midelt Ziz Valley Ziz Gorge Erfoud Erg Chebbi - Day 11
Merzouga to Ouarzazate
If you wake early, watch the sunrise over the sand dunes, then have breakfast at camp. Travel back across the desert to Merzouga to meet your driver. Stop in Rissani to explore a traditional market (especially if it's a market day) and see the 'donkey parking lot.' Continue through remote desert plains with great views of vast landscapes, high mountains, and plateaus. Pass forests of umbrella-shaped Acacias and visit fossil workshops in Alnif. Go through Dadès Gorge with its dramatic rusty red and mauve-striped mountains and irrigated oasis. Arrive in Ouarzazate and you can optionally tour Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous kasbah, or see it in the morning.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Explore traditional market in Rissani
- Visit fossil workshops in Alnif
- Guided tour of Aït Benhaddou kasbah (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landmarks Rissani Market Alnif Dadès Gorge Boumalne Dadès Aït Benhaddou - Day 12
Ouarzazate to Marrakesh
Cross the High Atlas Mountains separating Ouarzazate from Marrakesh. Wind up the dry desert slopes through the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, which offers incredible panoramic views at the summit and you can see Mount Toubkal, North Africa's highest mountain. Descend the north-facing slopes through deep river valleys with abundant almond and walnut orchards, experiencing a big change in climate and landscape. Arrive in vibrant Marrakesh and spend the rest of the afternoon at a relaxed pace. Optionally visit Jemaa el Fna main square for a final evening of musicians, performers, snake charmers, food stalls, and cafés.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit Jemaa el Fna square for final evening entertainment and farewell meal
Landmarks Tizi-n-Tichka Pass Mount Toubkal Jemaa el Fna - Day 13
Marrakesh
Depart Morocco from Marrakesh Menara International Airport. Depending on your flight time, you'll either travel to the airport after breakfast or have additional time to explore Marrakesh. Prepare your final goodbyes and take the memories of Morocco's lively culture, desert landscapes, and artisan traditions back home with you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
