Early morning departure from Marrakech, heading east across the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, the highest paved road in North Africa at approximately 2,260 meters above sea level. The mountain road winds through spectacular switchbacks with sweeping views of rocky peaks, deep valleys, and Berber villages perched on the hillsides. Stop along the way for panoramic photographs before beginning the descent toward the pre-Saharan plains of the south.
The first major stop of the day is the legendary Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic fortified villages in Morocco. This ancient ksar, built entirely from red earthen clay, has appeared in productions including Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia, and The Mummy. Your guide will walk you through the narrow alleyways and take you up to the top granary for sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding desert landscape.
Continue through Ouarzazate for a lunch stop before heading east through the Valley of Roses, passing through Kelaat M’Gouna where Damask roses are cultivated and celebrated every May during the famous Rose Festival. Continue into the Dades Valley, arriving in the late afternoon. The winding roads, dramatic red rock formations, and ancient kasbahs clinging to the cliffsides make this one of the most beautiful overnight settings in southern Morocco. Check into your riad for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meals included: Dinner and Breakfast
After breakfast, begin the day with a drive through the Dades Gorge, passing the famous Monkey Fingers red rock formations near Ait Oudinar before the valley opens out into the broader southern plains. Continue east to the Todra Gorge, a spectacular natural canyon carved by the Todra River through limestone cliffs that rise over 300 meters on either side. Take a refreshing walk along the river through the gorge before continuing south through Erfoud, a desert town known for its fossil-rich black marble workshops, toward Merzouga.
By late afternoon, the towering orange dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon. Your camels will be waiting at the edge of the desert for a sunset trek across the golden sands. As the sun descends, the dunes glow in shades of amber and rose and the silence of the Sahara settles completely around you. Arrive at your luxury desert camp to a warm welcome of mint tea and Berber bread. Enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner under a sky full of stars, accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of live Berber music around the campfire.
Meals included: Dinner and Breakfast
Rise before dawn to witness the Sahara sunrise, one of the most peaceful and unforgettable moments of the entire journey. As the first light creeps over the dunes, the desert awakens in shades of gold and pink. After breakfast at the camp, the morning is free to explore the dunes at your own pace, take a final walk across the sands, or simply sit and watch the desert come to life in the early hours.
Check out of the desert camp late morning and transfer to your comfortable desert hotel or riad in Merzouga for the second night. With a full afternoon free in the desert, there is time to explore the wider Merzouga region at a relaxed pace. Visit a nomadic Berber family in their tent and gain a genuine insight into their way of life, head to Khamlia village to experience the ancient Gnawa music tradition performed live by local musicians, or visit the fossil mines where millions of years of prehistoric marine life are embedded in the local rock. Optional activities in the afternoon include ATV quad biking across the dunes or a 4×4 desert excursion, available at an additional cost paid locally.
Return to your desert hotel in the early evening for dinner and a second overnight in the Sahara region, this time with the comfort of full hotel facilities after two days in the desert.
Meals included: Dinner and Breakfast
After breakfast, leave Merzouga and begin the drive north through the pre-Saharan landscape toward the Middle Atlas Mountains. The route passes through the historic town of Rissani before entering the Ziz Valley, one of the most beautiful and photogenic landscapes in southern Morocco. The valley follows the Ziz River through a long corridor of thousands of date palms, ancient mud-brick kasbahs, and small Berber villages. Stop at the panoramic viewpoint high above the valley for sweeping photographs before continuing through the Foum Zabel tunnel and across the Tizi-n-Talghemt mountain pass.
Continue north into the Middle Atlas, where the landscape shifts dramatically from desert plains to rolling hills, cedar forests, and mountain villages. A brief stop near Azrou gives you the chance to encounter Barbary macaque monkeys roaming freely among the ancient cedar trees, one of Morocco’s most charming wildlife encounters. Continue through the mountain roads before arriving in the peaceful valley of Bou Laajoul, a quiet and beautiful Middle Atlas setting that most Morocco itineraries never reach. Check into your accommodation fordinner and an overnight stay in one of the most serene corners of the country.
Meals included: Dinner and Breakfast
After breakfast in Bou Laajoul, continue north through the Middle Atlas toward Fes. The drive passes through Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco, a spotlessly clean alpine town with European-style stone chalets, manicured parks, and cool mountain air that provides a striking contrast to the desert landscapes left behind. Stop for a short walk and a coffee in Ifrane before the final stretch north.
Arrive in Fes in the late morning or early afternoon and check into your traditional riad in the heart of the old medina. The rest of the day and evening are entirely free for you to begin exploring Fes at your own pace. Wander into the medina, find a rooftop cafe for a mint tea and your first views over the ancient city, or simply settle into your riad and let the atmosphere of one of the world’s most extraordinary medieval cities wash over you before the full guided tour tomorrow. Fes has an excellent range of restaurants within and around the medina for an independent dinner.
Overnight stay: Traditional riad in Fes | Meals: Breakfast only
After breakfast at your riad, your local expert guide will meet you and begin the full guided cultural tour of Fes el-Bali, the ancient walled medina of Fes and one of the most complete and best-preserved medieval cities in the world. With over nine thousand alleyways, centuries-old monuments, and artisan workshops that have been operating for generations, Fes genuinely rewards a guided visit far more than an independent exploration.
Visit Al-Qarawiyyin University, founded in 859 AD and recognized as the world’s oldest continuously operating university. Explore the Bou Inania Madrasa, a stunning 14th-century theological school of extraordinary decorative craftsmanship featuring intricate zellige tilework, carved stucco walls, and ornate cedar wood ceilings. Head to the world-famous Chouara Tanneries, where leather has been dyed using the same natural pigments and traditional methods for over a thousand years, viewed from the rooftop terraces of the surrounding leather shops. Round off the day with a walk through the artisan workshops where coppersmiths, weavers, potters, and ceramicists practice their crafts as they have for generations.
Enjoy some free time in the late afternoon to browse the souk or relax in a traditional cafe before an independent dinner in the city. Return to your riad for a final overnight in Fes.
Overnight stay: Traditional riad in Fes | Meals: Breakfast only
After breakfast, depart Fes and head northwest toward Chefchaouen, the famous Blue City nestled in the heart of the Rif Mountains. The drive takes approximately two and a half hours on a road that passes through fertile farmland before climbing into the forested Rif hillsides. The landscape becomes increasingly lush and dramatic as you gain altitude, with mountain villages and terraced hillsides lining the road.
Arrive in Chefchaouen late morning and check into your traditional riad in the medina. The afternoon is yours to begin exploring the Blue City freely before the guided tour tomorrow. Wander through the iconic blue-washed alleyways at your own pace, visit Outa el Hammam Square, and browse the artisan shops for handwoven textiles and leather goods. The town is at its most beautiful in the late afternoon light and the evening, when the day visitors have left and the blue streets take on a quieter and more photogenic quality. Dinner independently at one of the many restaurants in and around the medina.
Overnight stay: Traditional riad in Chefchaouen | Meals: Breakfast only
After breakfast, your local guide will meet you for a morning guided tour of the Chefchaouen medina. The guided tour covers the history of the town, from its founding in 1471 as a Berber fortress to the arrival of Andalusian and Jewish refugees from Spain in the late 15th century and how that history shaped the distinctive blue aesthetic and architectural character that makes Chefchaouen unlike anywhere else in Morocco. Walk through the most photogenic quarters of the medina, visit local artisan workshops, and climb to the Spanish Mosque above the town for the best panoramic view of the blue rooftops and the surrounding Rif peaks.
After the guided tour, enjoy a final mint tea in Outa el Hammam Square before departing Chefchaouen and heading south toward Casablanca. The drive takes approximately three and a half to four hours through the Rif Mountains and across the Atlantic plains. Arrive in Casablanca in the early evening and check into your hotel. The evening is free to explore the Corniche, the city’s lively seafront promenade, or relax at the hotel after a full day.
Overnight stay: Hotel in Casablanca | Meals: Breakfast only
After breakfast, begin the morning with a visit to the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world and Morocco’s most awe-inspiring piece of modern architecture. Built partly over the Atlantic Ocean and completed in 1993, the mosque’s 210-meter minaret is the tallest religious structure on earth, and its interior of hand-carved cedar wood, Italian marble, and intricate zellige tilework is breathtaking in its scale and detail. It is one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors and a genuinely unmissable stop in Casablanca.
After the mosque, set off on the drive south to Marrakech, approximately three hours on the highway through the Atlantic coastal plains. Arrive in Marrakech in the early to mid-afternoon, giving you time to revisit favorite spots in the medina, browse the souks for any final purchases, or simply relax at your riad and enjoy a last evening in the Red City. Dinner independently in Marrakech, one of the best cities in Morocco for restaurant variety and quality.
Overnight stay: Traditional riad in Marrakech | Meals: Breakfast only
Your final morning in Marrakech is yours to enjoy at your own pace depending on your flight schedule. Take a last walk through the medina, enjoy a final mint tea at a rooftop cafe overlooking the city, or simply relax at your riad and reflect on ten extraordinary days of Moroccan landscapes, culture, and hospitality.
At the appropriate time, your Navigate Morocco driver will transfer you comfortably to Marrakech Menara Airport for your departure. Simply share your flight details with us at the time of booking and we will organize the timing to ensure a smooth and comfortable end to your journey.
End of tour with Navigate Morocco
Is this a private tour?
Yes. This is a fully private tour operated exclusively for you and your travel companions by Navigate Morocco. You will have a dedicated vehicle and driver-guide for all 10 days and will not share with any other group at any point during the journey.
Does the tour start and end in Marrakech?
Yes. This is a complete loop beginning and ending in Marrakech. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel, riad, or Marrakech Menara Airport can be arranged by Navigate Morocco at the time of booking.
Why are there two nights in the Merzouga desert area?
Two nights in the Merzouga region allows you to experience two different sides of the desert. The first night in a luxury desert camp gives you the full sunset camel trek, campfire, and stargazing experience. The second night in a comfortable desert hotel or riad gives you a more relaxed base with full facilities, plus the time to explore the wider desert region including nomadic families, Khamlia Gnawa music, and fossil sites without rushing.
What is Bou Laajoul and why does the tour stop there?
Bou Laajoul is a peaceful valley in the Middle Atlas Mountains, a quiet and beautiful overnight stop that most Morocco itineraries skip entirely in favor of pushing straight north to Fes. Stopping here breaks the long journey from the Sahara to Fes into two comfortable days, allows for a more relaxed pace through the cedar forests and mountain landscapes, and gives you a genuine experience of the Middle Atlas countryside that very few travelers ever see.
Are dinners included in the cities?
Dinners are included at Dades Valley, the Sahara desert camp, and Bou Laajoul, where restaurant choice is limited and the included meal is part of the experience. In Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen, and Casablanca, dinners are not included, giving you the freedom to explore each city’s excellent restaurant scene independently. Your driver-guide will always be happy to recommend the best options.
What type of accommodation is included?
You will stay in a riad in Dades Valley, a luxury desert camp in Merzouga, a comfortable desert hotel or riad in Merzouga, a guesthouse in Bou Laajoul, a traditional riad in Fes for two nights, a traditional riad in Chefchaouen, a hotel in Casablanca, and a riad in Marrakech. All accommodations are chosen for their comfort, cleanliness, and authentic Moroccan character.
What does the Chefchaouen guided tour cover?
The guided tour covers the history and character of the town, from its origins as a Berber mountain fortress to the Andalusian and Jewish influences that shaped its distinctive architecture and blue aesthetic. The tour includes the main medina, local artisan workshops, and the walk up to the Spanish Mosque for the panoramic view. It takes approximately 2 to 3 hours in the morning before the departure to Casablanca.
Is the camel trek suitable for all travelers?
Yes. The sunset camel trek across the Erg Chebbi dunes is slow-paced and guided by experienced local handlers, making it suitable for travelers of all ages and fitness levels. A 4×4 transfer to the desert camp can be arranged as an alternative if preferred.
Can the itinerary be customized?
Absolutely. Navigate Morocco offers fully flexible itineraries. Stops, pacing, accommodation preferences, and optional activities can all be adjusted to match your group’s interests and schedule.
What is the best time of year for this tour?
The best months are March to May and September to November, when temperatures are comfortable across all regions of the route. Summer can be very hot in the Sahara and southern Morocco, while winter is cooler but still manageable with appropriate clothing particularly in the mountains and Chefchaouen.
What should I pack?
Comfortable walking shoes, light layered clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat are essential. Bring a warm layer for cool evenings in the mountains and desert. A small daypack is ideal for daily excursions and the camel trek, and a scarf is useful for the desert wind and when visiting religious sites.
