Round Morocco in 10 days from Casablanca

Trip overview

Ten private days from Casablanca: Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fez, Meknes, the Merzouga desert, the kasbahs of the south and Marrakech, with the driving spread out.

• Duration10 days / 9 nights
• Starts inCasablanca
• GroupPrivate · 1–16 people
• DifficultyEasy
• LanguageEspañol
• DeparturesDaily departures all year round

Highlights

• The four imperial cities in one trip
• A night in the blue medina of Chefchaouen
• Roman ruins of Volubilis
• Guided tour of the Fez medina
• Camel ride and a night in Erg Chebbi
• Todra Gorge and Dades Valley
• Aït Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass
• Full day in Marrakech with a local guide

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1: Arrival in Casablanca – Hassan II Mosque – Rabat

   We pick you up at Mohammed V airport or your hotel in Casablanca. If your flight arrives in time, we start with the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the sea, with a minaret over 200 metres tall. Non-Muslims can only go inside on a guided tour at fixed times, which we confirm with you beforehand.

   We pass along the Ain Diab corniche and the colonial buildings of the centre, and continue to Rabat, just over an hour away. In the afternoon we walk through the Kasbah of the Udayas and its Andalusian gardens, above the Bou Regreg river, with Salé across the water. Dinner at your own choice and a night in Rabat.

   Riad or hotel in RabatNo meals included

2. 2

   Day 2: Rabat – Chefchaouen

   In the morning we see the Hassan Tower, a 12th-century minaret that was never finished, and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, with the mounted royal guard at the gate. If you're interested, we also stop at the Chellah necropolis.

   Then we head north. It's about 4 hours to Chefchaouen, flat at first and then through the bends of the Rif at the end. We arrive mid-afternoon, with time to wander the blue medina and walk up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset. The climb is short but steep. Dinner at your own choice on Outa el Hammam square.

   Riad in the Chefchaouen medinaBreakfast

3. 3

   Day 3: Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fez

   Head out into the Chefchaouen medina first thing, before the day trips arrive. After breakfast we drive south through olive groves to Volubilis, about 3 hours away. It's the best-preserved Roman site in Morocco, with mosaics still in place, the Arch of Caracalla and the basilica. There's little shade, so bring a cap.

   We see Moulay Idriss, the holy town, from the viewpoint. In Meknes we stop at the Bab Mansour gate, El Hedim square and the granaries and stables of Moulay Ismail. Fez is less than an hour away and we arrive in the late afternoon.

   Riad or hotel in FezBreakfast

4. 4

   Day 4: Guided tour of Fez

   You spend about 4 or 5 hours in Fez el Bali with a Spanish-speaking local guide. The streets are so narrow that goods are still moved by donkey, and without a guide it's easy to get lost.

   You enter through Bab Bou Jeloud, visit the Bou Inania or Attarine madrasa and see the outside of the 9th-century Al Qarawiyyin University. The Chouara tanneries are viewed from a terrace; the smell is strong, and at the end the shop will try to sell you leather. We pass weavers', potters' and brassworkers' workshops. In the afternoon, go up to the Marinid Tombs to see the city as the sun goes down.

   Riad or hotel in FezBreakfast

5. 5

   Day 5: Fez – Ifrane – Midelt – Merzouga

   This is the longest day, 7 to 8 hours with stops. We cross the Middle Atlas and stop in Ifrane and in the Azrou cedar forest, where Barbary macaques roam freely. Don't feed them, even if other people do. We continue through Midelt, known for its apples, and down through the palm grove of the Ziz Valley.

   In the late afternoon we reach Merzouga and get on the camels. The ride to the camp across the Erg Chebbi dunes takes just over an hour, and you'll feel it in your legs the next day. Berber dinner, music by the fire and a night in a tent. It's cold at night almost all year round.

   Desert camp in Erg ChebbiBreakfast and dinner

6. 6

   Day 6: Sunrise in Erg Chebbi – Khamlia – Rissani – Todra Gorge

   We wake you before dawn to climb a dune and watch the sun come up. You ride back by camel to Merzouga, shower and have breakfast.

   Mid-morning we go to Khamlia, a village of sub-Saharan origin where Gnawa musicians play for visitors, and to the Rissani souk, birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, which fills up on market days. In the afternoon we continue to Tinghir, with its palm grove, and walk beside the river through the Todra Gorge, between sheer walls. It's about 4 hours in the car with stops. By that time of day the gorge is already in shade and it's pleasant to walk.

   Hotel in Tinghir or in the Todra GorgeBreakfast and dinner

7. 7

   Day 7: Todra – Dades Valley – Valley of Roses – Ouarzazate

   Today is the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. We drive up the Dades Valley to the rocks known as the monkey fingers and the viewpoint over the Tisdrine bends, one of the most photographed roads in the country.

   We come down through Kalaat M'Gouna, in the Valley of Roses, where rose water is made, and the Skoura oasis, with mud-brick kasbahs among the palms such as Amridil. In the afternoon we reach Ouarzazate, the city of the film studios. You can see the Taourirt kasbah or stay at the hotel. About 4 hours in the car with stops. In the rose water shops, people haggle.

   Hotel or riad in OuarzazateBreakfast and dinner

8. 8

   Day 8: Ouarzazate – Aït Ben Haddou – Tizi n'Tichka – Marrakech

   We leave early for Aït Ben Haddou, about 30 minutes away, to get there before the groups coming from Marrakech. We cross the river and walk up through the ksar to the fortified granary at the top, which looks out over the valley.

   Then we cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at over 2,200 metres. It's a winding stretch, with stops at viewpoints and in a village where argan oil is made. We reach Marrakech in the early afternoon, after about 4 hours on the road. The afternoon is free for a first walk around Jemaa el Fna square.

   Riad in the Marrakech medinaBreakfast

9. 9

   Day 9: Marrakech

   In the morning you explore Marrakech with a local guide: the Koutoubia, the Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef madrasa, a former Koranic school. Then you go into the souks, where each street has its own trade: dyers, blacksmiths, leatherworkers, spice sellers.

   The afternoon is free. You can visit the Majorelle Garden, go to a hammam or book a cooking class. At nightfall Jemaa el Fna square fills with food stalls, musicians and snake charmers. It's best seen from a terrace, and if you take photos of the snake or monkey handlers, they'll ask you for money.

   Riad in the Marrakech medinaBreakfast

10. 10

    Day 10: Marrakech – Casablanca

    Last breakfast at the riad. Depending on your flight time, you have a little time to shop in the souks for lamps, ceramics, babouche slippers or argan oil. If you buy ceramics, ask for them to be wrapped well for your suitcase.

    Then we drive to Casablanca by motorway, about 3 hours, and drop you at Mohammed V airport or at your hotel if you're staying longer. If your flight leaves very early, it's better to spend the last night in Casablanca than to leave Marrakech in the small hours. Tell us when you book and we'll arrange it. This is where our services end.

    End of the tripBreakfast

What's included

Prices per person

The vehicle and driver are paid per day and shared between the travellers, so the price per person goes down the more of you there are. Accommodation is charged per person per night (9 nights).

• Standard: Comfortable hotels and riads, standard desert camp
• Superior: More characterful accommodation and a superior desert camp
• Children aged 3 to 11: 3% less than an adult.
• Groups of more than 7 people travel in two vehicles. The booking calculator takes this into account.

Payment and cancellation

You pay a 15% deposit when you book. The rest is paid on the first day of the trip, in cash or by bank transfer. You can also pay it by PayPal or card, with a 5% surcharge.

Private: free up to 48 hours before the start. If you cancel in time, we refund the full deposit.

Extras you can add

Chosen when you book and added to the total. You can also ask for them later, subject to availability.

Frequently asked questions

Destinations on this trip