Embark on an enriching 15-day private Morocco tour from Casablanca and discover the country’s most iconic cities, landscapes, and cultural treasures. Begin in Casablanca and Rabat before heading to the charming blue city of Chefchaouen. Explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the imperial city of Meknes, and the historic medina of Fes with a local guide. Continue south through Azrou, Midelt, and the Ziz Valley to reach Merzouga, where you’ll experience camel trekking, golden dunes, and a magical night in the Sahara Desert. Journey through the Todra and Dades Gorges, visit Ouarzazate and the UNESCO Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, then cross the High Atlas Mountains to vibrant Marrakech. Enjoy guided tours of Marrakech’s palaces, gardens, and souks, followed by a relaxing stay in coastal Essaouira, where history meets seaside charm. Conclude your journey in Casablanca, taking home unforgettable memories of Morocco’s culture, landscapes, and warm hospitality.
We start the tour by a pick up from the airport, the port or your accommodation in Casablanca. The city is considered the economical center and the largest city in Morocco. Then you have free time city.
We start the 15-Days Morocco Imperial Tour and Sahara Desert From Casablanca. After breakfast, a short orientation tour of Casablanca, one of North Africa’s largest cities and the country’s economic capital. You will pass the Arab League Park, see the United Nations Square, the Corniche (coastal road). Continuation to Rabat, Imperial city and capital of the country.
Once we leave the city, it’s about a five-hour drive to Chefchaouen. But first, visit the Hassan II mosque. We travel north along the Atlantic coast to the imperial city and capital of Rabat, where we can stop for lunch if you wish. Continuing on, we reach wooded slopes and lakes, which means we’re approaching the blue city of Chefchaouen. You’ll stay in a typical hotel and spend the night exploring.
Today is free. Take a stroll around the medina, which is entirely surrounded by a wall, and soak up the lively atmosphere over a mint tea in one of the many picturesque cafés. Visit the central Outa-el-Hammam square, where the Great Mosque dominates with its ornate minaret.
Nearby is the entrance to the seventeenth-century Kasbah of Moulay Ismail, home to the Folklore Museum, where a variety of traditional garments, jewellery, ceramics, bridal sedan chairs, finely embroidered textiles, weapons and musical instruments bear witness to the Arab-Andalusian culture of this region. In the rooms of the former prison, works by local artists are on display and art exhibitions are organised.
You can also enjoy a pleasant walk in the surrounding area, as far as the Ras-el-Ma springs, where the water flows all year round. Make the most of your day in this extraordinary city!
Stop-over : CHEFCHAOUEN
After breakfast, departure for Fez, probably the most imposing imperial city. Fes is a living testimony to history and culture, knowledge and religion, but also to the skills of Moroccan craftsmen and the art of cooking. The Jewish influence can still be felt to this day in Fez, which is a city where you can admire, watch and learn….. Fes, which in its past was one of the centres of Islamic civilisation, remains an intellectual centre of the Arabic-speaking world thanks to art and science, and offers the unspoilt image of a medieval city.
At 09:00, a local guide will collect you from the Riad for a half day tour. Fez is made up of three sectors: Fès-el-Bali, the old part of the city, which dates back to the 9th century with a maze of small streets, so narrow that sometimes two people cannot pass each other. Here you will find almost all the city’s historical and cultural sites. Then there’s Fes-el-Jedid, which means ‘New Fes’ and then the New Town, dating from the French protectorate.
First you can admire the panoramic view of the city from the Borj Sud. Then you’ll discover the old town, a labyrinth with thousands of little streets, where you won’t get lost thanks to your guide. Stroll through this captivating medina, visiting the Andalusian quarter, the Medersa Attarine and Bou Inania Koranic schools (14th century), the Place Nejjarine with its remarkable fountain and the Karaouiyine Mosque (from the outside). In the bewildering souks, you can watch shopkeepers haggling and craftsmen working in their workshops. After stopping in front of the Royal Palace, you will cross ‘Le Mellah’, the Jewish quarter and admire the city’s most beautiful gateway, the Bab Boujloud, and visit the potters’ quarter.
In the afternoon, you can explore the area at your leisure.
Stopover: FES
The road from Fes to Midelt crosses the Middle Atlas via the Kandar Pass and Ifrane, passing through slopes wooded with pine and holm oak. Stop off at Ifrane, a popular winter resort for Moroccans at an altitude of 1,650 metres. Often referred to as the Switzerland of Morocco, the small town is best known for its elite Al Akhawayn University. Passing through immense cedar forests, where you may be lucky enough to encounter Barbary macaques in the wild, you continue on to Midelt (1,488 m), a small town set in an impressive landscape, which makes its living from mining and fruit growing, especially apples, and is an ideal starting point for hikes up Djebel Ayachi (3,737 m).
After aBreakfast in Midelt, we’ll head for the Ziz valley, where we’ll enjoy a panoramic view of the palm trees and take some great photos.
The road to Erfoud is one of the most pleasant of all the southern routes. The town lies in a dry red desert and was built by the French as a central administrative city. It is known for its rich black fossilized marble. The stone is carved to highlight the fossils on everything from ashtrays to washbasins and much more.
We head for the spectacular Merzouga dunes, where the sand dunes mark the beginning of the mighty Erg Chebbi Sahara Desert. We leave our vehicle and take a camel ride across the desert to a Berber camp. To make this an unforgettable experience, why not surf the Moroccan Sahara Desert and try sand dune boarding. After dinner, we gather around the fire and enjoy the desert night to the sound of traditional Berber music.
Accommodation/ Luxury Camp
A nomadic proverb says: ‘You can’t describe the desert, you have to live it’. Tonight you’re in for an unforgettable experience. You leave the peaceful town of Midelt via the Talghemt pass, which means ‘camel pass’, to the Hassan Addakhil dam. From Errachidia along the beautiful Ziz valley, the contrast between the desert landscape punctuated by small villages, flowering oasis gardens and long palm groves, offers an unusual spectacle.
Erfoud is the capital of Tafilalet, with 300,000 date palms, and the town celebrates the ‘date festival’ in October to mark the end of the harvest. Continue on to Merzouga and Erg Chebbi. The desert adventure begins with a camel ride to admire the sunset over sand dunes up to 100 m high. An unforgettable night among the dunes awaits you.
Stage : Merzouga
Duration of journey: 4 h 30 min (270 Km)
Don’t miss the magnificent sunrise with its unparalleled play of colours. After a traditional breakfast, you will leave the Erg Chebbi for Rissani, cradle of the Alaouite dynasty. Here you will find the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, founder of the dynasty and ancestor of the current King Mohamed VI. (It is possible to visit the inner courtyard, but the tomb is reserved for Muslims).
Crossing the vast arid plains, you will discover the Khettaras, the remains of ancient underground water galleries. In Tinejdad, visit the ancient Ksar El Khorbat, restored with the help of the Barcelona Technical School of Architecture and now largely inhabited again. A visit to the ‘Oasis Museum’ will give you a better understanding of traditional life in the pre-Saharan valleys. Late afternoon, arrival in Tinghir.
Stopover: TINGHIR
Journey time: 3 h 30 min (200 Km)
Once over your breakfast, we’re drive to the next town, Skoura via the Valley of the Roses. We’ll then stop off in Ouarzazate, known as the Gateway to the Sahara Desert. We’ll visit the Atlas Studios, which have hosted the filming of some of the world’s most famous movies.
We’ll then visit the Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, the most famous in the region. This fortified village is on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. What’s more, the Kasbah has appeared in numerous films, including: In recent times, blockbusters such as Gladiator, Alexander and the big-screen adaptation of the famous The Mummy have enjoyed phenomenal popularity. And films as “Game of Thrones”.
After a five-kilometre drive to the Kasbah, we continue on our way to Marrakesh.
Cross by Tizi-N-Tichka pass and the scenery of the High Atlas in our itinerary. There will also be scheduled stops for lunch and photo opportunities in places of interest.
“An evening at the Riad in Marrakesh”.
In the morning, accompanied by a local guide, visit Marrakech, also known as the ‘City of the South’. With him you will see some of the most important sites. You will pass through the Menara gardens and the Koutoubia (from the outside), then visit the Bahia Palace, the Saadian tombs and the El Badii Palace, followed by a stroll through the souks with a break for lunch in a small restaurant in the souks. Then return to your Riad/hotel. Let the many new impressions linger in your thoughts, enjoy the ‘dolce far niente’ or relax by the pool (please note: not all Riads have a pool).
Stopover : Marrakesh
Head for the Atlantic coast to Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador. You will pass through typical villages and large argan groves. On the way, stop off at an argan cooperative, where the women extract top-quality table oil and cosmetics from the fruit of the argan tree.
Essaouira is not only popular with surfers, it is also a meeting place for artists, painters and musicians. The old town and its narrow streets invite you to take a stroll. There are plenty of shops, boutiques, galleries, woodcarving workshops and good little restaurants to choose from.
Stopover: ESSAOUIRA
Journey time: 3 h 30 min (190 Km)
The former Mogador, as Essaouira was known until Morocco’s independence, is now a seductive city that you can easily explore for yourself. As well as the beach and the sea, Essaouira (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004) is a pleasant town with plenty of entertainment on offer.
In the morning, you can attend the fish auction at the port. You can stroll through the old medina, where you’ll find the jewellers’ souk, numerous stalls selling beautiful handicrafts, thuya wood marquetry workshops and the Sqala de la Kasbah, a 200-metre-long ancient battery.
Sip mint tea on one of the countless terraces or go surfing or horse-riding, which are available outside the town. If the wind is not too strong, you can laze on the beach or take a long walk. For lunch, try a delicious fish dish, and in the evening, sample typical regional dishes in one of the many authentic restaurants. Stopover : ESSAOUIRA
On the way to Casablanca, your first stop will be in Safi, a historic former Portuguese town. Safi is known for its important sea-fishing port (the famous sardines!) and is famous for its pottery and ceramics, which are sold all over Morocco.
Continue on to El Jadida, another port city. Formerly known as Mazagan, you can walk around the Portuguese city, a fortified town surrounded by thick walls and flanked by four towers, with a water cistern and the Church of the Assumption. The fortress has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. You will then take the motorway to Casablanca.
Stopover: CASABLANCA
Duration of journey: 4 h 15 min (380 Km)
Today, alas, the day has come to say goodbye and return home with your memory full of memories and in your luggage. Depending on your departure, you will have some free time before leaving your Riad / hotel and transferring to Casablanca airport for your return flight.
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The Tour to the Sahara was a part of a much larger adventures Morocco. Firstly we drove with our amazing driver and desert guide to Merzouga then the High Atlas and Boumalne Dades.The two nights at the luxury camps in the Sahara were the highlight of an incredible trip. By camels ride, stars at night, local desert music, and food were only part of the magic of the dunes. I Highly recommend and ask for ISmail as your driver – he made the trip for us!
