8-Day Imperial Cities & Sahara Tour

Highlights

• Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (guided interior visits at set times)
• Rabat’s Kasbah of the Udayas, Hassan Tower and Mohammed V Mausoleum
• Meknes’ Bab Mansour and the Roman city of Volubilis
• A full guided day in the Fes medina
• Camel trek and desert camp night in Erg Chebbi
• Todra Gorge, Dades Valley and Ait Ben Haddou
• A guided day in Marrakech

Casablanca → Rabat → Meknes → Volubilis → Fes → Ifrane → Midelt → Merzouga → Todra → Dades → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech → Casablanca

Best for: History lovers and first-time visitors who want all four imperial cities with the Sahara at the centre of the trip.

Activities

• Hassan II Mosque visit
• Kasbah of the Udayas walk
• Volubilis Roman site
• Guided Fes medina tour
• Sunset camel trek and sunrise in Erg Chebbi
• Todra Gorge walk
• Ait Ben Haddou visit
• Guided Marrakech medina tour

Itinerary

Driving times are approximate and exclude long stops; they vary with weather, roads and traffic.

1. 1

   Casablanca – Hassan II Mosque – Rabat

   approx. 1–1.5 h driving (≈ 90 km) plus visits

   We meet you at Casablanca Mohammed V airport or your hotel and begin at the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the Atlantic, with one of the tallest minarets in the world. Guided interior visits run at set times outside prayer hours (to be confirmed for your date). After a drive along the Corniche, we head up the coast to Rabat, the capital. In the late afternoon you can walk through the blue-and-white lanes of the Kasbah of the Udayas above the river mouth, then visit the unfinished Hassan Tower and the Mohammed V Mausoleum.

   OvernightRabat – riad or hotel (category chosen at booking)

   MealsDinner on request; breakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
2. 2

   Rabat – Meknes – Volubilis – Fes

   approx. 3.5–4 h driving plus visits (≈ 250 km)

   Leaving Rabat, we drive inland to Meknes, the city of Sultan Moulay Ismail. You see the monumental Bab Mansour gate, the El Hedim square, and the vast royal granaries and stables if time allows. We continue about 45 minutes to Volubilis, the most important Roman site in Morocco, where floor mosaics, a triumphal arch and the basilica stand among olive groves with views of the holy town of Moulay Idriss. A local guide helps bring the site to life. We then drive about an hour and a half to Fes, arriving in the early evening.

   OvernightFes – riad or hotel (category chosen at booking)

   MealsDinner and breakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
3. 3

   Guided Fes

   City day; short transfers only

   With a local guide you explore Fes el-Bali, a labyrinth of more than nine thousand lanes. The day usually includes the Bou Inania and Al Attarine madrasas with their carved cedar and zellige tilework, the Nejjarine fountain, the exterior of the Al Quaraouiyine mosque, and a terrace overlooking the Chouara tanneries. Outside the medina, we can visit the royal palace gates, the Jewish quarter and the hilltop Merinid Tombs for a panorama of the city. Afternoons are free, or you can arrange a cooking class or hammam on request.

   OvernightFes – riad or hotel (category chosen at booking)

   MealsBreakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
4. 4

   Fes – Ifrane – Midelt – Merzouga desert camp

   approx. 7–8 h driving plus stops (≈ 470 km)

   An early start takes us south into the Middle Atlas. We pass Ifrane, a tidy mountain town with Alpine-style houses, and the cedar forest around Azrou, where Barbary macaques often gather by the road. After lunch in Midelt, we cross high plateaus and follow the Ziz Valley through its gorges and palm groves towards Errachidia and Erfoud. We reach Merzouga in the late afternoon, in time for a camel ride of about 1–1.5 hours into the Erg Chebbi dunes to watch the sun set. Dinner and the night are at the desert camp.

   OvernightErg Chebbi desert camp (budget, standard or luxury tent)

   MealsDinner at camp and breakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
5. 5

   Merzouga – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley

   approx. 4–5 h driving plus stops (≈ 290 km)

   Wake early for sunrise over the dunes, then ride back to Merzouga for breakfast and a shower. We drive west across the stony plains, possibly via Rissani to see the old caravan town and its market. At Tinghir, a lush palm grove leads into the Todra Gorge, where you can walk between towering limestone walls. Continuing to the Dades Valley, we arrive in the afternoon and, time permitting, drive up to the famous switchback road and the eroded rock formations before dinner at your hotel.

   OvernightDades Valley – guesthouse or hotel (category chosen at booking)

   MealsDinner and breakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
6. 6

   Dades – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Tizi n’Tichka – Marrakech

   approx. 6–7 h driving plus stops (≈ 320 km)

   Leaving Dades, we follow the valley of kasbahs past Kelaat M’Gouna and Skoura to Ouarzazate. A short drive brings us to Ait Ben Haddou, where you can explore the ksar on foot and have lunch with a view. In the afternoon we climb the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 m, a winding road with fine views of terraced valleys and villages. We descend to Marrakech in the early evening and you check into your riad or hotel.

   OvernightMarrakech – riad or hotel (category chosen at booking)

   MealsDinner and breakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
7. 7

   Guided Marrakech

   City day; short transfers only

   A guide introduces you to Marrakech: the Koutoubia Mosque (exterior), the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the restored Ben Youssef Madrasa (subject to opening), followed by a walk through the souks of the medina. In the afternoon you might visit the Majorelle Garden, enjoy a hammam or return to the main square, Jemaa el-Fna, at dusk when the food stalls set up. As this is your last full day, you may prefer to keep the afternoon free for shopping or rest.

   OvernightMarrakech – riad or hotel (category chosen at booking)

   MealsBreakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)
8. 8

   Marrakech – Casablanca airport (or Marrakech departure)

   approx. 3 h to Casablanca airport; 20–30 min to Marrakech airport

   After breakfast, the tour ends with a transfer. If your flight leaves from Casablanca, the motorway drive to Mohammed V airport takes about three hours; we plan departure time around your flight with a comfortable margin. If you are flying out of Marrakech, we drive you to Menara airport, which is close to the city, or simply say goodbye at your accommodation if you are staying on. Should you have a late flight, luggage storage and a few extra hours in the city can usually be arranged with your riad.

   OvernightNot included — tour ends

   MealsBreakfast (typical plan — to be confirmed)

Inclusions & exclusions

Accommodation, meals & transport

Every night is booked in the comfort level you choose at booking. Budget means clean, simple guesthouses, auberges and family-run riads, some with shared or basic facilities. Standard means well-located mid-range hotels, riads and kasbah guesthouses with private bathrooms. Luxury means boutique riads, characterful kasbah hotels and premium properties. In the Sahara the same logic applies to the camp: a budget camp has simple tents and often shared washing facilities; a standard camp usually offers private tents, many with en-suite toilet and shower; a luxury camp has larger, furnished tents with en-suite bathrooms, more space and a more refined dinner. Exact properties are confirmed in writing before you travel and depend on availability. City nights in Rabat, Fes and Marrakech can be in traditional riads or in modern hotels with easier car access.

On private departures you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle (typically a minivan or 4x4, depending on group size) with an English- or French-speaking driver who knows the route well. Breakfast and dinner are normally included on touring nights as part of the typical plan; lunches are usually taken at local restaurants of your choice along the way and paid locally. Vegetarian and other dietary needs can usually be catered for if mentioned at booking. On guided city days only breakfast is included in the typical plan.

Good to know

Departure

Casablanca

Finish

Casablanca airport (or Marrakech)

Possible departure cities

Casablanca

Tour type

Private

Group size

Confirmed on request

Pickup & drop-off

Meet-and-greet at Casablanca Mohammed V airport or pickup from your Casablanca hotel on Day 1. In Fes and Marrakech, medina riads may need a short walk to the nearest vehicle access point.

Safety, age & accessibility

Day 4 is long (7–8 hours including stops) and crosses the Middle Atlas, where winter snow can occasionally close roads for a few hours. The Tizi n’Tichka pass climbs to 2,260 m on a well-surfaced but winding road with many hairpin bends; if you are prone to travel sickness, sit near the front and bring medication. Camel rides are gentle but not suitable for everyone: they are not recommended during pregnancy or for people with back, hip or serious joint problems, and riders above roughly 100–110 kg should tell us in advance (limits are set by the camel handlers — to be confirmed). Walking alongside the camels is always an option. Desert temperatures swing widely: summer afternoons can exceed 40 °C and winter nights can drop close to freezing, so pack layers. The Hassan II Mosque requires modest dress (shoulders and knees covered). Medina streets, kasbah stairs and soft sand are difficult for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility; tell us your needs and we will advise honestly what can be adapted.

Price

Contact us for a price. Every trip is priced for your dates, group size, tour type and accommodation level. Send us your plan on WhatsApp or by email and we will send you the price.

Payment & cancellation

[TO CONFIRM: payment method (e.g. bank transfer), deposit amount and balance deadline]. A booking is confirmed only after we confirm availability and payment arrangements in writing. We never ask for card details on this website.

[TO CONFIRM: cancellation windows and refund conditions]. See our Cancellation Policy. Read the policy, our booking terms and the Sahara tour FAQs.

Destinations you visit

• Marrakech travel guide
• Fes travel guide
• Meknes & Volubilis travel guide
• Rabat travel guide
• Casablanca travel guide
• Ouarzazate travel guide
• Ait Ben Haddou travel guide
• Dades Valley travel guide
• Todra Gorge travel guide
• Merzouga & Erg Chebbi travel guide

FAQs