Morocco Itinerary 12 Days

After breakfast, you say goodbye to the blue town and drive south through green hills and olive trees. The first stop of the day is Volubilis, the best preserved Roman city in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You walk between old columns, stone streets and floor mosaics, and you see the Triumphal Arch against the green fields. An official guide can explain the story of the city (entrance and guide not included).

Next, you arrive in Meknes, one of the four imperial cities of Morocco. You see the great gate Bab Mansour and the lively Place el-Hedim, where you can stop for lunch (not included). Meknes is calmer than other big cities, so it is a nice place for a short walk and a mint tea.

In the late afternoon, you reach Fes, the oldest imperial city, and you check in at your hotel or riad. You have free time to rest, and you can walk a little near the hotel to feel the atmosphere of the city before the guided day tomorrow.

Dinner is not included in Fes, so you can walk to a local restaurant and try pastilla, harira soup or a fresh tagine. Go to bed early, because tomorrow is a full day in the old medina.

Driving distance: Approximately 280 km

Driving time: Approximately 5 hr (with stops)

Overnight in: Hotel or riad in Fes (breakfast included, dinner not included)

Today there is no long drive, so this day of the 12 day Morocco itinerary is relaxed. You spend the full day in Fes with a local guide, who walks with you through the old medina, Fes el-Bali. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free old towns in the world, with thousands of small lanes.

You visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, with its carved wood, tiles and fine stucco, and you see the outside of the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university, one of the oldest in the world. Then you go up to a terrace to look at the Chouara Tannery, where leather is still made in stone pits by hand, as it was hundreds of years ago.

You stop in craft workshops to see potters, weavers and metal workers at work. You can have lunch (not included) in the medina and taste local bread and fresh mint tea. In the afternoon, you can visit the Royal Palace gates and the old Jewish quarter, or enjoy a view of the whole city from Borj Nord.

The evening is free. Dinner is not included in Fes, so you can choose your own restaurant. Wear comfortable shoes, because there are many steps and stones in the medina today.

Driving distance: No long drive today

Overnight in: Hotel or riad in Fes (breakfast included, dinner not included)

Today is the longest drive of the Morocco itinerary 12 days, but it is also one of the most beautiful. After breakfast in Fes, you drive south into the Middle Atlas Mountains. The first stop is Ifrane, a clean mountain town with Swiss-style houses, red roofs and wide green parks, called the Little Switzerland of Morocco.

Then you drive into the Cedar Forest near Azrou, one of the largest cedar forests in North Africa. Some trees are hundreds of years old. Here you can walk a little, breathe the fresh air and meet the wild Barbary monkeys, which come close to the road. Please do not touch them, and keep your bags closed.

After lunch (not included), the road goes through Midelt and over the Tizi n’Talghemt pass into the Ziz Valley, a long river of palm trees between red cliffs. The colours change from green to orange as you come closer to the desert, and the landscape becomes wide and quiet.

In the late afternoon, you arrive in Merzouga at the edge of Erg Chebbi, the biggest dunes in Morocco. You ride a camel at sunset over the golden sand to your desert camp. After a tasty dinner, there is music around the fire and a sky full of stars. You sleep in the camp.

Driving distance: Approximately 455 km

Driving time: Approximately 8 hr (with stops)

Overnight in: Desert camp in Merzouga (breakfast and dinner included)

Wake up early in the camp for the sunrise over the dunes, one of the best moments of the 12 days Morocco tour from Casablanca. The sand turns from pink to gold and the desert is quiet. After breakfast, you go to the hotel in Merzouga to take a shower and rest. You sleep here tonight, so you do not need to pack your bag again.

Then you start a day of desert adventures with a 4×4 vehicle and your driver. You drive on tracks across the stony desert, visit a nomad family and learn how they live, drink tea in their tent and see how they use water, animals and the land. Many guests say this meeting is the most human part of the whole trip.

You can also stop in Khamlia, a village known for Gnawa music and drums, and see the old fossil workshops and the black rocks of the area. In the afternoon, you can try sandboarding on the high dunes. It is easy and fun, and your driver helps you with the board. You can also add quad bikes or a buggy on request (extra cost).

After a free sunset, you go back to the hotel for dinner. The day is slow and does not need a long drive, so you can take photos, drink more tea and enjoy the quiet of the Sahara. Take sunglasses, a scarf and water for the sun.

Driving distance: Short desert tracks by 4×4

Overnight in: Hotel in Merzouga (breakfast and dinner included)

After breakfast, you say goodbye to Merzouga and drive to Rissani, an old market town on the edge of the desert. It was an important stop for the caravans from the south, and it still has a lively souk with donkeys, spices and dates. Near Rissani, you visit Ksar Mellab, an old fortified village of the Tafilalet area, where you can see the traditional mud houses and the palm groves.

Then the road goes west through a wide landscape of palm groves, small villages and old kasbahs to Tinghir, a green oasis at the foot of the High Atlas. In the afternoon, you visit the Todgha Gorges, with walls up to 300 metres high on both sides of a small river. You can walk inside the canyon, take photos and cool your feet in the water.

Later, you continue to Boumalne Dades and the Dades Valley, known for its red rocks and strange shapes, like the Monkey Fingers. You check in at your hotel, enjoy the view and have dinner there. The evening is quiet, and the stars are bright above the valley.

If you like walking, your driver can show you a short path near the hotel to see the valley at sunset. The nights in the valley are cool, so bring a warm layer.

Driving distance: Approximately 330 km

Driving time: Approximately 6.5 hr (with stops)

Overnight in: Hotel in Boumalne Dades (breakfast and dinner included)

After breakfast, you leave Boumalne Dades and drive on the famous Road of a Thousand Kasbahs towards Kelaa M’Gouna, the town of roses. If you travel in spring (usually April and May), the fields of the Valley of Roses are full of pink flowers and the air smells sweet. In other months, you still see a beautiful valley with small villages and old mud houses, and you can buy rose water and rose products in the local shops.

Then you continue to Ouarzazate, called the door of the desert and the Hollywood of Morocco, because many films were made here. The main stop of the day is Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best known ksar in southern Morocco. You cross the river and walk up the old lanes to the top for a wide view. Famous films like Gladiator and Game of Thrones were shot here. You can stop for lunch (not included) near the village.

In the afternoon, you cross the High Atlas Mountains by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, which is about 2,260 metres high, with views of deep valleys and Berber villages. The road has many curves, so your driver goes slowly and stops for photos at the best viewpoints.

You arrive in Marrakech in the evening and check in at your hotel or riad. Dinner is not included in Marrakech, so you can go to Jemaa el-Fna and choose your own food. Rest well, because tomorrow you visit the city.

Driving distance: Approximately 360 km

Driving time: Approximately 7 hr (with stops)

Overnight in: Hotel or riad in Marrakech (breakfast included, dinner not included)

Today you have a full day in Marrakech with a local guide. After breakfast, you meet your guide and start a walking tour of the red city. Marrakech is the most lively place of the 12 day Morocco itinerary, with colours, sounds and smells all around you, and a guide helps you understand what you see.

You can visit the Koutoubia Mosque and its famous minaret, the Bahia Palace with its painted ceilings and quiet gardens, and the Saadian Tombs. Then you walk into the souks, the covered markets of the medina, where artisans sell leather, lamps, carpets, spices and clothes. Your guide can help you find good shops and show you how to bargain in a friendly way.

You also see the Jemaa el-Fna square, the heart of Marrakech. During the day it has juice sellers and snake charmers, and at night it fills with food stalls and music. You can have lunch (not included) in a nice restaurant or a café on a terrace with a view of the square.

In the afternoon, you have free time for last shopping, a hammam or a mint tea. Dinner is not included in Marrakech, so you can enjoy the evening in the city and choose your favourite restaurant.

Driving distance: Short city transfers

Overnight in: Hotel or riad in Marrakech (breakfast included, dinner not included)

After breakfast, you leave Marrakech and drive west to Essaouira, a white and blue town on the Atlantic coast. The road crosses dry hills and argan forests, and you may see goats in the argan trees. Your driver can stop at a women’s cooperative, where argan oil is made by hand, so you can see how it is produced (purchases are optional).

You arrive in Essaouira at the end of the morning and start your coastal exploration. You walk through the old medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with white houses, blue doors and wide streets. You visit the fishing port, where blue boats and fresh fish are all around, and you walk on the old ramparts, called the Skala, with cannons and a view of the ocean.

You can have lunch (not included) in the port and taste fresh fish and seafood grilled at the stalls. In the afternoon, you have free time to walk on the long beach, to shop for wood crafts, made from thuya wood, or to drink a coffee in a small café. The wind from the ocean makes the town cool and fresh.

The evening is free. Dinner is not included in Essaouira, so you can choose a restaurant by the sea and enjoy the sunset. This is a calm and beautiful end to the trip.

Driving distance: Approximately 190 km

Driving time: Approximately 3 hr (with stops)

Overnight in: Hotel or riad in Essaouira (breakfast included, dinner not included)

This is the last day of your Morocco itinerary 12 days. After a slow breakfast in Essaouira, you can enjoy a last walk in the medina or on the beach, and then your driver takes you north along the Atlantic coast to Casablanca. The road is easy, and you can stop on the way for coffee, lunch (not included) or photos.

The drive takes about five hours, and your driver takes you to Casablanca airport for your flight, or to the hotel that you choose in the city if you stay longer. Please send us your flight time early, so we can plan the hour of departure from Essaouira with enough time before you fly.

If your flight is late in the evening, you can leave Essaouira later and enjoy more time on the coast. If your flight is early in the morning, we can also suggest a hotel near Casablanca airport for the night before (extra cost).

Thank you for travelling with Morocco Discover Excursions. We hope this 12 days Morocco tour gives you memories that stay with you for a long time, and that you come back to discover more of Morocco.

Driving distance: Approximately 370 km

Driving time: Approximately 5 hr (with stops)

Overnight in: End of the tour (breakfast included)