12 Days Private Tour in Morocco: Cities, Atlas and Desert
12 Days Private Tour in Morocco: Cities, Atlas and Desert
See all the highlights of the Atlantic Coast, the Imperial Cities, the Atlas mountains and the Sahara Desert.Visit Essaouira, the former Portuguese city at the beachTake a look at the huge Hassan II Mosque in CasablancaSee Rabat, Capital of MoroccoExplore the hidden gems in the Medinas of the Imperial cities Meknes and FesPass through the Atlas Mountains: Middle Atlas, Anti Atlas and High AtlasVisit a local Berber family and learn about Nomadic life in Southern MoroccoRide a camel in Erg Chebbi to reach your desert campSpend and unforgettable night at a Desert campRide through the dunes of Merzouga with a 4x4 carExplore Todra Gorges and Dades GorgesVisit the legendary world heritage site of Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou and Taourirt Kasbah Explore the scenic Telouet Kasbah together with a local guide
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
Essaouira
We can stop in a local co-operative run by women who extract the Argan oil from the trees and discover how it is processed into cooking oil and cosmetics. You can taste and buy the products if you like.
3 hoursEssaouira Beach
Day 2: Essaouira - Safi - Oualidia - El Jadida - Casablanca
12 hoursSafi
Today, we start after breakfast and we will make stops along the route to enjoy the coast and see the long beaches and the small cities of this part of Morocco.
2 hoursEl Jadida
We will continue to Oualidia via the coastal road with its superb views and then to El Jadida, famous for its citadel and the cistern, reminders of the Portuguese occupation of the 16th Century.
3 hoursCasablanca
Day 3: Casablanca - Rabat - Volubilis - Meknes - Fes
13 hoursRabat
Visit the Kasbah Oudaya, the Medina of Rabat. Explore the small streets and look at the colorful fishing boats along the river side.
3 hoursVolubilis
Explore Volubilis: This UNESCO World Heritage Site are the largest Roman Ruins in North Africa and very well preserved. Volubilis lies in a stratetic position about 33 km north of Meknes and is famous for its mosaics. The best time for a visit is in springtime, when the wild flowers are in full bloom amongst the old stones. The roman city is over 2'000 years old and was destroyed at least at a big earthquake 1755. You can explore this fascinating site by your own or with a local guide (not included). There is also a museum on site.
1 hourMeknes
After the visit of Volubilis, we continue to Meknes: this imperial city is famous for its luxurious palaces and beautiful mosques as well as one of the most important souks of Morocco. See the beautiful gate of Bab el-Mansour at the Place el Hedim, maybe the most beautiful of all the gates of the imperial cities.
2 hoursFes
Day 4: Full day city tour of Fes
Fes
Today at 10:00 am after your breakfast your local city guide will pick you up and you'll spend the whole day exploring the impressive city of Fez with its huge Medina «Fes el-Bali» together.
7 hoursBab Bou Jeloud
We start the day at Bab Boujloud, one of the gates which lead into the Medina.
10 minutesAl Attarine Madrasa
In the morning we will visit some of the beautiful ancient buildings like the Medersas of Bou Inania and El-Attarine (Koran schools for religious studies) and the University and Mosque of Karaouine.
30 minutesMuseo Nejjarine
Visit the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts and discover traditional tools, carpets, furniture and musical instruments in a beautifully restaurated caravanserai.
30 minutesChouara Tannery
After lunchbreak in one of the hunderts of restaurants in the medina (not included), we continue our tour to the famous tanneries, where the leather is processed still the same as hunderts of years ago. You can observe the workers from a lookout and they will be glad to explain you the different workings steps if you are willing to bargain for a bag or new belt afterwards. But be aware of the bad smelling of the furs and coloring goods!
30 minutesRoyal Palace of Fez
Outside the medina lies the Royal Palace with its large plaza lined with palm trees.
20 minutesFes
Day 5: Day Trip to Chefchaouen
1 hourChefchaouen
Enjoy the changeing landscapes along the way on your drive from Fes until you reach the small city of Chefchaouen in the mountains with its blue and white houses, often decorated with colorful flowers. The medina is quite small and you can explore it by yourself without needing a guide.
3 hoursPlace Outa el Hammam
Day 6: Fes - Ifrane - Azrou - Middle Atlas - Midelt
3 hoursIfrane
We start our journey in the morning and head for the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop for a coffee in Ifrane, also known as «Switzerland of Morocco» with its chalet like houses.
45 minutesAzrou
From here we are heading south through several typical villages and you will have the opportunity to spot nomad families living in their tents along the road.
45 minutesZaida
After lunch in Zaida, we continue our drive and enjoy panoramic views passing the mountain villages
1 hourMidelt
Day 7: Midelt - Errachidia - Ziz Valley - Erfoud - Merzouga
12 hoursMidelt
After breakfast we continue our drive and enjoy panoramic views crossing the Tizi N' Talghoumt pass.
1 hourErfoud
Enjoy a fantastic view of the valley of the River Ziz lined with thousands of date palms. Here, we'll meet your local guide for a walking tour around the biggest Date Palm Oasis in the valley of Ziz.
2 hoursErg Chebbi
Day 8: Merzouga 4x4 Dunes Tour
12 hoursMerzouga
Start your visit to the area around Merzouga and the land of the Ait Khebbach tribe with pick-up from your accommodation in a spacious and comfortable 4x4 vehicle.
3 hoursKhamlia
We'll continue with a visit to the village of Khamlia. Here, you'll enjoy the inhabitants' music and dance, and have the opportunity to try their instruments and learn to play some desert music of your own!
1 hourErg Chebbi
Afterwards, take a 4x4 down a gravel road to the Lake of Merzouga (also named Lake Tamezguida), which appears seasonally from November to May during the rainy season in Middle Atlas. This is the best spot to see desert birds, and sometimes even flamingos! Return to your accommodation in Merzouga in the late afternoon.
2 hoursErg Chebbi Dunes
Day 9: Merzouga - Rissani - Erfoud - Todra Gorges - Dades Gorges
12 hoursErg Chebbi
Wake up by the first strays of light to watch the sunrise over the sahara before you enjoy your typical breakfast. We return on the camel's back or 4x4 to the desert lodge.
1 hourRissani
In Rissani we will have the opportunity to visit the local market with the «donkey parking» and have a look at some fossils outside the city.
1 hourGargantas del Todra
After lunch break, we will follow the road along the river to reach the gorges of Todra, where you can take a short but spectacular hike between the up to 300 m high rock walls.
30 minutesDades Gorges
Day 10: Dades Gorges - Saghro Mountains - Nkob - Draa Valley - Zagora
12 hoursJbel Saghro
Today, you will leave the Dades valley and take a secluded way through the Saghro-Mountains, a region secluded from the "big tourism". You can explore beautiful landscapes and maybe even visit a Nomad family to have some tea and see how they live with their kettle.
1 hourNkob
Have lunch in Nkob, overlooking the impressive Draa Valley with its huge palm groves.
1 hourZagora
Day 11: Zagora - Tamegroute - Agdz - Anti Atlas - Ouarzazate
12 hoursAmzrou
We’ll have enough time to visit Zagora and its surroundings like the Jewish quarter in Amzerou and have a look at the huge palm groves.
2 hoursTamegroute
Tamegroute is also famous for its pottery shops.
1 hourAgdz
We'll continue with the drive to the village Agdz, which means “resting place” and which is located on the old caravan route from Marrakech to Timbuktu. Check out the beautiful view over the date palm groves to the characteristic mountain Jbel Kissane.
1 hourAnti-Atlas Mountains
Day 12: Ouarzazate - Oasis Fint - Ait ben Haddou - Telouet - High Atlas - Marrakech
30 minutesOuarzazate
The old town of Ouarzazate is named Taourirt. You'll have some time there to explore the narrow pedestrian streets on your own and visit the palace with its countless rooms which seem like a labyrinth.
1 hourAtlas Film Studio
Continue to the Atlas Corporation film studios, where you can discover the diverse sets and listen to the anecdotes of the multiple movies and actors. Several famous movies like Gladiator, Babel, Prince of Persia, and recently The Physician have been shot in those studios. Guided tour of the movie studios in a group - about 60 min duration
1 hourKsar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
A little outside of Ouarzazate lies Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified clay city with its numerous ksars and kasbahs, where several famous movies such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven and Prince of Persia have been shot. This photogenic city is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore it together with a local guide.
1 hourTelouet Kasbah
Continue through the breathtaking landscape to Telouet. This fortress was occupied by Thami el Glaoui before he was expelled by independence efforts. One section has unfortunately disintegrated into red sand, but you can still visit the beautiful rooms with mosaic tiles and wood carvings.
1 hourMarrakech
Accommodation included: No accommodation included in Marrakech (End of Tour)
4 minutesIncluded
- Camel ride to the desert camp
- Overnights and meals for your driver-guide
- Private guided tour in Fes (7 h)
- Private guided tour in Meknes (3 h)
- Private guided tour at Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah (1 h)
- Private guided tour at Telouet Kasbah (1 h)
- Private Tour with local driver-guide
- Parking Fees
- Private transportation
- Priavet Local Guide in Tamegroute
- City taxes/tourist taxes
- 11x Breakfast
- 6x Dinner
- Accommodation included: 12 nights
- Entry/Admission - Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
- Entry/Admission - Telouet Kasbah
- Entry/Admission - Atlas Film Studio
Not Included
- Flights
- Lunches, drinks
- Dinners in Essaouira, Casablanca, Fes
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities
- Entrance fees for museums and monuments in the cities
Good to Know
- Infant seats available
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 3 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.