Overview
The 10 Days Grand Morocco Tour from Marrakech is the ideal itinerary for travellers who fly in and out of the same airport — a circular loop that departs Marrakech, heads east and north through the Sahara Desert and the imperial cities, explores the blue city of Chefchaouen and the Atlantic coast, and returns to Marrakech without retracing a single kilometre. It is the only 10-day itinerary that offers the complete Morocco experience — desert, mountains, medieval cities, Atlantic coast, and Berber culture — in a single connected journey.
The circular format is a significant practical advantage: travellers avoid the complexity of different departure and arrival airports and the extra time and cost of positioning between cities. The loop is designed so that each day’s driving connects naturally to the next destination without long out-and-back detours. The result is a journey that feels coherent rather than exhausting — a genuine arc through the country rather than a rushed tick-list.
Ten days allows this tour to breathe in a way that a 7-day or 8-day version cannot. There are two full days in Fes — the city that most rewards extended exploration and where a single day barely scratches the surface of the medina. There is a proper overnight in Chefchaouen with time for the sunrise and the early morning medina walk. And the return to Marrakech is via the Atlantic coast, adding Essaouira to the loop and giving the journey a beautiful coastal conclusion before the return to the Red City.
Highlights
- Depart Marrakech east over the High Atlas — Tizi n’Tichka pass views
- Visit Ait Benhaddou — UNESCO ksar and world’s most filmed location
- Atlas Film Studios tour in Ouarzazate — the Hollywood of Africa
- Walk Todra Gorge — 300-metre canyon walls and ice-cold river
- Sunset camel ride and Sahara overnight at Erg Chebbi, Merzouga
- Two full days in Fes with licensed medina specialist
- Drive north through the Middle Atlas to Chefchaouen
- Overnight in Chefchaouen — sunrise, golden hour, and the blue medina at its best
- Guided tour of Rabat — Kasbah of the Udayas and Chellah necropolis
- Atlantic coast drive via Asilah
- Essaouira day — sea ramparts, thuya souk, Atlantic seafood
- Return to Marrakech through the argan forest
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech to Ouarzazate via Tizi n’Tichka
Cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n’Tichka mountain road (2,260m) — stops at Berber villages and viewpoints. Arrive Ouarzazate via Ait Benhaddou. Guided 90-minute tour of the UNESCO ksar. Atlas Film Studios visit. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
Day 2: Ouarzazate to Merzouga via Dades Valley
Drive east through the Dades Valley — Morocco’s most spectacular kasbah landscape, with ancient earthen towers at every river bend. Stop in Boumalne Dades and walk the Dades Gorge. Continue to Tinghir and Todra Gorge — 30-minute walk in the canyon. Continue to Merzouga and the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Overnight in a riad at the desert edge.
Day 3: Merzouga — Sahara Day & Desert Camp
Morning ride by 4WD into the interior of the Erg Chebbi to visit a nomadic family encampment. Return to your riad for lunch and afternoon rest. Late afternoon camel ride at sunset into the dunes. Overnight in a luxury Berber desert camp — dinner, Gnawa music, extraordinary night sky.
Day 4: Merzouga to Fes via Ziz Valley & Middle Atlas
Sunrise over the dunes. Breakfast. Drive north through Rissani, along the Ziz Valley palm oasis corridor, and up through Midelt into the Middle Atlas. Stop at Azrou cedar forest — Barbary macaques at the roadside. Arrive in Fes in the early evening. Overnight in a medina riad.
Day 5: Fes — Full Medina Day
Licensed specialist guide all day: Bou Inania Medersa, Attarine Medersa, Chouara tanneries (the world’s oldest working tannery), potters’ quarter, dyers’ souk, Andalusian quarter. Lunch in a Fassi restaurant. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Fes.
Day 6: Fes — Second Medina Day
Morning: explore the Mellah (Jewish quarter) and visit the Borj Nord fortress and arms museum with panoramic views over the medina. Afternoon: Fes el-Jdid (the new medina), the Royal Palace gates, and the souks at the city’s western edge. Overnight in Fes.
Day 7: Fes to Chefchaouen
Drive north through the Rif Mountains. Arrive Chefchaouen at golden hour. Guided medina walk: Plaza Uta el-Hammam, kasbah, best lanes of the blue city. Dinner on a medina rooftop. Overnight in a riad.
Day 8: Chefchaouen to Rabat via Asilah
Early morning walk in the medina (before 8am). Spanish Mosque hike. After breakfast, drive west to the Atlantic coast. Stop in Asilah — the whitewashed Portuguese art town (90 minutes). Continue south to Rabat. Afternoon guided tour: Chellah necropolis, Hassan Tower, Kasbah of the Udayas. Overnight in Rabat.
Day 9: Rabat to Essaouira via Casablanca
Morning drive south to Casablanca. Visit the Hassan II Mosque (1 hour). Continue south along the Atlantic coast to Essaouira. Afternoon in Essaouira: sea ramparts, Skala de la Ville, thuya souk, fishing port. Overnight in a medina riad.
Day 10: Essaouira to Marrakech
Morning at leisure in Essaouira — fish market, final seafood breakfast, last walk on the sea walls. Drive east through the argan forest to Marrakech (3 hours). Arrive mid-afternoon. Free time in Marrakech or transfer to airport.
What’s Included
- Private transport throughout (circular route)
- Expert English-speaking licensed guide
- Licensed specialist guide for Fes medina (2 days)
- Hassan II Mosque entrance (guided)
- Camel ride at sunset in Erg Chebbi
- Luxury overnight in Berber desert camp (dinner and breakfast)
- 9 nights in riads or guesthouses (breakfasts daily)
- Entrance fees: Ait Benhaddou, Atlas Film Studios, Bou Inania Medersa, Chellah, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou
What’s Not Included
- International flights to and from Morocco
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Personal lunches and most dinners
- Tips for guides and driver
- Visa fees where applicable
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Travel Tips
The circular format means this tour can begin and end anywhere in the loop — Fes, Casablanca, or Tangier starts are all available, with the remainder of the circuit adjusting accordingly. Day 4 (desert to Fes) is a long driving day of approximately 7 hours with stops — an early departure from Merzouga is essential. Two days in Fes is the minimum needed to appreciate the medina; the second day consistently reveals things the first day missed entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can this tour start in Casablanca or Fes instead of Marrakech? A: Yes — the loop can begin at any point. Starting in Fes and ending in Marrakech (or vice versa) is the most common variation for travellers flying into and out of different airports.
Q: How does this 10-day tour differ from the 12-day Grand Morocco Tour? A: The 12-day tour includes Tangier and spends more time at each stop. The 10-day circular tour is better suited for travellers using a single airport for both arrival and departure, and is slightly more fast-paced.
Q: Is 10 days enough to see Morocco properly? A: Ten days allows you to experience Morocco at depth — two full days in Fes, a proper overnight in both Chefchaouen and Essaouira, and unhurried time at the Sahara. It is the minimum recommended duration for a comprehensive Morocco experience; 12 or 14 days allows an even more relaxed pace.