Private Grand Tour, Cities, Sahara and Coast

12 Days Grand Tour of Morocco

Every side of Morocco in one journey: imperial cities, blue Chefchaouen, two Sahara nights, the great southern kasbah route and the Atlantic at Essaouira.

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Duration
12 days / 11 nights
Route
Casablanca to Marrakech
Tour type
Private, fully flexible
Desert
2 nights at Erg Chebbi
Best for
The complete Morocco

Overview

Mountains, Medinas, Desert and Ocean

The 12 days grand tour of Morocco from Casablanca is the complete country in one journey: the imperial cities, blue Chefchaouen, two nights in the Merzouga Sahara, the great southern valleys, an overnight in Ouarzazate and a finale that reaches the Atlantic at Essaouira.

What sets the 12 day route apart from our 10 day tour is breathing room in the south and the coast at the end. You sleep in Ouarzazate beneath the Taourirt Kasbah instead of pushing over the Atlas in one long day, and after Marrakech you spend a day in Essaouira, the fortified port town whose windswept medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. If you later want the coast as its own excursion, we also run it as a day trip from Marrakech.

As always the tour is private, from the Casablanca airport meet and greet to the last drop off, with an English speaking driver and a route that bends to your interests. Compare it with the 14 day itinerary or the rest of our multi day tours.

Tour Highlights

What You Will Experience

✓Private 12 day grand tour of Morocco
✓Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
✓Rabat and the Kasbah of the Udayas
✓The blue medina of Chefchaouen
✓Volubilis Roman ruins
✓Guided day in the Fes medina
✓Two nights in the Merzouga Sahara
✓Free desert day with 4×4 and Khamlia
✓Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
✓Rose Valley and Skoura oasis
✓Overnight beneath the Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate
✓Ait Ben Haddou without the crowds, first thing
✓Guided day in Marrakech
✓Essaouira and the Atlantic coast

Day by Day

Full 12 Day Itinerary

Tap any day to expand it. Every day flexes around your interests.

Your driver meets you at Mohammed V Airport. If your flight lands early enough, visit the Hassan II Mosque above the ocean and take an evening walk on the Corniche. Overnight in Casablanca.
Morning in Rabat for the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas, then a mountain drive through the Rif to the blue town of Chefchaouen. Overnight in Chefchaouen.
Chefchaouen keeps you until midday, then Volubilis slows you down again with its Roman mosaics and storks nesting on ancient columns. Evening arrival in Fes. Overnight in Fes.
A full day in the medieval medina: tanneries, madrasas, the Royal Palace gates, the Mellah, and souks where each street still belongs to one craft. Overnight in Fes.
Over the Middle Atlas through Ifrane and the Azrou cedar forest, down the Ziz Valley to the dunes. Camels carry you into Erg Chebbi for sunset, and drums carry the evening at camp. Overnight in a Merzouga desert camp.
No suitcase today. Sunrise from the dunes, then a 4×4 loop through Khamlia village with its Gnawa musicians, nomad encampments and the wild edges of the erg, followed by an afternoon of rest. Overnight in Merzouga.
Via the old caravan town of Rissani to Todra Gorge, where you walk the canyon between towering walls, then along palm groves to the twisting Dades Valley. Overnight in Dades Valley.
A short, scenic day through the Valley of Roses and the Skoura palm oasis to Ouarzazate. Visit the Taourirt Kasbah or the Atlas Film Studios, then enjoy an unhurried evening. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
Fresh in the morning, you explore Ait Ben Haddou properly, climbing the ksar to its hilltop granary. The Tizi n’Tichka pass then carries you over the Atlas into Marrakech. Overnight in Marrakech.
With a local guide you cover the Bahia Palace, Koutoubia, the souks and Jemaa el-Fna, with Majorelle Garden as an option. Evening free in the Red City. Overnight in Marrakech.
West to the Atlantic: the fishing port with its blue boats, the ramparts that once guarded the sultans trade, gulls, woodworkers and grilled sardines. Back to Marrakech by evening. Overnight in Marrakech.
After breakfast your driver takes you to Marrakech Menara Airport, or arranges the highway transfer to Casablanca if you depart from there. End of your 12 day grand tour of Morocco.

Route at a Glance

Distances and Driving Times

Twelve days engineered so no single leg is exhausting. The numbers prove it.

LegDistanceDriving time
Casablanca Airport to Rabat100 km1 h 15 min
Rabat to Chefchaouen250 km4 h
Chefchaouen to Fes (via Volubilis)210 km4 h 30 min with the ruins stop
Fes to Merzouga460 km7 h with mountain stops
Sahara free day4×4 loop onlyno transfer driving
Merzouga to Dades Valley260 km4 h 30 min
Dades Valley to Ouarzazate110 km2 h through the Rose Valley
Ouarzazate to Marrakech (via Ait Ben Haddou)200 km4 h with the ksar visit
Marrakech to Essaouira190 km2 h 45 min each way

Times include the usual visit and photo stops along each leg.

What Is Covered

Included and Not Included

Included

  • ✓Private air conditioned vehicle
  • ✓Professional English speaking driver
  • ✓Fuel, highway tolls and parking fees
  • ✓Pick up at Casablanca airport or hotel
  • ✓Drop off at Marrakech or Casablanca airport
  • ✓Driver accommodation and expenses
  • ✓Flexible photo and rest stops

Not Included

  • ✗International flights
  • ✗Accommodation (trusted shortlist provided)
  • ✗Meals and drinks
  • ✗Monument entrance fees
  • ✗Local guides in Fes and Marrakech (on request)
  • ✗Camel trek, 4×4 excursion and desert camp (on request)
  • ✗Personal expenses and tips

Why This Tour

Why Book the 12 Day Grand Tour?

This is the route for travellers who want to say they truly saw Morocco: mountains, medinas, desert and ocean, with the two most tiring days of shorter itineraries split into four gentle ones. The Ouarzazate overnight in particular changes the trip, because it puts you at Ait Ben Haddou in the early morning before the day trip crowds arrive from Marrakech.

If twelve days is more time than you have, the 10 day tour keeps both desert nights and drops the coast. If you have more, the 2 weeks Morocco itinerary adds a second Chefchaouen night and a free day in Marrakech.

FAQ

12 Days in Morocco, Common Questions

Two things: an overnight in Ouarzazate, which splits the southern valleys into two easy days and gets you to Ait Ben Haddou before the crowds, and a full day trip to Essaouira on the Atlantic coast after Marrakech.
Yes, it is one we often recommend for that reason. No driving day exceeds about five hours, walking can be shortened everywhere, and the private vehicle waits at every stop. Tell us about mobility needs and we adapt visits and hotel choices accordingly.
Of course. Some travellers prefer a free Marrakech day, the Agafay desert, or the Ourika Valley in the High Atlas. Day 11 is yours, and we will happily suggest options that fit the season.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal across the whole route. Winter works well too, with warm desert days and crisp nights, while in July and August we shift sightseeing earlier in the day and Essaouira becomes a welcome cool break.
Nothing on your side. We track your flight in real time and your driver adjusts, with no waiting charge. If a serious delay eats into day one, we simply shift the Casablanca sightseeing to the departure end or absorb it into day two, your call.
More than most travellers expect. Riads and hotels all offer wifi, 4G coverage runs along almost the entire route including the Tizi n’Tichka pass, and only deep in the dunes does signal fade, which many guests count as a feature. A local eSIM or SIM card is cheap and your driver can help you set one up on day one.

Keep Exploring

Similar Private Morocco Tours

Planning your trip? Read our guides: best time to visit Morocco, what a Merzouga desert camp is like and what to pack for the desert.

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