10 Days Tour from Casablanca: Imperial Cities, Sahara Camp and Marrakech

Welcome to Morocco. Our driver meets you at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, and your 10 days begin. Depending on your arrival time, we stop at the Hassan II Mosque, which stands right over the Atlantic, and take a short walk along the Corniche. Then we drive north to Rabat. There you see the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas, whose narrow lanes look out over the Bou Regreg River and the ocean. The evening is free. Overnight in Rabat.

After breakfast we leave the capital and drive north into the green hills of the Rif. By the time we reach Chefchaouen, the blue houses are already climbing the mountainside. You check in, then wander the old medina on your own: the blue lanes, the small craft shops and the lively Uta el-Hammam Square. At the end of the day, you can walk up to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint for the sunset over the town and the mountains. Overnight in Chefchaouen, breakfast included.

We leave the Blue City after breakfast and drive south through farmland to Volubilis. This ancient Roman city still has its mosaics, columns and arches, and you have time to walk through it at your own pace. Next comes Meknes, where we see the historic centre and the monumental Bab Mansour gate, and stop for lunch. In the late afternoon we reach Fes. Overnight in Fes, breakfast included.

Today a local guide walks you through Fes el-Bali, the old walled medina. You pass through Bab Boujloud, then visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, the area around Al Quaraouiyine, the Nejjarine Fountain and the souks, and finally the Chouara Tanneries, where leather is still prepared by hand. After the tour the afternoon is yours, to rest or to keep exploring alone. Overnight in Fes, breakfast included.

After breakfast the road to the Sahara begins. We climb through the Middle Atlas to Ifrane, a mountain town with alpine-style houses, and continue to the cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques live. We stop for lunch in Midelt, then drive south to the Ziz Valley, where thousands of palm trees fill the valley floor between old villages and rocky hills. After a viewpoint stop and Erfoud, we reach Merzouga in the late afternoon, at the foot of the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi. You have the evening to rest and enjoy your first view of the Sahara. Overnight in Merzouga, breakfast and dinner included.

Today is all about the desert. In the morning we ride in a 4x4 around the dunes and the landscapes that surround them, then visit Khamlia, a village known for its Gnawa music and local traditions. After lunch and a rest, we head to the great dunes of Erg Chebbi. You can reach the camp by camel across the golden sand or by 4x4, and we stop among the dunes for the sunset. At the camp you sleep in a luxury tent. A traditional Moroccan dinner is served, followed by music around the campfire and a sky full of stars. Overnight in a luxury tent at the Sahara camp, breakfast and dinner included.

If you wake early, you can watch the sun rise over the dunes of Erg Chebbi. After breakfast we leave the Sahara for Rissani, an old trading town that has long been a gateway to the desert. The road continues across southern Morocco to Tinghir and the Todra Gorge, where you can walk beneath the tall canyon walls. After lunch we drive on to the Dades Valley through palm groves, villages and kasbahs, and arrive at our accommodation in the late afternoon. Overnight in the Dades Valley, breakfast and dinner included.

This is a long day on the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. We drive through the Rose Valley, known for its roses and rose products, then through the palm oasis of Skoura and on to Ouarzazate, the centre of Morocco's film industry. From there we continue to Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage fortified village built of earth, where you have time to walk its narrow streets. Then we cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka road, with stops for views, and reach Marrakech in the evening. Overnight in Marrakech, breakfast included.

After breakfast a local guide takes you through the medina of Marrakech, one of Morocco's four imperial cities. You see the Bahia Palace, the area around the Koutoubia Mosque, the historic quarters and Jemaa el-Fna Square, and walk through souks full of spices, carpets, leather, lanterns and ceramics. The afternoon is free for more exploring or a traditional hammam. In the evening we recommend going back to Jemaa el-Fna, when the square fills with food stalls and musicians. Overnight in Marrakech, breakfast included.

After breakfast you have free time in Marrakech, depending on your flight. At the agreed time our driver collects you from your accommodation and takes you to Marrakech Menara Airport for your departure. If you fly out of Casablanca instead, we can arrange a private transfer from Marrakech to Mohammed V International Airport for you. Just tell us your flight time when you book, and we will plan the departure with you. Your 10 days end after the imperial cities, the Rif and Atlas mountains, old medinas, the Sahara, the valleys and kasbahs, and the energy of Marrakech. Breakfast included.