11-Day Private Tour: Casablanca–Rabat–Chefchaouen–Fez–Merzouga–Ouazazate–Marrakesh–Essaouira – El Jadida – Casablanca
This tour is the perfect choice for people who would like to experience all the best of Morocco in as short a time as reasonably possible for appreciation. It will enable you to enjoy the Atlantic Coast, the Atlas Mountains, and the Sahara Desert in one tour.
Days
11
Price
US$2,219p/p
Best For
First-Timers
Best Time
Nov. to May
Tour Highlights
Discover the charming medieval fortress — the Kasbah of the Udayas. Look out from Rabat's ancient port and enjoy the beautiful ocean view. View the awesome Mausoleum of Mohammad V and Hassan Tower.
Take a leisurely walk in the medina (old town) of Chefchaouen, and have a panoramic view of the charming town from the 15th-century Great Mosque.
Volubilis is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites in Morocco, with the remains of settlements dating from the pre-Roman to the early Islamic periods.
Discover the charming medieval fortress — the Kasbah of the Udayas. Look out from Rabat's ancient port and enjoy the beautiful ocean view. View the awesome Mausoleum of Mohammad V and Hassan Tower.
Visit the medieval medina and its major sights, view the Moulay Idriss Mausoleum and Al-Karaouine Mosque. Enjoy a panoramic view of Fez from the Borj Nord and Borj Sud ramparts.
Take a 4WD into the desert, enjoy a camel ride, watch the sunset, camp around a campfire, and enjoy a traditional Berber dinner.
Built around 1,000 years ago, the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou is one of Morocco's most impressive historic landmarks. Many famous movies and TV series including "A Game of Thrones" were filmed there.
Admire the splendor of Bahia Palace, visit Koutoubia Mosque, which is considered to the most beautiful Mosque in North Africa. Visit the Arab marketplace and handicraft quarters to witness a real-life scene of from the Arabian Nights fairy tales and feel the vitality of local people's life.
Essaouira is an outstanding and well-preserved example of a mid-18th century fortified seaport town. It has become a romantic holiday destination, and "A Game of Thrones" was filmed there too.
We have just returned from an amazing trip to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Our travel adviser Albee Ning prepared a wonderful itinerary taking us to great locations with creative activities highlighting local culture.
We traveled with Asia Highlights (Lissie was our agent) several years ago when we went to Saigon, and the experience was so positive, we automatically went to Asia Highlights again for an extensive trip to Southeast Asia.
Itinerary Details
The itinerary below is only one possibility, which is offered as inspiration. We can tailor-make your trip based on your needs. Send us details of your preferences and our travel experts will customize this trip to suit your interests, tastes, and budget.
Arrive at Casablanca Mohamed V Airport. You will be greeted by your English-speaking driver at the airport, who will escort you to Rabat to start your tour.
Upon arrival in Rabat, tour Kasbah of the Oudayas, where you will discover a city within a city. Visit the 14th-century Necropolis of Chellah and the ramparts and walls of the mechouar (courtyard) surrounding the Royal Palace.
Next, visit Mohammed V Mausoleum, a masterpiece of modern Alaouite Dynasty (1631–present) architecture. View Hassan Tower, the minaret of an incomplete mosque built during the late 12th century, which was planned to be the tallest minaret and largest mosque in the world.
Stay overnight in Rabat.
After breakfast, travel to the "Blue City" of Chefchaouen, one of the most picturesque towns in the Rif Mountains.
Embark on a tour in the medina of Chefchaouen. This medina truly reflects the Andalusian influence from southern Spain. There you will find a variety of colors and the most delightful aromas coming from the different products in the local bazaars.
You can also visit lively and colorful El-Makhzen Square, the medina's main Outa El Hammam Square, and the Great Mosque, dating from the 15th century.
Stay overnight in Chefchaouen. Dinner will be served at your hotel.
Located between the imperial cities of Fez and Meknes is Volubilis, the site of the largest and best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco.
Take a short drive to Moulay Idriss, an important religious site where the tomb of the city's founder, a descendent of the Prophet Muhammad, lies.
Travel on to the imperial city of Meknes. There, visit the old mellah (Jewish quarter) and Place El Hedim ('Square of Demolition'), a lively public square home to an extremely well-preserved gate that was built in the 18th century and is reputed to be the most beautiful gate in North Africa — Bab El Mansour.
Visit the Royal Stables of Meknes. This ancient massive stable yard was constructed to comfortably house no less than 12,000 royal horses.
Stay overnight in Fez, where dinner will be provided at your hotel.
After breakfast, enjoy a full day in Fez, the oldest of the Moroccan imperial cities and cradle of a thousand-year-old monarchy.
Visit the medieval medina and its major sites including Nejjarine Square, known for the Nejjarine Fountain, and Al-Attarine Madrasa (an Islamic school), which is a mesmerizing building with elaborate Moroccan architecture, tiles, and woodcarvings.
View the Moulay Idriss Mausoleum and Karaouine Mosque — built in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri, it’s still a functioning mosque and one of the oldest universities in the world.
Visit the 14th century mellah — the largest Jewish quarter in Morocco and the rest of Fez’s old El Jdid District. Enjoy a panoramic view of Fez from the Borj Nord and Borj Sud ramparts.
Stay overnight in Fez. Your hotel will again provide dinner.
Depart for Merzouga via Azrou. Make a stop at the scenic cedar forest in the middle of the Atlas Mountains, between 1,500 and 2,400 meters (5,000–8,000 feet) above sea level.
Continue to Midelt, located at altitude 1,521 meters (4,990 feet). Then, take a 4WD into the desert of Merzouga, known worldwide for its stunning sunrises and sunsets.
Have an enjoyable camel ride to a vantage point to watch the sunset over the desert. You will camp around a campfire where a traditional Berber dinner will be served.
Spend a wonderful night in a traditional Bedouin bivouac in the Sahara, with a great opportunity to admire the constellations.
Start early and embark on a jeep excursion to catch the sunrise over the sand dunes. After breakfast, depart for Tinghir.
Journey into the spectacular oasis of Todra Gorge, which lies in a canyon on the east of the High Atlas Mountains.
Continue to Ouarzazate via the Dadès Valley (‘Red’ Valley) and discover one of the most amazing rosy landscapes in Morocco, scattered with lush oases and unique rock formations. Stop at Kalâat M'Gouna, the "Capital of Roses", which holds its annual Rose Festival at the beginning of May.
Stay overnight in Ouarzazate, where dinner is conveniently provided at your hotel.
After breakfast, continue your journey on the "Road of the Thousand Kasbahs" to Aït Benhaddou.
Visit the exotic fortified village kasbah (citadel) of Aït Benhaddou, a remarkable example of a centuries-old architecture in southern Morocco that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It’s also a famous backdrop for many Hollywood films and TV shows including "Lawrence of Arabia", "Gladiator", and "A Game of Thrones".
Continue to Marrakech through Morocco's highest pass, the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, at 2,260 meters (7,414 feet) above sea level.
Stay overnight in Marrakesh. Your hotel will provide dinner.
Enjoy a full day in the imperial city of Marrakech, the "Pearl of the South".
Visit the famous 70-meter-tall (230-foot-tall) Koutoubia Minaret, the best example of Hispano-Moorish art. Then, visit the Palace of Bahia, built in the late 19th century and designed to be the largest palace of its time.
Explore the souks (street markets) of Marrakech, the most famous souks in Morocco. Admire the richness of an infinity of craftwork, including cabinetmaking, ironwork, boiler-making, and dye-work.
Visit the open-air Jemaa El-Fna Square. Its "cultural space" was classified by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. It’s a venue for a variety of artists such as jugglers, acrobats, and snake charmers.
Again, stay overnight and dine in your Marrakesh hotel.
After breakfast, depart for Essaouira, making a stop at an Argan Oil Cooperative. Born from the union of a few people of good will, its main objective is to promote the work of women in the region.
Visit the medina of Essaouira (once known as Mogador). Its white houses and blue shutters give it a special charm, and it never ceases to beguile its visitors. Take time to wander in its labyrinth-like souks.
Visit the mellah (the former Jewish quarter) and the old Portuguese forts around the harbor, which is most famous for its picturesque little blue boats that are in every Instagram picture of Essaouira. See the beautiful and imposing ramparts. Built as a defense by the Portuguese in the 16th century, physical pieces of history like these give the city a grand ambience.
Return to Marrakesh for dinner at your hotel and another overnight stay.
Make your way to Casablanca via the scenic Atlantic Coast Road. Stop at Safi, a city which was Portuguese and later the residence for the French Consul in Morocco. Today, it is a fishing port and a city known for its colorful ceramics. View "the Castle on the Sea", the 16th-century ruins of a Portuguese fort — Qasr Al Bahr.
Continue on for a short visit to El Jadida, and visit another 16th-century Portuguese fortress, Mazagan, which still has cannons that defensively face out to sea. There you can enjoy sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Stay overnight in Casablanca with dinner at your hotel.
The morning is yours to enjoy Casablanca at your leisure until your transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Hand-picked Hotels
Price Includes
Price from: $2,219 (Tour code: gh-mr-3)
Trip Notes
English-Speaking Driver
Your English-speaking driver will meet you with your name sign and see you off at the airport, as well as drive for you between the cities of Morocco. Since some places are too small to have a local guide, your driver will provide enough explanation about them — places like Merzouga and Ouarzazate.
Rabat and Essaouira will also not be guided, as they mainly just require getting to and viewing the sights.
Your driver will give you a general introduction to the tour arrangements, but he will not be a qualified private guide and will not accompany you for all aspects of the tour. If you feel you might like a private guide service as well in certain places, please let us know.
Private City Guides
In Volubilis, Fez, Marrakesh, and Aït Benhaddou, you will have a private English-speaking guide who will guide you to discover the sights and share their local knowledge and perspectives with you. Feel free to ask questions as our guides are able to provide you with insights into their local culture, history, and life.
Breakfasts and Meals
Breakfasts are included in the tour. Usually, buffet breakfasts are available in hotels. A packed breakfast and set meals for dinner are offered in desert and mountain areas.
Transportation between Cities: Views along the Way
A private vehicle is the main transportation tool for getting between cities in Morocco. Some days you may have a 3–5-hour drive to the next destination. Your private driver will make some stops along the way to help ease your journey and to soak in the views.
Accommodation
We've chosen our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels with a taste of local flavor. Please note that service and accommodation in Morocco may differ from Western standards. The comfort of the camp is reasonably high, with separate toilet and bath tents. The sleeping areas consist of 2-person tents with ample space and comfortable foam mattresses.
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