Grand Tour · Private journey
11 Days from Casablanca — Essaouira & the Sahara
- 11 days · 10 nights
- Round trip from Casablanca
- Private, just your group
Overview
A wide loop from Casablanca taking in Marrakech, the Atlantic at Essaouira, the kasbahs and a Sahara night.
The route
CasablancaStart
Chefchaouen
Rabat- Fes
The Sahara
Aït Ben Haddou- CasablancaEnd
Itinerary
Day by day
A working draft: every day can be lengthened, shortened or swapped once we know what matters most to you.
- Day1
Arrival in Casablanca
Land in Casablanca and settle in for the night, with the rest of the day free before the tour heads out the next morning.
Casablanca - Day2
Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen
See the Hassan II Mosque before heading to the capital, Rabat, for the Hassan Tower, the Mohammed V Mausoleum and the Kasbah of the Udayas. Continue into the Rif Mountains, arriving in Chefchaouen for the night.
Chefchaouen - Day3
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes
Descend from the Rif to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, then imperial Meknes — the Bab Mansour gate and the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum — before continuing to Fes.
Fes - Day4
A full day in Fes
A local guide leads you through the medieval medina — the Bou Inania madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque, a working pottery village and the gateways of Nejjarine Square.
- Day5
Fes → Ifrane → Merzouga (Sahara camp)
Cross the Middle Atlas via the alpine town of Ifrane, then drop toward the Sahara. As the sun sets, a camel trek carries you into the Erg Chebbi dunes for dinner and a night at a desert camp.
The Sahara - Day6
Merzouga → Todgha Gorge → Dadès Valley
Watch the sunrise over the dunes, then drive west to Todgha Gorge for a walk beneath its towering canyon walls before continuing into the Dadès Valley to overnight in a riad.
- Day7
Dadès Valley → Ouarzazate → Aït Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Ouarzazate, with a stop at the film studios, then the UNESCO ksar of Aït Ben Haddou and the hilltop Telouet Kasbah. Cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass into Marrakech.
Marrakech - Day8
Marrakech city
A guided walk through the Red City — the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia minaret and the theatre of Jemaa el-Fnaa.
- Day9
Marrakech → Essaouira
A relaxed drive to the coast, through argan forest to the fishing port of Essaouira, for an afternoon in its medina and along the ramparts before a night by the sea.
Essaouira - Day10
Essaouira → Casablanca
A free morning in Essaouira before the drive back up the coast to Casablanca for the night.
- Day11
Departure
Free time before your transfer to the airport.
The details
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle, fuel & tolls
- English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- Accommodation in riads, kasbahs & a desert camp
- Camel trek to the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Desert camp with dinner & breakfast
- Daily breakfast
- Local guides in the imperial cities
- All local taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches & some dinners
- Monument & museum entrance fees
- Drinks & personal expenses
- Tips / gratuities
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Questions about this journey
Can you customize an itinerary, or do we have to book one exactly as listed?
Every trip on this site is a starting point. Tell us your dates, pace and interests on WhatsApp or through the form below, and we'll adjust the route, swap in extra nights, or build something from scratch around what you actually want to see.
What's included in the price of a private Morocco tour?
Standard inclusions are a private air-conditioned vehicle with fuel and tolls, an English-speaking driver-guide for the whole trip, accommodation in riads, kasbahs and a desert camp, the Erg Chebbi camel trek, daily breakfast, local guides in the imperial cities, and all local taxes. International flights, most lunches and dinners, entrance fees, tips and travel insurance are not included.
When's the best time of year for a Sahara desert tour?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) give the most comfortable temperatures for both the High Atlas passes and the dunes. Summer is workable but hot in the desert by midday; winter nights in the Sahara and the mountains can be cold, so pack layers if travelling between November and February.
Which cities can a tour start and end in?
Most itineraries start or end in Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca or Tangier — wherever your flight lands. Filter the tours by city to see what's available, or ask us to build a route between two different cities if you don't see the combination you need.
Want this route adjusted? Message us on WhatsApp or browse all 33 journeys.
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Begin your journey
Make the 11-day journey your own
Tell us your dates and what you'd change, and we'll come back with a real draft and a clear price, not a form letter.