11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca: Bab Bou Jeloud gate and the old medina of Fes
11 days · Cities, desert & hiking

11 Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca: Round Trip

Fly in and out of Casablanca and see the whole country in a loop: the imperial cities and the Rif first, then the Sahara, the gorges of the south and Marrakech.

See the day-by-day route
11 days / 10 nightsStarts in CasablancaEnds in CasablancaPrivate tour
Casablanca→Rabat→Chefchaouen→Akchour→Chefchaouen→Volubilis→Meknes→Fes→Ifrane→Midelt→Merzouga→Todra Gorge→Dades Valley→Skoura→Aït Benhaddou→Marrakech→Casablanca

About this 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca

This 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca is a full round trip. You land in Casablanca, see the north, the Sahara and Marrakech, and fly home from the same airport.

First, you visit the Hassan II Mosque and the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat. Then you spend two nights in Chefchaouen, with a hike to the Akchour waterfalls. After that, you see Volubilis, Meknes and the medina of Fes. Next, you cross the Middle Atlas and ride camels to a camp in the dunes. Finally, the Todra Gorge, Aït Benhaddou and Marrakech come before the drive back. In short, our 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca is private and runs on your dates.

Highlights of this 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca

  • Hassan II Mosque
  • Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat
  • Akchour waterfalls hike
  • Roman Volubilis
  • Guided Fes medina
  • Camel ride & desert camp
  • Sandboarding in Erg Chebbi
  • Todra Gorge walk
  • Aït Benhaddou & Marrakech

11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca: day by day

  1. 1day
    Day 1

    Casablanca & Rabat

    We meet you at the airport, visit the Hassan II Mosque, then drive to Rabat for the Kasbah of the Udayas at sunset.

    On the road: about 1.5 h with the mosque visitStay: Riad in Rabat
  2. 2day
    Day 2

    To the Rif mountains

    Drive north to Chefchaouen and walk up to the Spanish Mosque for the view over the blue city.

    On the road: about 4 h with stopsStay: Riad in Chefchaouen
  3. 3day
    Day 3

    Akchour waterfalls hike

    A day on the river paths of the Talassemtane park, to the waterfalls and God’s Bridge.

    On the road: about 45 min each wayStay: Riad in Chefchaouen
  4. 4day
    Day 4

    Volubilis, Meknes & Fes

    The Roman ruins of Volubilis and the gate of Bab Mansour in Meknes, then on to Fes.

    On the road: about 5 h with visitsStay: Riad in Fes
  5. 5day
    Day 5

    The Fes medina

    A guided day in the medina, with a lunch of local dishes and time in the souks.

    Stay: Riad in Fes
  6. 6day
    Day 6

    Middle Atlas to Merzouga

    Through Ifrane and the cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz Valley to the edge of the dunes.

    On the road: about 8–9 h with stopsStay: Riad in Merzouga
  7. 7day
    Day 7

    Desert day & camel ride

    A 4x4 tour, tea with a nomad family and sandboarding, then camels at sunset to the desert camp.

    Stay: Desert camp
  8. 8day
    Day 8

    Sunrise & the Todra Gorge

    Sunrise from a dune, a walk between the walls of the Todra Gorge and on to the Dades Valley.

    On the road: about 5–6 h with stopsStay: Riad in Dades Valley
  9. 9day
    Day 9

    Road of the kasbahs

    A short morning walk in the Dades, Skoura and Ouarzazate, then the ksar of Aït Benhaddou.

    On the road: about 3–4 h with stopsStay: Riad near Aït Benhaddou
  10. 10day
    Day 10

    Over the High Atlas to Marrakech

    The Tizi n’Tichka pass, then an afternoon guided walk in the Marrakech medina and Jemaa el-Fna at night.

    On the road: about 4–5 h with stopsStay: Riad in Marrakech
  11. 11day
    Day 11

    Back to Casablanca

    A free morning in Marrakech, then the drive to Casablanca airport for your flight.

    On the road: about 2.5–3 h

What’s included in this 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca

Included

  • 10 nights of accommodation as listed (riads, guesthouses and a desert camp)
  • Breakfast every morning
  • Dinner and breakfast at the desert camp
  • Private transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with driver
  • Pick-up in Casablanca and drop-off in Casablanca (hotel, riad, airport)
  • Camel ride as described in the programme
  • 4x4 excursion in the desert
  • Local guide for the guided visits

Not included

  • International flights
  • Lunches and drinks
  • Entrance fees to monuments and museums
  • Optional activities (for example quad, buggy or balloon) unless listed
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips for drivers and guides

Draft based on this programme – our team confirms the exact list with your quote.

Where you stay

  1. Night 1Riad in Rabat
  2. Night 2Riad in Chefchaouen
  3. Night 3Riad in Chefchaouen
  4. Night 4Riad in Fes
  5. Night 5Riad in Fes
  6. Night 6Riad in Merzouga
  7. Night 7Desert camp
  8. Night 8Riad in Dades Valley
  9. Night 9Riad near Aït Benhaddou
  10. Night 10Riad in Marrakech

Comfort level: Standard + – comfortable riads, guesthouses and a traditional desert camp, chosen by our team. Luxury camps and riads are possible on request.

Best time for this trip

March to May and September to November suit both the north and the Sahara. Summer is very hot in the desert, and winter brings rain to the Rif and cold nights in the camp.

  • JanPossible
  • FebGood
  • MarBest
  • AprBest
  • MayGood
  • JunPossible
  • JulAvoid
  • AugAvoid
  • SepGood
  • OctBest
  • NovBest
  • DecGood

What to bring for this trip

  • Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for the mosque
  • Walking shoes with grip for Akchour
  • Swimsuit and quick-dry towel
  • Light rain jacket for the Rif
  • Scarf or cheche for sand and sun
  • Sunglasses and sun cream
  • Warm layer for the desert night
  • Small overnight bag for the camp
  • Refillable water bottle

Booking & payment

How to book
Send your request; we confirm the programme and the price in writing on WhatsApp or by email.
Payment
A deposit secures your booking and the balance is paid on arrival.
Cancellation
Our cancellation conditions are sent with your quote, before you pay anything.
Weather & changes
If the weather stops an activity, we adapt the day or replace the activity.

11 Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca: your questions

Is this 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca a full round trip?

Yes. It starts and ends at Casablanca airport, so you can book a return ticket. The route goes north first, then south to the Sahara, and comes back through Marrakech.

How long is the drive back to Casablanca on the last day?

Marrakech to Casablanca airport is about 2 h 30 to 3 hours by road, so an afternoon or evening flight is best.

Can I visit the Hassan II Mosque?

Yes, it is open to non-Muslim visitors with guided visits outside prayer times. Shoulders and knees should be covered.

What is active on this 11 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca?

The Akchour waterfalls hike, the walk up to the Spanish Mosque, the camel ride, sandboarding and walks in the Todra and Dades gorges. A horse ride or a quad can be added.

Is it private?

Yes, it is a private tour on your dates, with your own driver and local guides in the cities.

Local team in MoroccoYour trip is planned and run by our own team on the ground.
Private, on your datesOnly you and your travel companions, starting when you want.
Every day can changeAdd a night, an activity or a slower pace – the plan adapts to you.
Answers on WhatsAppAsk us anything before you book: +212 600 643 098.

What our travellers say

●●●●●

A holistic experience

Booking a trip with Moroccan active adventures gave us the most memorable new years celebration of our lived. Our guide Mouhssin was especially talented at turning down deserted mountain/desert roads and finding beautiful riads…
A
Quick request

Request this 11-day trip

Fill in the form and press send: your request comes straight to our team’s inbox (or WhatsApp, if you prefer) and we reply with the full programme and a clear price.

  • No payment to send a request
  • Private tour on your dates
  • Or write to us: +212 600 643 098
Camel & horseback treks
Land adventure

Camel & horseback treks

On this trip: Day 7 – Desert day & camel ride

Camel trekking Morocco’s Sahara is the slow, quiet way into the desert: a line of camels led by a guide on foot, swaying over the orange dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga as the light turns soft. Most of our guests ride at sunset to a camp in the dunes and come back at sunrise. It is calm, not sporty – anyone who can sit on a saddle for an hour can do it.

Where
Merzouga (Erg Chebbi), Agafay desert, Marrakech palm grove
Duration
1 hour to 6 days
Level
Easy, no experience needed for camels
Minimum age
Children ride with an adult; ask us for small kids
  • The classic Sahara moment
  • Local camel men
  • Slow travel
Desert camping & stargazing
Land adventure

Desert camping & stargazing

On this trip: Day 7 – Desert day & camel ride

Sahara desert camping in Morocco is about one evening you will not forget: arriving at a camp hidden between the dunes of Erg Chebbi, climbing a ridge for sunset, eating tagine by the fire while drums play, then lying on a rug under more stars than you thought possible. Our camps near Merzouga range from simple nomad-style tents to comfortable tents with real beds and private bathrooms.

Where
Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes), Agafay desert near Marrakech
Duration
1 to 3 nights
Level
Easy, for all ages
Camp types
Nomad-style, standard and luxury tents
  • Real dunes
  • A sky full of stars
  • Choose your comfort
Hiking & trekking adventures
Land adventure

Hiking & trekking adventures

On this trip: Day 2 – To the Rif mountains

Hiking Morocco’s High Atlas is a walk through a lived-in landscape: terraced fields, walnut trees, flat-roofed Berber villages built from the same red earth as the mountains, and mule paths that people still use every day. Our local mountain guides grew up around these valleys. They choose the route, set a steady pace and arrange lunch or a night in a village house.

Where
High Atlas (Imlil, Ourika, Toubkal), Dades & Todra gorges, Merzouga dunes
Duration
Day hikes to 5-day treks
Level
Easy valley walks to challenging summit treks
Minimum age
Valley walks for families; Toubkal for fit teens and adults
  • Real mountains near Marrakech
  • Toubkal, the big one
  • Village life on the trail
4x4 & off-road safaris
Land adventure

4x4 & off-road safaris

On this trip: Day 7 – Desert day & camel ride

A 4x4 tour Morocco style takes you where normal cars cannot go: around the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes, across the black stone plains near Merzouga, up rough mountain tracks in the Atlas and down into dry riverbeds where nomads still water their flocks. You sit back with an experienced local driver who knows the pistes, the weather and the best places to stop.

Where
Merzouga & Erg Chebbi, High Atlas tracks, Dades & Todra gorges, Agafay
Duration
Half day to multi-day private tours
Level
Easy – you are a passenger, no driving needed
Group
Private vehicle for your family or group
  • Reach the hidden places
  • Drivers who know the pistes
  • Private and flexible
A family in front of the golden doors of the Royal Palace in Fes
Moroccan experience

Cultural exploration

On this trip: Day 1 – Casablanca & Rabat

Our Morocco cultural tours are built around people, not just monuments. You walk the medinas of Fes and Marrakech with a guide who grew up there, drink mint tea in a Berber village in the Atlas, watch craftsmen cut zellige tiles or dye leather, and share a meal with a family. The aim is simple: to understand how Moroccans live today, and where those traditions come from.

Where
Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Chefchaouen, Atlas villages, Merzouga
Duration
Half-day city walk to 10+ day tours
Level
Easy – mostly walking
Group
Private or small group
  • Living medinas
  • Amazigh heritage
  • Crafts you can watch being made
Hot air balloon ride
Air adventure

Hot air balloon ride

Optional extra: Sunrise flight before or after your trip

A hot air balloon Marrakech flight is the quietest way to see Morocco wake up. You leave the city in the dark, watch the burners light up the envelope, and lift off just as the sun climbs over the Atlas Mountains. Below you, red-earth villages, olive groves and dry riverbeds turn gold, and on clear winter mornings the snow on the High Atlas shines on the horizon.

Where
Countryside outside Marrakech (launch site set by the pilot each morning)
Duration
About 1 hour in the air, 4-5 hours door to door
Start time
Very early pick-up, before sunrise
Level
No experience needed
  • Sunrise over the Atlas
  • Silent, slow flying
  • Rural Morocco from above
Quad & buggy rides
Land adventure

Quad & buggy rides

Optional extra: Quad or buggy in the Agafay desert or the palm grove

Quad biking Marrakech style means leaving the city noise behind in minutes: dusty palm grove tracks, Berber villages and the rocky hills of the Agafay desert, with the Atlas Mountains on the horizon. Our guides ride in front, set the pace to the slowest rider and stop for photos and mint tea. You do not need any experience – we show you the controls and do a short practice loop before we leave.

Where
Marrakech palm grove (Palmeraie), Agafay desert, Merzouga dunes
Duration
1 hour to 6 days
Level
Beginner friendly, no experience needed
Minimum age
Drivers usually 16+; younger children ride as buggy passengers
  • Desert right next to the city
  • Quad or buggy, your choice
  • Real landscapes, not a track
Cycling & mountain biking
Land adventure

Cycling & mountain biking

Optional extra: Cycling in the oasis

Mountain biking Morocco’s High Atlas means riding mule paths between Berber villages, rolling down terraced valleys and stopping for tea where the trail meets a walnut grove. Our guides know the tracks around Marrakech, the Ourika and Imlil valleys and the Agafay hills, and pick routes that fit your level – from easy dirt roads to longer climbs and technical descents.

Where
Agafay desert, Ourika and Imlil valleys (High Atlas), Dades and Todra gorges
Duration
Half day to multi-day tours
Level
Easy to challenging – routes chosen for you
Bikes
Mountain bikes and e-bikes, helmet included
  • Mountains near the city
  • Village trails, not empty parks
  • Huge variety
Authentic culinary experiences
Moroccan experience

Authentic culinary experiences

Optional extra: Food tour or cooking class

A Morocco food tour is the quickest way into the country’s heart. With one of our local guides you taste fresh msemen pancakes at breakfast, follow the smell of cumin through the spice souk, try harira and grilled meat at the stalls of Jemaa el-Fna, and learn why a tagine needs time. We take you where locals actually eat, not where the menus are in five languages.

Where
Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira, Atlas villages, Merzouga
Duration
3-hour food walk to full-day class
Level
Easy – come hungry
Diets
Vegetarian options on request
  • Street food you would not find alone
  • Markets as a lesson
  • Cooking with real cooks
Faith & spiritual journeys
Moroccan experience

Faith & spiritual journeys

Optional extra: Spiritual and heritage visit

A Morocco spiritual tour follows the faiths that shaped this country over centuries. Muslim scholars studied in the medersas of Fes, Sufi brotherhoods still gather in their zawiyas to chant and pray, and Jewish families lived in the mellahs of Marrakech, Fes and Essaouira for generations. Our local guides tell these stories with knowledge and respect, whatever your own beliefs.

Where
Fes, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Essaouira, Meknes, Merzouga
Duration
1 day to 10+ days
Level
Easy – walking and visits
Group
Private, family or faith groups
  • Islamic heritage you can enter
  • Sufi music and zawiyas
  • Jewish heritage of Morocco
Wellness and relaxation
Moroccan experience

Wellness and relaxation

Optional extra: Traditional hammam and spa time

A Morocco wellness retreat with us is built around your rhythm, not a fixed timetable. Start with a traditional hammam in Marrakech, rest in a riad courtyard with only the fountain for company, stretch on a yoga mat facing the Atlantic, and end with a night in the Merzouga desert where the silence is almost total. We plan the logistics so you can simply let go.

Where
Marrakech, Agafay, Atlas valleys, Essaouira, Taghazout, Merzouga
Duration
Half-day hammam to 7+ day retreat
Level
Easy – all fitness levels
Group
Solo, couples, friends or private groups
  • The hammam ritual
  • Riads made for rest
  • Yoga with a view
WhatsAppPlan my trip