Imperial Morocco & the Sahara: 10-Day Grand Circuit

Overview

The full loop: all four imperial cities, the blue lanes of Chefchaouen, the oldest continuously operating university in the world at Fes, a night under the stars at Erg Chebbi, the Todra Gorge, and the mudbrick kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, finishing with two nights in Marrakech. Ten days is what it takes to do Morocco without spending the whole trip in a vehicle, and this route is paced so the long Atlas crossings are broken by places worth stopping for.

At a glance

Duration	10 days / 9 nights
Start / End	Casablanca → Marrakech
Group size	Maximum 16 travellers
Activity level	Moderate - long drive days over the Atlas, medina walking, one night in a desert camp
Meals	9 breakfasts, 6 dinners
Guiding	Licensed local guide, English (other languages on request)
Departures	February–May and September–November

Tour highlights

• Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, built out over the Atlantic
• Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas and the Hassan Tower
• The blue-washed medina of Chefchaouen in the Rif mountains
• Two nights in Fes - the Qarawiyyin, the Chouara tanneries and the Bou Inania medersa
• Roman Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss
• A camel trek into Erg Chebbi and a night in a desert camp
• The Todra Gorge and the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs
• Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed ksar
• Two nights in Marrakech: Jemaa el-Fna, the Bahia Palace and the Majorelle garden

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1 - Arrive Casablanca. Transfer to your hotel and an evening seafront walk. Visit to the Hassan II Mosque if time allows.
   Overnight: Casablanca
2. Day 2 - Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen. The Hassan II Mosque, then Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas and Hassan Tower, and north into the Rif.
   Overnight: Chefchaouen
3. Day 3 - Chefchaouen → Fes. A slow morning in the blue medina, then south to Fes via the cedar country.
   Overnight: Fes
4. Day 4 - Fes. A full day in Fes el-Bali with a local medina guide: the Qarawiyyin, Bou Inania, the tanneries and the souks.
   Overnight: Fes
5. Day 5 - Volubilis & Meknes. Roman Volubilis and its mosaics, the shrine town of Moulay Idriss, and the imperial gates of Meknes.
   Overnight: Fes
6. Day 6 - Fes → Merzouga. Over the Middle Atlas via Ifrane and the Ziz valley palm groves. Camel trek into the dunes at sunset.
   Overnight: Desert camp
7. Day 7 - Erg Chebbi → Todra → Dades. Sunrise over the dunes, then the Todra Gorge and into the Dades valley.
   Overnight: Dades
8. Day 8 - Dades → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech. The Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou, then over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech.
   Overnight: Marrakech
9. Day 9 - Marrakech. The Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Koutoubia and the souks, with a free afternoon for the Majorelle garden.
   Overnight: Marrakech
10. Day 10 - Depart Marrakech. Transfer to Marrakech Menara Airport.
    Overnight: -

What's included

• All airport and intercity transfers in modern air-conditioned vehicles
• Accommodation as listed, on a twin-share basis, with daily breakfast
• Professional English-speaking licensed guide throughout
• All entrance fees to the sites named in the itinerary
• Local taxes, service charges and portage at hotels
• 24/7 on-tour support line and a Look Vacations tour manager
• One night in a Sahara desert camp with private tents and en-suite facilities
• Camel trek at Erg Chebbi
• Specialist medina guides in Fes and Marrakech

What's not included

• International flights to and from the start and end cities
• Travel insurance (required - we can recommend providers)
• Visas, passport fees and any border charges
• Lunches and dinners not specified in the itinerary
• Drinks, laundry and items of a personal nature
• Optional excursions and gratuities for guide and driver

Accommodation

Riads inside the medinas of Fes and Marrakech - courtyard houses, not chain hotels - four-star properties elsewhere, and a comfortable desert camp with proper beds and en-suite bathrooms.

Who this tour is for

Couples, friends travelling together and multi-generational family groups. Children over eight generally love the desert camp. Two of the driving days run to six hours, so it suits travellers who enjoy the road.

Good to know

Is the desert camp roughing it?
No. The camps we use have proper beds, rugs, en-suite bathrooms and hot water. What you get is silence and the sky, not discomfort.

How long are the drives?
Two days run about six hours with regular stops and photo breaks. The rest are three to four. The scenery on the Atlas crossings is a large part of the trip.

Can this run as a private family departure?
Yes, and it is our most-requested private itinerary. Private departures can slow the desert leg down or add a night in Marrakech.

Book or ask a question

Prices are per person in twin-share accommodation, land only, and vary by departure date and group size. Tell us your preferred dates and we will confirm availability and a firm quote within one business day.

Call +1 202 770 5061 · email usa@lookvacations.com · or send an enquiry through the tour page.