9-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca: Private Guide & Desert Camp

Casablanca to the Sahara: Nine days with a private driver and a route that holds together

A 9-day private guided tour of Morocco starting in Casablanca and ending in Marrakech, with stops at Hassan II Mosque, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the blue-walled town of Chefchaouen, Fez's medieval medina, a luxury desert camp in Merzouga with a camel ride at sunset, and the kasbahs of the Atlas foothills. Pickup is included at Casablanca airport; private transportation, an air-conditioned vehicle and gratuities are part of the price.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Casablanca arrival and Rabat visit

• Arrive in Casablanca
• Visit Hassan II Mosque
• Drive to Rabat for overnight

Day 2 — Rabat sightseeing and Chefchaouen

• Visit Royal Palace and Mohammed V Mausoleum
• Explore Hassan Tower and Oudaya Kasbah
• Drive to Chefchaouen
• Discover Chefchaouen town

Day 3 — Volubilis ruins and Meknes tour

• Visit Volubilis Roman ruins
• Explore Meknes city sights
• Drive to Fez for overnight

Day 4 — Explore Fez city

• Tour Fez el-Bali old city
• Visit Al-Attarine and Bou Inania Madrasas
• See Blue Gate, Nejjarine Square, Tanneries
• Visit Royal Palace and Jewish Mellah

Day 5 — Travel to Sahara Desert

• Drive from Fez to Sahara Desert
• Arrive at luxury desert camp in Merzouga
• Enjoy camel ride at sunset
• Have traditional dinner and campfire

Day 6 — Todra Gorge and Dades Valley

• Drive to Todra Gorge
• Take short walk in Todra Gorge
• See Dades Valley oases and mud houses
• Explore Kasbah Amridil in Skoura

Day 7 — Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou visit

• Drive to Ouarzazate
• Visit Ksar of Aït Benhaddou
• Travel via Tizi n’Tichka pass
• Arrive in Marrakesh

Day 8 — Discover Marrakech highlights

• Explore Marrakech medina
• Visit Koutoubia minaret and Bahia Palace
• Tour Jardin Majorelle garden
• Experience Djemaa el-Fna square

Day 9 — Departure from Casablanca

• Transfer to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport

The Experience

Hassan II Mosque greets you on arrival in Casablanca—the minaret is the tallest religious structure in the world, and the building itself straddles land and ocean. From there, the route moves north to Rabat, the capital, where you'll see the Mohammed V Mausoleum and the Hassan Tower before heading inland to Chefchaouen. That small town sits in a hollow between two mountains and its steep narrow streets are painted in white and indigo; the houses have red tile roofs and elaborately decorated doorways. The drive is 250 kilometers over four hours.

Day three takes you to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Roman ruins that span two thousand years—the Capitoline Temple, Basilica, Roman Baths, Triumphal Arch and houses adorned with mosaics. A guide walks you through the site before you continue to Meknes and then Fez for the night. In Fez el-Bali, the old quarter founded in the 8th century, you'll explore the labyrinthine souks, the Blue Gate, the Nejjarine Square and the tanneries. Fez el-Jadid, the newer section, holds the Royal Palace and the Jewish Mellah. The city was a center of medieval learning, home to Al-Karaouine University and several historic madrasas.

Day five is the pivot: you leave Fez and travel 480 kilometers through Berber villages, date palm plantations and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains to reach Merzouga and the Sahara. The sand dunes rise up to 500 feet high. You'll ride a camel for around 45 minutes at sunset, then return to the luxury desert camp for a traditional dinner by the fire. The next morning, you drive to Todra Gorge—a massive limestone trench that rises over 300 meters and is known as the Grand Canyon of the Sahara. A short walk takes you through the sheer cliffs. The route then passes through the Dades Valley, dotted with oases of figs, olives and date palms, and continues to Skoura, a fertile oasis lined with palm groves and views of the Atlas. The Kasbah Amridil here appears on Moroccan banknotes.

The final stretch moves west through Ouarzazate—where films like Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator were shot—to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Aït Benhaddou, one of Morocco's best-preserved kasbahs. You cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass and arrive in Marrakech, where day eight covers the medina, the Koutoubia minaret, Bahia Palace, Jardin Majorelle and the Djemaa el-Fna square, where food stalls, fire-eaters, magicians and street musicians fill the space. Day nine is the transfer back to Casablanca airport.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver for all nine days.
• pickup at Casablanca airport.
• WiFi on board.
• gratuities.
• parking fees.
• a camel ride at sunset in Merzouga.
• a night in a luxury desert camp with traditional dinner and campfire.
• guided walks through Volubilis, Todra Gorge and Fez's medina.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Morocco Dream

Is this one for you?Book this if you're traveling as a couple or small family and prefer a private vehicle with a set itinerary—you'll travel together without joining other groups, and your driver handles all routing between stops.

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Top questions

What is Hassan II Mosque and why is it on this tour?

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the world's tallest religious structure, with a minaret that stands 210 meters high. The building is partly on land and partly built over the ocean and can hold 25,000 worshipers; it's the first stop after you arrive at the airport on day one.

How long is the drive to the Sahara desert from Fez?

The drive from Fez to Merzouga in the Sahara is 480 kilometers and takes about 7 hours. You'll pass through Berber villages, date palm plantations and the Atlas Mountains along the way, arriving in the late afternoon to settle into the desert camp.

What happens during the desert camp night in Merzouga?

You'll take a camel ride for around 45 minutes at sunset across the sand dunes, which can reach up to 500 feet high. After returning to the luxury camp, you'll have a traditional dinner by a campfire before sleeping in the camp.

What are the Roman ruins at Volubilis and how much time do you spend there?

Volubilis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of North Africa's best-preserved Roman ruins, including the Capitoline Temple, Basilica, Roman Baths, Triumphal Arch and houses decorated with mosaics. A guide escorts you on a walk through the 2,000-year-old site on day three before you continue to Meknes and Fez.

Is Chefchaouen really painted blue, and what will you see there?

Chefchaouen's steep narrow streets and buildings are painted in white and indigo (blue-toned) limewash. The town sits in a hollow between two mountains called Ech-Chaoua, from which it takes its name. You'll explore the small squares, ornate fountains and houses with red tile roofs and elaborately decorated doorways on day two.

What is Aït Benhaddou and why is it a UNESCO site?

Aït Benhaddou is a ksar—a fortified village—and one of the finest examples of South Moroccan architecture, featuring one of Morocco's best-preserved kasbahs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site you'll visit on day seven en route to Marrakech; the ksar also appears on Moroccan banknotes.