Overview of This 10 Day Morocco Tour
Our 10-day Morocco itinerary starts in Casablanca and runs through Rabat, Meknes and Fes to a desert camp at Merzouga, then west over the Atlas to Marrakech and two nights on the Atlantic in Essaouira, with a private driver and riad stays.
Ten days is the length we recommend most for a first trip that covers the whole classic circuit without rushing. It keeps the imperial cities and the Sahara from the 7-day route, gives Marrakech a full day of its own, and ends where the week has been heading: Essaouira, a whitewashed port town with sea air, grilled fish and no schedule.
- The Hassan II Mosque and the Kasbah of the Udayas
- Volubilis, Meknes and two nights in Fes
- A night in a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley and Ait Ben Haddou
- A full day in Marrakech
- Two nights in the medina of Essaouira
Your 10 Days in Morocco, Day by Day
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Day 1: Casablanca to Rabat
About 1 h 15 min driving · 90 kmYour driver meets you at Mohammed V Airport and heads first to the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the Atlantic, with a minaret about 210 m tall. Then it is an easy hour up the coast to Rabat. Walk through the Kasbah of the Udayas to its terrace over the river mouth, and see the unfinished Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.
- Stops
- Hassan II Mosque, Kasbah of the Udayas, Hassan Tower
- Overnight
- Riad or hotel in Rabat
- Meals
- Dinner
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Day 2: Rabat to Meknes, Volubilis and Fes
About 3 h 30 min driving · 250 kmInland to Meknes, where Sultan Moulay Ismail built his capital in the 1600s: the Bab Mansour gate and the vast royal stables. Twenty minutes north, the Roman town of Volubilis still has floor mosaics in place, open to the sky. You reach Fes in the late afternoon and settle into a riad in the old medina.
- Stops
- Bab Mansour in Meknes, Volubilis Roman ruins
- Overnight
- Riad in Fes
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 3: The Medina of Fes
No long drive todayA licensed local guide, which we can arrange, leads you through Fes el-Bali, the oldest part of the city and one of the largest car-free urban areas anywhere. See craftsmen at work in the brass-makers’ square, the tilework of the Bou Inania Madrasa and the tanneries from above. The afternoon is free, or your driver takes you to the Borj Nord for the view.
- Stops
- Seffarine square, Bou Inania Madrasa, Chouara Tannery, Borj Nord
- Overnight
- Riad in Fes
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 4: Fes over the Middle Atlas to Merzouga
About 8 h driving · 470 kmThe day crosses three landscapes: the cedar forests and lakes of the Middle Atlas around Ifrane, the high plateau at Midelt, and the Ziz Valley, where the river cuts a green canyon through bare rock. By late afternoon the dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon. A camel ride takes you into the sand for sunset and a night at camp.
- Stops
- Ifrane, Midelt, Ziz Valley
- Overnight
- Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 5: Merzouga to Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
About 5 h driving · 290 kmSee the sun come up over the dunes, then ride back for breakfast. On the way west you stop in Rissani, the old caravan town at the end of the Ziz, and then Todra Gorge for a walk at the bottom of the canyon. The evening is in the Dades Valley, among rock formations that locals call the monkey fingers.
- Stops
- Rissani, Todra Gorge, Tinghir
- Overnight
- Kasbah-style hotel in the Dades Valley
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 6: Dades Valley to Ait Ben Haddou and Marrakech
About 6 h 30 min driving · 320 kmThe Road of a Thousand Kasbahs takes you through Skoura’s palm oasis to Ouarzazate. At Ait Ben Haddou you cross the river and climb through the ksar, which has appeared in many films. The last leg is the High Atlas crossing at the Tizi n’Tichka before you drop down into Marrakech for dinner.
- Stops
- Skoura, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, Tizi n’Tichka
- Overnight
- Riad in Marrakech
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 7: A Full Day in Marrakech
No long drive todayWith a guide or on your own: the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the souks of the medina, then the Majorelle Garden in the new town. In the evening, find a roof terrace above Jemaa el-Fnaa and watch the square fill up.
- Stops
- Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Ben Youssef Madrasa, Majorelle Garden
- Overnight
- Riad in Marrakech
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 8: Marrakech to Essaouira
About 3 h driving · 190 kmThe road west crosses flat argan country, where you may see goats standing in the trees. We stop at a women’s argan oil cooperative before reaching Essaouira by lunchtime. Walk the ramparts where the cannons face the Atlantic, and eat grilled fish at the stalls by the port.
- Stops
- Argan oil cooperative, the Skala ramparts, the fishing port
- Overnight
- Riad in the Essaouira medina
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 9: A Free Day in Essaouira
No driving todayThis day has no plan on purpose. Walk the long beach south of town, browse the thuya woodworkers’ workshops under the ramparts, or book a surf lesson or a horse ride on the sand. Your driver is on call if you would like to see the countryside inland.
- Stops
- The beach, the woodworkers’ workshops, the medina
- Overnight
- Riad in the Essaouira medina
- Meals
- Breakfast · Dinner
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Day 10: Essaouira and Departure
About 3 h to Marrakech Airport · 190 kmA last morning by the sea, then your driver takes you to Marrakech Menara Airport, or to Casablanca if your flight leaves from there, which is about 4 hours. If your flight is late, we plan a lunch stop on the way.
- Stops
- Transfer to Marrakech or Casablanca
- Overnight
- Departure
- Meals
- Breakfast
Route Map: 10 Days in Morocco
About 1,900 km from Casablanca to Essaouira. Three days have little or no driving: Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira.
What’s Included in This 10 Day Morocco Tour
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for 10 days
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- 9 nights: riads, kasbah hotel and desert camp
- Daily breakfast and dinner
- Camel trek in Erg Chebbi
- Airport or hotel pickup and drop-off
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches and drinks
- Monument entrance fees
- Tips for driver and guides
- Travel insurance
Where You’ll Stay
- Rabat · 1 night Riad or hotel Options sent with your quote
- Fes · 2 nights Riad or hotel Options sent with your quote
- Merzouga · 1 night Desert camp Options sent with your quote
- Dades Valley · 1 night Kasbah-style hotel Options sent with your quote
- Marrakech · 2 nights Riad or hotel Options sent with your quote
- Essaouira · 2 nights Riad or hotel Options sent with your quote
10 Day Morocco Tour Prices
Every private tour is priced for your group, so we quote it rather than list one fixed price. Three things set it:
- Group sizeThe vehicle and driver cost the same whatever the size of your party, so the more of you travel, the less each person pays.
- Hotel levelComfortable riads and hotels, or a step up to superior riads and a luxury desert camp.
- SeasonSpring and fall are the busiest months for riads and desert camps.
Customize This Tour
Swap Rabat for a night in Chefchaouen, add a second desert night, or trade Essaouira for the High Atlas villages. Tell us what you want to change and we send a revised plan and price.
Customize This 10-Day Tour
Your driver/guide
One professional, English-speaking driver/guide for all ten days, in an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan depending on your group size. Other languages are available on request.
Meet our drivers and guides10-Day Morocco Tour FAQ
Is 10 days in Morocco the right length?
For a first trip it is the length we suggest most. It covers the imperial cities, the Sahara, Marrakech and the coast, with three days that have little or no driving.
Can the 10 day Morocco tour include Chefchaouen?
Yes. The usual swap is Rabat for Chefchaouen: day 1 becomes Casablanca to Chefchaouen and day 2 goes on to Fes via Volubilis. It makes day 1 longer, about 5 hours.
Which airport do we fly home from?
Marrakech is closest to Essaouira, about 3 hours. Casablanca is about 4 hours. We plan the last day around your flight time.
Is the drive from Fes to the desert too long?
It is the longest day, about 8 hours of driving, but it is broken into stages at Ifrane, Midelt and the Ziz Valley, and it ends with the camel ride into the dunes.
What is the best month for 10 days in Morocco?
March to May and September to November. Essaouira is breezy all year, so it stays pleasant even in summer when inland Morocco is very hot.
