Riads, kasbahs and hotels
Traditional houses with private room and bathroom, in the medinas or overlooking the valley.
- Private room
- Dinner and breakfast
8 Days Morocco Tour from Casablanca: Sahara & Imperial Cities
8 days from Casablanca to Marrakech
A perfectly rounded week: land in Casablanca and take in the essentials of Morocco, from the Fez medina to the Sahara and Marrakech.
From €450 per person Book now
Highlights
- Airport pick-up
- Fez medina
- Middle Atlas
- Ziz Valley
- Camel trekking
- Night in Erg Chebbi
- Todra Gorges
- Ait Benhaddou
- Marrakech
- Private tour
Trip overview
This tour is built for a one-week holiday flying into Casablanca. We meet you at the airport and, without wasting any time, take you to Fez, the oldest of the imperial cities. From there the journey heads south in easy stages: Midelt, the Ziz Valley and the dunes of Merzouga, where you spend the night in a camp after your camel trek.
The second half takes in the Todra Gorges, the Dades Valley, the Valley of Roses, Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou, and ends with a free day in Marrakech. Eight days, two imperial cities, two mountain ranges and one desert.
Ideal for: first-time visitors to Morocco who want to see almost everything in a week, without driving or organising a thing.
- Duration
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Home
- Casablanca
- End
- Marrakech
- Type
- Private
- Departures
- Every day
- Language
- English / Spanish
Day-by-day itinerary
-
Day1
Casablanca Airport → Fez
We meet you in the arrivals hall and drive straight to Fez by motorway, through the fertile plains around Rabat and Meknes. On arrival you settle into your riad and enjoy a traditional dinner to start the trip on the right note.
- Pick-up at Mohammed V Airport
- Motorway via Rabat and Meknes
- Welcome dinner at the riad
-
Day2
Fez sightseeing
A full day in Fez el-Bali, the largest inhabited medieval medina in the world. You will wander its thousands of car-free lanes: the Bab Boujloud gate, the madrasas, the souks arranged by trade and the Chouara tannery, seen from the terraces of the leather workshops.
- Bab Boujloud, the blue gate
- Chouara tannery
- Karaouine Mosque (exterior)
- Seffarine Square and the souks
- Gates of the Royal Palace
-
Day3
Fez → Ifrane → Azrou → Midelt
A short stage through the Middle Atlas. We stroll around Ifrane, stop among the ancient cedars of Azrou to see the macaques and continue across shepherds’ plateaus to Midelt, at the foot of Jbel Ayachi, which stays snow-capped for much of the year.
- Ifrane
- Cedar forest and macaques
- Lakes and plateaus of the Middle Atlas
- Midelt
-
Day4
Midelt → Ziz Valley → Merzouga: camel trek and night in the camp
We cross the eastern High Atlas over the Tizi n’Talghamt pass and drop into the Ziz Valley, with its miles of palm trees. After Erfoud the dunes come into view. In Merzouga we mount our camels to reach the camp at sunset: dinner, drums and stars.
- Ziz gorges and palm grove
- Erfoud
- Camel trekking
- Sunset in Erg Chebbi
- Night in a desert tent
-
Day5
Merzouga → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley
After sunrise and breakfast we leave the desert. In Tinghir we walk into the Todra Gorges, and in the afternoon we reach the Dades Valley, where the mud-brick houses blend into the rock.
- Sunrise in the dunes
- Rissani
- Todra Gorges
- Dades Valley
-
Day6
Dades → Valley of Roses → Ouarzazate → Ait Benhaddou → High Atlas → Marrakech
We drive through the Valley of Roses and stop in Ouarzazate. A few miles on we visit the kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, then climb to the Tizi n’Tichka pass to cross the High Atlas. Arrival in Marrakech in the late afternoon.
- Kelaat M’Gouna
- Ouarzazate
- Ksar of Ait Benhaddou
- Tizi n’Tichka (2,260 m)
-
Day7
Free day to explore Marrakech
Marrakech at your own pace: the Koutoubia, the souks, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs or the Majorelle Garden. At dusk, Jemaa el-Fna fills with food stalls, musicians and storytellers. If you would like a local guide, we can arrange one.
- Koutoubia Mosque
- Souks of the medina
- Bahia Palace
- Jemaa el-Fna square
-
Day8
Airport transfer
Depending on your flight time, we take you to Marrakech airport or back to Casablanca. This is where our services end and, we hope, where the urge to come back begins.
- Private airport transfer
Timings and the order of visits may be adjusted according to the season, road conditions and your preferences.
What’s included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- English- or Spanish-speaking driver-guide
- Fuel
- Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation
- Accommodation every night
- Dinners and breakfasts
- One camel per person in the desert
- Night in a camp with private tent
- Turban and sandboarding in the dunes
- Photo stops whenever you like
What’s not included
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Tips
Accommodation
We choose small places with character, where a home-cooked dinner is part of the experience. In the desert you can choose between two types of camp.
Standard camp
Private tent with beds, blankets and shared bathrooms. The simplest and most authentic option.
- Private tent
- Dinner and breakfast
- Campfire and drums
Luxury camp
Spacious tents with a large bed, private bathroom and shower, electricity and dinner served at the table.
- Private bathroom
- Dinner and breakfast
- Campfire and drums
A tip from our team
If your flight lands in Casablanca in the afternoon, we spend the first night there and leave for Fez the next morning, visiting Rabat on the way.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a private tour or a group tour?
It is completely private: the vehicle, the driver and the itinerary are just for you and your companions. You will not share the trip with strangers, so we can stop wherever you like and adapt the timings.
Can I change the itinerary of “8 days from Casablanca to Marrakech”?
Yes. What you see is our standard proposal. We can add a night, change the start or end point, include a guided visit or adjust the stages to your flights. Tell us what you need and we will send you a tailor-made version.
What is the difference between the standard and the luxury camp?
In both you have a private tent, dinner, breakfast and an evening of drums by the campfire. The luxury camp adds a private bathroom with shower inside the tent and more refined décor; in the standard camp bathrooms are shared and you shower in the morning at the hotel in the village.
How long is the camel trek?
About an hour and a half each way, at a gentle pace and accompanied by a camel handler. We set off a couple of hours before sunset to arrive in good light. If anyone cannot or would rather not ride, let us know and we will find an alternative.
How do I book and how do I pay?
Send us the form or write to us and we will confirm availability and the final price within 24 hours. We accept online payment (Visa, MasterCard and PayPal), as well as cash or card in person.
When is the best time of year for this tour?
You can travel all year round. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) have the mildest temperatures. In winter the days are sunny but desert nights are cold, and in summer it is best to start early and make the most of the vehicle’s air conditioning.
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