Tour Overview
A twelve-day grand tour from Ouarzazate extending into the imperial north. Beyond Ait Benhaddou and two nights in the Merzouga dunes, this route adds a full guided day in the Fes medina and the Blue City of Chefchaouen, plus a High Atlas excursion to the Ourika Valley before a coastal return via Essaouira.Tour Highlights
- Visit the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Benhaddou
- Two nights in a traditional Berber desert camp
- Full guided tour of the Fes el-Bali medina
- Ourika Valley & High Atlas day trip
- Day trip to the Atlantic city of Essaouira
✓ Included
- 11 nights accommodation (hotels + desert camp)
- Breakfast & dinner daily
- 2 nights desert camp with camel trek
- Guided tours: Fes, Marrakech
- English & Spanish speaking guide/driver throughout
- All private transport
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Bottled water during the trip
- All local taxes
✗ Not Included
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Personal expenses
- Flights
- Optional entrance fees
Day by Day Itinerary
Visit the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Ait Benhaddou. Drive through the Skoura palm grove and the fragrant Rose Valley to the dramatic Dades Gorges, lined with kasbahs. Overnight in Dades.
Morning drive through the towering Todra Gorges. Continue via the fossil town of Erfoud to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes. Sunset camel trek into the desert, traditional Berber dinner and music, overnight in a desert camp under the stars.
Dawn Sahara sunrise over the dunes. Full day exploring Erg Chebbi: a 4×4 excursion to the flamingo lake and nomadic Berber families, sandboarding down the dunes, and a stop in Khamlia village for live Gnawa music. Second night in the desert camp under the stars.
Dawn Sahara sunrise over the dunes. Long drive north through Rissani, Midelt, and the alpine town of Ifrane. Arrive in Fes by evening. Overnight in Fes.
Full day guided tour of the Fes el-Bali medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest car-free urban area. Visit the 11th-century Chouara tanneries, the Al-Attarine and Bou Inania madrasas, and the Kairaouine mosque, founded in 859 AD. Evening at leisure in the medina. Overnight in Fes.
Morning visit to the UNESCO Roman ruins of Volubilis. Continue to Meknes for a stop at Bab Mansour, then north to the Blue City of Chefchaouen. Overnight in Chefchaouen.
Long drive south along the Atlantic coast, with stops in Rabat (Hassan Tower, Kasbah des Oudaias) and Casablanca (Hassan II Mosque photo stop). Continue to Marrakech, arriving by evening. Overnight in Marrakech.
Full guided tour of Marrakech: the Koutoubia Mosque gardens, the ornate 19th-century Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the cobalt-blue Jardin Majorelle, and the labyrinthine souks. Evening again at Jemaa el-Fna. Overnight in Marrakech.
Day trip into the High Atlas foothills along the Ourika Valley. Visit Berber villages, walk to a seasonal waterfall, and enjoy mint tea with a local family. Return to Marrakech by evening. Overnight in Marrakech.
Morning visit to the cobalt-blue Jardin Majorelle and the Berber Museum. Afternoon free for shopping in the souks or relaxing at your riad. Optional hammam and spa treatments available. Overnight in Marrakech.
Day trip to the coastal city of Essaouira. Explore the 18th-century sea ramparts and cannon batteries, the blue fishing port, and the medina souks known for their thuya-wood crafts. Fresh seafood lunch by the harbor. Return to Marrakech for the evening. Overnight in Marrakech.
Morning drive from Marrakech, crossing the High Atlas via the Tizi-n-Tichka pass. Arrive in Ouarzazate by afternoon. Drop-off at your hotel or Ouarzazate Airport. Tour ends.
