14-Day Grand Morocco Tour from Casablanca

Two weeks is the ideal length for seeing Morocco in depth, and this private grand tour uses every day of it. It’s a complete round trip from Casablanca, taking in the capital, Rabat, two nights in the blue town of Chefchaouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes, two nights and a guided day in Fes, two nights at our luxury camp in the Sahara, the gorges and kasbahs of the south, two nights and a guided day in Marrakech, and two nights on the Atlantic coast in Essaouira.

What makes it different from shorter tours is the rhythm. With free days in Chefchaouen and Essaouira, a full day in the desert and two nights in each great city, you have time to rest, explore on your own and simply enjoy each place.

The route at a glance

• Day 1: Arrival in Casablanca, with the Hassan II Mosque depending on your arrival time
• Day 2: Casablanca → Rabat → Rif Mountains → Chefchaouen (about 340 km)
• Day 3: Free day in Chefchaouen
• Day 4: Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes (about 260 km)
• Day 5: Full day in Fes with an official local guide
• Day 6: Fes → Ifrane → Azrou → Midelt → Ziz Valley → Merzouga, then by camel to camp (about 470 km)
• Day 7: A full day in the desert: Khamlia, nomad families and sandboarding
• Day 8: Erg Chebbi → Erfoud → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley (about 310 km)
• Day 9: Dades Valley → Valley of Roses → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Tizi n’Tichka → Marrakech (about 350 km)
• Day 10: Full day in Marrakech with an official local guide
• Day 11: Marrakech → argan forests → Essaouira (about 190 km)
• Day 12: Free day in Essaouira
• Day 13: Essaouira → Atlantic coast → Casablanca (about 350 km)
• Day 14: Transfer to Casablanca airport

The first week: Casablanca to the Sahara

The tour begins gently. We meet you at Mohammed V Airport and take you to your hotel, and if you arrive early enough, you can visit the Hassan II Mosque, whose minaret rises about 210 metres above the Atlantic. On day two you drive to Rabat to see the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas, and continue into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen.

Day three is a free day in Chefchaouen. Wander the blue lanes, visit the kasbah on Outa el-Hammam square, and walk up to the Spanish Mosque for the sunset over the town. If you’d like a more active day, a local guide can lead a hike to the Akchour waterfalls in the nearby Talassemtane National Park.

On day four you visit Volubilis, where Roman mosaics and columns stand in a landscape of olive groves, and Meknes, with its grand Bab Mansour gate, before arriving in Fes. Day five is a full guided day in the medina of Fes el-Bali, including the Chouara tanneries, the Al-Attarine Madrasa, the Mellah and the views from the Merenid Tombs.

On day six, you cross the Middle Atlas via Ifrane and the cedar forests of Azrou to the Ziz Valley and Merzouga, and ride a camel into the dunes of Erg Chebbi for the sunset and your first night at our luxury camp. Day seven is spent in the desert: Gnawa music in Khamlia, a visit to a nomad family in their tent, and sandboarding on the dunes. With two nights at camp, you have two chances to see the Milky Way from the dunes.

The second week: the south, Marrakech and the coast

On day eight you watch a last sunrise over the Sahara, visit a fossil workshop in Erfoud and walk through the Todra Gorge before spending the night in the Dades Valley. On day nine you drive through the Valley of Roses to Ouarzazate, where you visit the Atlas Film Studios, explore the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou and cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Marrakech.

Day ten is a guided day in Marrakech, with the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque and the souks. In the evening, the square of Jemaa el-Fna fills with musicians, storytellers and food stalls.

On day eleven you head west through the argan forests, the only place in the world where the argan tree grows wild, to Essaouira. This old port, rebuilt in the 18th century by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah, has a walled medina listed by UNESCO, a busy fishing harbour and a long sandy beach. The afternoon is free to stroll the beach and the medina.

Day twelve is free in Essaouira. Walk the Skala, the sea ramparts lined with bronze cannons, watch the fishermen mend their nets in the port, and have freshly grilled fish for lunch by the harbour. If you’re feeling adventurous, the steady trade winds make Essaouira one of the best places in Morocco for kitesurfing and windsurfing, and a lesson can be arranged.

On day thirteen, after a final morning by the sea, you drive back up the coast to Casablanca for a farewell dinner. On day fourteen, we take you to the airport for your flight home.

Why two weeks?

Most Moroccan itineraries move every night. Here, you stay two nights in Chefchaouen, Fes, the desert camp, Marrakech and Essaouira. That means fewer packing days, more time to wander, and a trip that feels like a holiday as well as a tour. The driving days are spread out, and the longest one, from Fes to the desert, is followed by a day with no long drive at all.

Where you’ll sleep

• Chefchaouen, Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira (8 nights): premium riads in the medinas.
• Erg Chebbi (2 nights): our luxury desert camp, with a private tent for your booking, en-suite hot shower and flushing toilet, comfortable beds and electricity for charging. Heavy blankets are provided in winter, and family tents are available on request.
• Casablanca (2 nights) and the Dades Valley (1 night): comfortable hotels.

Breakfast is included every day, with dinners as listed in the itinerary.

Best time to go

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal for a two-week tour, with pleasant weather in every region. In summer, the coast is cool and breezy, while Fes, Marrakech and the desert are hot, so we plan activities around the heat. In winter, the Sahara is cold at night and the mountains can see snow, but days are often sunny and the sites much quieter.

Who this tour is for

Travellers with two weeks who want to see all of Morocco (the Rif, the imperial cities, the Sahara and the Atlantic coast) without ever feeling rushed. It’s the perfect choice for a special trip, a honeymoon or a family holiday.

Good to know

• Pack layers: cool mountain mornings, cold desert nights, hot afternoons in the south and a breezy coast.
• Longest day: day six, from Fes to the dunes (about 7.5 hours).
• Farewell dinner: dinner on the last night in Casablanca is included.
• Slightly shorter? The 12-day grand tour covers the same regions in less time.