12 Day Morocco Grand Loop from Marrakech
If you have two weeks and want to see the whole country without rushing, this is the trip. Twelve private days take you in a full circle from Marrakech: over the High Atlas to the kasbahs and gorges, into the Sahara, north to Fes and the blue town of Chefchaouen, down the Atlantic coast through Rabat and Casablanca, and finally to the breezy port of Essaouira before returning to Marrakech.
- Duration: 12 days, 11 nights
- Starts and ends: Marrakech
- Route: Marrakech → Ait Ben Haddou → Dades → Merzouga → Fes → Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Rabat → Casablanca → Essaouira → Marrakech
- Pace: relaxed, with several two-night stops
- Price: on request, depends on group size, season and hotel level
Highlights
- Two nights in Marrakech with a private city guide
- Ait Ben Haddou, Dades and Todra gorges
- Camel trek and a night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
- Two nights in Fes and two in Chefchaouen
- Volubilis, Rabat and the Hassan II Mosque
- Two final nights by the sea in Essaouira
Day by Day
Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech
Airport pick-up and welcome at your riad. Evening at Jemaa el-Fna.
Day 2: Marrakech city tour
Private guided day: Koutoubia, Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, souks, Ben Youssef Madrasa and Majorelle Garden.
Day 3: Marrakech → Ait Ben Haddou → Dades Valley
Cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass, visit Ait Ben Haddou and continue along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.
Day 4: Dades → Todra Gorge → Merzouga
Walk the Todra Gorge, then ride camels into the dunes for a night in a desert camp.
Day 5: Merzouga → Ziz Valley → Ifrane → Fes
Sunrise over the Sahara and a long, scenic drive north across the Middle Atlas to Fes.
Day 6: Fes guided tour
A full day in Fes el-Bali with a licensed guide: madrasas, tanneries and craft quarters.
Day 7: Fes → Chefchaouen
Drive through the Rif foothills to the blue town for an afternoon of wandering.
Day 8: Chefchaouen
A free day: hike to the Akchour waterfalls or relax in the medina.
Day 9: Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Rabat
Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes on the way to Rabat.
Day 10: Rabat → Casablanca → Essaouira
Morning in Rabat, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, then down the coast to Essaouira.
Day 11: Essaouira
A guided walk through the medina and port, then free time on the beach.
Day 12: Essaouira → Marrakech
Visit an argan cooperative on the way back to Marrakech, or transfer to the airport.
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver for the whole trip
- 11 nights in riads, kasbah hotels and a desert camp, with breakfast; dinners in the south
- Local guides in Marrakech, Ait Ben Haddou, Fes, Casablanca and Essaouira
- Camel trek, airport transfers, fuel, tolls and bottled water
Not included: flights, lunches, other dinners, entrance fees, tips.
Good to Know
- Flexible: any night can be swapped, for example an extra desert night instead of Casablanca.
- Shorter options: the 7 day Marrakech to Fes tour or the 6 day desert and Atlas loop.
- Best season: March to May and September to November.