Tour Overview
The 6-Day Imperial Cities & Desert Tour is the most comprehensive way to experience the essential Morocco in a single, seamless journey. This carefully designed route connects four of Morocco's great imperial cities — Casablanca, Rabat (optional), Fes, and Marrakech — with the dramatic landscapes of the Middle Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert, the Todra Gorge, the Valley of Roses, and the UNESCO World Heritage ksar of Aït Benhaddou.
Over six days you will explore the ancient, car-free medina of Fes el-Bali — arguably the world's finest surviving medieval Islamic city — wander among the tanneries where leather has been dyed in stone vats for centuries, and follow your guide through souks that have traded spices, silk, and silver since the 9th century. You will ride camels into the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi at sunset, sleep under a sky blazing with Saharan stars, and wake before dawn to watch the sunrise from the dune summit. You will wind through the geological drama of Todra Gorge, drive the famous Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the Dades Valley, and stand before the monumental mud-brick fortress of Aït Benhaddou before crossing the High Atlas back to Marrakech.
This tour is available as a shared small-group departure or as a fully private journey. It works perfectly for travelers who fly into Casablanca and out of Marrakech, or for those seeking a complete Morocco highlight reel in one trip. Every day is packed with discovery, but the pace remains comfortable and unhurried.
Detailed Itinerary
Casablanca → Rabat → Fes
After meeting your guide at Casablanca Mohammed V Airport or your Casablanca hotel at 08:00, begin with an optional visit to the extraordinary Hassan II Mosque — the third-largest mosque in the world and one of the most breathtaking works of religious architecture in the modern era, built on a promontory over the Atlantic Ocean with its 200-meter minaret visible for miles. The interior, when open, features Italian marble floors, hand-carved cedar ceilings, and a retractable roof that opens to the sky. Continue north to Rabat, Morocco's calm and elegant capital, where you visit the Kasbah of the Udayas — a 12th-century Almohad fortress overlooking the Atlantic and the Bou Regreg estuary, with whitewashed alleyways, a beautiful Andalusian garden, and panoramic ocean views. Nearby, the dramatic Hassan Tower (the unfinished minaret of a 12th-century mosque) and the exquisite Mausoleum of Mohammed V stand side by side — an extraordinary combination of raw medieval history and refined modern craftsmanship. After Rabat, continue east along the Atlantic coast and then inland to Fes, arriving in the late afternoon in time to check into your riad in the medina or the Ville Nouvelle. Dinner at your riad or a recommended local restaurant. Overnight: Riad in Fes.
Full Day in Fes — The Ancient Medina
Today is devoted entirely to the wonder of Fes el-Bali — the world's largest car-free urban area and one of the greatest surviving medieval cities on Earth, established in the 9th century by Idris II and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your expert local guide leads you through a labyrinth of 9,400 narrow alleyways, past centuries-old fondouks (caravanserais), through the aromatic spice souks, the noisy metalwork districts, and the extraordinary textile markets. You visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, a 14th-century Quranic school whose intricate zellij tilework, carved stucco, and cedar woodwork represent the zenith of Marinid architecture. The iconic Chouara Tannery is next — viewed from the balconies of leather shops that overlook the ancient dye vats, it is one of the most striking visual experiences in the entire Arab world: hundreds of stone vessels filled with saffron yellow, poppy red, indigo blue, and pigeon-dung white leather, with workers up to their knees in dye. Nearby, the Al-Qarawiyyin University and Mosque, founded in 859 AD, holds the title of the world's oldest continuously operating university. The afternoon is spent exploring the Andalusian Quarter, founded by refugees from Andalusia in the 9th century, before returning to your riad for a traditional Moroccan feast of pastilla, tagine, and couscous. Overnight: Riad in Fes.
Fes → Cedar Forest → Ziz Valley → Merzouga (Desert Edge)
Departing Fes after breakfast, your journey south begins through the spectacular landscapes of the Middle Atlas. Stop in Ifrane, Morocco's charming alpine resort town, where French-colonial chalets and manicured parks feel utterly incongruous with the North African surroundings. Continue to the Cèdre Gouraud forest near Azrou, where a large colony of Barbary macaques inhabits ancient cedar trees that are over 400 years old — watching these intelligent, sociable primates play and groom among the branches is a genuine wildlife highlight. Lunch in Midelt — the "City of Apples" and gateway to the south, where mineral-rich fossils are sold by local craftsmen. South of Midelt, the terrain becomes increasingly dramatic and austere: the Ziz Gorge cuts through vivid ochre canyon walls alongside a miraculous ribbon of date palm oasis that seems impossible in such an arid landscape. As you emerge from the gorge, the town of Erfoud appears, surrounded by fossil-marble workshops and the beginning of the Tafilalet basin — one of the most historically important palm oases in the Saharan world. Continue to Merzouga, arriving in time to see the first golden light of the evening sun catching the enormous dunes of Erg Chebbi. Check into your desert-edge guesthouse. Overnight: Hotel or Riad near Merzouga.
Sahara Day: Camel Trek → Desert Camp → Stargazing
The heart of the tour — an entire day and night in the embrace of the Sahara. The morning begins at leisure: perhaps a sunrise walk to the base of the dunes, or an optional quad bike ride across the desert edge (available at extra cost). Your guide can take you to meet Gnawa musicians from a nearby nomadic community, whose hypnotic music and elaborate healing ceremonies represent a living cultural tradition over a thousand years old. After lunch and the heat of midday at your guesthouse, the main event begins in mid-afternoon: mount your camel at the edge of the Erg Chebbi sand sea and begin the magical hour-long trek into the dunes. The camels move with their slow, rocking rhythm, and your guide leads you along the ridge lines of the dunes — each crest revealing a new vista of rolling golden sand stretching to the horizon in every direction. You arrive at your luxury Berber desert camp just as the sun begins to set, flooding the entire desert in shades of amber, rose, and deep red — a display of natural color that no photograph fully captures. Enjoy pre-dinner mint tea and Moroccan pastries while watching the sunset, then settle in for a traditional Berber dinner of harira soup, lamb tagine, and fresh flatbread. As darkness falls and the campfire is lit, your guide plays drums and berber percussion while you lie back and look up at a sky so full of stars — the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon — that you may feel you are seeing the universe for the first time. Sleep in a comfortable camp bed inside a canvas tent. Overnight: Luxury Desert Camp, Erg Chebbi.
Sunrise → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley → Ouarzazate
Rise before dawn and climb the dunes barefoot to watch the extraordinary Sahara sunrise — a magical, silent experience as the desert transforms from blue-grey twilight to blazing gold in minutes. Return to camp for a Moroccan breakfast, then begin the western journey along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. First stop is the magnificent Todra Gorge in Tinerhir — a spectacular natural canyon where vertical walls of pink limestone rise 300 meters on either side of a narrow riverbed, creating one of the most dramatic natural landscapes in the Maghreb. Walk through the narrowest section, photographing the incredible geology and the small Berber families who live and farm within the gorge. Continue west through the rich agricultural landscapes of the Dades Valley, stopping at the spectacular Dades Gorge viewpoint to admire the famous eroded rock formations. In the rose-growing region of Kelâa M'Gouna, visit a rose water cooperative to see how the famous Moroccan rose water and essential oils are produced. Late afternoon brings you to Ouarzazate, Morocco's "Hollywood" — the city has hosted productions including Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Would Be King, Kundun, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and many Game of Thrones scenes. Visit the Taourirt Kasbah and, if time permits, the Atlas Studios — one of the world's largest film studios — before dinner at your riad. Overnight: Riad in Ouarzazate.
Ouarzazate → Aït Benhaddou → High Atlas → Marrakech
Your final day begins with breakfast in Ouarzazate before the short drive to the unmissable Aït Benhaddou — arguably the most spectacular earthen architecture site in the entire Islamic world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ancient fortified village (ksar) of the Ounila Valley has been continuously inhabited for many centuries and represents the high point of Saharan building tradition: multi-storey towers of pisé (rammed earth) rise from the rocky hillside, crowned by the ancient granary at the summit. The entire ksar has served as a backdrop for an extraordinary roster of major international film and television productions. Your guide will bring it to life with stories of its history, inhabitants, and its extraordinary second life as a film location. After Aït Benhaddou, begin the dramatic mountain crossing back to Marrakech on the legendary N9 road over Tizi n'Tichka (2,260 m) — the highest road pass in North Africa. The views are breathtaking in every season: in winter, snow-capped peaks rise above the pass; in spring, wildflowers carpet the mountain meadows; in summer, hawks circle on thermals above the bare rock cliffs. Stop at the summit for photographs and a last look at the vast southern landscape before you descent into the softer, greener northern Atlas. As you approach Marrakech from the south, the famous reddish walls and palm trees of the city come into view against the backdrop of the Toubkal massif. Your driver delivers you to your hotel or riad in Marrakech between 16:00 and 18:00 — completing a 6-day journey through the most spectacular landscapes of one of the world's most remarkable countries. End of services.
What's Included
- Private AC 4×4 or minivan transport
- English-speaking local guide (all 6 days)
- 5 nights accommodation (riads + desert camp)
- Daily breakfast and dinner (10 meals)
- Sunset camel trek into Erg Chebbi
- Guided tour of Fes medina
- All entry fees (Aït Benhaddou, Mausoleum, etc.)
- Hotel pick-up Casablanca, drop-off Marrakech
- All road tolls and parking fees
❌ Not Included
- International flights
- Lunches (€8–15/person)
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses & souvenirs
- Optional activities (Atlas Studios, quad bikes)
- Tips for guide and camp staff
- Single supplement (available)
Tour Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
Reviews
"The 6-day tour was incredible value. We saw so much of Morocco in less than a week — from the Fes medina to the Sahara to Marrakech. Our guide was passionate, knowledgeable, and wonderful company."
"The Fes medina was mindblowing — I felt like I'd stepped back 1,000 years. The Sahara night was equally unforgettable. Perfectly organized tour with great accommodation throughout."
