10-Day Morocco Tour: Atlas to Atlantic, Private

Ten days across Morocco at your own rhythm, from ochre medinas to golden dunes to Atlantic ramparts.

A fully private 10-day journey across Morocco starting in Marrakech, moving through the High Atlas and Sahara to Essaouira on the Atlantic coast, with hand-picked accommodation at each stop, a private driver-guide throughout, and the freedom to linger or move on as you choose. The itinerary includes camel rides at sunset in Erg Chebbi, tea with nomad families, a visit to a thuya wood carpenter's workshop, and golden-hour photography at Aït Benhaddou. Every night is spent in a boutique riad, luxury desert camp or character kasbah hotel rather than a chain.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Marrakech Medina

• Arrive in Marrakech
• Transfer to Marrakech Medina
• Check into Riad XO
• Enjoy rooftop dinner at Riad

Day 2: Explore Marrakech Medina

• Visit Ben Youssef Medersa
• Wander Marrakech souks
• Explore Jemaa el-Fna Square
• Admire Koutoubia Mosque exterior
• Relax at Riad XO
• Enjoy rooftop drink

Day 3: Atlas Mountains and Dades Valley

• Drive through High Atlas Mountains
• Stop at Telouet Kasbah
• Lunch at Aït Benhaddou
• Explore Aït Benhaddou ksar
• Visit Valley of the Roses and rose-water cooperative
• Drive through Dades Gorges
• Check into Panorama Dades Hotel
• Dinner at hotel restaurant

Day 4: Dades to Merzouga Sahara

• Photo stop at Monkey Fingers rock
• Cross Tissedrine Pass
• Pass through Tinghir town
• Visit Todra Gorge
• Arrive in Merzouga
• Camel ride into Erg Chebbi dunes
• Overnight at Merzouga Luxury Camp

Day 5: Merzouga Desert Exploration

• Sunrise photography in dunes
• Breakfast at camp
• 4x4 tour to nomad tents and Mifis mines
• Visit Khamlia for Gnawa music
• Lunch at desert hotel restaurant
• Sunset photography in dunes

Day 6: Merzouga to Aït Benhaddou

• Pass through Rissani
• Stop at Timiderte village
• Lunch at Auberge Kasbah Alnif
• Visit N'kob village
• Golden hour photography at Aït Benhaddou
• Check into Hôtel La Kasbah

Day 7: Aït Benhaddou to Essaouira

• Cross Tizi n’Tichka Pass
• Drive to Essaouira
• Check into Palais des Remparts

Day 8: Essaouira City Exploration

• Walk Essaouira Ramparts
• Explore the Mellah quarter
• Visit Essaouira Port
• Watch thuya wood carving workshop
• Return to Palais des Remparts

Day 9: Essaouira to Marrakech

• Drive through Argan country
• Return to Marrakech
• Evening at Jemaa el-Fna

Day 10: Final Day in Marrakech

• Stroll Rue Yves Saint Laurent
• Visit Jardin Majorelle
• Transfer to Marrakech Menara Airport

The experience

You arrive at Marrakech Menara Airport and are met by your private driver, who stays with you for all ten days. The first two nights anchor you in Riad XO in the Medina, near Jemaa el-Fna square, where you move at your own pace through the Ben Youssef Medersa, the leather and spice souks, and the Koutoubia Mosque. There's no fixed schedule for these stops. You linger where you fall in love and move on when you're ready.

From Marrakech, the route climbs through the High Atlas via the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass, crosses the Dades Gorges, and descends into the Sahara. You stop at Aït Benhaddou on the way south, then spend two nights in a luxury Berber-style camp deep in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. One full day there is built around sunrise and sunset photography in the sand, a 4x4 exploration of nomad tents where you drink tea with local families, a visit to Khamlia for live Gnawa music, and the ride back across the dunes as light fades. The camp itself has en suite tents and sits under an untouched night sky.

The return west takes you through argan country and back to Essaouira, where two nights at the Palais des Remparts (an 18th-century riad steps from the beach) let you walk the historic ramparts, explore the Mellah quarter, and watch a master thuya carpenter at work in his workshop, a craft found almost nowhere else. Your final evening returns you to Marrakech and Jemaa el-Fna for one last night before your morning transfer to the airport. Throughout, your driver handles all navigation and logistics. The pace, the stops and how long you stay at each one are entirely yours.

What’s included

• Accommodation at hand-picked riads, a luxury desert camp and kasbah hotels throughout the ten days.
• airport pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• private air-conditioned vehicle and driver-guide for the entire journey.
• guided city visits in Marrakech and Essaouira.
• camel rides at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• tea with nomad families in the Sahara.
• a visit to a thuya wood carpenter's workshop.
• sunrise and sunset photography in the dunes.
• and entry to sites including the Ben Youssef Medersa, Jemaa el-Fna, Aït Benhaddou, the Todra and Dades Gorges, and Jardin Majorelle.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 47

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by KASBAH LANE TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're traveling solo or with a small group and want to move through Morocco without a fixed daily schedule. You set the pace at each stop, and your private driver adapts to how long you want to stay. It suits first-time visitors who want to see the country's full range in one trip, from medinas to mountains to desert to coast, without the constraint of a group's timetable.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years); Infant (under 6).

What's included in the 10-day tour price?

Accommodation at every stop (riads, a luxury desert camp and kasbah hotels), airport pickup and drop-off, private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, and a private driver-guide for all ten days. Meals are not included except where noted in the itinerary.

Do I need my own transport, or is everything arranged?

Everything is arranged. Your private driver collects you at Marrakech airport and handles all driving throughout the ten days, so you have no vehicle to rent or navigate yourself.

What's the Sahara experience like in this tour?

You spend two full days in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. One day includes sunrise photography in the sand, breakfast at camp, a 4x4 visit to nomad tents where you drink tea with local families, a stop at the Mifis mines for panoramic views, live Gnawa music in Khamlia, and sunset photography back in the dunes. The other day is yours to rest or explore at your own pace. You sleep in a luxury Berber-style tent with en suite facilities.

Can I see the thuya wood workshops in Essaouira?

Yes. In Essaouira, your itinerary includes a visit to a thuya wood carpenter's workshop where you watch the generations-old craft of carving and inlaying this rare, fragrant wood: a skill found almost nowhere else in Morocco.

How much driving is there each day?

Driving varies. The longest days are the transfers from Marrakech to the Dades Gorges (roughly 360 km over a full day with stops) and from Merzouga back to Essaouira (also a full day's journey). Other days involve shorter drives or no driving at all. Your driver can adjust the pace and break points to suit you.