9-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca: Chefchaouen, Fes, Sahara Desert & Marrakech
- Start and finish: Casablanca
- Merzouga Erg Chebbi dunes
- 9 days / 8 nights
- Daily Tour
- Languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Casablanca to Marrakech desert tour
- Verified
Overview of the 9-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca
Discover Morocco’s imperial cities, mountain landscapes, ancient kasbahs and Sahara Desert on this private 9-day Morocco tour from Casablanca. This itinerary connects Casablanca with Rabat, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes, Fes, Merzouga, Dades Valley and Marrakech.
Begin in Casablanca before traveling north to Morocco’s capital, Rabat, and the blue-painted town of Chefchaouen. Continue through the Rif Mountains to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the imperial city of Meknes and Fes, where an official local guide will introduce you to the historic medina, traditional souks and artisan workshops.
Travel across the Middle Atlas Mountains through Ifrane, cedar forests, Midelt and the Ziz Valley before reaching the golden Erg Chebbi dunes. In Merzouga, enjoy a sunset camel trek—or travel by 4×4—and spend an unforgettable night in a luxury Sahara desert camp.
The route continues through Rissani, Erfoud, Todra Gorge and Dades Valley before passing Rose Valley, Skoura Oasis, Ouarzazate and the UNESCO-listed Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou. Cross the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech, where you will explore the city’s historic monuments, colorful souks and lively Jemaa el-Fna square with an official local guide.
This private Casablanca desert tour can be customized according to your arrival and departure flights, preferred accommodation category, group size and travel interests.
Highlights of the 9-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca
Visit the impressive Hassan II Mosque beside the Atlantic Ocean in Casablanca.
Discover Rabat’s landmarks, including the Hassan Tower, Mohammed V Mausoleum and Kasbah of the Oudayas.
Explore the blue-painted streets and charming medina of Chefchaouen.
Walk among the ancient Roman ruins and preserved mosaics of Volubilis.
Visit the imperial city of Meknes before continuing to Fes.
Explore the UNESCO-listed Fes Medina with an official local guide.
Travel through Ifrane and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas Mountains.
Admire panoramic views over the palm-filled Ziz Valley.
Enjoy a sunset camel trek across the golden Erg Chebbi dunes.
Choose a comfortable 4×4 camp transfer as an alternative to camel trekking.
Spend an unforgettable night in a luxury Sahara desert camp.
Watch the desert sunset and sunrise and enjoy traditional music around the campfire when conditions permit.
Explore Rissani’s traditional market when timing permits and visit an Erfoud fossil workshop.
Walk beside the river beneath the impressive cliffs of Todra Gorge.
Discover the dramatic landscapes and rock formations of Dades Valley.
Travel through Rose Valley, Skoura Oasis and Ouarzazate.
Visit the UNESCO-listed Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou.
Cross the High Atlas Mountains and Tizi n’Tichka Pass.
Discover Marrakech’s palaces, souks and historic medina with an official local guide.
Enjoy private transportation, flexible stops and an itinerary customized around your flights and travel preferences.
Detailed 9-Day Morocco Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Casablanca
Your 9-day Morocco tour begins upon arrival at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca. Your private driver will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.
Depending on your arrival time, you may begin exploring Casablanca with a visit to the impressive Hassan II Mosque, situated beside the Atlantic Ocean. Other possible stops include Mohammed V Square, the Corniche and a photo stop outside Rick’s Café.
If your flight arrives late, the Casablanca sightseeing will be scheduled for the following morning before traveling to Rabat.
Overnight: Casablanca hotel
Meals included: Breakfast the following morning
Day 2: Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen
Approximate driving time: 5–6 hours, excluding sightseeing, lunch and photo stops.
After breakfast, visit the Hassan II Mosque if it was not possible on your arrival day. Interior visits are subject to the mosque’s scheduled visiting hours and ticket availability.
Continue to Rabat, Morocco’s capital and one of the country’s four imperial cities. Explore some of its most important landmarks, including the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the picturesque Kasbah of the Oudayas.
After free time for lunch, travel north through changing landscapes toward the Rif Mountains. Arrive in Chefchaouen in the late afternoon or early evening and check in at your riad.
Depending on your arrival time, enjoy an introductory walk through the blue-painted streets or relax at a café overlooking the medina.
Overnight: Chefchaouen riad
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3: Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes
Approximate driving time: 4½–5½ hours, excluding visits and lunch.
After breakfast, enjoy free time to explore Chefchaouen’s atmospheric medina. Walk through its blue-painted streets, visit the main square of Outa El Hammam and discover the small shops selling local handicrafts.
Leave Chefchaouen and travel through the Rif countryside to Volubilis, one of Morocco’s most important archaeological sites. Explore the remains of this ancient Roman settlement, known for its preserved mosaics, columns and triumphal arch. A local guide can be arranged if requested.
Continue to Meknes, the former imperial capital established by Sultan Moulay Ismail. Depending on the available time, see Bab Mansour, El Hedim Square and selected historic landmarks before continuing to Fes.
Arrive in Fes in the late afternoon or early evening, where your driver will accompany you to your hotel or riad.
Overnight: Fes hotel or riad
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4: Full-Day Guided Tour of Fes
After breakfast, meet your official local guide and begin exploring Fes, Morocco’s spiritual and cultural capital.
Start with selected sites outside the medina, which may include the Royal Palace gates, the historic Jewish Quarter and a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Fes. You may also visit a traditional ceramics workshop to learn how the city’s famous pottery and mosaic tiles are produced.
Continue into Fes el-Bali, the UNESCO-listed old medina. Walk through its narrow streets and traditional souks while visiting landmarks such as Bou Inania Madrasa, Nejjarine Square, artisan workshops and the famous Chouara Tanneries.
Pass the historic Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University, one of the Islamic world’s oldest centers of learning. Non-Muslim visitors can view the mosque from its entrances but cannot enter its prayer areas.
Enjoy free time for lunch at a traditional restaurant before continuing through the medina. The exact selection and order of monuments may vary according to opening hours, your interests and the pace of the tour.
Return to your accommodation in the late afternoon, with the evening free to relax.
Overnight: Fes hotel or riad
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5: Fes → Ifrane → Cedar Forest → Midelt → Ziz Valley → Merzouga Desert
Approximate driving time: 7–8 hours, excluding lunch, visits and photo stops.
After breakfast, leave Fes and travel south through the landscapes of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop in Ifrane, a clean mountain town known for its alpine-style architecture and cool climate.
Continue through the cedar forests near Azrou. If the Barbary macaques are present, you may see them in their natural environment before continuing across the mountains toward Midelt.
After free time for lunch, travel through the mountainous landscapes around Errachidia and stop at a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the Ziz Valley, famous for its extensive palm groves and traditional villages.
Continue through Erfoud and arrive in Merzouga near the Erg Chebbi dunes. Meet your camel guide and begin a sunset camel trek across the golden sand dunes. Travelers who prefer not to ride a camel can reach the camp comfortably by 4×4.
After arriving at the camp, settle into your private tent and enjoy dinner. Traditional Berber music may be performed around the campfire when weather conditions permit. Spend the night beneath the stars in the peaceful Sahara Desert.
Overnight: Luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi
Meals included: Dinner and breakfast
Day 6: Merzouga → Rissani → Erfoud → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley
Approximate driving time: 5–6 hours, excluding visits, lunch and photo stops.
Wake early to watch the sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes before enjoying breakfast at the camp. Return to the edge of the dunes by camel or 4×4 and meet your driver.
Travel to Rissani, the historic center of the Tafilalet region. If your visit falls on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday, you may explore its traditional market, where local residents trade produce, spices, crafts and livestock.
Continue to Erfoud, a town known for its fossils and stonework. When time permits, visit a local fossil workshop before traveling through the oasis landscapes of Touroug and Tinjdad.
Arrive at Todra Gorge, where you can enjoy a short walk beside the river beneath the canyon’s impressive limestone cliffs. After lunch, continue through Tinghir toward Dades Valley.
Depending on the remaining daylight, stop at panoramic viewpoints and see the remarkable Monkey Fingers rock formations before checking in at your accommodation.
Overnight: Dades Valley hotel or riad
Meals included: Dinner and breakfast
Day 7: Dades Valley → Rose Valley → Skoura → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Approximate driving time: 7–8 hours, excluding visits, lunch and photo stops.
After breakfast, leave Dades Valley and travel through Kalaat M’Gouna and Rose Valley, an area known for its roses and locally produced rosewater. The annual Rose Festival normally takes place during the spring harvest season.
Continue along the Route of a Thousand Kasbahs through Skoura Oasis toward Ouarzazate, often described as Morocco’s gateway to the desert. Film-studio visits can be arranged when the available time and opening hours permit.
Travel to the UNESCO-listed Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, one of Morocco’s finest examples of traditional earthen architecture. Enjoy a guided or independent walk through the fortified village and have free time for lunch nearby.
In the afternoon, cross the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, stopping at selected viewpoints along the route. Arrive in Marrakech in the evening and check in at your hotel or riad.
Overnight: Marrakech hotel or riad
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8: Full-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech
After breakfast, meet your official local guide and begin exploring Marrakech, one of Morocco’s four imperial cities.
Your guided visit may include the Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Ben Youssef Madrasa, the exterior of the Koutoubia Mosque and the traditional souks of the old medina. Walk through colorful markets filled with spices, lanterns, carpets, leather goods and handcrafted products.
Enjoy free time for lunch before continuing through the medina and visiting Jemaa el-Fna, Marrakech’s famous central square.
A visit to Jardin Majorelle can also be included when requested. Because the garden is outside the old medina and requires a timed ticket, advance reservations and transportation should be arranged separately. The exact selection of attractions can be adapted to your interests and monument opening hours.
After the guided tour, enjoy free time to explore Jemaa el-Fna as the square becomes especially lively in the evening.
Overnight: Marrakech hotel or riad
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 9: Marrakech → Casablanca Airport or Departure in Marrakech
Your private driver will collect you from your accommodation and transfer you to your preferred departure point.
If your flight departs from Casablanca, travel from Marrakech to Mohammed V International Airport. The drive generally takes approximately 2½ – 3½ hours, depending on traffic and road conditions. Your pickup time will be arranged according to your flight schedule.
For an early-morning departure from Casablanca, we recommend traveling to Casablanca the previous evening or adding an additional night near the airport.
Alternatively, the tour can finish in Marrakech with drop-off at Marrakech Menara Airport, your hotel, riad or another agreed location.
Meals included: Breakfast
What’s Included and Excluded
Included:
Pickup from casablanca airport
Drop-off at your accommodation or airport
Private transportation with air conditioning
Professional English or Spanish-speaking driver
Fuel for the full trip
Breakfasts
dinner in desert camp and Dades Valley
official local guide in Fes and Marrakech
Camel ride in the Sahara Desert
4x4 transfer to the camp if you prefer not to ride camels
Free stops for photos and sightseeing along the way
Excluded:
Flights
Lunches
Drinks
Entrance fees to monuments
Tips
Optional activities
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Frequently Asked Questions About the 9-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca
Where does the 9-day Morocco tour start?
The tour normally begins with pickup from Mohammed V International Airport, your Casablanca hotel or another agreed location in Casablanca.
Where does the tour finish?
The itinerary can finish in Marrakech or Casablanca. If your departure flight is from Casablanca, a private transfer to Mohammed V International Airport can be arranged on Day 9.
Is this a private Morocco tour?
Yes. This is a private 9-day Morocco tour from Casablanca, with private transportation and flexible stops along the route. You will not share the vehicle with travelers outside your group.
What type of vehicle will we use?
Transportation is provided in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle selected according to your group size. This may be a private SUV, minivan or minibus.
Are local guides included in Fes and Marrakech?
Yes. Guided city tours with an official local guide are included in Fes and Marrakech. Your main driver provides transportation throughout the route but does not replace the licensed city guides.
What accommodation is included?
The tour includes eight nights in selected hotels, traditional riads and a luxury desert camp. Different accommodation categories can be offered according to your budget and preferences.
Is the Merzouga desert camp a luxury camp?
Yes. Your night in the Merzouga Desert includes accommodation in a luxury Sahara camp near the Erg Chebbi dunes. The tent normally includes comfortable bedding and a private bathroom unless otherwise stated in your quotation.
Is camel trekking compulsory?
No. Travelers who do not wish to ride a camel can reach and leave the desert camp by 4×4 vehicle. Please request this alternative before the tour.
How long is the camel trek in Merzouga?
The camel trek generally takes approximately one hour, depending on the camp location, weather and sunset time. There will normally be opportunities to stop for photographs among the dunes.
Can we watch both sunset and sunrise in the desert?
Yes. The itinerary is planned to provide opportunities to watch the sunset during the camel trek and the sunrise near the camp the following morning. Visibility always depends on the weather.
What meals are included?
Breakfast is included at the accommodations. Dinner and breakfast are included at the desert camp and are normally included in Dades Valley. Lunches, drinks and other dinners are generally excluded unless stated differently in your booking confirmation.
Are monument entrance fees included?
Entrance fees for monuments and attractions are generally not included. This allows you to choose which sites you would like to enter. Your final quotation will clearly confirm all inclusions and exclusions.
How much driving is involved?
This itinerary covers a large part of Morocco, so several days involve long-distance travel. The longest driving days are normally Fes to Merzouga and Dades Valley to Marrakech, each taking approximately seven to eight hours before sightseeing, lunch and photo stops.
Is the tour suitable for families with children?
Yes. The private vehicle, flexible breaks and adjustable activities make the tour suitable for many families. Child seats can be requested in advance, subject to availability.
Can older travelers take this tour?
Yes, but travelers should be comfortable with several long driving days and walking through historic medinas and uneven streets. Camel trekking can be replaced with a 4×4 camp transfer for greater comfort.
Can we bring our luggage on the tour?
Yes. Your luggage travels with you in the vehicle. At the Merzouga camp, larger bags can be transported separately while you carry only essential belongings during the camel trek.
When can we visit Rissani’s traditional market?
Rissani’s main market is usually busiest on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. A visit can be included when your tour date and daily timing correspond with a market day.
Do we need to reserve Jardin Majorelle in advance?
Yes. Jardin Majorelle uses timed-entry tickets, so advance booking is strongly recommended. Because it is outside Marrakech’s old medina, transportation and visiting time should be coordinated with your guided city tour.
What happens if our Casablanca departure flight is early?
The road transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca Airport generally takes approximately 2½–3½ hours. For an early-morning flight, we recommend traveling to Casablanca on the previous evening and spending the final night near the city or airport.
Can the itinerary be customized?
Yes. We can customize the the route, accommodation category, activities and final destination according to your flights, interests, group size and available travel dates.
Ready to Plan Your 9-Day Morocco Tour?
Tell us your travel dates, number of travelers, arrival and departure flights and preferred accommodation category. Our local team will check availability and customize the itinerary according to your needs.
Why book with us?
The safety of our guests is of the utmost importance. Drivers, hotels, riads, local guides and restaurants are all hand-picked to ensure quality and safety.