10-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca

Around 8 am, we will drive to Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. There, you will visit the Hassan Tower, an old tower from the 12th century that was never finished. Then, we will visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a royal tomb with beautiful Moroccan decoration. You will also explore the Kasbah of the Oudayas, an area with blue and white houses and views of the river of Bou Regreg.

After lunch in Rabat, we take the road through the Rif Mountains to reach Chefchaouen, a small city famous for its blue streets. If we get there early, you can hike to the Spanish Mosque, which is on a hill and gives a great view of the town. It is a nice place to watch the sunset as well.

You will have a free morning to enjoy Chefchaouen. You can visit the main square, Outa El Hammam, where people relax and enjoy the view. You can also see the old Kasbah, a small castle with a garden and a museum. Another nice place to visit is Ras El Ma, a spring where local people come to get water. Overall, Chefchaouen is more about taking photos of the blue walls.

Around midday or after lunch, we will leave the mountains and drive to Fes. In the evening, you will arrive and check into your riad or hotel.

Today, you will explore Fes with one of the local guides. You will start at the Royal Palace, where you can see its big golden doors and beautiful design from the outside. After that, you can have a short walk through the Jewish Quarter (Mellah), an area with old houses and wooden balconies. It used to be home to a large Jewish community.

Then, we will go up to Borj Sud, a hilltop fort built in the 1500s. From here, you will get a great view of the old city. After that, we will enter Fes el-Bali, the old part of Fes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is more than 1,200 years old and full of history.

Inside the medina, you will visit the University of Al Quaraouiyine, the oldest still-working university in the world. You will also see the Chouara Tannery, where workers color leather by hand in stone pits. Later, we will visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, an old school from the 1300s with amazing carvings and tile work.

As you walk through the narrow streets, you will see mosques, fountains, shops, and people making local crafts.

The guided tour usually finishes around 3 pm. Free time on your own.

Once you are ready in the morning, we will drive to the Merzouga desert. Our first stop is Ifrane, one of the cleanest cities in Morocco. It is often called the “Switzerland of Morocco” because of its houses built in a European style.

About half an hour from Ifrane, we will arrive in the Cedar Forest, where you will see wild monkeys called Barbary macaques.

After lunch in Midelt or somewhere nearby, we will continue driving through the Atlas Mountains and the beautiful Ziz River.

Around 5 or 6 pm, we will reach Merzouga, a village next to the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Tonight, you will stay in a riad and get ready to fully discover the desert the following day.

Today, you will fully discover the Merzouga desert. First, we will visit Khamlia village, where you will listen to Gnawa music, a special kind of music called Gnaoua ”Gnawa” brought by people from sub-Saharan Africa. After that, we will drive to meet a Berber nomad family who live in tents, you will get to know how they live their life and cope with the desert environment. You will also visit the Mifis fossil mines.

In the late afternoon, you will go straight to the desert camp. There, you will check into your private tent and enjoy a glass of tea. Then, you will ride a camel into the sand dunes and watch the sunset. After the ride, you will return to the camp for a traditional dinner and listen to music around the fire.

Early in the morning, you can climb a sand dune to watch the sunrise. After that, return to the camp and have breakfast.

Then, we will leave Merzouga and drive to Rissani, a small desert city known for its traditional market and as the hometown of Morocco’s royal family. If it is market day (Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday), you can visit the souk and see how local people buy and sell goods.

After Rissani, you will stop in Fezna, a village where you can see an old underground irrigation system that was used to bring water to the palm groves. It shows how people in the desert used to collect and share water.

Next, you will visit a Berber women’s cooperative. Here, women in your group can enjoy a free henna tattoo and try on Berber clothes for photos.

Later, you will arrive at the Todra Gorges, a deep canyon with high red cliffs. You can take a short walk by the river and take photos.

In the afternoon, we will continue to the Dades Valley, where you will spend the night.

Once you are ready in the morning, we will drive through the Rose Valley, known for its rose gardens and the annual Rose Festival.

After driving through Skoura and some other villages, we will arrive in Ouarzazate, a city with a long history as a trade stop between the desert and the north. Today, it is famous as the “Hollywood of Africa,” with many movies like Gladiator and Game of Thrones filmed here.

We will continue our tour to Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This old clay Kasbah was once a key stop for caravans crossing the desert. Its buildings are over 1,000 years old and have appeared in many films.

After lunch, we will drive through the High Atlas Mountains, crossing the Tizi n’Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters. You will have quick stops to enjoy the views of the mountains.

Before reaching Marrakech, we will visit a local argan oil cooperative, where Berber women make oil using traditional tools.

By late afternoon or evening, we arrive in Marrakech and stay in a traditional riad.

Today, you will discover Marrakech with a local guide. You will start with the Koutoubia Mosque, which was built in the 12th century and has a tall minaret that can be seen from almost anywhere in Marrakech.

Next, we will visit the Bahia Palace, which was built in the 1800s. The palace has beautiful rooms, gardens, and Moroccan-style decorations. It shows how rich families lived in the past.

After that, you will explore the Saadian Tombs, where members of the Saadian royal family were buried in the 1500s. These tombs were hidden for many years and were found again in 1917.

Later, walk through the souks in the old city. These markets are full of colors, and smells. You will see shops selling spices, handmade crafts, carpets, and traditional clothes. Souks have been part of Marrakech life for hundreds of years.

After you discover Marrakech, we will drive to Casablanca, where you will spend your last night near the airport or in the city center, depending on your flight schedule the next day.

This will be the end of our 10-day Morocco tour, our driver will take you to the airport to catch your flight.