DAY 1: CASABLANCA → RABAT

On arrival at Mohammed V International Airport, a local guide will meet you for the first stop: the Hassan II Mosque. The drive then continues to Rabat, where you’ll explore the Hassan Tower and the Oudayas Kasbah before settling in at your accommodation for the night. (Late-night arrivals are transferred directly to a Casablanca hotel.)

Approximate driving distance: 128 km
Approximate driving time: 2 hours 10 minutes

DAY 2: RABAT → CHEFCHAOUEN

After breakfast, the drive heads north into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen — about four hours through rolling hills and villages. On arrival, check in to your riad and spend the rest of the day wandering the famous blue-washed alleys, browsing the souks, or settling in at a café for your first taste of Moroccan cuisine.

Approximate driving distance: 254 km
Approximate driving time: 5 hours

DAY 3: CHEFCHAOUEN → VOLUBILIS → MEKNES → FES

A scenic drive through the Rif countryside brings you to Volubilis — a Roman city famous for its 3rd-century mosaics. The route continues to Meknes for lunch, followed by a visit to the medina, the Bab el Mansour gate, and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. The day ends in Fes at a riad in the medina.

Approximate driving distance: 260 km
Approximate driving time: 4 hours 30 minutes

DAY 4: GUIDED TOUR OF FES

A full day with a local guide in the UNESCO-listed medina. Highlights include the Royal Palace gate, Al-Qarawiyyin University, the Al-Attarine Madrasa, the Nejjarine Fountain, the Chouara Tanneries, and the Mellah (Jewish quarter). You’ll end with a panoramic view of the medina from an old fortress.

DAY 5: FES → IFRANE → MIDDLE ATLAS MOUNTAINS → ZIZ VALLEY → MERZOUGA DESERT

After breakfast, the drive south to the Sahara begins with a short break in Ifrane. The route crosses the Middle Atlas with a stop in the cedar forest — watch for Barbary macaques — and lunch along the way before following the Ziz Valley to the desert.

You’ll reach Erg Chebbi in the afternoon. A camel trek takes you across the dunes for a spectacular sunset. On arrival at your luxury camp, a private tent is waiting. Dinner is followed by drumming, Berber music, and a long evening under the stars.

Approximate driving distance: 500 km
Approximate driving time: 7 hours 30 minutes

DAY 6: FULL DAY EXPLORING THE MERZOUGA DESERT

Sunrise from the dunes, then breakfast and a full day of desert exploration. The day begins with traditional Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia, followed by an off-road trip to M’Fis with its historic galena mines, and a visit to a nomadic family in their traditional tent.

After lunch, you’ll check in to a riad with a pool. In the late afternoon, try quad biking or buggy driving at sunset, or walk out to the dunes for a quieter experience. Dinner and an overnight stay at the riad follow.

Approximate driving distance: 57 km
Approximate driving time: 1 hour 15 minutes

DAY 7: MERZOUGA DESERT → RISSANI → TODRA GORGE → DADES GORGE

After breakfast, the drive heads toward the Dades Gorge. On market days (Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday) you can visit the traditional souk in Rissani. The route continues through the Todra Gorge for a walk beneath its towering cliffs, past the “monkey fingers” rock formations at the entrance to the Dades Valley, with panoramic views along the way before you check in to your hotel.

Approximate driving distance: 310 km
Approximate driving time: 5 hours

DAY 8: DADES GORGE → OUARZAZATE → AIT BEN HADDOU → HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS → MARRAKECH

The drive heads to Ouarzazate — the “Hollywood of Africa” — with an optional visit to the Atlas Studios. From there, the route continues to the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. After lunch, the road climbs over the High Atlas with photo stops, before descending into Marrakech in the late afternoon. Check in to a riad in the medina and enjoy dinner at your riad or on Jemaa el-Fna square.

Approximate driving distance: 353 km
Approximate driving time: 6 hours 30 minutes

DAY 9: GUIDED TOUR OF MARRAKECH

A local guide will show you Marrakech’s highlights: Jemaa el-Fna square, Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, and the Koutoubia Mosque. After lunch, visit the Majorelle Garden or return to your riad to relax. In the late afternoon, walk to Jemaa el-Fna and enjoy a drink at a rooftop café for a sunset view over the city.

DAY 10: MARRAKECH → ESSAOUIRA

A scenic drive west to the coast brings you to Essaouira — a lively fishing town within 15th-century Portuguese fortifications. You can walk the beach, explore the UNESCO-listed medina with its blue doors and artisan workshops, or settle in at a rooftop café. The town is compact and easy to navigate from any city gate.

Approximate driving distance: 177 km
Approximate driving time: 2 hours 51 minutes

DAY 11: ESSAOUIRA → CASABLANCA

One more morning in Essaouira — more beach, more medina, more browsing the souks for local crafts — before the drive back to Casablanca. The route takes around four and a half hours through shifting coastal and inland landscapes. On arrival, check in to your hotel for your last night in Morocco.

Approximate driving distance: 377 km
Approximate driving time: 4 hours 31 minutes

DAY 12: DEPARTURE

On the final day, you’ll be transferred from your hotel to Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in time for your departure flight. The tour ends here.

IMPORTANT NOTES

– Dietary preferences (vegetarian, vegan, allergies) can be accommodated — please mention this when booking.
– Optional extras include a cooking class, a traditional hammam, a massage, quad biking or buggy driving in the dunes, or a hot air balloon ride in Marrakech.
– Prefer not to ride a camel? A 4×4 will take you to the camp at no extra cost.
– All our luxury camps feature private tents with en-suite bathrooms.
– The itinerary can also start from Marrakech, Tangier, or any other city on request.