Grand Tour · Private journey
12 Days from Marrakech — The Unhurried Grand Tour
- 12 days · 11 nights
- Round trip from Marrakech
- Private, just your group
Overview
Twelve unhurried days from Marrakech — the kasbahs, the Sahara, Fes, Chefchaouen and the Atlantic, with time to breathe.
The route
- MarrakechStart
Aït Ben Haddou
Ouarzazate
The Sahara
Fes
Chefchaouen- MarrakechEnd
Itinerary
Day by day
A working draft: every day can be lengthened, shortened or swapped once we know what matters most to you.
- Day1
Marrakech city
A guided introduction to the Red City — the maze of the souks, the Koutoubia minaret, the carved courtyards of the Bahia Palace and the food stalls of Jemaa el-Fnaa as the sun goes down.
Marrakech - Day2
Marrakech → Aït Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate
Climb the Tizi n'Tichka pass through Berber villages clinging to the High Atlas, explore the earthen ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, then settle into Ouarzazate — Morocco's film capital — for the night.
Ouarzazate - Day3
Ouarzazate → Skoura → Dadès
Wander the palm groves and kasbahs of the Skoura oasis, follow the Valley of Roses toward Kalaat M'Gouna, and settle into the Dadès Gorge for the night among its folded rock formations.
- Day4
Dadès → Todgha → Merzouga
A morning walk beneath the towering limestone walls of Todgha Gorge, then east via Tinghir and Rissani to Merzouga. As the light turns gold, a camel trek carries you into the Erg Chebbi dunes for dinner and a first night at camp.
The Sahara - Day5
A full day in the Sahara
Watch the sunrise over the dunes, then a full day by 4x4 — Khamlia's Gnaoua musicians, tea with a nomad family and wide desert viewpoints — before a second, unhurried night in the Sahara.
- Day6
Merzouga → Midelt → Azrou → Fes
Drive north through the palm-lined Ziz Valley and Midelt into the Middle Atlas cedar forests, where wild Barbary macaques forage by the roadside, arriving in Fes by evening.
Fes - Day7
A full day in Fes
A local guide leads you through the medieval medina — the Chouara tanneries, the Bou Inania madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university and the working artisan quarters.
- Day8
Fes → Chefchaouen
Cross into the Rif Mountains for Chefchaouen, with an unhurried afternoon among its blue-washed lanes and the red-walled kasbah.
Chefchaouen - Day9
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Rabat
Descend from the Rif to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, then imperial Meknes and its monumental Bab Mansour gate, before continuing to the capital, Rabat, for the night.
Rabat - Day10
Rabat → Casablanca → Marrakech
The Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat, then Casablanca's vast Hassan II Mosque on the ocean, before the drive south to Marrakech.
- Day11
Marrakech → Essaouira → Marrakech
A free day: take the drive out to the Atlantic port of Essaouira for its ramparts and fishing harbour, or stay back in Marrakech at your own pace — this trip has room to breathe either way.
Essaouira - Day12
Departure
A final free morning in Marrakech — a last coffee by the square, or one more pass through the souks — before your transfer to the airport.
The details
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle, fuel & tolls
- English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- Accommodation in riads, kasbahs & a desert camp
- Camel trek to the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Desert camp with dinner & breakfast
- Daily breakfast
- Local guides in the imperial cities
- All local taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches & some dinners
- Monument & museum entrance fees
- Drinks & personal expenses
- Tips / gratuities
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Questions about this journey
Can you customize an itinerary, or do we have to book one exactly as listed?
Every trip on this site is a starting point. Tell us your dates, pace and interests on WhatsApp or through the form below, and we'll adjust the route, swap in extra nights, or build something from scratch around what you actually want to see.
What's included in the price of a private Morocco tour?
Standard inclusions are a private air-conditioned vehicle with fuel and tolls, an English-speaking driver-guide for the whole trip, accommodation in riads, kasbahs and a desert camp, the Erg Chebbi camel trek, daily breakfast, local guides in the imperial cities, and all local taxes. International flights, most lunches and dinners, entrance fees, tips and travel insurance are not included.
When's the best time of year for a Sahara desert tour?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) give the most comfortable temperatures for both the High Atlas passes and the dunes. Summer is workable but hot in the desert by midday; winter nights in the Sahara and the mountains can be cold, so pack layers if travelling between November and February.
Which cities can a tour start and end in?
Most itineraries start or end in Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca or Tangier — wherever your flight lands. Filter the tours by city to see what's available, or ask us to build a route between two different cities if you don't see the combination you need.
Want this route adjusted? Message us on WhatsApp or browse all 33 journeys.
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Begin your journey
Make the 12-day journey your own
Tell us your dates and what you'd change, and we'll come back with a real draft and a clear price, not a form letter.