15 Days Morocco Tour from Marrakech: Sahara, Imperial Cities and the Coast
15 days Morocco tour from Marrakech through the Sahara, the imperial cities and the Atlantic coast
15 Days Morocco Tour from Marrakech – Private 15 days Morocco tour from Marrakech: two nights in Marrakech, Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades and Todra gorges, Merzouga desert, Fes, Volubilis, Meknes, Chefchaouen, Rabat, Casablanca and two nights in Essaouira.
Overview:This private 15 days Morocco tour from Marrakech takes its time. It starts with two nights in the red city, then crosses the High Atlas via Telouet to a night at the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, follows the Rose Valley and the Dades and Todra gorges to the Merzouga desert for two nights under the stars, and crosses the Middle Atlas to Fes for two nights. After Volubilis, Meknes and two nights in the blue city of Chefchaouen, you follow the coast via Rabat and Casablanca to Essaouira for two relaxed nights by the ocean before returning to Marrakech.
Two nights in Marrakech with a guided day in the medina and the Majorelle Garden.
The Telouet kasbah, a night at Ait Ben Haddou, the Rose Valley and the Dades and Todra gorges.
Two nights in an Erg Chebbi desert camp with a private bathroom, with a camel ride at sunset.
Two nights in Fes with a guided day in the oldest medina in Morocco.
Meknes, Volubilis, two nights in Chefchaouen and the Akchour waterfalls.
Rabat, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and two nights by the ocean in Essaouira.
Welcome to Morocco. Pick-up at Marrakech-Menara airport, the train station or your accommodation and transfer to your riad in the medina.
Depending on your arrival time, a first walk to the Jemaa el-Fna square at sunset. Night in a hotel or riad in Marrakech, with breakfast.
Overnight: hotel or riad in Marrakech
Meals: breakfast.
A guided day in Marrakech: the souks of the medina, the Bahia Palace, the Koutoubia mosque, the Saadian Tombs and the Majorelle Garden. A licensed local guide can be arranged for the medina.
Free evening in the medina. Second night in your hotel or riad in Marrakech, with breakfast.
Overnight: second night at your hotel or riad in Marrakech
Meals: breakfast.
After breakfast we leave Marrakech and cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), then take the old caravan road to the kasbah of Telouet, once the palace of the Glaoui family.
We follow the Ounila Valley to Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified village listed by UNESCO, and walk up to its granary for the sunset. Night in a guesthouse or kasbah hotel, with dinner and breakfast.
Overnight: guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Ait Ben Haddou
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
After breakfast we pass Ouarzazate, home of the Atlas film studios, and the Skoura oasis with its old kasbahs, then follow the Rose Valley around Kelaat M'Gouna.
We reach the Dades Gorges, with their red cliffs and winding road, in the afternoon. Night in a hotel in the gorges, with dinner and breakfast.
Overnight: hotel in the Dades Gorges
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
After breakfast we drive to Tinghir and walk between the high limestone walls of the Todra Gorge, then continue via Tinejdad and Rissani to Merzouga.
In the late afternoon we reach the Erg Chebbi dunes and ride camels to the camp for the sunset. Dinner, Berber music and a night in a private tent with its own bathroom.
Overnight: desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes (private tent with bathroom)
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
After the sunrise and breakfast, we explore the area around Erg Chebbi by 4×4: a visit to a nomad family for tea, the black stone desert, old mines and the village of Khamlia, known for its Gnawa music.
In the afternoon you have free time in the dunes, for sandboarding or simply enjoying the views. Second night in the desert camp with dinner and breakfast.
Overnight: second night at the desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
After breakfast we leave the desert via Erfoud and the palm groves of the Ziz Valley, then cross the Middle Atlas via Midelt, the cedar forest of Azrou, where Barbary macaques live in the wild, and Ifrane, the "Switzerland of Morocco".
We arrive in Fes in the late afternoon. Night in a hotel or riad in Fes, with breakfast.
Overnight: hotel or riad in Fes
Meals: breakfast.
A guided day in Fes el-Bali, the oldest medina in Morocco and a UNESCO site: the Bou Inania madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyin area, the Chouara tannery and the craft souks. A licensed local guide can be arranged.
In the afternoon, the gates of the Royal Palace, the Mellah and the view from the Merenid tombs. Second night in Fes, with breakfast.
Overnight: second night at your hotel or riad in Fes
Meals: breakfast.
After breakfast we visit the imperial city of Meknes, with the Bab Mansour gate and El Hedim square, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis, with their mosaics and triumphal arch.
We then drive north into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, the blue city. Night in a hotel or riad in Chefchaouen, with breakfast.
Overnight: hotel or riad in Chefchaouen
Meals: breakfast.
After breakfast we drive to the Talassemtane National Park for a half-day walk to the Akchour waterfalls and the natural rock bridge, with clear pools and shaded paths in the Rif Mountains.
Back in Chefchaouen, free afternoon in the blue medina and the walk up to the Spanish Mosque for the sunset. Second night in Chefchaouen, with breakfast.
Overnight: second night at your hotel or riad in Chefchaouen
Meals: breakfast.
After a last walk in the blue medina we drive south to Rabat, the capital.
Visit of the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas above the ocean. Night in a hotel or riad in Rabat, with breakfast.
Overnight: hotel or riad in Rabat
Meals: breakfast.
After breakfast we drive along the coast to Casablanca, Morocco's largest city, to visit the Hassan II Mosque, built over the Atlantic.
Afternoon walk along the Corniche and in the Habous quarter. Night in a hotel in Casablanca, with dinner and breakfast.
Overnight: hotel in Casablanca
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
We follow the Atlantic coast south, with a stop at the Portuguese cistern of El Jadida and the lagoon of Oualidia, known for its oysters.
We arrive in Essaouira in the late afternoon, in time for a walk on the Skala ramparts at sunset. Night in a hotel or riad in Essaouira, with breakfast.
Overnight: hotel or riad in Essaouira
Meals: breakfast.
A relaxed day in Essaouira: the morning fish market at the port, the white and blue medina, the woodworkers' workshops and the long beach, known for its wind and kitesurfing.
You can also take a camel or horse ride on the beach at Diabat, south of the town. Second night in Essaouira, with breakfast.
Overnight: second night at your hotel or riad in Essaouira
Meals: breakfast.
After breakfast we drive back to Marrakech through the argan tree country, with a stop at a women's argan oil cooperative.
We arrive in Marrakech around midday, where we drop you at your hotel or riad, or at Marrakech-Menara airport.
End of the tour: drop-off at your hotel or riad in Marrakech, or at Marrakech-Menara airport.
15 Days Morocco Tour from Marrakech: useful information
With Merzouga Packages, “15 Days Morocco Tour from Marrakech” is a private experience run by a local Berber team that lives in Merzouga, at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. The program adapts to your pace, with pick-up from your hotel or riad, an experienced driver-guide and hand-picked accommodation.
For more ideas, see also these pages: Morocco Tours and FAQ. To learn more about the places you will visit, read the article on Erg Chebbi on Wikipedia.
Included:
- Private transport in an air-conditioned 4×4 or minibus
- Driver / guide / fuel
- Pick-up at Marrakech-Menara airport, the train station or your hotel in Marrakech, and drop-off back in Marrakech
- 12 hotel nights: Ait Ben Haddou, Dades Gorges and Casablanca (dinner and breakfast included); two in Marrakech, two in Fes, two in Chefchaouen, Rabat and two in Essaouira (breakfast included)
- Two nights in a desert camp with a private bathroom (dinner and breakfast included)
- Camel ride, 4×4 excursion around Erg Chebbi, sandboarding, sunset and sunrise
Not included:
- Lunches
- Dinners in Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira, Rabat and Chefchaouen
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tips
Route, distances and driving times
| Day | Route | Distance | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Marrakech airport – Marrakech | 6 km | about 15 min |
| Day 2 | Day in Marrakech (no long drive) | – | – |
| Day 3 | Marrakech – Telouet – Ait Ben Haddou | 190 km | about 4 h |
| Day 4 | Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Skoura – Dades Gorges | 163 km | about 3 h 30 |
| Day 5 | Dades Gorges – Todra Gorge – Merzouga | 291 km | about 5 h 30 |
| Day 6 | Day in Merzouga (no long drive) | – | – |
| Day 7 | Merzouga – Erfoud – Errachidia – Midelt – Azrou – Ifrane – Fes | 467 km | about 8 h 30 |
| Day 8 | Day in Fes (no long drive) | – | – |
| Day 9 | Fes – Meknes – Volubilis – Chefchaouen | 265 km | about 4 h 45 |
| Day 10 | Day in Chefchaouen (no long drive) | – | – |
| Day 11 | Chefchaouen – Rabat | 245 km | about 4 h |
| Day 12 | Rabat – Casablanca | 90 km | about 1 h 15 |
| Day 13 | Casablanca – El Jadida – Oualidia – Safi – Essaouira | 370 km | about 5 h 30 |
| Day 14 | Day in Essaouira (no long drive) | – | – |
| Day 15 | Essaouira – Marrakech | 190 km | about 3 h |
Total distance: about 2,277 km. Driving times are approximate and do not include stops for visits, photos and meals.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive on this 15-day tour?
The whole route is about 2,300 km. The longest stage is day 7, from Merzouga to Fes (about 470 km), with stops in the Ziz Valley, Midelt, Azrou and Ifrane. Days 2, 6, 8, 10 and 14 have little or no long driving.
Where does the tour start and end?
It starts with your arrival in Marrakech (airport, train station or hotel) and ends back in Marrakech, at your hotel, riad or Marrakech-Menara airport.
Where do I sleep?
Nights 1 and 2 in Marrakech, night 3 in Ait Ben Haddou, night 4 in the Dades Gorges, nights 5 and 6 in a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes with a private bathroom, nights 7 and 8 in Fes, nights 9 and 10 in Chefchaouen, night 11 in Rabat, night 12 in Casablanca and nights 13 and 14 in Essaouira. Breakfast is included every night; dinner is included in Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Gorges, the desert camp and Casablanca.
Is this a private tour?
Yes. You travel only with your own family or friends, in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a local Berber driver. Every itinerary can be adapted: contact us.
Is there a discount for groups?
Yes. The price depends on how many people share the trip, so families, friends and student groups pay less per person. See our Morocco special offer for details.