12 Days Desert Tour From Marrakech

The best 12 days tour from Marrakech

12 days tour itinerary from Marrakech to Chefchaouen, Casablanca, the desert, Fes, Essaouira and many more.

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Tour overview

The finest tour in all of Morocco Starting in Marrakech, your itinerary for the next 12 days will take you to the most popular tourist destinations and sites around Morocco. For example, you will travel to the north of the country, as well as Tangier and Chefchaouen. In addition, the south and west, the desert of Merzouga, and the red city of Marrakech.

Itinerary for 12 days tour from Marrakech

Day 1: Pick-up from the airport

When you land, our driver will be there to pick you up from the airport and start the 12 days tour from Marrakech. Spend the day at your own pace, wandering around Jemaa el Fnaa and the surrounding souks.

Day 2: Marrakech guided tour

In the morning, you can take your time getting ready for today’s private Guided Tour of the Medina in Marrakech with a local expert. You’ll see the well-known Koutubia Mosque, the Medina and its souks, and discover more of Marrakech’s hidden gems, including the Ali Ben Youssef Koranic School, the Saadian the Bahia Palace and Majorelle Gardens, etc and spend the night in a Medina riad.

Day 3: Marrakech to Essaouira (Goats on trees)

It is time to leave Marrakech and head to the coastal resort of Essaouira. This city is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and getting there is as easy as taking a route that is flanked with argan oil cooperatives. On the way, we will make a stop by the Argan tree climbing goats. Long a favorite vacation spot, the windswept fishing harbor features wide beaches, an old walled medina, and walls constructed into the cliffs. Enjoy the calm atmosphere while exploring the compact yet vibrant medina, strolling along the beach or ramparts, or stopping by the port to admire the day’s catch. Essaouira hosts the Gnaouas Music Festival every June. Spend the night in Essaouira.

Day 4: Essaouira to Rabat

After breakfast, we continue our 12 days tour towards Rabat and proceed along the Atlantic coast. Pass through El Jadida, a once-Portuguese-controlled coastal city that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, then stop in Casablanca to see Mohammed V Square and the majestic mosque of Hassan II. Explore the Imperial City of Rabat, including the Mechouar (the ramparts and walls around the Royal Palace), the magnificent Mohammed V Mausoleum, the Hassan Tower, and the Oudaya Kasbah, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and offers spectacular views and is home to Moroccan artisan galleries. Spend the night in a Rabat hotel or riad.

Day 5: Rabat to Chefchaouen

Travel through the green valleys of the Rif Mountains on your way from Tangier to the charming mountain village of Chefchaouen, or shawen in Berber. Chefchaouen is known for its bright blue-washed houses, and both tourists and Moroccans love to go there, especially in the hot summer months. Explore Chefchaouen’s winding streets and narrow alleys, where there are many souks with food and handicrafts like woolen items, intricate embroidery, and goats cheese, which are all from the North of Morocco and can’t be found anywhere else in the country. Relax in the square, go to a nearby farm, or go hiking in one of the nearby parks. Spend the night at Chefchaouen.

Day 6: Chefchaouen to Fes

After your breakfast in the riad our authentic journey will start scenic drive that will take us from high in the Rif Mountains through the fertile agricultural hills to the Berber Roman Ruins at Volubilis, an open air museum . Volubilis is not as spectacular as the Berber Roman sites on the Mediterranean rim but it is still a relaxed way of envisaging an important part of Moroccan history. We will shift our way to Meknes, the fourth of Morocco’s imperial cities and the 17th century heritage where we will stop for lunch and hang around the historical huge walls of the medina. After launch, we take a glimpse to Bab el Mansour and enjoy the Lhdim square. After the visit of Meknes we will drive directly to Fes city where you will spend the night.

Day 7: Fes guided tour

On the seventh day of our 12 days tour from Marrakech, you will go with a local guide to the old imperial city of Fes, which was once known as the Mecca of the West and the Athena of Africa. With about 1 million people, it is the second largest city in the country after Casablanca. This city was once the capital and is one of the four imperial cities in the country. There are three different parts to Fez. The oldest part is Fes el Bali, which is surrounded by a big wall and has more than 9000 narrow streets and alleys. Fez-Jdid, also called “the new Fes,” is where the Jewish neighborhood of Mellah and the newest part of Fez, Ville Nouvelle, are located. Ville Nouvelle was built during the French occupation. UNESCO has named Fez el Bali a World Heritage Site. It has the biggest medina in the world. The University of Al-Karaouine, which was started in AD 859 and is the oldest university in the world, is located in its small streets and alleys. This University is still around and running.

Day 8: Fes to Merzouga

After breakfast, we left Fes and drove through Ifrane to get to the cedar forests of Azrou, where the monkeys live in the wild. It will be a good chance to take pictures of Morocco’s wild places. We ate lunch in Zaida, a small Berber village. We keep going through the Atlas Mountains, taking in the views of Medilt, until we reach the small town of Rich, Erfoud, where we’ll feel the start of the Saharan oasis of Tafilalet. From there, we’ll go on to Merzouga. We will stay in a hotel or riad in Merzouga for the night.

Day 9: Merzouga desert tour

On this day of the 12 days tour from Marrakech, we’ll start exploring the area of the desert. We’ll go to the village of the Khamlia, who were once slaves from Sudan, to see how they live and hear their music. We might also like to go to the Berber Nomad tents, where the prices of many Berber crafts are lower than in the big cities. In the afternoon, you will ride a camel through the mysterious Erg-Chebbi sand sea with the help of an experienced camel man. Here, you can spend your first night under the stars or in a traditional Berber nomad tent, if you prefer. You will sleep in a tent, where dinner will be served. Dinner and Breakfast included.

Day 10: Merzouga to Boumalne Dades

On the tenth day of our 12 days tour from Marrakech, you can wake up early to watch the sunrise from the top of a dune in the Sahara Desert, then have breakfast. After these beautiful times, you will ride your camel back to the hotel. We leave for Tineghir, going through Erfoud and Tinejdad on the way. Take a lunch break. In the afternoon, we’ll go through Tineghir to get to the Todra gorges. Stopping to take pictures and look at the scenery along the way. Arrive at Todra Gorges to enjoy the beautiful views of the Canyons while hiking. Later, we drive to Boumalne-Dades and stop for a view of the Dades Valley from a high point.

Day 11: Boumalne Dades to Marrakech

Today, after breakfast at the hotel, we will go to Ouarzazate by way of Skoura. After taking in the breathtaking vista of the Kasbah of Taourirt, we will make another photo stop close to the Atlas Film Studios. After that, you are going to go to the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, and then you are going to have lunch at a local restaurant in the village. After lunch, we will begin our journey to Marrakech, which will take us across the Tizi N’tichka pass and across the high Atlas Mountains (2260 m in altitude).

Day 12: Transfer to the Airport

We will drive you from your Riad to the airport. It’s up to you if you want us to drop you at the airport. Eventually, that would be the end of our Morocco itinerary 12 days tour from Marrakech.

Reviews

The best trip

If you are planning a trip to Morocco, be sure to include a stop at the city of Chefchaouen on your itinerary. We stayed there for two days and found the locals to be warm and welcoming. The view of the city, with its blue and white buildings, is breathtaking. In addition, the camel ride we had in Merzouga to watch the sunset was another highlight of our excursion. We are grateful to the agency of Touring in Morocco for their assistance in guiding us.

Elena M

May 2022

Just unforgettable!

Aziz was an excellent tour guide, and his driving was quite smooth. We started our trip in Marrakech, and he took us all across Morocco. We were finally able to fulfill a lifelong dream when we went on a camel ride, and we also had a great time on the safari excursion that took us up the dunes of Chebbi while it was raining. Youssef was a kind guy, and he was the one who booked our tour. We met him in the desert, and he was really helpful. Even though we felt the vacation was too short, it was still a wonderful experience overall, and we have no complaints about the service.

Mike D

September 2019

12 days tour from Marrakech

I had always wanted to go to Morocco and ride a camel there. As a result, my brother and I decided to schedule a tour with this company, beginning in Marrakech. During our trip, we went to several other cities, including Chefchaouen, Fes, and Casablanca, as well as other cities whose names I cannot recall. We stayed in Merzouga with Mohamed, who was both our driver and our guide; during our time there, we went camel trekking as we had always wanted to, and we also experienced Berber tents and a safari tour in a car. Mohamed drove us back to Marrakech and kindly dropped us off at the airport; the tour was really well arranged, and we would definitely recommend it to other people.

Jenna C

November 2020

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Destinations' overview

Casablanca

Casablanca is the biggest city in Morocco. It’s located in central-western facing the Atlantic ocean, and it was settled firstly since the 7th century. Also, it’s in the region of Casablanca Settat. There are many thin

The largest city in Morocco is known as Casablanca. It was initially inhabited in the 7th century and may be found in the central-western region, facing the Atlantic coast. In addition to that, Casablanca Settat is the region in which it is located. The following are some of the many sights and experiences that can be had here:

The Hassan II Mosque, located in this economically significant city, is the second-largest mosque in all of Africa and the seventh-largest mosque in the world. In addition to this, it is the only mosque in the world that welcomes visitors who are not Muslims.

Due to its location on the coast, Casablanca boasts one of the largest cornices in all of Morocco. As a result, it is a location that is worthy of paying a visit to and exploring on foot. It is also the location of restaurants and cafes that cater to tourists.

gs to see and discover here:

This economical city is famous for the mosque of Hassan II, it’s the second-largest in whole Africa and 7th worldwide. Also, it’s the only mosque that allows none Muslims to discover.

As Casablanca facing the ocean, it has one of the biggest Cornishes in Morocco. Therefore, it’s a place that is worth visiting and wandering around. Also, it’s where there are tourist restaurants and cafes.

Rabat

Rabat is the actual capital of Morocco and one of the four imperial cities of Morocco. In addition, it is the seventh largest city in Morocco and is located in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra area. Moreover, the Almohad dynasty discovered it in the 12th century. With our 12 days Morocco tour departing from Marrakech, you will experience a variety of sites.

First and foremost, Rabat is renowned for the mosque of Hassan Tour, often known as the writing tower. The mosque’s minaret is 44 meters tall. Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur wished for it to be the tallest mosque minaret in the world when he envisioned its construction. But he passed away in 1199 before his desire was realized.

Rabat is particularly renowned for the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kasbah of Udayas and a fortress site not far from the Bou Regreg River.

Tangier

Tangier is the gateway to Africa or Morocco. This city is located in northern Morocco, where the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans meet. Additionally, Tangier serves as the capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima and Tangier Asilah regions. There are numerous attractions to explore in this area.

First, in the photo is the Hercules Cave, which has been available to the public since 1920 and is located on Cape Spartel. This cave has two entrances, one to the land and one to the sea, the latter of which is formed like a map of Africa.

Second, Tangier is similar to other Moroccan cities in that it contains an old medina. Here is the first government building of the United States beyond its borders. The museum is named the American legation museum.

As stated previously, Tangier is located between the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas. Therefore, it is a fantastic setting for photography.

Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen is the city of blue in Morocco. With our 12-day Morocco itinerary from Marrakech or any of our Morocco excursions, you will have the opportunity to travel to and explore this city. There are numerous activities and attractions here.

First, the Wetat Lhmam square is home to the kasbah museum, which was the first structure to be constructed here. Here, you can view numerous Chefchaouen art galleries, old photographs, and information about the city.

Second, Ras El ma is another worthwhile destination; it is a river where you can observe waterfalls originating from Akchour’s cascades. Also, you will discover locals selling various items, like local clothing, food, etc…

In addition to the sun, Chaouen’s mountains are a lovely area to trek for sunset or sunrise since they provide a perspective of the city.

Fes

Fes is a city with many cultural sites that draw tourists all year long. Fes was Morocco’s first capital city, and it is now one of the country’s four imperial cities. Also, the Idrisid Dynasty found it in 789. Here, there’s a lot to see and do:

First, Fes is known for its old medina, which is called Fes el Bali. This is where most of the known attractions are. The picture shows that the main entrance to the medina is through the blue gate.

Second, the University Karaouiyn is the most popular place to learn about history. It was built by Fatima al Fihri in 859 and is the world’s oldest university that is still in use. Also, it’s one of the places that the UNESCO looks out for. Also, the university was once a mosque where the Quran is taught. Then, it becomes a university.

Third, people who like to hike can climb up two Borjes in Fes to get a view of the medina or to watch the sun set or rise.

Fourth, there is a beautiful garden outside the old medina, not far from the king’s palace, that nature lovers will enjoy. This garden is called Jenan Sbil, and locals and tourists go there to get some fresh air and get away from the noise of the medina.

Fifth, the king of Morocco has 12 palaces, two of which are here in Fes. One of the royal palaces has seven gates or doors that lead to the front door. It was also made in the 1960s.

Sixth, the leather shops. Chouara is one of the sixth places in Fes where leather goods are made. It was also built in the 1100s and fixed up in 2006. But the balconies haven’t changed, and they still look like they were built in the Middle Ages.

Ifrane

Ifrane is the city in Morocco that is the cleanest. On our 12 days tour of Morocco that starts in Marrakech, we will stop briefly to take pictures with the Atlas Lion statue. Also, the city is old and was once a French colony. The modern city, on the other hand, was built in 1928. Also, the city gets a lot of local visitors in the winter, when it snows a lot and people come to snowboard.

Also, one of the best and most expensive universities in all of Morocco is in Ifrane. It was built by King Dhahir and opened by King Hassan II. So, the school is called Al-Akhawayn, which means “two brothers.” Also, the Arabian Saudi king Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud gave money to this university.

Not only that, but the main place we will stop on our tours of Morocco is at the statue of the atlas lion. When the French took over Morocco as a colony, there was a German prisoner who wanted to get out. So, the French asked him to help the city by doing something good. Then he made this lion that no longer lives in the Atlas Forest.

Also, because the city is up high, the Moroccan Atlas Lion team comes here to train because the weather is good for them.

Also, one of the 12 palaces here is owned by King Mohamed 6. It faces the Al Akhaweyn University.

Dam of Errachidia and Ziz valley

The dam in Errachidia is where all the water for the Sahara comes from. This dam is called Hassan Addakhil, after Al Hassan Ad Dakhil, who started the Alaouite dynasty. Before people can use the water from the tap, they have to recycle it. But this water isn’t good for tourists, who need water with bubbles.

The valley, or Oued of Ziz, is not far from the Errachidia dam. People here have many places to farm, and most of what they grow are dates palm trees. So, it became the second-biggest place to get dates after the Daraa valley, which is near Zagora.

At Ait Chaker, which is part of our 12-day tour that starts in Marrakech, you can see a wide view of the area. So, we’ll stop there briefly to enjoy the view and take some photos.

Erfoud

Erfoud is the city of the dates fruits festival and the mineral fossils. Erfoud is not too far from the valley or river of Ziz. Since most dates come from there, this city became known as the capital of dates. Every year in October, they have a 3-day date festival that people from all over the world come to. The festival also has a parade and many other things to do. For example, they build a hall where they sell dates and other things from the area.

Fossils are what make Erfoud famous. These fossils come from the mountains. Then they take them to a factory where they are used to make different things. They make things like tables, ashtrays, glasses, ammonites, etc.

Rissani

Rissani is where Touaregs stop to trade goods like salt, mascara, and other things. It is the capital city of Tafilalet and is in the province of Errachidia.

The Touaregs used to take 52 days to travel from Tombouctou or any other place in Africa. They took their caravan of camels across the big Sahara to trade here in Rissani. After that, it grew to be one of the largest and most popular souqs in the area. There are a lot of things to see and do here.

First of all, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, there is a famous souk in Rissani where donkeys and sheep park. You can either trade or buy these animals here.

Next, Rissani is known for its pitta bread, also called Madfouna. There are many kinds of this bread. For example, you can make it with almonds, meatballs, vegetarian…

The tomb of Moulay Ali Cherif, who started the Alaouite dynasty, is also well-known in Rissani. Here, people come to the warship Moulay Ali Cherif because they think he is blessed and close to God and can help them. So, they give up animals or chickens as sacrifices and ask for a blessing.

Not only that, but this is where the Alaouite dynasty began, and Rissani was their capital.

Merzouga

Merzouga is where most tourists love to go. This small city is in the province of Errachidia and is in the area of Daraa Tafilalet. Also, this town is only about 50 km from the border with Algeria.

Merzouga is known for the 500-foot-high (152-meter-high) Erg Sand Dunes. Many tourists come to these Ergs to do many different things. First of all, camel trekking on the sand dunes is the best thing to do here. Not only that, but tourists usually like to do this so they can spend an interesting night glamping in Berber tents. That is to say, they like to do both things at the same time so they can see how the nomads who live nearby live.

With this in mind, another thing they like to do is pay those nomads a visit. The Atlas mountains and the Sahara desert are the main places where nomads live in Morocco. So, if you go east from the town of Merzouga and cross the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, you will come across those families who live in tents. Then we will see how they manage to live, where they cook, how they get from one place to another, and much more.

Other great things to do are ride a quad bike up the sand dunes or do a soundboard. Most of the time, this works best in the winter because rain makes the sand dry and easy to slide on.

Not only that, but about 5 km west of Merzouga is the lake of Srij. This lake is where a lot of flamingos gather before they fly away. Also, camel herds go there when they are no longer needed for work because this is where they can find the best and healthiest food.

Todgha and Dades Gorges

With our 12 days tour from Marrakech, you will get to see what are called the “Grand Canyons.” On the road of a thousand Kasbahs, we’ll take the road from Tinghir to dive in the Atlas Mountains. The valley of Todgha is about 20 kilometers from the center of Tinghir. Here, the mountains are about 300 meters high, and a river runs through the middle of them. The force of the water could get through the rocks. People like to come here to hike and spend the day relaxing in the shade.

Morocco has more than one canyon. But most of our custom Morocco tours are set up to go to the Todgha Gorges’ grand canyons.

About 80 km long, the Dades Gorges are built almost exactly like the Todgha canyons. You can see two main things here. First, a part of the mountains looks like the toes or fingers of a monkey. Second, Tissdrine curves was one of the places where Cadillac advertised its car.

Ait Benhaddou

The country of Morocco has a lot of Kasbahs. Still, The Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou is the one that tourists like best of all. At the bridge that leads to the Kasbah, there is a sign that says “Ksar of Ait Benhaddou.” Usually, it should be written with the word Kasbah because a Ksar is not the same as the Kasbah. That is to say, the roves of the Kasbah are made of Kasab, which means bamboo, which is where the name comes from. The Ksar, on the other hand, is not built in the same way as the Kasbah.

This Kasbah in the valley of Ounila is the entrance to the Sahara. It is in the province of Ouarzazate. It’s also one of the places that UNESCO protects as part of its world heritage program.

We made this 12-day tour in Morocco from Marrakech to this Kasbah a free site to explore. The Berber Touaregs used to trade here. At that time, in the 11th century, it was a stop for traders. They traded cole, salt, and other goods. Also, in front of the Kasbah is a river called Oued El Maleh. Maleh means “salty,” which refers to the place where salt used to be traded.

The Kasbah is also known for the movies that were shot there. One example is that they made a part of the British-American drama film The Gladiator. Watch the video right here.

Also, a famous scene from the movie Lawrence of Arabia was filmed there. This is why so many tourists come to see this Kasbah.

Not only that, but there is a beautiful view from the top of the Kasbah. Also, there is a small room there where they kept goods to trade with other caravans.

Marrakech

There are cultural, economical, and scientific cities in Morocco. However, Marrakech is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Morocco. It was established in 1062 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, the Almoravid king’s cousin. In addition, it was the capital of Morocco at the time and is now one of the four imperial cities. The fourth largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca, Tangier, and Rabat, is Marrakech. Additionally, there are numerous nicknames for Marrakech. You may wonder, for instance, why they call it “the red city.” This is because the ground is red, and red may have been the king’s favorite color at the time.

In addition, the red city of Marrakech is the regional capital, known as Marrakesh Safi. There are many activities and sights to see here:

Jamaa El Fna

First, as in most Moroccan cities, there is a square, and Marrakech is no exception with the captivating Jamaa El Fna square. Expect to see snake charmers and people performing Halqa, which consists of a “circle of people around someone telling stories.” Not to mention, there are also individuals selling various items. For instance, there are South African immigrants who sell watches, clothing, and mobile phones, and there are restaurants and cafes with breathtaking views.

Koutoubia Mosque

Numerous mosques can be found in Marrakech. The largest and most well-known mosque is the Koutoubia or Kutubiyya mosque. It has multiple names, but they all have the same pronunciation. Additionally, it was formerly known as the booksellers because it is surrounded by an open area where books were once sold. Not to mention that the mosque was constructed in 1147 by Almohad caliph Abd al Mu’min ibn Ali. In addition, the minaret is approximately 77 meters tall and is related to the Giralda mosque in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat.

Majorelle Garden

This garden is one of the most visited locations in Marrakech, receiving approximately 900000 visitors annually. The term Majorelle is derived from the name of the French artist Jacques Majorelle, who established it in 1924 after nearly four decades of effort. After his death, the two French fashion designers Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé purchased it to preserve it and make it accessible to the public. Now, in order to enter, you must purchase a ticket for approximately 70DH. However, the tickets are discounted based on specific IDs.

Menara Garden

The Menara Garden was constructed in the 12th century by Abd al Mu’min ibn Ali, the leader of the Almohad movement. Additionally, its meaning is the lighthouse. However, there is no lighthouse present at this location. People visit this location to enjoy the garden and escape the heat.

Related Tours

Choose from our Morocco tour itineraries below, or see our Morocco itinerary 12 days tour from Marrakech for any itinerary changes.

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