Best Morocco Tour to Sahara Desert

Arrival Note: Welcome to Morocco! Our guide will wait for you in the Mohammed V International Airport of Casablanca and invite you to our luxury private car with chauffeur. Enjoy a 50-minute comfortable ride to our top-rated beachfront hotel, handpicked for you, with great views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Casablanca City Sightseeing: Take a break after check-in, and then let’s start this best Morocco tour package.
► Our guide will first lead you to visit the Hassan II Mosque (1 hour), the third largest mosque in the world with one-third of its structure built on the Atlantic Ocean. Take an elevator to the top of the world's tallest minaret, which stands 210 meters (689 feet) high. The city and sea views from above are overwhelming.
► Guided walking tour of the Old Medina Market (1 hour), including the Sacred Heart Cathedral (exterior) and Square of Mohammed V.
► Visit the Museum of Moroccan Judaism. Visit the exterior if it happens to be the closing days of Saturday or Sunday.

Tip: Back at the hotel, you can take your own walk along the Corniche next to the hotel or watch the sunset at the nearby Ain Diab Beach. There are plenty of restaurants near the beach for dinner.

Accommodation: Club Val D'anfa Hotel

Enjoy a 1.5-hour private car transfer to Rabat, the capital of Morocco.

Downtown Rabat Sightseeing:
Take a photo outside the Royal Palace of Rabat: A building of typical Arabic style surrounded by tall white walls. We’ll visit the square in front of the palace, where the King of Morocco receives foreign leaders.
► Walk through the Rabat Medina: Visit the local souk and enjoy the lively atmosphere; 1 hour for sightseeing and 1 hour for lunch.
► Visit the Kasbah of the Udayas: It is a military fortress built on a promontory by the Berbers in the 12th century. We will visit for about 2 hours to see its Andalusian gardens and the informative museum. Climb to the roof-top terrace to enjoy a panoramic view of the Bou Regreg River, Rabat port, neighboring city of Salé, and the Atlantic Ocean.
► Last stops at Rabat: Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohamed V (1 hour)

Rest in our private car, and our guide and the driver will escort you to the hotel in Meknes in 2 hours.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Riad Yacout

In the morning, our guide will take you to explore Meknes, one of Morocco's four ancient imperial capitals. Founded by the Berber tribe in the 9th century, Meknes is home to many ancient city walls, Maghrebi gates, ruins of palaces, monuments, and mosques.
► We will take a 2 hours’ walking tour of the Medina of Meknes, seeing the main gate of Bab Mansour, passing a local souk with a real life atmosphere, meeting the enthusiastic vendors and jugglers on the El Hedim Square, and visiting the Dar Jamai Museum where Moroccan folk handicrafts are displayed.
► Drive to Royal Stables for a visit (1 hour): Less-visited but great site, with an astonishing capacity of 20,000 horses! Built 600 years ago, it was once the most important granary and backup for the city of Meknes.

After lunch, drive 50 minutes to Volubilis. Visit the apple-green town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun and the World Heritage site of Volubilis Ruins. Our history-savvy Moroccan guide will take you on a closer look at the ancient Roman city that flourished in the 1st century AD. The remains of streets and residences, the well-preserved triumphal arch and the white stone columns of the theater are impressive.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll drive 3 hours to Chefchaouen, and check into a distinctive riad hotel, a type of traditional Moroccan mansion with an amazing Andalusian courtyard. No trip to Morocco is complete without staying in such a riad!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Dar Echchaouen Maison & Riad

Morning tour of Chefchaouen Medina: Chefchaouen is, in a sense, a calling card for Morocco, with crisscrossing blue-and-white alleys and houses mesmerizing and, of course, confusing. Follow our guide who knows well the local trails closely and discover the hidden attractions of this small town. We will take a 2 to 3 hours’ walking tour of the medina, visiting the Bab EL Ain, Callejon El Asri (Derb El Assri), Place Outa el Hammam & Kasbah, Kasbah Museum, and Grand Mosque. Our experienced guide will point out the best photo spots and angles for you to take great Instagrammable pictures. Just before noon, let’s head to the Spanish Mosque high outside the town for a stunning panoramic view of the blue Chefchaouen.

Afternoon Transfer to Fez: 200 km (124 mi); 4 hours
After lunch, get on our private car for a 4-hour ride south to Fez, Morocco’s historic capital and handicraft center, as well as the ideal place to experience the bustling old medina.

Upon arrival, check into a beautiful riad, have dinner, and then enjoy a traditional Moroccan bath, the Hammam, at the Hammam Mernissi & Spa. It’s an ancient Moroccan tradition, and the locals usually go to the hammam at least once a week. The bath and massage we will arrange for you will last for 1 to 2 hours, so that you can relax your body and mind, and wash away the fatigue of the journey.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Riad Marjana Suites & Spa

Walking Tour of Fez: Our guide will take you through the gate of Bab Boujloud to visit the Medina of Fez, the largest and the most populous car-free city in the world. The greatest pleasure is to navigate the maze of narrow alleys and visit the souk filled with dazzling stores. You’ll see traditional houses decorated with cobalt-blue mosaics, encounter donkeys carrying loads, admire exquisite handicrafts such as wood carvings or leather goods, get up close to the artisans who make and sell their wares, and bargain with shopkeepers.

We will visit the schools of Islamic studies, like the Bou Inania Madrasa and Attarine Madrasa, as well as the Mosque and University Kairaouine, the oldest university in the world recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. We will drop by the Dar Batha Museum, Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II, and the Place Nejjarine, which is famous for its small cobblestone square with an elaborate fountain. The highlight of the medina is the Chouara Tannery, the area’s most famous traditional leather dyeing house. Fez is one of the few places in the world where traditional dyeing methods are still maintained, using ancient methods of rubbing and air-drying by manual labor to bring out the natural plant colors beautifully on the leather.

★ Privilege of Our Guests:
Our guests enjoy exclusive access to the best viewing platform to watch the Chouara Tannery, overlooking the spectacular scene of the entire leather workshop. You’ll see hundreds of colorful wooden or stone vats lined up. Workers clean the animal skins and put them into the square vats containing the whitish liquid, which is made up of lime water, cow urine, and pigeon droppings. The skins are soaked and softened before being fished out and dyed in the round vats filled with natural plant dyes. Some workers stand barefoot in the vats and stamp the skins with their feet to make them evenly colored.

► Tip: This scene is a feast for the eyes, but a disaster for the nose! Because the dye contains natural animal feces, it can smell particularly bad in the tannery, especially in summer. Don’t worry! Our guide will kindly prepare mint leaves for you to put under your nose or in your mask as a remedy.

After lunch, follow the guide to visit the Jnan Sbil Gardens, the historic Jewish quarter (Mellah) of Fez and the Ibn Danan Synagogue. Late in the afternoon, we’ll drive up to the Borj Nord, visit the museum and appreciate the panoramic view of Fez in sunset from the rooftop. Return to our cozy riad.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Riad Marjana Suites & Spa

► Desert road trip: 480 km (298 mi), 8 to 9 hours by car
It’s a long journey today, so the guide will give you an early wake-up call. After breakfast, we will leave at around 8:00. Drive through Ifrane, stop for photos, take in the Middle Atlas Mountains along the way, and stop in the cedar forests to see the Barbary apes. 

After lunch, continue to drive past Midelt, Ziz Gorges, Erfoud, and finally reach Merzouga in the evening. The small village of Merzouga has become a popular base for exploring the beauty of the Sahara Desert.

★ Have fun in the Sahara Desert: Take a 4x4 vehicle deep into the desert, hike to the Erg Chebbi Dunes, enjoy the scenery and take pictures, ride a camel (1 hour), watch the sunset, stay in a desert camp and stargaze.
► Bonus Activities for You: Sand boarding, desert dinner, bonfire party (with Berber music performance).

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Golden Camp & Oasis

Watch sunrise in the Sahara Desert, and have breakfast.
► Desert road trip: 350 km (217 mi), 6 hours by car
Today we will travel west through the deserts and canyons. Take a 3-hour car ride to the Todra Gorge in Tinghir for a visit (1 to 2 hours). After lunch, continue the journey to the Dades Gorges for a hike, exploring the valleys and visiting a Berber family. It is only by going into a family of the indigenous people in the hinterland and interacting with the locals that you can see a different side of Morocco, which is just the unique experience we offer. Next, we will arrive at the Roses Valley (Kelaat M’Gouna), which is filled with the fragrance of the pink Damask roses every May and June. We would stop for a moment, take pictures, and then head to the riad in the Dades Gorges.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Riad Rihana Dades

► Road trip to Marrakech: 350 km (217 mi), 6 hours by car
From the Dades Gorges, we will head west today along the Road of 1,000 Kasbahs, stop at the Skoura Oasis for a coffee break, and continue on to Ouarzazate, an important filming base for the world film industry. We will spend an hour in the Atlas Corporation Studio, which is known as the Hollywood of Africa. The Sahara red earth landscape and distinctive ancient kasbahs here have been featured in many famous movies, including The Mummy, Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, Inception, and The Jewel of the Nile.

Next, take a half-hour ride to the Ksar Ait Benhaddou for a visit (2 hours). A historic fortified village on the former caravan route from the Sahara Desert to Marrakech, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Its complex of earthen buildings nestled into the mountains has served as the setting for many famous movies and TV series, including the Gladiator, Cleopatra, and Game of Thrones.

Later, we’ll drive to the small town of Telouet for a brief tour, and continue through the Tizi n’Tichka Pass and the High Atlas Mountains before arriving in Marrakech.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Riad Nesma Suites & Spa

Follow our guide to learn all about Marrakech, known as the ‘Red City’ for its reddish-brown buildings. Founded in the 11th century, Marrakech is filled with a variety of historical sites. The guide will take you to the heart of the city, the huge Medina, visiting the Bahia Palace which showcases the life of Moroccan aristocratic families in the 19th century, the Jewish Quarter (Mellah) and the Slat al-Azama Synagogue, Morocco’s oldest royal palace - the El Badi Palace, the Saadian Tombs where the royal members of Sultan Mansour of the Saadi Dynasty are buried, the Koutoubia Mosque with its minaret as the center and highest point of the old city of Marrakech, as well as the Ben Yousself Medersa, the largest Koranic college in North Africa.

★ Special Gift: Marrakech Food Tour
We will specially arrange a gourmet tour for you this evening, when our guide will take you to Jemaa el-Fna, the busiest night market in Africa, to taste authentic Moroccan snacks. The inviting food stalls, colorful souvenirs, snake charmers, folk musicians and acrobats make for a lively atmosphere that will amaze you.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Riad Nesma Suites & Spa

► Optional Tour: Hot Air Balloon Flight over Marrakech
Viewing from above is the best way to get an overall impression of Marrakech and bid farewell. If you want this special experience, please tell our customer service staff when you book this tour. It includes a 6:00am pick-up to the hot air balloon base in the suburb, a safety lesson, a 30 to 40 minutes’ flight with the pilot to enjoy the panoramic views of the city at sunrise, and a traditional Berber breakfast at the base after landing. A flight certificate will be issued to each participant.

Our last morning will be spent visiting the colorful Jardin Majorelle - Yves Saint Laurent Mansion and the nearby Yves Saint Laurent Museum full of fashion.

Departure Note: In the afternoon, our guide and the driver will escort you to the Marrakech Menara Airport to see you off. Hope you enjoy our service, and have a nice trip home!
► Tip: You are advised to book flights departing in the evening. If your flight is in the morning, or if your flight will depart from Casablanca, you can contact our customer service to have the itinerary tailored to meet your requirements.

Meals: Breakfast