12 Day Tour from Marrakech – Morocco Highlights

Today, a local guide will take you on a walking tour of Marrakech. You will start at the Koutoubia Mosque, the biggest mosque in the city, known for its tall tower. Then, you will visit the Bahia Palace, a beautiful old building with gardens, colorful tiles, and wooden ceilings. Next, you will see the Saadian Tombs, where kings and their families from the 1500s are buried.

After that, you will go to Jemaa el-Fna Square, a busy place with food stalls, musicians, storytellers, and snake charmers. You will also walk through the souks—the traditional markets—where people sell things like leather bags, spices, carpets, and lamps.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Majorelle Garden, a quiet garden with many plants and bright blue buildings. It was once owned by the French designer Yves Saint Laurent.

You will have free time on your own in the afternoon.

After breakfast, we will drive from Marrakech to Essaouira, a small city by the ocean. When you arrive, you can visit the old city walls and fortress, which were built a long time ago to protect the city. In the past, Essaouira was an important port where people traded goods with Europe and Africa.

You can walk on the beach, try surfing, or go to the harbor to see fishing boats and eat fresh fish. The city has white and blue houses and many small art shops.

In the afternoon, you will have free time to walk around, take photos, shop, or simply relax at the square.

Today, we will drive from Essaouira to Casablanca. You will arrive around 12 pm and have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will take you to see some of the city’s main attractions.

First, you will visit the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. It was built partly over the ocean, and it has a tall tower and beautiful designs.

After that, we will stop at Rick’s Café, a famous restaurant inspired by the movie Casablanca. You can enjoy a drink or take photos inside this stylish and place.

In the evening, we will take you to the hotel.

On the 5th day of our 12-day tour, we will drive to Chefchaouen. On the way, we will stop in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. There, you will visit the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and the Oudayas Kasbah.

After lunch in Rabat, we will continue driving to Chefchaouen. If you arrive early, you can walk up to the Spanish Mosque to watch the sunset and see a beautiful view of the city.

Today, you will spend the morning exploring Chefchaouen, also known as the blue city. You will start by visiting Ras El Ma, an area where water flows from the mountains. Many local people come here to relax and wash clothes.

Next, you will walk through the blue-painted streets of the medina. These small, colorful streets are perfect for photos. You will also visit the Kasbah, an old fortress in the main square. Inside, you will see a museum and climb the tower for a view of the city.

In the afternoon, we will leave Chefchaouen and drive to Fes. On the way, we will pass through the Rif Mountains, green hills, and small villages.

We will arrive in Fes in the late afternoon, and we will take you to the riad so you can check in and rest.

Today, you will explore Fes with a local guide. The tour starts by car, and your first stop will be the Royal Palace, where you can see its famous golden gates. Then, you will visit the Jewish Quarter (Mellah), one of the oldest in Morocco.

Next, you will go to a pottery workshop to see how local people make and paint traditional ceramics by hand. After that, you will visit Borj Sud, a fortress on a hill where you can enjoy a great view of the old city of Fes.

After the car part of the tour, you will continue on foot through the old medina with your guide. You will visit Al Attarine Madrasa and Bou Inania Madrasa, two beautiful old Islamic schools. Then, you will see Al Quaraouiyine University, the oldest university still working in the world.

The last stop will be the Chouara Tannery, where leather is made using old, natural methods. You can watch the workers from above as they dye the leather in big colorful pits.

Free time on your own in the afternoon.

After discovering Fes, we will travel to the Merzouga desert, exploring various sites along the way.

Our first stop will be in Ifrane, a small and clean city with European-style houses. There, we will visit the famous Atlas Lion statue, a popular landmark carved by a German prisoner during World War II.

Then, we will head to the cedar forest near Azrou, where you will see wild Barbary monkeys.

Next, we will stop in Midelt for lunch and a short break. After that, we will drive through the Ziz Valley, known for its thousands of palm trees.

In the late afternoon, we will arrive in Merzouga and we will take you to the riad to relax and get ready for a full day of desert exploration the following day.

Today, you will fully experience the Merzouga desert. We will start by visiting a nomad Berber family living in tents. You will see how they live in the desert and learn about their simple lifestyle.

Next, we will drive through the Black Desert to visit the old kohl mines of M’Ifiss. After that, you will enjoy a traditional lunch—Berber pizza.

Later, we will visit Khamlia village to meet the Gnawa people and listen to their special music. Then, we will go to Hassi Labied to see its palm grove and learn how local farmers water their land using old methods.

At the end of the day, you will ride camels across the golden dunes. You will spend the night in a Berber tent at a desert camp, where you will enjoy a tasty dinner and live music around the campfire.

After a night in the desert camp, we recommend waking up early to see the sunrise over the dunes—it’s a beautiful and calm moment you will not want to miss.

On our way to Dades, we will visit the market of Rissani, one of the largest traditional souks in Morocco. It is especially busy on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. People from the desert and nearby villages come to shop and sell things. If you visit on one of these days, you can walk around the market.

Next, we head to Todra Gorges, known for its tall red cliffs and narrow river. You will have time to walk and take photos.

Before reaching the riad in Dades, we will stop at the Monkey Toes—rock shapes that look like monkey toes!

Today, we will drive to Marrakech with stops at several beautiful places.

First, we will pass through the Rose Valley, known for its rose farms and rose products like oils and soaps. You will stop to learn how locals make them.

Next, we drive to Skoura, where you will see the Kasbah of Amridil, a famous mud-brick building that shows traditional Berber life.

Then, we will stop in Ouarzazate, called the “Little Hollywood of Africa,” and visit the Atlas Studios, where many movies were filmed.

After lunch, we will explore the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, a UNESCO site known for its clay houses and film history.

In the afternoon, we will drive over the Tizi N’Tichka pass in the High Atlas Mountains, with stops for photos.

We will arrive in Marrakech in the evening and we will take you to the riad.

After an unforgettable 12-day tour around Morocco, we will take you to the airport in Marrakech based on your flight time.