9 Days from Marrakech to Casablanca

9-Day Morocco Tour from Marrakech to Casablanca via the Sahara Desert

Departure: Marrakech · End: Casablanca · Duration: 9 days / 8 nights · Total distance: approx. 1,550 km

Overview

A complete journey through Morocco’s highlights: the souks and palaces of Marrakech, the kasbahs of Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley, two nights in the Merzouga Sahara with a camel ride and a desert camp, the medieval medina of Fes, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the imperial cities of Meknes and Rabat, and finally Casablanca and its Hassan II Mosque.

Route Map

Distances are approximate and may vary slightly depending on the exact route and stops.

Day 1 – Arrival in Marrakech

Our driver welcomes you at Marrakech airport or your hotel and takes you to your riad to rest. In the evening, discover the famous Jemaa el-Fna square with its snake charmers, storytellers, musicians and food stalls. Overnight in Marrakech.

Day 2 – Guided Tour of Marrakech

Enjoy a private guided tour of Marrakech with an official local guide: the Koutoubia Mosque, the medina and its souks, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace and the Majorelle Garden. Overnight in a riad in the medina.

Day 3 – Marrakech → Ait Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate → Dades Valley (≈ 320 km)

Cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Ait Ben Haddou, one of the most beautiful kasbahs in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue via Ouarzazate and the Rose Valley of Kelaat M’Gouna, famous for its annual rose festival, to the Dades Valley. Dinner and overnight in a hotel.

Day 4 – Dades Valley → Todra Gorge → Erfoud → Merzouga (≈ 290 km)

Drive via Tinghir to Todra Gorge and enjoy its spectacular canyon views. Lunch in Touroug, then visit a fossil workshop in Erfoud. In Merzouga, ride a camel through the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi to a traditional desert camp. Enjoy the sunset, dinner and drum music under the stars, and spend the night in the silence of the Sahara.

Day 5 – Merzouga → Khamlia → Rissani (≈ 80 km)

Wake up early for the sunrise over the dunes, then ride back to the hotel for breakfast. Visit the Gnawa village of Khamlia and enjoy their traditional music. Lunch on madfouna, the famous Berber “pizza”, with a cup of mint tea, and explore the market town of Rissani. Return to Merzouga. Dinner and overnight in a hotel at the foot of the dunes.

Day 6 – Merzouga → Ziz Valley → Midelt → Ifrane → Fes (≈ 470 km)

After breakfast, drive north via Erfoud and the Ziz Valley. Lunch in Midelt, Morocco’s apple capital, then cross the Middle Atlas and its cedar forests to Ifrane, a mountain resort built in the 1930s in the style of an Alpine village. Arrive in Fes in the late afternoon. Overnight in a riad.

Day 7 – Guided Tour of Fes

Spend the day with a local guide in the oldest imperial city of Morocco: the Royal Palace gate, the narrow streets of the medina, the Mellah (Jewish quarter), the tanneries and Al Quaraouiyine University. Visit a ceramics cooperative to see traditional Moroccan crafts, then admire the panoramic view over the medina and discover the new town. Overnight in Fes.

Day 8 – Fes → Volubilis → Meknes → Rabat → Casablanca (≈ 340 km)

Visit Volubilis, a partly excavated Roman-Berber city and ancient capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania. Continue to Meknes, the city of Sultan Moulay Ismail, to see the Bab Mansour gate and El Hedim square. Lunch in Rabat, the capital of Morocco, then visit the Kasbah of the Oudayas, with its views over the Bou Regreg river and the Atlantic, and the Hassan Tower with the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Continue to Casablanca. Overnight in Casablanca.

Day 9 – Casablanca → Airport (≈ 45 km)

Depending on your flight time, enjoy a short tour of Casablanca: the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, United Nations Square and the seaside Corniche. Transfer to Casablanca airport. End of our services.

Prices & Accommodation Options

All our tours are private. Choose the accommodation level that suits you; the price per person decreases as your group grows.

Included

• Pick-up at Marrakech airport
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver
• 7 nights in hotels/riads
• 1 night in a desert camp tent
• Local guides for the city tours of Marrakech and Fes
• Camel ride in the Erg Chebbi dunes
• Drop-off at your hotel or Casablanca airport at the end of the tour

Not Included

• Lunches and drinks
• Dinners in Marrakech, Fes and Casablanca
• Museum and monument entrance fees
• Tips and personal expenses

Looking for a different route? Discover our 8 days from Marrakech to Tangier, the 8 days from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert or the 10 days tour from Casablanca. All our tours are private and can be customized to your dates and travel style.