Itinerary
- Day 1
Casablanca to Rabat
The airport transfer gets you to Casablanca where you'll head straight to Hassan II Mosque, which sits right on the Atlantic coastline and happens to be Africa's largest. From there it's on to Rabat for the night, where you're staying in a traditional riad. You'll have some time in the evening to walk around the medina and get your bearings before settling in.
Included Activities
- Visit Hassan II Mosque with guided tour
Optional Activities
- Wander through Rabat medina
Landmarks/POIs Hassan II Mosque - Day 2
Rabat to Chefchaouen
After a traditional Moroccan breakfast at your riad, the day focuses on Rabat's main sites. Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V are nearby, then you'll check out the ancient Chellah ruins before the drive south. The route takes you through mountains and scenic terrain heading toward Chefchaouen. By evening you're wandering the town's distinctive blue-painted streets and dropping into local cafes to get a feel for the place.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Traditional Moroccan breakfast at riad)
Included Activities
- Traditional Moroccan breakfast at riad
- Visit Hassan Tower
- Visit Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- Explore Chellah ancient ruins
Optional Activities
- Explore artisan shops in Chefchaouen
- Relax at local cafés
Landmarks/POIs Hassan Tower Mausoleum of Mohammed V Chellah - Day 3
Chefchaouen
This day is yours to explore Chefchaouen without a set schedule. The Plaza Uta el-Hammam is a good starting point with its cafes and shops, then you can drift through the blue and white alleys picking up artisan goods. The Kasbah Museum is worth a look if you're interested, or you could hike up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset views over the town. For something different, the Akchour Waterfalls are about an hour away if you're up for a nature walk.
Optional Activities
- Visit Plaza Uta el-Hammam
- Explore Chefchaouen Medina
- Shop at artisan shops
- Visit Kasbah Museum
- Hike to Spanish Mosque (approximately 30 minutes)
- Visit Akchour Waterfalls (approximately 1 hour journey)
Landmarks/POIs Plaza Uta el-Hammam Chefchaouen Medina Kasbah Grand Mosque Kasbah Museum Spanish Mosque Akchour Waterfalls - Day 4
Chefchaouen to Fes
After breakfast you're driving through farmland and the Rif Mountains to reach Volubilis, a UNESCO site with Roman ruins spread across the hillside with valley views in every direction. Moulay Idriss Zerhouni comes next, a town worth stopping in to see the central square. Then it's back into the mountains toward Fes, where you'll have Moroccan dinner and spend the night in a nice riad.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Moroccan dinner)
Included Activities
- Visit Volubilis Roman ruins
Optional Activities
- Hire local guide at Volubilis
- Explore Moulay Idriss Zerhouni central square and local crafts
Landmarks/POIs Volubilis Moulay Idriss Zerhouni - Day 5
Fes
Your guide takes you through Old Fes's complicated maze of alleys to see the historic architecture. The Bou Inania Medrassa has intricate tilework, and you'll visit the Kairaouine Mosque courtyard plus the university founded in 859, which is still operating today. The leather tanneries show how that craft still works the traditional way. By afternoon you're free to shop the medina or sit in a cafe however you like.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Fes El Bali (Old Fes)
- Visit Bou Inania Medrassa
- Visit Kairaouine Mosque courtyard
- Visit Kairaouine University
- Visit leather tanneries
Optional Activities
- Explore medina shops
- Relax at a café
Landmarks/POIs Fes El Bali Bou Inania Medrassa Kairaouine Mosque Kairaouine University - Day 6
Fes to Merzouga
Leaving Fes means heading through Ifrane with its alpine-style houses, then Azrou in cedar forests where Barbary apes live. The Middle Atlas Mountains take you through Timahdite to Midelt for lunch, known for apples. Later you cross into the Ziz Valley's palm groves and past traditional Ksars, stopping at Erfoud to see fossils before reaching the Merzouga dunes. Your first camel ride happens at sunset, then it's tea and settling into the desert camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Sumptuous Moroccan dinner)
Included Activities
- Camel ride to desert camp
- Climb dune for sunset viewing
- Welcome with traditional tea and biscuits
Optional Activities
- Explore fossil exhibits in Erfoud
Landmarks/POIs Ifrane Azrou Midelt Erfoud Erg Chebbi - Day 7
Erg Chebbi
After breakfast you're on a camel trek across Erg Chebbi's dunes with an experienced guide, breaking for lunch somewhere in the middle. The afternoon brings another three hours riding through the rolling sands before returning to camp for dinner under stars. If you prefer, there's a half-day 4x4 option visiting Khamlia village for Gnawa music, mint tea with nomadic families, and Berber drumming by the fire instead.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Freshly prepared lunch in the dunes), Dinner
Included Activities
- Camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes
- Lunch in the dunes
- Berber drumming and music around campfire
Optional Activities
- Half-day 4x4 desert excursion around Erg Chebbi
- Visit Khamlia village
- Traditional mint tea with nomadic families
Landmarks/POIs Erg Chebbi Khamlia - Day 8
Merzouga to Dades Valley
Before sunrise you're climbing to the dune crest to watch the Sahara light up. Back at camp for breakfast, then the journey heads toward Todra Gorges through Tinghir. You'll pause to see ancient khettaras, those underground water channels engineered centuries ago. The Todra Valley offers walks or guided hikes past palm groves and towering cliffs. Evening lands you in the Dades Valley at a guesthouse with Moroccan dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Warm Moroccan dinner)
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing from dunes
- Explore khettaras (underground water channels)
Optional Activities
- Leisurely walk along Todra Valley riverbanks
- Guided hike through Todra Gorge
Landmarks/POIs Todra Gorges Todra Valley Dades Valley - Day 9
Dades Valley to Skoura
Starting with breakfast and a quiet walk through Dades Valley's fertile land, you head off-the-beaten-path to Skoura Oasis on the scenic Boutaghar track. There you'll meet Berber nomads in cave dwellings and share mint tea hearing about their traditional life. The Valley of the Roses and cooperatives making natural cosmetics from petals come next, with lunch after. The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs is next, passing the restored Kasbah Amridil before reaching your guesthouse in Skoura.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Meet Berber nomads and share mint tea
- Visit Valley of the Roses
- Visit local cooperatives
Optional Activities
- Explore Kasbah Amridil
Landmarks/POIs Skoura Oasis Valley of the Roses Kasbah Amridil Road of a Thousand Kasbahs - Day 10
Skoura to Zagora
After breakfast you're heading to Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO site famous as a Hollywood filming location. Your local guide walks you through the earthen alleys and buildings. From there you pass through Ouarzazate and over the Tizi-n-Tinfifte pass with wide desert views. Later the landscape shifts into the Draa Valley's palm groves where you'll see Kasbah Tamnougalte before reaching Zagora for the night in a charming riad.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Aït Ben Haddou Kasbah
- Guided visit of Kasbah Tamnougalte
Optional Activities
- Explore Zagora town at own pace
Landmarks/POIs Aït Ben Haddou Ouarzazate Draa Valley Kasbah Tamnougalte Zagora - Day 11
Zagora to Erg Chegaga
Heading south after breakfast takes you to Tamegroute's green pottery workshops where artisans have worked for generations. The historic Quranic Library has old manuscripts worth seeing. You pass through Berber villages on the way to M'Hamid for lunch, the last settlement before the desert starts. From there it's a 60-kilometer off-road ride across soft dunes and rocky plateaus to Erg Chegaga. A camel ride up the 300-meter dune follows the mint tea and sunset, then dinner and overnight at your tent.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Sumptuous Moroccan dinner)
Included Activities
- Explore Tamegroute pottery workshops
- Visit Quranic Library
- Off-road journey to Erg Chegaga
- Camel ride on dunes
- Sunset viewing from dune crest
Landmarks/POIs Tamegroute M'Hamid Erg Chegaga - Day 12
Erg Chegaga to Taroudant
This 90-kilometer Sahara crossing starts over vast stony plains where it's completely quiet. Around midday you stop at Lake Iriqui's dried bed to find fossils in the rocks, remnants of when water covered this place. Foum Zguid sits at the desert's edge before you head north to Taznakht, famous for Berber rugs woven with real skill. Lunch lets you admire that artistry, then mountain passes show sweeping views before descending to Taliouine, Morocco's saffron region. The Saffron Museum is worth stopping for, and then you reach Taroudant to settle into your riad.
Included Activities
- Visit Lake Iriqui fossil site
- Visit Saffron Museum in Taliouine
Optional Activities
- Browse Berber rugs in Taznakht
Landmarks/POIs Lake Iriqui Foum Zguid Taznakht Taliouine Saffron Museum Taroudant - Day 13
Taroudant to Essaouira
After breakfast you're exploring Taroudant's ochre walls, souks, and narrow alleys where artisans work. The drive north goes through the Souss Valley with argan trees and banana and orange plantations. Agadir's modern coast comes next, then you continue up the shoreline past Taghazout with its laid-back surf vibe. Essaouira appears as a charming white-and-blue port city where you settle into your riad with time for an evening stroll or seaside drink.
Optional Activities
- Explore Taroudant ramparts, markets, and alleys
- Stroll through Essaouira medina
- Enjoy drink at seaside café
Landmarks/POIs Taroudant Souss Valley Agadir Taghazout Essaouira - Day 14
Essaouira
Your full day in Essaouira starts with breakfast at your riad before visiting a women's cooperative to watch argan oil being made from nuts using traditional methods. The UNESCO medina is colorful and full of artisans working at their crafts. At the fishermen's port you see boats bringing in the daily catch and can grab freshly grilled fish at waterfront stalls. Your afternoon is open for beach walks, relaxing at seaside cafes, or surfing if that appeals to you.
Included Activities
- Visit women's cooperative for argan oil production
Optional Activities
- Explore Essaouira medina (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Visit fishermen's port and enjoy grilled fish
- Walk along the beach
- Relax in a seaside café
- Surfing session
Landmarks/POIs Essaouira Medina Fishermen's Port - Day 15
Essaouira to Marrakech
After a relaxed breakfast at your riad, the drive inland toward Marrakech shows you how the landscape changes from argan-dotted plains to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Small Berber villages and rural life pass by along the route. Once you reach Marrakech you're settled in your riad with the rest of the day free. Consider trying a traditional hammam, exploring the medina souks, sitting on a rooftop terrace with mint tea, or heading to Djemaa El Fna as the city comes alive.
Optional Activities
- Unwind in a traditional hammam
- Explore medina souks
- Relax on rooftop terrace
- Stroll through Djemaa El Fna
Landmarks/POIs Atlas Mountains Marrakech - Day 16
Marrakech
Your local guide takes you to Marrakech's main sites after breakfast, adjusting based on what interests you most. Options include Majorelle Garden with its striking blue, Le Jardin Secret, the Koutoubia Mosque and gardens, El Bahia Palace with intricate tilework and marble, Ben Youssef Madrasa, Saadian Tombs, artisan workshops including tanneries, or the restored Jewish souks in the Mellah Quarter. The afternoon is yours to keep exploring, return to souks, sit in rooftop cafes, or relax in your riad's gardens.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Marrakech landmarks (specific sites dependent on interests and schedule)
Optional Activities
- Visit Majorelle Garden
- Visit Le Jardin Secret
- Visit Koutoubia Mosque gardens
- Visit El Bahia Palace
- Visit Ben Youssef Madrasa
- Visit Saadian Tombs
- Visit artisanal workshops and tanneries
- Visit Mellah Quarter
- Explore medina souks
- Relax in rooftop café
Landmarks/POIs Djemaa El Fna Majorelle Garden Le Jardin Secret Koutoubia Mosque El Bahia Palace Ben Youssef Madrasa Saadian Tombs Mellah Quarter - Day 17
Marrakech to Airport
After breakfast at your riad, your driver handles the transfer to the airport, bringing your Moroccan trip to a close with a smooth and timely arrival for your flight.
