9 days tour from Casablanca via the Sahara desert
The best itinerary for a 9 days tour from Casablanca to the Sahara desert of Merzouga.
Note: this tour is customizable and can end in Marrakech instead of Casablanca. Feel free to contact us for any customizations.
Main info:
Departure location:
Casablanca
Return location:
Casablanca/Marrakech
Departure time:
08:00 AM
Itinerary duration
9 days/ 8 nights
Highlights of our tour:
- The Sahara desert of Merzouga
- Chefchaouen, Ifrane and cedar forest
- Imperial cities of Morocco
- Ait Benhaddou and Todra gorges
- Ouarzazate, Atlas studios
Tour overview:
Welcome to Morocco! The best 9 days tour from Casablanca is waiting for you! Travelling In Morocco has been organizing tours around Morocco for years. With this experience, our team has come to customize the best 9 days tour itinerary that could cover most of Morocco’s attractions. However, note that this tour is always customizable and you can add or omit any destination you want, feel free to contact us!
With this itinerary, you will have the chance to visit the Moroccan imperial cities; starting from Rabat, Meknes, Fes then Marrakech. Not to mention that you will travel to the Blue pearl, Chefchaouen. Also, visit the Sahara desert of Merzouga, where you will ride camels and spend the night in a Berber camp. Finally, you will hit the road of the 1000 Kasbahs where you will stop by Ouallywood and Ait Benhaddou as two main destinations.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Casablanca to Rabat
The first day of our 9 days tour from Casablanca via the Sahara desert to Merzouga is going to be a trip to the capital of Morocco. The details of our today’s trip depend on your arrival time. If you arrive early, we would spend the morning in Casablanca. We would, for example, visit the Hassan 2 Mosque, the seventh-largest in the world. What makes it very unique is that it is open to non-Muslim people. So you can, enjoy the Islamic architecture and art of Mosaic. Also, If we have more time, we would spend it visiting other sites in Casablanca such as Cornice (cornice).
However, If you arrive late, we would just visit the Mosque and then head directly to Rabat. The capital of Morocco has many beautiful places and attractions that we for sure will visit. For example, we will go on a visit to the Chellah and discover its ruins. Then head to the Kasbah of the Oudaias in the center of the old Medina. Not to mention the great minaret of Hassan Tower, which was meant to be the tallest and the largest in the world. Unfortunately, the owner of the idea died and so is his dream of completing it. Today, it is one of the active minarets in Morocco that receives huge amounts of travelers around the world. The night will be in Rabat so that you can relax and get ready to travel to Chefchaouen the next day.
Day 2: Rabat to Chefchaouen
The second day of our 9 days tour from Casablanca is all in blue! Today, after having breakfast in rabat, we will head directly to the blue pearl of Morocco. Chefchaouen or the blue city is located on the edge of the Rif Mountains. Chefchauen or Chaouen as a word has Berber origins, and it means Isskaaouen, in English Horns, referring to the two summits of the mountains next to the city.
The story behind the blue color is divided into two different opinions. Firstly, and the most common one says that it is the Jews who had the habit to paint their walls blue. Because for them, the blue color represents the sky, which gets them near to heaven and god. Secondly, there another story that says that the old citizens of Chaouen used to paint the walls blue in order to get rid of mosquitoes. Above all, the blue pearl stays one of the unique places in Morocco that attracts tourists from all over the world. In order to keep it blue and shiny, the current citizens of the city repaint it every one or two years.
There not much stuff to see and do in Chefchaouen as it is itself a thing to see. So you can, for instance, walk around the city and discover different blue spots where you can have great pictures. Among the places that you could visit in this city, there is Outat-lhmam, which is a small square similar to that one in Marrakech and Meknes. Also, you can go on a visit to the city’s Kasbah, one of the first buildings in the area which was built by the Portuguese. Finally, you can go hiking the Kasbah mosque and see the city from another point of view.
Day 3: Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis and Meknes
Today, after having breakfast in the beautiful city of Chefchaouen, we will leave for another destination. This time we will head to discover the imperial city of Meknes and Volubilis, the Roman ruins.
Firstly, we will start by visiting Oualili, Volubilis. This old city is protected by UNESCO. Not to mention that it is the farthest site that the Romans have reached in Africa. Also, in the past, this place was once the capital of the Mauritanian kingdom. After spending some time discovering the Romans ruins, we will head to discover the city of Meknes.
Arriving at Meknes in the afternoon, we will stop to have lunch then start to explore the city. There are plenty of attractions to visit in this city that is surrounded by one of the tallest and longest walls in Morocco. Among the main places that we will visit, there is the gate of Mansour, or Bab Mansour, one of the biggest gates in the world. Then, we would move to Lhdim square, similar to that one in Marrakech but smaller.
Not very far from this latter, we will head to visit the prison of Qara. People say that it goes underground until it reaches the cultural city of Fes. It is in the shape of a maze where the Ismaili dynasty used to throw their enemies and war prisoners. Some of the common stories believe that, if you go deeper, you will get lost that is why some parts of it are closed. Also, we would go to visit Shrij lake and Lhri Souani, where they used to save food and seed in general. Finally, we would leave to Fes and spend the night there.
Day 4: Full day in Fes
The fourth day of our 9 days tour from Casablanca is going to be all spent in Fes. After, having breakfast, a local tour guide will accompany you through the city. Fes is one of the oldest cities in Africa and the world and has been the capital of Morocco for more than 400 years. With this in mind, you can figure out that with this rich history, Fes is home to many unique attractions.
Firstly, there is the main gate that is called Bab Boujloud, similar to Bab Mansour in Meknes but smaller. In the past, it was used only for people who want to go out of the city, but it is forbidden to enter it from the same gate. Secondly, you will have the chance to visit the Chouara Tannery. It is where they make leather products using traditional ways, so expect that the place is a bit smelly. Moving on, you will visit the oldest existing university in the world that was built by Fatima Al-Fihri. Further on today’s trip, we will go to visit the King’s palace. Here, you will discover one of the main places where the Moroccan king stays. The palace has 7 gates that are made of gold, they the best example of Moroccan gates and the best site to take pictures.
When the day is over, we will get back to the riad/hotel and spend the fourth night in Fes.
Day 5: Fes to Merzouga desert
Today is a special day, it is usually considered the highlight of the 9 days tour from Casablanca. You are going to experience a change in the weather, from warm in Fes to cold in Ifrane and the Middle Atlas mountains, then to the hot in the Sahara desert.
Firstly, after having breakfast in Fes, we will hit the road towards Azrou and Ifrane. About 60 km we will reach the little Switzerland of Morocco. Here, we will go to explore the Atlas lion statue and have a short walk around the city that has a European touch in its buildings. Afterward, we will leave for Azrou and the cedar forest where we will visit the Barbary Macaques.
Halfway to Merzouga, we will stop by Zaida to have lunch then continue our way crossing the high Atlas mountains. Finally, you will start to feel the desert atmosphere when we pass Errachidia city and Ziz valley. This latter is the biggest source of dates in Morocco.
Arriving in Merzouga, we will ride the camels and cross the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi to the camp. Today’s night is not like the other nights, it is another experience when you will sleep in Berber tents, dance, and play drums. Even more, since you are in the desert, the sky is going to be full of shiny and bright stars in a charming view. Not to mention that you will watch the sunset and the sunrise if you can wake up early.
Day 6: Merzouga to Boumalne Dades
The sixth day of our 9 days tour from Casablanca has arrived. Firstly, in case if you have booked a luxury camp, you will have a shower in the tents then head to have breakfast. Yet, if you book a normal camp, then you will have breakfast in the tents and take a shower in Merzouga in the Hotel.
In both plans, after having breakfast, we will ride the camels back to where we started and then take the 4×4. Today, we will start a new journey towards Marrakech, but before reaching it we will make a stop in Boumalne to break down the distance.
Along the way to Boumalne Dades, we will stop by the city of Rissani, the capital of the Tafilalt region. Here, we will take a walk around the main places in the city such as its traditional souk. As additional information, Rissani is the starting point of the Alaouite dynasty that is ruling Morocco nowadays. Later on the trip, we will travel to Tinjedad then Tinghir. Here, we will stop by the famous canyons of Todra Gorges. Finally, we will spend the night in Gorges Dades.
Day 7: Boumalne Dades to Marrakech
Another Amazing day in Morocco! Today, most of our destinations have a special touch. The two main ones are sites to shoot movies and they are famous worldwide. Firstly, when leaving Gorges Dades, we will head to Ouarzazate or the “Ouallywood of Morocco”. It is called so because through history it was a place where to shoot movies. With this in mind, we can mention the fifth season of Prison Break and the third season of Game of Thrones, though some parts of this latter were in Ait Benhaddou, our next destination. Ouarzazate is home to different sites such as the Atlas studios ( where they shoot Movies), the Kasbah of Taourirt, and the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant.
Secondly, we will leave for Ait Benhaddou, the fortified village. As mentioned, it is one of the amazing places to shoot movies. This is due to its shape that attracts people from all over the world. Surrounded by great walls and reinforced by high towers, Ait Benhaddou is something extraordinary. When you arrive there, you will have to cross a small river and then climb a little bit to reach the top of the Kasbah so that you can get the full view.
Finally, we will hit the 1000 kasbahs’ road towards Marrakech passing by Kalaat Mgouna, Skoura, Amridil, and Tizi Ntichka. Arrive in Marrakech, check-in, and spend the night there.
Day 8: Full day in Marrakech
The eighth day of our 9 days tour from Casablanca is going to be all spent in Marrakech. Again, a local guide from Marrakech will accompany you so that you get more information about the place. Marrakech is famous for being the tourism capital of Morocco, so expect it to be crowded and busy.
On this day, you will visit places such as the famous Square of Jamaa El-Fna and the Koutoubia Mosque. Also, you will have the chance to relax at the Majorelle and the Secret Gardens. Not to mention that you will explore the Saadian Tombs and so as the Bahia Palace.
Day 9: Transfer to the airport
The plan for the last day of our tour depends on your flight details. If you will fly from Marrakech and it is in the evening, we would go to discover more places around the city. However, if you have to fly from Casablanca, then we would take the highway and arrive at Casablanca in about 2 hours.
Finally, we hope that you have a good 9 days tour from Casablanca, and if you have any customizations, please let us know.
Tour includes:
- Pickup and drop off from accommodation.
- Camel for each in Merzouga
- Berber tent accommodation.
- Vehicle with gasoline
- Dinner and Breakfast
Tour excludes:
- Monuments fees
- Lunches
- Tips
- Soft drinks
Testimonials:
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Highlights overview:
Travelling In Morocco offers you a chance to visit the main Moroccan attractions. Here is a glimpse of the main destinations that you will visit with our 9 days desert tour from Casablanca.
Fes
Fes is the second-largest city in Morocco, and one of the four Moroccan imperial cities. The Medina of Fes is a historic and unique place in the world. It is the best-preserved Berber-Arab city in the entire Islamic world, it is a true outdoor museum with over 10,000 historical buildings. Definitely, this makes it one of the beautiful cities to visit in Morocco. Its most famous sights are Chouara tannery, the souks of Fez el-Bali, Mausoleum of Moulay Idrís II, the Al Karaouine Mosque, and the door of Bad Bou Jeloud.
Clearly, the city of Fes has played a big role in the country as well as in the whole east. Here we can talk about the oldest existing university in the world, where many students all over the world used to head to get high levels of education.
Marrakech
Marrakech is the tourism capital in Morocco. It is a wonderful city and despite having many tourists, it never loses its essence and is nevertheless extremely exotic. A charming city, it is impossible not to fall in love with its vibrancy, its almost pink walls, the aromas of spices, the captivating smile of the people, and its history.
From the Djemaa el-Fna square and into the medina streets there are many monuments to visit, shops to negotiate, cafes to relax in, etc. Its tourist attractions are weddings for tourists to see, customs, Gardens, and the Koutoubia Mosque.
Casablanca
Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco, coming out a bit of the most traditional and rustic urban shows in the country, amidst historical buildings, mosques, etc. The city has more modern buildings and its architecture mixes the French heritage with the Arab and Berber. Among so many tourist attractions stand out: Hassan II Mosque and Medina. Casablanca gained fame after being the setting of a movie, of course, this wonderful city cannot be missed in the destinations to visit in Morocco.
Casablanca is famous as the economical capital of Morocco where most of the international investments exist.
Rabat
The capital and one of the largest Moroccan cities are divided by the part that preserves the architectural and cultural traditions and the modern one. It is a very pleasant city to visit, well organized and with some excellent monuments. Its beaches are also very visited by tourists due to the unique beauty of the place. Rabat is also a cultural center, with its museums, libraries, and theaters. Among the main historical points are the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Kasbah of the Oudaias, and the Hassan Tower. Of course, as every capital is a place of a mandatory stop at destinations to visit in Morocco.
Skoura and Amridil
Skoura is best known for being the gateway to the Erg Chebbi Desert and because of this is little explored by tourists. But it is a mistake to think that this city is only a starting point for the Desert. Skoura is a fantastic city, its streets and houses seem to be part of a movie city. These cities that are not much commented on and visited by tourists are the most surprising, so they can not miss the route of places to visit in Morocco. Dar Sidi El Mati is the most famous historical monument of the city but does not forget to pass by the castle that is at the exit of the village where you can see a magnificent landscape. Also, here you can go to visit the Amridil kasbah that was built by Thami El Glaoui.
Ouarzazate
The city nicknamed the “gateway to the desert” for making the passage from the Atlas mountains to the Sahara desert. Ouarzazate also has its beauties worth knowing, from Kasbahs, markets, museums, movie studios, river beaches, and the old districts of Taourirt and Tassoumaat. This city is enchanting so you can’t miss it in the itinerary of 9 days tour from Casablanca.
Todra Gorges
Located on the east side of the High Atlas mountains, in Morocco. Todra Gorge is recognized worldwide as one of the most spectacular canyons. At the bottom of the gorge flows an icy river that was carved out of the rocks thousands of years ago. Today the river has been reduced to a small glacial stream. A well-maintained asphalt road leads from Tighir to the gorge. The Tinghir road passes through green palm trees and Berber villages until, 15 km along, high reddish rock walls close around the road. The gorge is breathtaking and easy to walk, accessible to everyone. The 300 m canyons are one of the best environments to do the climbing.
Chefchaouen
Located on the Rif mountains in Morocco, the city of Chefchaouen has wonderful landscapes and architecture very different from anything you have ever seen. It is known as a blue city because most of the buildings are painted in this color, as well as its doors and windows. There is no way to pass through this city and not visit the Medina, Kasbah, Plaza Uta el-Hammam, Hamma, Ethnographic Museum, Great Mosque, and the Souk market.
Tinghir
Tinghir is a charming city in Morocco, tourism is the main economic activity of the city. It is surrounded by green palm trees, with alleys and huts very peculiar and very close to the famous gorges of Todra. The souks there are more original, authentic, and statistical. The Ikelane mosque, in the ksar d’Afanour, is a unique example of the traditional architecture of pre-Saharan mosques. But its main point of interest is the immense palm grove that surrounds it. Also, the Todra Gorges have become a real mecca for hiking and climbing lovers. This city deserves to be part of our 9 days tour from Casablanca.