8-Day Casablanca Grand Morocco Circuit (Imperial Cities & Sahara)
A private eight-day loop beginning and ending in Casablanca that takes in the imperial cities, the Blue City, the Sahara and the Red City. Highlights include Rabat, Chefchaouen, a guided day in Fes, a night in the dunes at Erg Chebbi, the Todra and Dades gorges, the Aït Ben Haddou ksar and the bustle of Marrakech. This grand itinerary is offered on a basis, with every night and inclusion confirmed around your dates. A starting price per person is published for this route; the exact total depends on your party size and the accommodation you choose, and is confirmed around your dates before booking.
Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Why You'll Love This Tour
Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque and Rabat's capital sights
Chefchaouen, the Blue City, and Volubilis
A guided day in Fes
Ifrane and the cedar-forest Middle Atlas
Merzouga, Erg Chebbi and a desert-camp night
Todra and Dades gorges and the kasbahs of Ouarzazate
Marrakech's palaces and Jemaa el-Fnaa
Itinerary
Day 1: Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen
Day 2: Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknès → Fes
Day 3: Guided Fes — medina, tanneries and souks
Day 4: Fes → Ifrane → Middle Atlas → Ziz Valley → Merzouga
Day 5: Erg Chebbi — camel trek and desert camp
Day 6: Merzouga → Rissani → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley
Day 7: Dades → Skoura → Aït Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Day 8: Marrakech morning → Casablanca
What you will experience
Every item below is a stop on this itinerary — not an extra to buy.
Hassan II Mosque — The mosque built out over the Atlantic in Casablanca, with one of the tallest minarets in the world. Explore Casablanca
Rabat — The capital on the Atlantic — the Kasbah of the Udayas above the river and the Hassan Tower on the hill. Explore Rabat
Chefchaouen — The blue-washed town in the Rif, small enough to walk end to end and best seen early. Explore Chefchaouen
Volubilis — The Roman town near Meknès, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with mosaic floors still in place where the houses stood.
Meknès — The imperial city of Moulay Ismail — the Bab Mansour gate, the mausoleum and the walls around the old granaries. Explore Meknès
Fes — The oldest of the imperial cities, and the start of the northern route to the desert. Explore Fes
Fes el-Bali medina — The walled old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where the lanes are too narrow for cars.
Al Quaraouiyine — Founded in Fes in 859 and generally described as the oldest continuously operating university in the world.
Chouara Tannery — The stone dye pits of the Fes tanneries, worked by hand much as they have been for centuries.
The Royal Palace gates — The brass gates of Dar el-Makhzen in Fes — the palace itself is closed to visitors, but the gates are among the finest metalwork in Morocco.
Ifrane — The Middle Atlas town of pitched roofs and gardens, built in the 1930s and unlike anywhere else on the route. Explore Ifrane & Cedar Forest
Cedar forest — The cedar woodland of the Middle Atlas, where Barbary macaques live wild beside the road.
Ziz Valley — A wide palm valley cut into bare rock on the road south — the viewpoint above it is one of the best stops of the day.
Merzouga — The village at the edge of the dunes where the desert part of the trip begins, and where Morocco Grand Adventure is based. Explore Merzouga
Erg Chebbi dunes — The tall dune sea outside Merzouga — the Sahara most travellers picture, and the landscape this journey is built around. Explore Erg Chebbi
Sunset camel trek — Ride into Erg Chebbi as the light drops, led on foot by a guide from the desert, and reach camp with the dunes still glowing.
Night at a desert camp — Sleep between the dunes in a tented camp rather than driving back to a town for the night.
Sunrise over the dunes — Wake early for first light on Erg Chebbi, when the sand changes colour and the ridges throw long shadows.
Rissani souk — The market town near Merzouga, and one of the least staged souks on the southern route — busiest on market days.
Todra Gorge — Walk into the canyon where the limestone walls close to a few hundred metres apart and rise straight up. Explore Todra Gorge
Dades Valley — Red rock, palm gardens and earthen villages along the river — the classic overnight between the mountains and the desert. Explore Dades Valley
Skoura oasis — A working palm oasis of kasbahs and gardens rather than a viewpoint you look at from the road. Explore Skoura Oasis
Aït Ben Haddou — Walk up through the earthen ksar on the far side of the river — a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most striking stop on the road south. Explore Aït Ben Haddou
High Atlas crossing — The road climbs over the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass, with time to stop where the view opens out.
Marrakech — The red city at the foot of the Atlas, and the usual start or finish of the southern routes. Explore Marrakech
What's Included
Private air-conditioned vehicle
Professional English-speaking driver
Fuel and tolls
Selected riads, guesthouses and a desert camp per the confirmed itinerary
Breakfasts and dinners as confirmed
Sunset camel trek and desert-camp night at Erg Chebbi
Official local guide in Fes and Marrakech
Not Included
International flights
Lunches and drinks
Entrance fees
Tips and personal expenses
How booking works
Send your request: Free. No payment, no card details, no obligation.
We confirm your trip: We check your dates, group size and availability, then send you the itinerary and the final price in writing.
20% deposit: Paid only after you have approved the confirmed trip. It secures your booking.
80% on arrival: The remaining 80% is paid when you arrive in Morocco.
Cancel more than 7 days before the trip and there is no charge. Within 7 days, 50% is charged.
FAQ
Is this a fixed-price tour?
A starting price per person is published for this route. Your exact total depends on how many of you travel — the per-person price comes down as the group grows — and on the accommodation you choose, so we confirm the final figure with your dates before any payment. You are welcome to ask us to adjust the itinerary first.
Where does the circuit start and end?
It begins and ends in Casablanca, making it convenient for travelers flying in and out of the city.
Are the guided city days included?
Yes, official local guides for the Fes and Marrakech cultural days are part of the proposed itinerary.