Morocco tour from Marrakech 10-Day: Imperial Cities & Desert

Morocco tour From Marrakech to the imperial cities & the desert

Overview of the 10-Day Morocco tour From Marrakech

This 10-day tour of Morocco takes travelers through the charming desert and the four of the country’s imperial cities: Marrakech, Meknes, Fes, and Rabat. Along the way, travelers will explore ancient monuments, stunning scenery, and colorful markets. Highlights include the magnificent Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech; the Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, and Jemaa el Fna Square; the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou; the Dades Gorges, Todra Gorges, and Merzouga Desert; the Ziz Valley, Midelt, and Cedar Forest; Volubilis and Moulay Idriss; and the Kasbah Udayas, Hassan Tower, and Mohammed V Mausoleum in Rabat. Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque and the city’s old medina are included as well. Don’t hesitate to contact us for booking this tour or to customize a new Morocco tour from Marrakech.

Morocco tour 10 days from Marrakech, Highlights:

• Visit the magnificent Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech
• Explore the world-famous Jemaa el Fna Square 
• Tour the stunning Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah and the Saadian Tombs 
• Cross the stunning Tizi Ntalghamt Pass and the Ziz Valley 
• Experience the majestic Merzouga desert, take a camel ride, and sand dune board 
• Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis and Moulay Idriss 
• Explore the imperial cities of Meknes, Fes, Rabat, and Casablanca 
• Visit the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca

Detailed itinerary of the Morocco tour from Marrakech to the desert and the imperial cities

DAY 1: Arrival in Marrakech (the first imperial city in this tour)

Welcome to Morocco! Arrive at Menara airport in Marrakech where you will meet your driver. The driver will provide a brief overview of your Morocco tour from Marrakech. Dinner & night at the Riad.

DAY 2: Marrakech Sightseeing Tour

Before we start our Morocco tour from Marrakech to the desert and Casablanca, you will enjoy the guided city tour of Marrakech. The morning begins with a visit to the magnificent Koutoubia Mosque the landmark of Marrakech which has inspired other buildings such as the Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat. Your next stop is the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs. The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back to the time of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur.

The tombs were discovered in 1917 and were restored by the Beaux-arts service the mausoleum comprises the interments of about sixty members of the Saadian Dynasty that originated from the valley of the Draa River. After the lunch break, You Continue to the world-famous Jemaa el Fna Square. which houses an array of food, snake charmers, local musicians, and fortune-tellers. There’s nowhere on Earth like the Jemaa el Fna, the square at the heart of old Marrakesh. You will also walk through the souks and view hundreds of handicrafts. A night with breakfast at the Riad/Hotel.

DAY 3: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades gorges

Today departure from Marrakech south up to Asni weekly market every Saturday then to Imlil (1740m), set in the top-level foothills of the High Atlas mountains, the main trailhead with paths branching out in all directions. Then, we drive through the magnificent pass of Tichka (2260 m), offering an impressive landscape in the heart of the Atlas Mountain chain to Ouarzazate where many famous movies have been shot such as Alexander the Great, The Mummy, The jewel of the Nile, Kingdom of heaven Et.c. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

We stop at the kasbah of Ait Benhaddou one of the most spectacular fortresses in the South of Morocco and a UNESCO world heritage site. Lunch in Ouarzazate “The Hollywood of Africa”. We continue our journey to the Valley of Roses known for its annual festival during the rose’s harvests in May. Spend the night with dinner in Dades Valley.

DAY 4: Dades gorges – Todra gorges – Erfoud – Merzouga (desert tour)

After breakfast, a departure from Dades valley toward the Todra Gorges where many rock climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport. Later we continue our journey, following the ancient Bedouin trading routes parallel with the Middle Atlas, passing a series of fortified villages with outstanding pre-Saharian architecture. The route to Erfoud is one of the most pleasant of all the Southern routes. The town is in a dry red built of desert and was built by the French as a central administration town. It is known for its rich black fossils and marble.

The stone is sculpted to bring the fossils into relief on everything from ashtrays to washbasins and more. We head down to the spectacular Merzouga dunes where sand dunes signify the start of the mighty Sahara Desert. We leave our vehicle and take a camel ride into the desert to a Berber camp. To seal this as an experience of a lifetime, why not surf the Sahara Desert and try sand Dunes Boarding? After dinner, we gather around the fire and enjoy the desert night sometimes with traditional Berber drums.

DAY 5: Merzouga – Ziz valley – Midelt – Cedar Forest – Meknes (the second imperial city in this tour)

After a picturesque sunrise with breakfast at the camp, you will leave the desert riding the camels to Merzouga to venture into the Atlas Mountains heading to a different part of Morocco. We cross the verdant oasis and magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock, and 8 rough the Tizi Ntalghamt Pass to Midelt passing millions of palm trees and fortified villages characterized by fascinating southern architecture.

We stop for lunch in the small town of Midelt, a sleepy village flanked by the verdant beauty of the Middle Atlas Mountains, bursting with colorful minerals that mottle the mountainside in a blaze of ruby. Continue through the Middle Atlas mountain range and great forests of cedar trees, terraced farms, and sienna mud-brick Berber villages via Ifran a charming ski resort, and Azrou an important handicraft center specializing in the work of cedar wood. Dinner and night in Meknes.

DAY 6: Meknes – Volubilis – Moulay Idriss – Fez 

On the sixth day of our Morocco tour from Marrakech, we will have a journey in one of four Morocco’s imperial cities ‘Meknes’, the Ismaili capital, and an ancient beautiful city. We will go to see the famous gate of Bab Mansour nearby the old Medina (called El’hdim square). From there, we will visit the oldest prison of Sijn Karra and the tomb of Moulay Ismail (the Sultan of Morocco from 1672–1727). Later, we will drive to the UNESCO site of Volubilis, a must-see of Morocco, it is the heritage of the Roman Empire. When we will discover this fortified site, we will head to the holiest town of Moulay Idriss, a small gorgeous town that was once an important destination for those who want to learn about Islam and visit what it calls ‘Charfa’ (holy people). From here, we leave for Fez. Overnight at a traditional Riad or luxury hotel.       

DAY 7: Exploring Fes (the third imperial city in this tour)

Enjoy a guided city tour to Explore dramatically the first imperial city of Morocco, Fes; this UNESCO World Heritage Site was founded in the 9th century and is home to the world’s oldest university. The first stop of the morning is a visit to the entrance of the largest royal palace in Morocco We will also visit the medieval Medina with its Medersas (religious Islamic universities) Attarine and Bou Anania, the Nejjarine fountain, the Moulay Idriss mausoleum, the Karaouine Mosque University.

Enjoy a Moroccan lunch at a traditional restaurant in Medina. Afterward continue to explore the medina and Its narrow alleys house hundreds of merchants and craftsmen selling a range of products such as dates, fish, spices, copper urns, and musical instruments. A night with breakfast at the Riad / Hotel.

DAY 8: Fes – Rabat (The fourth imperial City in this tour)

On the sixth day of our Marrakech grand tour, we leave Fes for the Capital city of Morocco ‘Rabat’. Drive through the breathtaking landscapes of the fertile coastal plains. Continue the road until you arrive in Rabat. Spend the day exploring the administrative capital and the Royal city.

Visit the walled fortress of the Kasbah Udayas. Near it is the Bab Challah, a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis and heritage archeological site in Rabat. Other visits will include the Hassan Tower,  Mohammed V Mausoleum (the mausoleum consists of Mohammed V’s tomb, Hassan II, and Prince Abdellah. After having our lunch, we will have a stroll around the old Medina. Then, we can spend the evening walking on the beach. Dinner and night in a hotel in the center of the capital.

Rabat is worth visiting so don’t miss the chance through this memorable tour.

DAY 9: Rabat – Casablanca

Wake up in the morning and leave the capital Rabat towards Casablanca city. We will drive through the coastal road enjoying the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean. When we arrive in Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco and the economic capital, we will visit the must-sees of the city including the old Medina. Here, we will stroll through its narrow ancient alleys and visit the old buildings that date back to the colonization period. Then, we move to see the Royal Palace which is located in the new Medina, it’s like the rest of the other Royal Palaces in Morocco, big, with enormous gates and beautiful architecture. Casablanca is worth visiting for what it offers to visitors. After lunch, our destination will be the Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in Morocco with the highest minaret ever. The only mosque in Morocco that non-muslim people can inter. Everyone meets this icon mosque fil in its love because of its extraordinary Andalusi architecture. In the evening, we will walk over the corniche near the Hassan II mosque which is located in the marginality of the city and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Overnight in your hotel.     

DAY 10: Casablanca

After breakfast at the hotel, we drop you off at the airport of Casablanca. We will say goodbye to you and wish you a comfortable flay. That will mark the end of your 10 days vacation in Morocco and the end of your tour of Morocco’s must-sees.