12 Days Tour from Casablanca

After breakfast you say goodbye to the Rif Mountains and drive south toward the plains around Meknes. The first major stop is Volubilis, a UNESCO site and the largest Roman ruin in Morocco. Walking among its tall columns and floor mosaics of animals, gods and heroes is like stepping into the ancient Roman province of Mauretania.

A short drive away is Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, the holy town where the founder of the first Moroccan dynasty is buried. It is built on two hills and offers a great view over the valley, and many travellers stop for mint tea on a rooftop terrace.

Next comes Meknes, the former capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail. You pass the majestic Bab Mansour gate, the royal stables and the granaries, and you have time for lunch in the old town before you continue.

In the late afternoon you reach Fes, the oldest of the imperial cities. You check in to your traditional riad inside or near the medina and rest before dinner, ready for a full guided day tomorrow.

Driving distance: about 300 km
Driving time: about 5.5 hours, with stops
Overnight: riad or hotel in Fes

Day 5 belongs to Fes and its famous medina, and a licensed local guide joins you after breakfast. Fes el Bali has been inhabited for more than twelve centuries, and its thousands of alleys form one of the largest pedestrian zones in the world. The guide leads you so you never get lost and explains every door, fountain and workshop.

You see the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyin area, which houses the world’s oldest working university, and the Nejjarine Fountain. Along the way the guide points out the best viewpoints and tells you the stories and legends that bring the old city to life.

The craft quarters are the heart of the visit. You watch leather being dyed in the stone vats of the tanneries, see brass workers beating metal by hand, and visit the weavers and potters who still use traditional methods. In the souks you can buy leather goods, spices, lamps and ceramics.

Lunch is served in a restaurant inside the medina, with typical dishes of Fes. In the afternoon you can return to the riad for a rest, or stay longer in the souks with your guide, and the evening is free.

Driving distance: none, guided walking tour
Driving time: about 6 to 7 hours on foot, with breaks
Overnight: riad or hotel in Fes

Day 6 is the long road to the Sahara, so you leave Fes early. The first stop is Ifrane, a mountain town with alpine-style roofs, tidy gardens and clean streets that people call the Switzerland of Morocco. It is a good place for a short walk and a coffee.

Next you enter the Middle Atlas cedar forest near Azrou. Here you meet Barbary macaques, the wild monkeys that live among centuries-old cedar trees, and your driver tells you about the Berber villages of the area. The road then climbs to Midelt, where the land becomes dry and open.

After lunch you drive along the Ziz Valley and its long line of palm trees, then through the Rich Gorges and the Tunnel of Legionnaires. The scenery turns from green to red and gold as you approach the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga.

At the edge of the dunes you meet your camel for a sunset ride into the desert camp. There you drink mint tea, try sandboarding if you wish, enjoy a traditional dinner, and listen to Berber drumming around the fire before you sleep in your tent under the stars.

Driving distance: about 480 km
Driving time: about 8.5 hours, with stops
Overnight: desert camp in Merzouga

If you wake early, the sunrise over the Merzouga dunes is one of the best moments of the whole tour. The sand turns from pink to gold, and the silence is complete. You can walk up a dune or ride the camel back, and after breakfast you may also visit a nomadic family for a private mint tea.

From the desert you drive to Rissani, the old gateway of the Tafilalet oasis and the historic home of the Alaouite dynasty. Its lively souk, with its donkey park, spice sellers and date stalls, shows rural Morocco as it has been for generations.

The next stretch takes you through small oases and rocky plains to Todra Gorge. Here the limestone cliffs rise about 300 metres on both sides of a narrow canyon, and a cool stream runs along the road. It is the best place of the day for a walk and photos.

In the late afternoon you continue to the Dades Valley near Boumalne Dades, with its strange rock formations and green gardens. You check in to your guesthouse or hotel, relax with a mountain view, and share dinner there.

Driving distance: about 300 km
Driving time: about 6 hours, with stops
Overnight: hotel or guesthouse in Boumalne Dades

Day 8 is a short and relaxed drive, so there is time to see the best of the Draa-Dades region. After breakfast you follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, where clay fortresses stand among palm groves and small Berber villages, and your driver stops for photos along the way.

You pass through the Skoura oasis, with its date palms and the old Kasbah Amridil, then continue to Ouarzazate, known as the door of the desert. The town is built around the Kasbah of Taourirt, a large clay palace of the Glaoui family, which you can visit inside with its painted rooms.

Ouarzazate is also the film capital of Morocco. The nearby studios have been used to shoot many well-known movies and series, and you can visit the sets and the museum if you wish. The afternoon is free to rest, to shop in the town or to enjoy the pool of your hotel.

In the evening you have dinner in a local restaurant and sleep in Ouarzazate. Tomorrow you reach Ait Ben Haddou and cross the High Atlas to Marrakech, so it is a good night for an early rest.

Driving distance: about 160 km
Driving time: about 3 hours, with stops
Overnight: hotel in Ouarzazate

After breakfast in Ouarzazate you drive a short distance to Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified village and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ksar of red clay towers rises above a dry river, and many famous films were shot here. You cross the stream and climb between the old houses to the top, where the view over the valley is superb.

Then the road begins to climb into the High Atlas Mountains toward the Tizi n’Tichka pass, which reaches more than 2,200 metres. The mountain road is full of bends and views, and you pass small villages where you can stop for a photo or a glass of mint tea.

On the way you can stop at a women’s cooperative to see how argan oil and Berber carpets are made, and enjoy a simple lunch with a view of the valley. As you descend the north side, the land changes from dry rock to green plains and palm trees.

In the evening you arrive in Marrakech, the Red City. Your driver takes you to your riad near the medina, you have time to rest, and later you can visit the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, which is full of music and food stalls after sunset.

Driving distance: about 200 km
Driving time: about 4.5 hours, with stops
Overnight: riad or hotel in Marrakech