Casablanca coast with the Hassan II Mosque

12 Days Morocco Tour from Casablanca: Desert & Coast

12-day tour from Casablanca to the desert

  • Private tour
  • 12 days / 11 nights
  • Casablanca → Casablanca

Twelve unhurried days: history, mountains and desert, with an Atlantic-breeze finale in Essaouira.

From €750 per person Book now

Highlights

  • Hassan II Mosque
  • Volubilis
  • Fez
  • Camel trekking
  • Night in Erg Chebbi
  • Todra and Dades
  • Ait Benhaddou
  • Marrakech
  • Essaouira
  • Oualidia lagoon

Trip overview

Our longest tour from Casablanca adds to the great inland circuit the one thing most itineraries lack: the sea. After the imperial cities, the Merzouga desert and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, the trip takes a breather in Essaouira, the old Mogador, and returns to Casablanca along the coast with a stop at the Oualidia lagoon.

It is an itinerary designed for enjoying each place. Two nights in Fez, two around Merzouga, two in Marrakech and one facing the Atlantic make for a varied journey in which the scenery changes completely every three days.

Ideal for: anyone with a two-week holiday who wants to see Morocco thoroughly and at a relaxed pace.

Duration
12 days / 11 nights
Home
Casablanca
End
Casablanca
Type
Private
Departures
Every day
Language
English / Spanish

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. Day1

    Arrival in Casablanca

    Welcome at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Free afternoon to rest after the flight or stroll along the seafront. Dinner and overnight stay.

    • Airport pick-up
    • Free time in Casablanca
    • Hotel in Casablanca
    • Dinner
    Hassan II Mosque reflected on its esplanade
  2. Day2

    Casablanca → Rabat → Fez

    Casablanca blends European-style boulevards with a medina of narrow streets; its great landmark is the Hassan II Mosque. We continue to Rabat — Royal Palace, Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan Tower — and on towards Volubilis and Fez.

    • Hassan II Mosque
    • Rabat: Hassan Tower and mausoleum
    • Kasbah of the Udayas
    • Volubilis
    • Riad in Fez
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 5 h drive with visits
    Walls of the Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat
  3. Day3

    Fez sightseeing

    A full day in the medina: the Chouara tannery, the Karaouine, Bab Boujloud, Seffarine Square and the madrasas. In the afternoon we climb to one of the viewpoints to see the old city spread across the valley.

    • Chouara tannery
    • Karaouine
    • Bab Boujloud
    • Seffarine Square
    • Marinid Tombs viewpoint
    • Riad in Fez
    • Breakfast and dinner
    Fez medina at sunset from a viewpoint
  4. Day4

    Fez → Ifrane → Azrou → Ziz Valley → Merzouga

    We leave Fez early and climb into the Middle Atlas. A stroll in Ifrane, a stop among the Azrou cedars to see the macaques and lunch in Midelt. In the afternoon the Ziz Valley unrolls its palm grove all the way to the edge of the desert. Dinner in Merzouga, facing the dunes.

    • Ifrane
    • Azrou macaques
    • Midelt
    • Ziz Valley
    • Hotel or riad in Merzouga
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • 7–8 h drive with stops
    Macaque in the cedar forest
  5. Day5

    Merzouga → Khamlia → Erg Chebbi

    The morning is for meeting the people of the desert: we take tea in a nomad family’s tent and listen to the Gnawa musicians of Khamlia. In the afternoon the camel caravan carries us into Erg Chebbi, where we dine and sleep in the camp.

    • Tea with nomads
    • Khamlia
    • Camel trekking
    • Night in the dunes
    • Camp in the dunes of Erg Chebbi
    • Breakfast and dinner
    White tents of a camp among the dunes
  6. Day6

    Erg Chebbi → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley

    We watch the sunrise from the dunes, have breakfast and set off westwards. In Tinghir we walk through the Todra Gorges, between 300-metre walls, and take in the view over the palm grove. Overnight in the Dades Valley.

    • Sunrise in the desert
    • Todra Gorges
    • Tinghir
    • Dades
    • Hotel or kasbah in the Dades Valley
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 5 h drive
    Traveller on top of a dune at sunrise
  7. Day7

    Dades Valley → Ouarzazate

    A short stage for enjoying the scenery: the bends and rock formations of the Dades, the rose gardens of Kelaat M’Gouna and the Skoura oasis, with the Amridil Kasbah. A quiet afternoon in Ouarzazate.

    • Dades Gorges
    • Kelaat M’Gouna
    • Skoura
    • Ouarzazate
    • Hotel or riad in Ouarzazate
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 3 h drive
    Tea on a kasbah terrace
  8. Day8

    Ouarzazate → Ait Benhaddou → Marrakech

    In the morning we visit the Taourirt Kasbah and see Ouarzazate’s film studios. Then Ait Benhaddou: we climb to the top of the ksar before crossing the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka and arriving in Marrakech.

    • Taourirt Kasbah
    • Ait Benhaddou
    • Tizi n’Tichka
    • Riad or hotel in Marrakech
    • Breakfast
    • About 5 h drive with visits
    Ait Benhaddou on its hill
  9. Day9

    Marrakech with a local guide

    Your local guide takes you around the monuments and souks of the medina: the Koutoubia, the palaces, the Saadian Tombs. The afternoon is free for shopping or a hammam, and Jemaa el-Fna at nightfall makes the perfect ending.

    • Koutoubia
    • Palaces and Saadian Tombs
    • Souks
    • Jemaa el-Fna
    • Riad or hotel in Marrakech
    • Breakfast
    Jemaa el-Fna square lit up at night
  10. Day10

    Marrakech → Essaouira

    We head for the Atlantic coast through argan country, where women’s cooperatives produce the oil by hand. Essaouira welcomes us with its ramparts, its harbour of blue boats and the laid-back air of a seafaring town.

    • Argan oil cooperative
    • Ramparts and the Skala
    • Fishing harbour
    • Essaouira medina
    • Riad in Essaouira
    • Breakfast
    • About 3 h drive
    Blue boats in Essaouira harbour
  11. Day11

    Essaouira → Oualidia → Casablanca

    We follow the coast road north. A stop in Oualidia, a quiet village beside a lagoon sheltered from the ocean and known for its oysters. Arrival in Casablanca in the afternoon.

    • Atlantic coast
    • Oualidia lagoon
    • Arrival in Casablanca
    • Hotel in Casablanca
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 6 h drive
    Ramparts and cannons of Essaouira facing the sea
  12. Day12

    Casablanca → Airport

    Breakfast and transfer to the airport in good time for your flight. End of the trip.

    • Private airport transfer
    • Breakfast
    Arches on the esplanade of the Hassan II Mosque

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.

Travellers having tea on a kasbah terrace

Riads, kasbahs and hotels

Traditional houses with private room and bathroom, in the medinas or overlooking the valley.

  • Private room
  • Dinner and breakfast
Traditional tent lit up at night in the desert

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 with rugs and lanterns in Merzouga

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

What a night in the camp is like

A tip from our team

Essaouira is windy all year round: bring a windproof jacket even in summer. In return, temperatures are mild and the grilled fish at the harbour is excellent.

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 “12-day tour from Casablanca to the desert”?

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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