7 Days Across Morocco: From Casablanca to Chefchaouen, Fez, Merzouga & Marrakech
Overview
A week-long crossing of Morocco from the Atlantic to the Sahara and back. It begins in Casablanca at the Hassan II Mosque, climbs into the Rif for the blue streets of Chefchaouen, then works through the medina of Fez and Al Quaraouiyine before the long descent to Merzouga, a camel trek and a night in a Berber camp among the dunes. The return crosses the Todgha and Dades gorges, the rose valley at Kelaat M'Gouna and the kasbahs of Ouarzazate, finishing over the Atlas passes in Marrakech.
Highlights
- Rif mountains, imperial medinas and Sahara dunes on a single private route
- A night in a Berber camp at Merzouga, with a camel ride to the dunes
- Guided walks in Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fez and Marrakech
- Ait Benhaddou, Taourirt Kasbah and the Atlas Film Studios at Ouarzazate
- Local expert guides in each city, with Fez entrance fees included
- Air-conditioned van with Wi-Fi, phone chargers and 24/7 support
Full Description
Airport pick-up and hotel drop-off, Casablanca
The driver meets guests on arrival and transfers them to the hotel to settle in before the city tour.
Duration: 1 hour
Casablanca city tour with guided Hassan II Mosque visit
The afternoon covers the city's landmarks and a guided visit inside the Hassan II Mosque, whose minaret rises straight out of the Atlantic.
Duration: 4 hours
Casablanca to Rabat
A short run up the coast to the capital, following the shoreline most of the way.
Duration: 1 hour
Rabat city tour
The imperial capital laid out along the Bou Regreg, from the Hassan Tower to the blue-and-white lanes of the Oudayas.
Duration: 4 hours
Rabat to Chefchaouen
The road turns inland and climbs into the Rif, the landscape shifting to olive terraces and pine as the altitude rises.
Duration: 4 hours
Chefchaouen city tour: Outa El Hammam Square, Kasbah, Grand Mosque, Ras El Maa Waterfall, Spanish Mosque hike
A guided walk through the blue medina, ending with the hillside climb to the Spanish Mosque for the view back over the rooftops.
Duration: 3 hours
Chefchaouen to Fez
The descent from the Rif runs through Ouazzane and down onto the plain towards the oldest of the imperial cities.
Duration: 4 hours
Fez guided city tour with historic sites
A licensed guide leads the way through Fez el-Bali, its madrasas, tanneries and the Al Quaraouiyine complex. Entrance fees are included.
Duration: 4 hours
Fez to Ifrane
A brief tour of the alpine-styled hill town in the Middle Atlas, with photo stops among the cedars.
Duration: 3 hours
Ifrane to Merzouga via Azrou and Midelt
The long haul south through cedar forest, Barbary macaque country and the high plateau, arriving at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Duration: 7 hours
Overnight in a Merzouga Berber camp
A camel ride carries guests out to camp among the dunes for dinner, drumming and a night under an unlit sky.
Duration: 1 night
Sunrise and breakfast in Merzouga
First light over Erg Chebbi turns the sand from grey to deep orange, followed by breakfast back at camp.
Duration: 4 hours
Merzouga to Todgha Gorges
The road runs west along the palm-lined Ziz and Todgha valleys to the sheer limestone walls of the gorge.
Duration: 3 hours
Todgha to Dades Gorges via Boumalne Dades and Monkey Fingers
A short hop into the Dades valley, past the eroded rock formations known locally as the Monkey Fingers.
Duration: 1 hour
Boumalne Dades breakfast and viewpoints
A slow start above the valley, with the switchback road and the kasbah ruins in view.
Duration: 2 hours
Boumalne Dades to Ouarzazate via Kelaat M'Gouna
The route passes through the rose-growing village of Kelaat M'Gouna, source of most of Morocco's rosewater.
Duration: 3 hours
Ouarzazate: Ait Benhaddou, Taourirt Kasbah and Atlas Film Studios
The UNESCO-listed earthen ksar of Ait Benhaddou, the labyrinthine Taourirt Kasbah and the film studios that have stood in for half the ancient world.
Duration: 2 hours
Ouarzazate to Marrakech over the High Atlas
The Tizi n'Tichka pass climbs above 2,200 metres before dropping into the Haouz plain and Marrakech.
Marrakech city tour: La Palmeraie camel ride, Koutoubia Mosque, Le Jardin Secret, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, Jemaa el-Fnaa, Souk Semmarine, Gueliz and Medina
A full day across the red city, opening with a 45-minute camel ride in the palm groves and closing in the souks and the square.
Duration: 6 hours
Transfer to Casablanca
The optional final leg runs back up the motorway to Casablanca for onward flights.
Duration: 3 hours
Inclusions:
- Air-conditioned vehicle with Wi-Fi and multilingual driver
- Local expert guides
- Entrance fees to historical sites in Fez
- Overnight camp accommodation in Merzouga
- Camel ride in Merzouga
- Bottled mineral water
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Exclusions:
- Food and beverages
- Airport pick-up surcharge
- Accommodation in Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fez, Boumalen Dades and Marrakech
- Gratuities (recommended)
- Book Now Pay Later option available
- Instant confirmation via email with voucher
- Digital or printed voucher accepted
- Free date changes up to 12 hours before departure
- No cancellation fee if cancelled 24 hours or more before the scheduled pickup
- 100% cancellation fee if cancelled within 24 hours of pickup
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
- No refund for cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time.
- Changes requested less than 24 hours before the start time cannot be accepted.
- Times are local. Experiences cancelled for poor weather are refunded in full or rescheduled.