9 Days Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech

Day 1: Casablanca – Rabat

For travelers arriving in Casablanca from abroad, our services commence at the airport terminal, where our driver awaits with a private vehicle for convenient transfer to the city center. If you’re already in Casablanca, we can arrange a meeting at a location of your choice, such as your hotel.

Our first stop will be the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, situated on an artificial peninsula reclaimed from the sea. Standing as one of the tallest mosques globally, its towering minaret reaches approximately 200 meters. Fortunately, we’ll have the privilege to explore its interior, as it’s one of the few mosques open to non-believers.

Following our mosque visit, we’ll go on a road trip to Rabat, just an hour away from Casablanca. As the capital and one of Morocco Imperial Cities, Rabat boasts a UNESCO-listed historic center adorned with remarkable monuments like the 12th-century Hassan Tower and the Oudayas Kasbah. From the latter fortress, you’ll savor breathtaking vistas of the city and neighboring Salé, situated across the Bu Regreg river.

Your exploration of this captivating city is flexible, allowing you to tailor the tour to your preferences with our guidance. Additional sites worth considering include the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, the medina souk, or the Mohamed VI Museum of Modern Art, all conveniently located near the riad where you’ll spend your first night in the city center.

Day 2: Rabat – Chefchaouen

After delicious breakfast at the Rabat riad/hotel, our driver will pick you up to head north. Specifically, to the Rif mountains, among which Chaouen is located. This town, often called “the blue city”, lives on in the retina of those who visit it because its historic medina is dyed in that characteristic color.

During your stay in Chefchaouen, you can plan the day to your liking and pace, as it is free. Among the main suggestions are the kasbah (today the Ethnographic Museum) and the viewpoints with panoramic views of the medina and its surroundings. It will also be worth getting lost in its charming alleys, decorated with flowers, full of craft shops and dotted with galleries of local artists.

At night, you will rest in a riad in the medina and, therefore, not far from the main square of the city: the Uta el Hammam square, around which there are numerous charming establishments and shops.

Day 3: Chefchouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes

The third day of this trip is full of places of great cultural interest. Therefore, after having breakfast at the Chefchaouen riad, we will return to our vehicle to go to the first of them: Volubilis, the best preserved archaeological site from the Roman era in Morocco. The remains that remain standing show the importance that this city acquired in the times of emperors such as Mark Antony or Caracalla: temple columns, decorative mosaics on pavements, commemorative arches and an urban plot still visible on the ground. It is no coincidence, therefore, that this great site is also considered World Heritage by UNESCO.

After this chronological journey to the times of the Roman Empire, we will continue the route by road to Meknes. It is another Imperial City considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, since its historic medina largely preserves the appearance given to it by Sultan Moulay Ismail at the end of the 17th century. Walking through its streets it is possible to come across his mausoleum and elements that remind us of his glorious past, such as the gates of the wall, highlighting Bab Mansour.

In the last section of the day, we will continue the route to Fes. Its great medina and its lively popular atmosphere will be the protagonists of the guided tour that will take place the next day, although you will be able to make your first contact with them in the last hours of this second day. The location of the riad where you will spend the night is located in the center, so it will be a help for this purpose.

Day 4: Visit Fes with a Local Guide

World Heritage Site, Imperial City and one of the spiritual and cultural centers of the Islamic world. With this letter of introduction, it is easy to understand that Fes deserves to be discovered in depth through a guided tour. Therefore, after having breakfast at the riad, you will meet our official local guide and you will tour together the most interesting places in the center.

The route that our guide will have prepared will cover the main attractions of the medina, among which may be the Karaouine mosque and the University it houses, considered one of the oldest in the world. Or the madrassas, dedicated to studies based on the Koran, such as Bou Inania or Attarine. Or popular spaces such as Nejjarine Square and the homonymous fountain, the famous tanners’ quarter or the always lively souks and markets.

The historic center of Fes is so large that it will force you to leave some places of interest for the afternoon, freely. Some attractions that can be scheduled for this time are the Golden Gates of the Royal Palace, the Mellah (Jewish quarter) or museums such as Borj Nord. And of course, this will also be the ideal time to make purchases in the prestigious craft shops of Fes, where objects of great value are sold, such as leather, wood, ceramic or metal items. Without a doubt, a day that deserves to be taken advantage of until the last moment, before resting again in your riad in the center.

Day 5: Fes – Ifrane – Monkey Forest – Ziz Valley – Merzouga Desert

The fifth day is one of the longest: after having breakfast at the riad in the center of Fes, we will head south on a road trip that will reach the heart of the desert. We will leave early and, shortly after starting the route, we will begin to ascend the slopes of the Middle Atlas.

Ifrane is located precisely here, known to everyone as ‘Moroccan Switzerland’. The reason is none other than its surprising architecture, more typical of the Alps than these latitudes, with gabled roofs. However, its altitude (more than 1,700 meters above sea level) and its location between mountains result in a truly humid climate, with abundant snowfall in the cold season and an environment where white predominates in winter and green the rest of the year.

Green is also the predominant color in our next stop: the Ifrane National Park, next to neighboring Azrou, full of cedars. Many know it as the Monkey Forest because a large population of Barbary macaque lives here, an endangered species and the only primate naturally present north of the Sahara.

After getting to know this unique habitat, we will continue the route by road crossing the Middle Atlas. The descent that we will begin at that moment will take us through the Ziz Valley, in whose lands palm groves and farmland survive, defying the aridity that prevails in the place.

In this way we will arrive at Erfoud, a small town but very famous in the world of paleontology, as important fossils have been discovered here, some of them dinosaurs. And shortly after we will reach the southernmost town on the route: Merzouga, located more than 650 km from Casablanca, where the trip began.

In Merzouga we will limit ourselves to changing means of transport: our vehicle will be parked and we will take one dromedary per person to advance through the magical sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, of incomparable texture and color. After a quiet walk of a couple of hours, we will arrive at our tent camp, located in the middle of the desert. There they will be waiting for us with a Berber tea, as dictated by the canons of local tradition, and dinner will also be served. One of the tents, with the classic design used by desert nomads, will be your accommodation, with all the comforts inside. Outside, however, there will be a spectacular sky full of stars, which shine with a strength and cleanliness without equivalents in the rest of the world.

Day 6: Merzouga Desert – Todra Gorges – Dades Valley – Ouarzazate

On this sixth day we leave the Merzouga desert, but not before enjoying a magical and unparalleled experience: contemplating the sunrise in the Erg Chebbi dunes, where the dawn lights provide unique tones and nuances in the immense territory of sand dunes that will open before our eyes.

After that, breakfast will be had in the tent camp and we will return to our camels to return to Merzouga. Before or after this moment there will be time for a shower, either in a hotel in Merzouga or in the camp, depending on the contracted package.

Back on the road, our route will take us first to Rissani, a small town with a historic Medina and places that are difficult to find in the 21st century, such as a donkey parking lot and a traditional market where smells and colors mix. In addition, it is considered the cradle of the Alawite dynasty, to which the current monarch belongs.

After that, our odometer will advance as we circulate between hamadas, arid hills and palm groves. In this way we will reach the Todra Gorges, a spectacular rocky canyon through which the humble river of the same name runs. This sheet of water has carved this place for millennia, creating an amazing gorge through which it is now possible to walk and even climb, as fans of this sport from all over the world do.

The road here becomes winding, as we will see during the route, but then it will give way to larger spaces typical of the Dades Valley and the Route of a Thousand Kasbahs, named after the endless number of Berber fortresses that will come our way during this section. We will also tour the Valley of Roses, the name given to this flower cultivated for the economic benefit of the local population, who use it to make cosmetic products, organize traditional festivals and much more.

The goal of this day is Ouarzazate. In the hotel in Ouarzazate city where you will have dinner and spend the night. But before that, if the schedule allows, we will visit the Kasbah of Taourirt, located on the outskirts of the city: this Berber fortress was the residence of the Lord of Altas and Pasha of Marrakech, Thami El Glaoui. And for this reason, inside there are spaces with exotic and colorful decoration, in contrast to the adobe exterior. Another possible visit to make depending on the schedule is its famous film studios, which are used in large productions of the seventh art and which have earned it the nickname ‘Hollywood of Morocco’.

Day 7: Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou Kasbah – Marrakech

The seventh day of this 9 days tour from Casablanca, will take us through absolutely contrasting landscapes: from the desert to the high mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel in Ouarzazate and then visit the ksar of Ait Benhaddou, declared a World Heritage Site as it is a fortified complex of enormous value. The adobe architecture of its buildings and walls are a magnificent example of the expertise of the Berber people when it comes to building in perfect harmony with the environment. And its good state of conservation has favored its use as a filming set in blockbusters such as Game of Thrones or Lawrence of Arabia, to name a few examples.

Once the visit is over, we will resume the road route, which shortly after will begin its ascent through the High Atlas mountains. We will have a stop at the Kasbah of Telouet to visit, another of the residential fortresses of Thami El Glaoui, Pasha of Marrakech. Therefore, the similarity with that of Taourirt will be evident, although with its own peculiarities.

Upon reaching the port of Tizi n’Tichka, the panoramic views will be overwhelming: the peaks of the High Atlas rise here like an insurmountable natural barrier, with snow at its highest levels for much of the year and small towns scattered along its slopes. From here, the road begins its descent towards Marrakech.

You will arrive at the Red City in the afternoon, with enough time to take a free walk through it. In this first contact you will appreciate the frenetic pace and the popular atmosphere that reigns in the medina, where your riad will be located.

Day 8: Visit Marrakech with a Local Guide

The city of Marrakech was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is the most visited in Morocco. For this and many other reasons, it is worth discovering it calmly and with the help of a local guide. This is what we will do after having delicious breakfast at the riad/hotel and entering the Medina.

During the morning guided tour, some of the places of interest to explore may be the Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs, the Ben Youssef Madrasa or the Bahia Palace. The Jemaa El-Fna Square is also a must-see, as it was declared, in itself, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

During the afternoon, you’ll have the freedom to explore at your leisure. Some travelers opt to visit additional points of interest, such as museums or the Majorelle Gardens. Others prefer to wander through the bustling souks and browse local craft shops, brimming with high-quality items. In the evening, return to the same charming riad for a well-deserved rest.

Day 9: Transfer to Marrakech Airport

The 9 days tour from Casablanca comes to an end. After breakfast at the accommodation and check-out, it will be assessed whether the flight schedule allows for a final walk through Marrakech for last-minute shopping. In any case, our driver will pick you up punctually at the agreed time for the transfer to the airport. And now at the terminal we will say goodbye with gratitude for the trust placed and with hope of a new reunion to continue exploring other regions of interest in Morocco.