15-Day Morocco Private Grand Tour: Casablanca to Marrakech

Morocco crossing tour: 15 days exploring imperial cities, desert camps, and traditional artisan medinas

This 15-day private tour loops through Morocco starting and ending in Casablanca, covering the imperial cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fes, and Marrakech, plus several days in the Sahara Desert near Merzouga. You travel by private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver, stay in hotels or traditional riads, and get local guides in Fes and Marrakech. The route takes in Roman ruins at Volubilis, the blue medina of Chefchaouen, waterfalls in the Rif Mountains, desert camps with camel rides, and coastal towns along the Atlantic.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Casablanca tour

• Arrive at Casablanca Mohamed V Airport
• Drive to Casablanca city center
• Visit Hassan II Mosque guided tour
• Overnight at hotel

Day 2: Casablanca to Tangier via Rabat and Asilah

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Rabat
• Visit Chellah Necropolis and Roman ruins
• Explore Kasbah des Oudaias and Andalusian Gardens
• See Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohamed V
• Drive to Asilah
• Visit Asilah medina and historical sites
• Overnight at hotel or traditional riad

Day 3: Tangier sightseeing

• Breakfast at hotel
• Explore Tangier marina and medina
• Walk Tangier Kasbah and Place du Mechouar
• Optional visit to Cap Spartel and Cave of Hercules
• Relax at Zoco Chico square café
• Sunset walk along seafront promenade
• Overnight in Tangier

Day 4: Tangier to Chefchaouen via Tetouan

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Tetouan
• Self-guided tour of Tetouan medina
• Lunch at leisure
• Drive to Chefchaouen
• Check-in at riad or hotel
• Explore Chefchaouen medina or relax
• Overnight at hotel or traditional riad

Day 5: Chefchaouen tour and Rif Mountains hike

• Early morning sunrise at Spanish mosque
• Breakfast at riad
• Wander Chefchaouen blue streets
• Hike to Cascades d’Akchour waterfall
• Visit God’s Bridge natural rock formation
• Return to Chefchaouen medina and market
• Dinner at leisure
• Overnight at traditional riad

Day 6: Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis and Meknes

• Breakfast at riad
• Drive to Volubilis Roman ruins
• Explore Volubilis archaeological site
• Visit Moulay Idriss town
• Drive to Meknes
• Tour Meknes imperial sites and medina
• Continue to Fes and check-in at riad
• Evening at leisure in Fes

Day 7: Fes full day sightseeing

• Breakfast at riad
• Guided tour of Fes el Bali medina
• Visit Chouara Tannery rooftop
• See Al-Qarawiyyin University and Al Attarine Madrasa
• Explore Fes el Jdid and Mellah Jewish quarter
• Visit ceramics cooperative
• Overnight at traditional riad

Day 8: Fes to Sahara Desert via Middle Atlas

• Early breakfast and depart Fes
• Cross Middle Atlas Mountains and cedar forests
• Stop at Cèdre Gouraud Forest to see monkeys
• Lunch in Midelt
• Drive through Ziz Valley and fortified ksars
• Cross Ziz Gorge and see Saharan dunes
• Arrive near Merzouga and prepare for desert camp
• Camel ride to desert camp before sunset
• Dinner and Berber music at camp
• Stargazing and overnight in desert camp

Day 9: Sahara desert excursion and Merzouga visit

• Sunrise over sand dunes
• Breakfast at camp
• Visit Merzouga lake and birdwatching
• Meet nomad families and have tea
• Drive Paris Dakar rally route
• Visit Mifis mines
• Visit Khamlia village and enjoy music
• Lunch in village (Berber pizza)
• Visit oasis on sand dunes edge
• Return to hotel or riad

Day 10: Merzouga to Dades Valley via Rissani and Todra

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Rissani and visit souk if open
• Continue to Erfoud and visit fossil artisan collective
• Drive through Millab, Tinjdad, and Toroug villages
• Visit Todra Gorges and cliffs
• Explore Dades Valley rock formations and kasbahs
• Dinner and overnight at hotel or riad

Day 11: Dades Valley to Marrakech via Rose Town and Ait Benhaddou

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Rose Town and learn about rose harvesting
• Drive through Skoura palm groves and kasbahs
• Visit Ouarzazate cinema studios
• Tour Ait Benhaddou kasbah and have lunch
• Drive over High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech
• Arrive and overnight at hotel or riad

Day 12: Marrakech full day sightseeing

• Breakfast at hotel
• Guided tour of Marrakech medina and souks
• Visit Bahia and El Badii Palaces
• See Saadian Tombs
• Visit Majorelle Gardens
• Evening at Jemaa el-Fna square
• Overnight at hotel or riad

Day 13: Marrakech to Essaouira coastal drive

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive west to Essaouira via argan forests
• Optional stop at Argan Oil Cooperative
• Explore Essaouira harbor and fishermen's boats
• Visit Scala and Bab al Mersa
• Tour UNESCO medina and souks
• Lunch and check-in at hotel or riad
• Evening stroll and nightlife in medina

Day 14: Essaouira to Casablanca via Safi and El Jadida

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive along coast with stops in Safi
• Visit Safi castle and port views
• Stop in El Jadida to tour Portuguese cistern and ramparts
• Drive to Casablanca
• Explore Casablanca Old Medina and Boulevard de la Corniche
• Visit Rick's Café for meal
• Overnight at hotel

Day 15: Departure from Casablanca

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Casablanca airport

The experience

Fifteen days is enough to see Morocco without rushing. The loop starts at Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque (a 690-foot minaret jutting into the Atlantic), then moves north through Rabat's Roman necropolis and the fortified medina of Asilah. You'll spend time in Tangier and Tetouan before reaching Chefchaouen, where every wall, door, and stairway is painted in shades of blue. A day there includes a hike in the Rif Mountains to the Akchour Falls and a natural rock bridge, with the option to swim in pools along the way.

The route south passes through Volubilis, Morocco's best-preserved Roman site, then Moulay Idriss (founded in 789 CE and home to the country's only round minaret) before settling into Fes for a full day. Your local guide leads you through the Medina of Fez, the most complete medieval city in the Arab world, to the Chouara Tannery, the 9th-century Al-Qarawiyyin University, and artisan workshops. From there you cross the Middle Atlas Mountains through cedar forests where Barbary Macaque monkeys live, descend into the Ziz Valley (an ancient Saharan trade route), and arrive at a luxury desert camp near Merzouga for a camel ride at sunset and a night under stars with Berber music by the fire.

A full day in the Sahara includes a sunrise over the dunes, a visit to nomadic families, the Merzouga lake where exotic birds gather, and the Khamlia village of black Berber people from Mali and Niger. The return journey passes through Todra Gorges, vertical cliffs 300 meters high, and the Dades Valley with its rock formations called "monkey's fingers," then through the Rose Town of El Kalaa Mgou'na and the kasbahs of Skoura before reaching Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO site of mud-brick architecture filmed in countless movies. The final stretch crosses the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech, where a local guide takes you through the medina, Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and Jemaa el-Fna square at dusk when musicians, storytellers, and food stalls fill the space. The tour ends with a day on the Atlantic coast in Essaouira and a coastal drive back to Casablanca through Safi and El Jadida.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned transportation throughout.
• local city guides in Fes and Marrakech medina.
• 14 nights accommodation in hotels or traditional riads (your choice at checkout).
• fresh bottled mineral water while touring.
• desert adventure with camel ride and a night in a luxury camp with private tent, toilet and shower.
• airport arrival and departure transfers or hotel pickup and drop-off.
• fuel for the vehicle.
• and a driver-guide.

Options for this experience

3 options

Without AccommodationsGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · No fixed timeDriver and tour guide: a private local city guide is included in Fes and Marrakech. Duration: 15 days, the best timeframe to cover all the highlights of Morocco. Itinerary of Morocco: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Fes, Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Essaouira. Private transportation: a private air-conditioned vehicle, comfortable and clean, either a 4WD, mini-van or minibus depending on group size. Airport arrival and departure: hotel pickup, pickup is included.

With Standard AccommodationsGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · No fixed timeWe will book hotels and riads of 3 to 4 stars, including riads, hotels, camps and traditional Moroccan-style stays. Driver and tour guide: a local city tour guide is included in Fes, Marrakech and Tangier. Duration: 15 days, the best timeframe to cover all the highlights of Morocco. Breakfasts are included with the hotel, and 3 dinners are included in the Sahara Desert. Itinerary of Morocco: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Fes, Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Essaouira. Private transportation: a private air-conditioned vehicle, comfortable and clean, either a 4WD, mini-van or minibus depending on group size. Private airport arrival and departure and hotel pickup, pickup is included.

With Luxury AccommodationsGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · No fixed timeWe will book 5-star riads, hotels and camps, including traditional Moroccan-style stays. Driver and tour guide: a private local city guide is included in Fes and Marrakech. Classic tour and luxury. Duration: 15 days, the best timeframe to cover all the highlights of Morocco. Breakfasts are included with the hotel, and 3 dinners are included in the Sahara Desert. Itinerary of Morocco: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Fes, Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Essaouira. Private transportation: a private air-conditioned vehicle, comfortable and clean, either a 4WD, mini-van or minibus depending on group size. Private airport arrival and departure and hotel pickup, pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (under 10)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by DesertTrips

Is this one for you?Choose the accommodation level at checkout: standard, luxury, or no accommodation if you prefer to arrange your own lodging. The 15-day duration fits travelers who want to see Morocco's full arc without skipping the desert or the coast, and the private vehicle means you set the pace at each stop rather than moving with a group schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 10).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and why is it special?

The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca has a 690-foot minaret, the tallest in the world, and sits on an outcrop jutting into the Atlantic. It was inaugurated in 1993 and is one of the few mosques in Morocco where non-Muslims are permitted to enter to see the fine examples of Moroccan and Islamic artisanship.

What happens during the day in Fes and who guides you there?

A local guide leads you through the Medina of Fez to the Chouara Tannery (where you climb to a rooftop to watch leather workers), the 9th-century Al-Qarawiyyin University, the Al Attarine Madrasa, and the ceramics cooperative. You also explore Fes el Jdid to see the Mellah, the Jewish quarter and cemetery, for an overview of the city.

What do you do during the full day in the Sahara Desert?

You start with a sunrise over the sand dunes, then visit the Merzouga lake where exotic birds live, spend time with nomadic families sipping tea and seeing how they live, drive the route where the Paris-Dakar Rally races, visit abandoned Mifis mines, and end at the Khamlia village to listen to music and dance with black Berber people originally from Mali and Niger. Lunch is Berber pizza in the village.

What are Todra Gorges and Dades Valley like?

Todra Gorges is a narrow vertical passage with cliffs 300 meters high rising dramatically on each side, popular with climbing enthusiasts. Dades Valley is green and surrounded by mud villages and mountains, with rock formations locally known as "monkey's fingers" and beautiful mud kasbahs scattered throughout.

How long do you spend in Marrakech and what do you see there?

You have a full day in Marrakech with a local guide exploring the medina, Bahia Palace, El Badii Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and the Majorelle Gardens. In the evening, Jemaa el-Fna square comes alive with musicians, storytellers, acrobats, dancers, and snake charmers. You can eat at food stalls or watch from a café above the square.

Does the tour include the coast, and what coastal towns do you visit?

Yes. After Marrakech you travel west to Essaouira on the Atlantic coast, where you explore the busy harbor, the fortified Scala, and the UNESCO World Heritage medina. On the return to Casablanca, you stop in Safi (known for pottery and ceramics and a 16th-century castle by the sea) and El Jadida (home to a Portuguese cistern and the Church of the Assumption).