8 Days Desert Tour from Casablanca
- from Casablanca
Durations
8 Days/ 7 Nights
Tour Highlights
Perfect All-in-One Circle: Experience the coast, the Rif and Atlas mountain ranges, the deep desert, and historic cities with zero backtracking.
The Magical Blue City: Spend an unforgettable evening and morning exploring the peaceful blue-painted maze streets of Chefchaouen.
Two Imperial Guided Tours: Walk through the monumental ancient history of Fes and Marrakech alongside certified local historical guides.
Premium Desert Overnight: Ride camels over the Merzouga dunes at sunset and sleep in a luxury Sahara camp with a private en-suite bathroom.
Gateway Convenience: Avoid transit stress with door-to-door private transport starting right from the Casablanca airport or your city hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
Driving Time: 1.5 hours
Accommodations: Elegant Riad or hotel in Rabat
Meals: None (Welcome mint tea included)
After breakfast, we take a short morning stroll through the beautiful blue-and-white fortress walls of the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat. Next, we leave the coast and head north into the green peaks of the Rif Mountains. By afternoon, we arrive at Chefchaouen, the world-famous “Blue City.” Check into your Riad and spend a magical evening walking through the calm, safe, and incredibly photogenic blue-washed streets.
Driving Time: 4 hours
Accommodations: Charming traditional Riad in Chefchaouen
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a quiet morning taking photos in the blue alleys before the daytime crowds arrive. Mid-day, we head south toward Fes. Along our route, we stop to explore the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with beautifully preserved stone columns and floor mosaics. We make a brief stop to see the giant Bab Mansour gate in Meknes before checking into your Riad in Fes.
Driving Time: 4.5 hours total with historical stops
Accommodations: Authentic Riad inside the Fes Medina
Meals: Breakfast
No highway driving today. After breakfast, a licensed local history guide will meet you at your Riad for a private walking tour of Fes, the cultural and spiritual heart of Morocco. You will explore the historic Blue Gate, the ancient Al-Qarawiyyin University, and the famous 11th-century Chouara Tannery, where artisans still dye leather using medieval stone vats. Enjoy a free afternoon to relax or shop for local ceramics and leather goods.
Driving Time: None (Walking tour)
Accommodations: Authentic Riad inside the Fes Medina
Meals: Breakfast
We take an early breakfast and begin an incredible journey south toward the desert. We drive up into the Middle Atlas Mountains, stopping in the cool cedar forests of Azrou to see the friendly wild Barbary macaque monkeys. After lunch in the mountain town of Midelt, we follow the palm oases of the Ziz Valley down into the open desert plains. By late afternoon, the towering golden sand dunes of Merzouga appear on the horizon.
Driving Time: 7 hours (Our longest driving day, but broken up with regular coffee, mountain, and wildlife stops)
Accommodations: Luxury Sahara Desert Camp (Private en-suite bathroom)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
We highly recommend waking up early to watch an unforgettable desert sunrise over the high sand peaks. After a hot breakfast at camp, we return from the dunes and drive west to the spectacular Todra Gorge, a giant limestone canyon with vertical rock walls rising 300 meters high. Take a pleasant walk along the cool riverbed before we continue our drive into the Dades Valley to spend the night among unique rock formations.
Driving Time: 4 hours
Accommodations: Traditional valley hotel or Riad in Dades
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today we follow the historic “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.” We stop to explore Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, a magnificent ancient clay-brick fortress town featured in famous movies like Gladiator and Game of Thrones. After a walking tour, we scale the winding panoramic switchbacks of the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2,260m), arriving in the vibrant city of Marrakesh by early evening.
Driving Time: 6 hours total with scenic stops
Accommodations: Charming Medina Riad in Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast on your Riad’s rooftop. In the morning, a local guide will give you a private tour of Marrakech’s top sights, including the stunning Bahia Palace and the colorful marketplace souks. After lunch, your private driver will pick you up and take the fast, smooth highway back to the Casablanca airport (CMN) for your international flight home, bringing your amazing 8-day tour to a close.
Driving Time: 2.5 hours highway drive
Accommodations: None (Airport drop-off included)
Meals: Breakfast
What’s Included / Excluded
Included:
- Private transport in a comfortable, modern car or minivan with air conditioning.
- A professional, private driver who handles all roads and navigation.
- All airport transfers and daily door-to-door Riad pick-ups.
- 6 nights in top-rated traditional Riads/Hotels and 1 night in a luxury Sahara desert camp with a private bathroom.
- Official local step-guides for private walking tours in Marrakech and Fes.
- All 7 breakfasts, plus traditional multi-course dinners in the Dades Valley and the Sahara Desert.
- Sunset camel trek across the dunes of Merzouga.
- All vehicle fuel, road tolls, and parking fees.
Excluded:
- Lunches, drinks, and snacks
- All entry tickets to historical monuments and museums (typically $3 to $10 per person)
- Tips and gratuities for your driver, local guides, and restaurant staff
Tour Map
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Gallery
Each image tells a unique story, inviting us into a world of emotion, beauty, and complexity. Get ready to be moved, inspired, and challenged as we journey through this captivating collection of images.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can we customize this tour to end in Marrakech instead of driving back to Casablanca?
Absolutely. This is a 100% private and flexible tour. If your departure flight leaves directly from the Marrakech Airport (RAK), we can skip the final highway drive to Casablanca on Day 8 and give you more time to explore Marrakech instead.
What are the luxury desert tents like?
Our desert camp brings boutique hotel comfort directly to the sand dunes. Each private tent features comfortable king-sized beds, warm linens, electricity, and a private en-suite bathroom with a flushing toilet and a hot shower.
Is there a lot of driving on this 8-day itinerary?
Because this tour covers a complete loop from the northern coast down to the southern desert in 8 days, there are a couple of long stretches on the road. Day 5 (Fes to the Desert) is the longest travel day. However, because you are in a private vehicle, you can ask your driver to pull over for fresh orange juice, restrooms, or photos whenever you like.