13 Day Morocco Sahara Tour: Imperial Cities & Atlantic Coast
Overview
From Morocco’s imperial cities and the blue alleyways of Chefchaouen to the Sahara Desert and the dramatic Atlantic coast.
This is not a trip from a catalogue, it was especially crafted after years of travelling around Morocco showing people the country we know and love. Some of the best days are the simple ones: eating with a local family, sitting with nomads in the desert, learning a few words of Arabic over lunch or sharing dinner on a family farm.
You’ll see the famous places, but you’ll also spend time with the people who call Morocco home. From ancient medinas and Roman ruins to mountain roads, Sahara dunes and the Atlantic coast, every few days Morocco feels completely different.
This is our Signature Moroccan Madness Experience — the Morocco we want you to know.
Trip Highlights
* Step inside the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
* Discover Rabat, Morocco’s capital city
* Explore the Imperial City of Meknes
* Walk through the Roman ruins of Volubilis
* Wander the blue alleyways of Chefchaouen
* Share lunch at a local community cooperative
* Learn some Arabic over lunch
* Get lost in the ancient streets of the Fes Medina
* Spend a night on a family farm in Midelt
* Cross the Middle Atlas Mountains and cedar forests
* Explore the Sahara by 4×4
* Meet desert nomads and share lunch with them
* Learn Gnaoua rhythms during a drum lesson
* Ride a camel across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
* Sleep in a Sahara desert camp
* Follow the Route of a Thousand Kasbahs
* Visit the historic Kasbah Amridil in Skoura
* Explore Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
* Cross the High Atlas Mountains
* Share traditional Rfissa with a local family
* Spend two nights beside the Atlantic in Essaouira
* Explore Marrakech’s souks, Bahia Palace and Jemaa el-Fnaa
Day 1: Welcome to Morocco – Casablanca
Arrive in Casablanca, where your Moroccan journey begins. Meet your private driver at the airport and transfer to your hotel.
Settle in, relax and get ready for the days ahead.
Stay: Hotel Kaan or similar Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, step inside the spectacular Hassan II Mosque, built beside the Atlantic Ocean and one of Casablanca’s great landmarks.
Continue to Rabat, Morocco’s capital, to see the Hassan Tower, Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the blue-and-white Kasbah of the Udayas overlooking the ocean.
Then travel to Meknes, one of Morocco’s Imperial Cities. Discover Dar Jamai, the monumental Bab Mansour and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail.
Tonight, sit down together for your first included dinner.
Stay: Ryad Bahia or similar Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, travel back in time at Volubilis, one of Morocco’s best-preserved Roman sites. Walk among ancient streets, houses and mosaics while your local guide brings the Roman city and its stories to life. Continue north to Chefchaouen, arriving in the afternoon. Wander through its famous blue-painted streets, small squares and mountain-side medina. Before sunset, walk up to the Spanish Mosque for one of the best views over the blue city and the Rif Mountains.
Stay: Hotel Esmeralda orsimilar Meals: Breakfast
Take a slower start this morning before leaving Chefchaouen for Fes, the spiritual heart of Morocco. On the way, stop for lunch at a local community cooperative. This isn’t just somewhere to eat. Spend time with the people there, enjoy a homemade Moroccan meal and learn some Arabic while you eat. Continue to Fes and settle into your riad.
Stay: Riad Sayed Alhora or similar Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Today is all about Fes. Head into its ancient medina with a local guide who knows the maze of streets inside out. Walk through the old Andalusian quarter, visit one of the historic Quranic schools and see the famous tanneries and workshops where crafts are still made by hand. Continue through the Jewish quarter, see the Royal Palace gates and finish with a panoramic view across the old city. Fes is busy, noisy, fascinating and unlike anywhere else in Morocco.
Stay: Riad Sayed Alhora or similar Meals: Breakfast
Leave Fes and head south through the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop along the way at Ifrane, sometimes called Morocco’s “Little Switzerland,” before continuing through the cedar forests around Azrou, where you may spot Barbary macaques. Tonight is different from a normal hotel stay. You’ll sleep on a local family farm in Midelt, Morocco’s apple-growing region. Walk around the farm before sitting down for dinner made using produce from the land.
Stay: Local family farmhouse Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today the landscape changes completely. Travel through dramatic gorges, palm-filled valleys and Amazigh villages as you follow the Ziz Valley towards Merzouga and the Sahara Desert. Then swap the road for a 4×4 and head into the desert. Meet nomads, search for fossils on the desert floor and hear what everyday life is really like here. Visit a Gnaoua music school, learn about the roots of the music and try some of the rhythms yourself during a drum lesson. Lunch is with nomads today, where you’ll taste Medfouna, sometimes called Berber or desert pizza. Later, climb onto your camel and ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes as the sun begins to set. Your day finishes at the desert camp with dinner, a campfire and Moroccan music beneath the Sahara sky.
Stay: Sahara desert camp / Nomad Palace or similar Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Leave the Sahara behind and travel along the Route of a Thousand Kasbahs, passing desert landscapes, villages and the Valley of Roses before reaching the oasis of Skoura. Visit Kasbah Amridil, a beautiful earthen kasbah with centuries of history. The same family that built it still owns it today. Learn how families once lived inside these fortified homes and how life worked in the oasis. Dinner is waiting for you at your accommodation tonight.
Stay: Maison d’Hôte or similar Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today we make our way towards Imlil. Stop at Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, the famous UNESCO-listed ksar built from earth and clay. Walk through its narrow passages and discover why this ancient settlement has also become a favourite location for major films. Then cross the High Atlas Mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, reaching around 2,260 metres. Lunch today is something special: Rfissa with a local family, a traditional Moroccan dish made for sharing. Continue to Imlil and settle into your traditional riad.
Stay: Berber Tower or similar Meals: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, leave Imlil and head west towards the Atlantic. Arrive in Essaouira, where the pace changes again. Sea air, whitewashed buildings, fishing boats and old ramparts replace the mountains and desert. Walk along the historic walls, watch craftspeople working with thuya wood, find freshly grilled fish around the harbour or simply head to the beach. There is no need to rush here.
Stay: Dar L’Oussia or similar Meals: Breakfast
Today is yours to enjoy Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Essaouira’s compact medina is easy to explore on foot. Browse its small shops, learn about the history of this old trading port or spend some time beside the ocean. If you want something more active, swimming and surfing are possibilities, or you can experience a traditional Moroccan hammam.
Stay: Dar L’Oussia or similar Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, return to Marrakech for one final taste of the Red City. Explore the colourful souks, see the traditional craftsmanship of Bahia Palace and then head towards Jemaa el-Fnaa as evening approaches. Food stalls fire up, musicians arrive and the square changes completely as night falls. It is a fitting final evening for your Morocco guided tour.
Stay: Astra Damus or similar Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy one last Moroccan breakfast and, if there is time, one last mint tea. Your private transfer will take you to the airport for your flight home. You may be leaving Morocco, but hopefully you will take us home in your heart
Meals: Breakfast
Included
* Airport transfers
* Accommodation throughout the tour
* Daily breakfast
* Private transportation, fuel and driver
* Services of a guide
* Local guides in Meknes, Volubilis, Fes, Skoura and Marrakech
* Entrance to Hassan II Mosque
* Entrance to Dar Jamai
* Entrance to Volubilis
* Madrasa entrance in Fes
* Kasbah Amridil entrance
* Bahia Palace entrance
* 3 lunches
* 4 dinners
* Sahara 4×4 excursion
* Camel experience in the Sahara
Not Included
* International flights
* Travel insurance
* Tips
Included/Exclude
Tour Plan
Related Tours
Review Scores
Yes. Morocco is very welcoming to women, and this tour is designed to be safe, organised and fully supported. You will always be with a trusted local team, comfortable accommodation and a relaxed program.
Yes, most of our guests travel solo. This trip is made so women feel safe, supported and part of a group from the first day.
A normal suitcase is fine. You only pack a small overnight bag for the desert camp.
Comfortable travel clothes, layers for the mountains, and warm clothes for the desert night. You don’t need anything special — just respectful and comfortable outfits.
No. This trip is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The pace is easy and flexible. Walks are light and optional
Morocco has mixed weather depending on the region. The desert is warm in the day and cool at night, the mountains are fresh, and the cities are mild. We share the exact weather before your trip.
Yes. Morocco offers many vegetarian dishes, and we always make sure you have safe, clean and good options every day.
You can use both. We recommend carrying some cash for markets and small shops, but hotels and restaurants in big cities accept cards.