10-Day Morocco Imperial Cities Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech

Ten days crossing Morocco's imperial cities, from Atlantic coast to Sahara dunes and back.

A 10-day private tour from Casablanca through Morocco's imperial cities (Rabat, Fes, Meknes, and Marrakech) with a two-day desert stay in Merzouga. You travel in an air-conditioned car with a multilingual driver, spend nights in hotels and riads, trek by camel at sunset, explore the Medina of Fez on foot, cross the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass through the Atlas, and visit the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou. Nine nights' accommodation, all transfers, and meals at select stops are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Casablanca and Rabat city tour

• Receive at Casablanca airport
• Visit Hassan II mosque
• Stroll Ain Diab beachfront
• Visit Muhammad V Square
• Travel to Rabat
• Explore Rabat Old Medina and leather workshop
• Overnight in Rabat hotel or riad

Day 2: Rabat, Volubilis, Meknes, Fez

• Visit Mohammed V Mausoleum and Hassan Tower
• Explore Oudaya Kasbah
• Travel to Volubilis and visit Roman ruins
• Visit Meknes historic sites
• Travel to Fez
• Overnight in Fez hotel or riad

Day 3: Explore Fez Medina

• Visit Royal Palace gates
• Explore El Mellah Jewish Quarter
• Visit Jnane Sbil Gardens
• See defensive towers of Fez
• Enter Medina via Bab Boujloud gate
• Visit Madrasas Bouanania and Al-Attarine
• Tour University of Al Quaraouiyine
• Visit Mausoleum Moulay Idriss II
• Explore Nejjarine Museum
• Visit Chouara Tanneries
• View Merenid Tombs panorama
• Overnight in Fez hotel or riad

Day 4: Fez to Merzouga via Atlas Mountains

• Pickup from accommodation
• Visit Immouzer Kander
• Explore Ifrane town
• Visit Azrou cedar forest
• Lunch stop in Midelt
• Panoramic view of Ziz Valley
• Arrive Merzouga hotel and relax
• Dinner and overnight in Merzouga hotel or riad

Day 5: Merzouga desert tour and camp

• 4x4 tour of dunes and volcanic rocks
• Visit nomad family in tent
• Visit Khamlia village and Gnawa music
• Visit Lake Dayt Sarji
• Lunch in Merzouga or Hassi Labied
• Walk oasis and irrigation canal
• Relax at hotel
• Camel trek to desert camp at sunset
• Dinner and overnight in desert luxury camp

Day 6: Merzouga to Dades Valley

• Camel ride at sunrise
• Breakfast and shower at hotel
• Visit Rissani and Zawiya Moulay Ali Ash-Sharif
• Visit Ksar El Khorbat in Tinejdad
• Explore Todra Gorges cliffs
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Travel to Dades Valley
• Overnight in Dades Valley guesthouse

Day 7: Dades Valley to Ouarzazate

• Breakfast in Dades Valley
• Travel to Kelaa M’gouna
• Explore Kelaa M’gouna town
• Cross Skoura village
• Arrive Ouarzazate
• Overnight in Ouarzazate hotel or riad

Day 8: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

• Breakfast in Ouarzazate
• Walk Ouarzazate souks and visit film studio
• Visit Kasbah Taourirt
• Travel to Ait Ben Haddou
• Visit Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou
• Lunch in Ait Ben Haddou
• Cross Tizi N Tichka pass
• Arrive Marrakech and check in hotel

Day 9: Explore Marrakech city

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Bahia Palace
• Visit Saadian Tombs
• Visit Koutoubia Mosque
• Lunch near Djemaa el-Fna square
• Explore Marrakech souks
• Overnight in Marrakech hotel or riad

Day 10: Departure from Marrakech

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Marrakech airport

The experience

The route unfolds over ten days, moving south from Casablanca through the country's political and cultural heart. Day one takes you through Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, the largest in North Africa, and the Ain Diab beachfront before reaching Rabat. From there, the itinerary carries you to Volubilis, the 2,000-year-old Roman ruins, then into Meknes and the Medina of Fez, where a full day on foot covers the Royal Palace with its seven brass gates, El Mellah (the Jewish Quarter), the Bab Boujloud gate with its blue mosaic tiles, the Medersa Bouanania and Medersa Al-Attarine, the Chouara Tannery (Africa's oldest and largest), and the Merenid Tombs for views over the old city.

The route then turns south and climbs into the Middle Atlas. You pass through Ifrane, described as Morocco's "little Switzerland," and the cedar forests of Azrou before descending into the Sahara. Two nights in Merzouga center on desert exploration: a 4x4 tour visits the black volcanic rocks, a nomad family's tent, Khamlia Village known for Gnawa music, and the seasonal Lake Dayt Sarji. A one-hour camel trek at sunset carries you to a luxury camp in the dunes for the night, with dinner and live music around the campfire.

The return journey moves west through Todra Gorge (where orange cliffs rise 300 meters above the riverbed), and the Dades Valley with its oases and kasbahs. You stop in Kelaa M'Gouna, Morocco's rose town, then reach Ouarzazate to tour its film studios and the Kasbah Taourirt. The final push crosses the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass through the High Atlas to Marrakech, where a full day covers the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque, lunch near Djemaa el-Fna square, and the medina souks. A morning departure on day ten returns you to Marrakech airport.

What’s included

• Professional multilingual driver.
• private air-conditioned car for the entire route.
• nine nights' accommodation in hotels, riads, and a luxury desert camp.
• camel trekking and 4x4 desert tour in Merzouga.
• private airport transfers.
• hotel pickup and drop-off at each destination.
• camel guide for desert activities.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 to 36 years) · Senior (37 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (under 12)

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by RMT Tours

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers with ten days to spend and a preference for private travel over group departures. The fixed itinerary and included accommodation mean no daily planning once you book. The multilingual driver handles navigation and logistics, leaving you to focus on the sites.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (under 12).

What is the Medina of Fez like, and how much time do you spend there?

The Medina of Fez is one of the world's oldest and most intact medieval cities. You spend a full day exploring it on foot with a professional guide, visiting the Royal Palace, the Jewish Quarter, the Bab Boujloud gate, Islamic schools (madrasas), the Chouara Tannery where leather is dyed using traditional methods, and the Merenid Tombs for panoramic views over the old city.

What happens during the two nights in Merzouga?

The first night includes a 4x4 tour of the dunes visiting black volcanic rocks, a nomad family's tent, Khamlia Village for Gnawa music, and Lake Dayt Sarji, followed by a one-hour camel trek at sunset to a luxury desert camp where you sleep in a tent and dine under the stars with live local music. The second morning begins with a sunrise camel ride back to your hotel before heading west toward Todra Gorge.

Which major landmarks does this tour include?

The tour covers Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the Roman ruins at Volubilis, the Medina of Fez, the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou (the largest kasbah in Africa), Todra Gorge with its 300-meter cliffs, the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass through the Atlas Mountains, and Marrakech's Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, and Koutoubia Mosque.

How does the desert portion fit into the overall route?

After leaving Fez, the tour climbs through the Middle Atlas mountains, passing Ifrane and Azrou's cedar forests before descending into the Sahara. Merzouga sits at the edge of the dunes and serves as the turning point. From there, the route heads west through Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley back toward the Atlas and Marrakech.

What is included in the nine nights of accommodation?

You stay in hotels and riads in Rabat, Fez (two nights), Dades Valley, Ouarzazate, and Marrakech (two nights), plus one night in a luxury desert camp in Merzouga. All accommodation is included in the tour price, along with private airport transfers and hotel pickup and drop-off at each stop.