7-Day Private Desert Tour Casablanca: Imperial Cities & Sahara

You ride a camel into the Sahara at sunset and sleep under stars in a Berber tent.

A 7-day private tour departing from Casablanca that moves through Morocco's four Imperial Cities (Fes, Marrakech, Rabat, and Meknes) alongside UNESCO sites including Ait Ben Haddou and Volubilis, with two guided medina walks, camel trekking into the Erg Chebbi dunes, and nights split between four-star riads and a luxury desert camp. Pickup from Casablanca airport or your hotel is included, as are a Gnawa music performance in a desert village, sand-boarding, and Berber tea in the dunes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: From Casablanca to Chefchaouen Via Rabat

• Pickup at Casablanca airport or hotel
• Visit Hassan II Mosque inside
• Drive to Rabat and explore city
• Travel north to Chefchaouen
• Free time to explore Chefchaouen medina
• Overnight in riad near main square

Day 2: From Chaouen to Fes & Guided visit

• Breakfast at riad in Chefchaouen
• Drive to Fes in the morning
• Guided tour of Fes medina and landmarks
• Afternoon free for cultural visits or shopping
• Overnight in riad in Fes medina

Day 3: From Fes to Merzouga Desert via Ifrane and Monkey Forest

• Breakfast at riad in Fes
• Drive through Middle Atlas to Ifrane
• Visit Ifrane National Park and Monkey Forest
• Continue through Ziz Valley to Erfoud
• Arrive at Merzouga desert town
• Ride dromedary to desert camp
• Enjoy Berber tea and dinner at camp
• Overnight in luxury desert tent

Day 4: Merzouga desert - Black nomad village

• Sunrise and breakfast at desert camp
• Camel ride back to Merzouga
• Shower at camp or hotel
• Visit Khamilia village and Gnawa music
• 4x4 tour to Khol mines and Berber village
• Meet desert nomads and share tea
• Return to Merzouga hotel for dinner
• Overnight in four-star hotel

Day 5: From Merzouga Desert to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorges and Dades Valley

• Breakfast at hotel in Merzouga
• Drive to Rissani and explore medina
• Visit Todra Gorges and Dades Valley
• Travel Road of Thousand Kasbahs and Valley of Roses
• Visit Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate
• Optional visit to film studios
• Overnight in Ouarzazate hotel with dinner

Day 6: From Ouarzazate to Marrakech across Ait Ben Haddou

• Breakfast at Ouarzazate hotel
• Visit Ait Ben Haddou ksar
• Stop at Telouet Kasbah
• Cross High Atlas via Tizi n’Tichka pass
• Arrive in Marrakech and rest in riad

Day 7: Guided tour & transfer to Marrakech Airport

• Breakfast in Marrakech medina
• Guided tour of Marrakech landmarks
• Visit Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Medersa, Jemaa el-Fna
• Transfer to Marrakech airport

The experience

You arrive in Casablanca and your driver meets you at the airport or hotel to begin at the Hassan II Mosque, one of the world's tallest, built on reclaimed seafront with a nearly 200-meter minaret. The tour then moves north through Rabat (Morocco's capital and a World Heritage medina) before climbing into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, the blue city, where you spend the evening wandering flower-lined alleys and resting in a riad near the main square.

Day two takes you to Fes with a local guide who leads you through the medina's medieval medresas, the tanners' district, and the Mellah, then leaves the afternoon free for your own exploration of handicraft shops. From there the route turns south into the Middle Atlas, climbing through Ifrane (the Moroccan Switzerland, with Alpine-style architecture at 1,700 meters), and the Monkey Forest, home to Barbary macaques. The descent follows the Ziz Valley through palm groves before reaching Merzouga, over 650 kilometers from where you started. Here you trade the vehicle for a camel and ride two hours into the Erg Chebbi dunes to a luxury tent camp, where Berber tea and dinner await under an unobstructed night sky.

The fourth day begins with sunrise in the desert, breakfast at the camp, and a camel ride back to Merzouga, followed by a 4×4 journey through the Paris-Dakar route past the Khol mines and abandoned villages. You stop to share tea and conversation with nomadic families, then return to a hotel for the night. Day five heads west through Rissani's traditional market and the Dades Valley, passing the Todra Gorges, a 200-meter rocky canyon, and the Taourirt Kasbah, a former Pasha's residence. The final two days cross the High Atlas through the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech, stopping at the adobe fortress of Ait Ben Haddou and the Telouet Kasbah. In Marrakech, your last morning includes a guided tour of the Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Medersa, and Jemaa el-Fna square before transfer to the airport.

What’s included

• Pickup from Casablanca airport or your hotel.
• private vehicle for the entire route.
• night in a luxury desert camp with Berber tea and dinner.
• camel trekking into the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• sand-boarding in the desert.
• guided walks through the medinas of Fes and Marrakech with an official guide.
• Gnawa music performance in Khamilia village.
• four-star riad accommodations in Chefchaouen, Fes, and Marrakech.
• four-star hotel nights in Merzouga and Ouarzazate.
• transfer to Marrakech airport on the final day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (9 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Audio guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Vacations In Morocco

Is this one for you?The tour is led in English or Spanish, so you follow the guide's commentary in whichever language works for you. The pace mixes structured guided walks in Fes and Marrakech with free afternoons in other cities, letting you rest or explore on your own schedule across the seven days.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (9 to 17 years); Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4).

What is the Hassan II Mosque like when you visit it?

The Hassan II Mosque stands on a man-made peninsula reclaimed from the sea and reaches nearly 200 meters tall, making it one of the world's tallest mosques. Unlike most Islamic mosques, this one opens its doors to non-Muslim visitors, so you can enter and see the interior.

How does the camel ride work in Merzouga?

In Merzouga you switch from the vehicle to a camel for a two-hour ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes. The ride ends at a luxury desert camp where you spend the night in a traditional Berber tent with full comforts inside, and wake to breakfast surrounded by the dunes.

What happens during the Gnawa performance in the desert village?

In Khamilia, a desert village, you meet residents and experience a live Gnawa performance: a UNESCO-recognized percussion genre with strong sub-Saharan rhythms. The performance is part of a cultural exchange where you learn about the village's history and traditions.

Which cities get guided walks with a local guide?

Fes and Marrakech both include guided walks with an official local guide. In Fes the guide leads you through the medina's medresas and tanners' district. In Marrakech the guide shows you the Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Medersa, and the Jemaa el-Fna square.

What is Ait Ben Haddou?

Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO-listed fortified village famous for its adobe architecture. It sits on the route between Ouarzazate and Marrakech and has been used as a filming location for major productions including Game of Thrones.

Can I arrange my own activities during free time?

Yes. In Rabat and Chefchaouen the afternoons are free for you to explore at your own pace. In Fes you have a free afternoon after the guided medina walk. The tour description notes that you can organize these hours to your liking, with advice from your driver.