Overview
The 14 Days Grand Morocco Tour is the most comprehensive private Morocco journey we offer — a two-week adventure that covers the full width and depth of this extraordinary country, from the strait of Gibraltar in the north to the edge of the Sahara in the east, from the Atlantic coast in the west to the High Atlas in the south. If Morocco is on your bucket list, this is the tour that means you never need to come back with regrets about what you missed — though you will absolutely want to return.
Morocco is, by any measure, one of the world’s most diverse travel destinations — a country where the Roman Empire built cities, the Almoravids created a civilisation, the Andalusians fled persecution to rebuild their culture, and Saharan trade routes created centuries of extraordinary wealth and architectural achievement. Two weeks gives you enough time not just to see these places but to feel them — to lose yourself in a medina, to fall asleep in the desert with no noise but the wind, to sit in a mountain village and drink tea without anywhere to be.
The tour begins in Tangier — the port city at the meeting of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, where the nearest European coast is 14 kilometres away and the air smells of salt and mint. This is a city of extraordinary literary and cultural history — Matisse painted here, Paul Bowles lived here for 52 years, and the Rolling Stones famously decamped to the Medina in 1967. Today, a new generation of artists and restaurateurs has transformed Tangier into one of Morocco’s most exciting cities.
From Tangier, the route heads south through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, east to Fes, south through the Middle Atlas and desert to Merzouga, west through the great southern kasbahs, north over the High Atlas to Marrakech, and finally west to the windswept Atlantic city of Essaouira before returning to Marrakech for the final two nights. This clockwise circuit is designed to present the country’s landscapes and cultures in an order that feels like a natural progression — each destination preparing you for the next.
The itinerary includes multiple full-day stops in Morocco’s most important destinations: two days in Fes, two days in Marrakech, and a full day and night in the Sahara. These breathing spaces mean you experience each place with depth rather than breadth — finding your own favourite riad rooftop, your own corner of a medina, your own relationship with a country that rewards those who look beyond the guidebook highlights.
Highlights
- Begin in Tangier — visit the Kasbah and the famous Café Hafa
- Overnight in Chefchaouen — explore the blue city at sunrise and sunset
- Two full days in Fes el-Bali with a licensed medina specialist guide
- Visit Volubilis, Morocco’s finest Roman ruins
- Explore imperial Meknes — Bab Mansour and the royal stables
- Cross the Middle Atlas cedar forests to the Sahara Desert
- Full day and night in the Erg Chebbi dunes, Merzouga
- Drive Todra Gorge and the Valley of the Roses
- Explore Ait Benhaddou and the Atlas Film Studios, Ouarzazate
- Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n’Tichka
- Two full days in Marrakech — medina, palaces, souks and Jemaa el-Fnaa
- Atlantic detour to Essaouira — the blue-and-white windswept port city
- Private guide, private transport, handpicked riads throughout
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Tangier — City Tour
Morning arrival and hotel check-in. Afternoon guided tour of Tangier: the Medina and Grand Socco, the Kasbah Museum, and the legendary Café Hafa — a cliffside café perched above the strait, in business since 1921. Evening stroll along the renovated corniche. Overnight in Tangier.
Day 2: Tangier to Chefchaouen
Morning departure south through the Rif Mountains. Arrive in Chefchaouen in early afternoon. First exploration of the blue medina with your guide — the best streets, viewpoints, and a café stop at the central plaza. Overnight in a medina riad.
Day 3: Chefchaouen — Full Day
Morning hike to the Spanish Mosque for the classic panoramic view. Guided walk through the quietest alleyways and craft souks. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Chefchaouen.
Day 4: Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis & Meknes
Drive east through the Rif. Stop at Volubilis (90 minutes — mosaics, triumphal arch, basilica). Stop in Meknes: Bab Mansour gate, Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, Heri es-Souani stables. Arrive Fes in the late afternoon. Overnight in a Fes medina riad.
Day 5: Fes — Full Day Medina Tour
Licensed specialist guide all day: Bou Inania and Attarine Madrasas, Chouara tanneries, Qarawiyyin Mosque, brass and pottery souks. Lunch in the medina. Afternoon: dyers’ souk, Andalusian quarter, Mellah Jewish quarter. Overnight in Fes.
Day 6: Fes — Second Day & Departure South
Morning at leisure in the medina — revisit favourite spots, shop, explore independently. Early afternoon departure south through the cedar forests and Midelt plateau toward the desert. Overnight in Midelt or Erfoud.
Day 7: Sahara Desert — Merzouga
Arrive at Erg Chebbi dunes. Morning at leisure. Afternoon quad bike excursion in the desert or visit to a Gnaoua musician’s home. Late afternoon camel ride at sunset into the dunes. Overnight in a luxury Berber camp — dinner, live music, extraordinary sky.
Day 8: Merzouga — Sunrise & Westward
Sunrise from the dune crest. Breakfast at camp. Drive west through Rissani and the Todra Gorge — 30-minute walk through 300m canyon walls. Continue to Dades Valley and the Valley of the Roses. Overnight in a guesthouse in the Dades Valley.
Day 9: Dades Valley to Ouarzazate
Drive through Skoura palm oasis — stop at the Amridil Kasbah, one of Morocco’s most picturesque. Continue to Ouarzazate. Afternoon: Taourirt Kasbah. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
Day 10: Ouarzazate — Ait Benhaddou & Atlas Studios
Morning at Ait Benhaddou (90 minutes, guided). Atlas Film Studios tour. Lunch in Ouarzazate. Afternoon free to explore the city. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
Day 11: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Tizi n’Tichka
Cross the High Atlas. Stops at panoramic viewpoints and Berber villages. Arrive Marrakech mid-afternoon. First evening in the Red City — Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk. Overnight in a Marrakech medina riad.
Day 12: Marrakech — Full Day
Guided tour: Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace ruins. Medina souks — Rahba Kedima spice market, the dyers’ souk, the carpenters’ souk. Majorelle Garden and Yves Saint Laurent Museum in the afternoon. Overnight in Marrakech.
Day 13: Marrakech to Essaouira
Morning drive west to Essaouira (3 hours). Arrive in the windswept Atlantic port — once a hub for Jimi Hendrix, Cat Stevens, and the 1970s counterculture. Guided walk through the blue-and-white medina, the sea ramparts, the fishing port, and the woodworkers’ souk famous for thuya wood inlay. Overnight in an Essaouira riad.
Day 14: Essaouira to Marrakech — Final Day
Morning at leisure in Essaouira — the fish market, the beach, or the souks. Drive back to Marrakech (3 hours). Afternoon free in the medina. Final evening at Jemaa el-Fnaa — storytellers, musicians, and the most extraordinary open-air restaurant on earth.
What’s Included
- Private transport throughout in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle
- Expert English-speaking licensed guide throughout
- Licensed specialist guide for Fes medina (2 days)
- Camel ride at sunset in Erg Chebbi (Merzouga)
- Luxury overnight in Berber desert camp (dinner and breakfast)
- 12 nights in riads or guesthouses (breakfast daily)
- Entrance fees: Volubilis, Bou Inania Medersa, Ait Benhaddou, Atlas Film Studios, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, Majorelle Garden
What’s Not Included
- International flights to and from Morocco
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Personal lunches and most dinners
- Tips for guides and driver (10–20 EUR/day per person is customary)
- Optional activities (quad biking, hammam, cooking class, surfing in Essaouira)
- Visa fees where applicable
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Travel Tips
For a 14-day tour, travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly recommended — not because Morocco is dangerous, but because two weeks of active travel in diverse environments warrants proper protection. The best seasons are March–May and September–November. Summer is manageable everywhere except the desert interior, where July–August temperatures can exceed 45°C. Book 4–6 weeks in advance for the best riad availability, especially in Fes and Chefchaouen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can we customise the 14-day itinerary? A: Absolutely — this is a suggested routing. If you want to spend more time in Fes, skip Meknes, or add a night in the Anti-Atlas, we adjust the itinerary completely. The tour price will change slightly based on modifications.
Q: Is this too much for senior travellers? A: This tour is designed to be comfortable for all ages. The pace is relaxed — no day involves more than 6 hours of driving, and most cultural visits involve leisurely walking rather than strenuous activity. We regularly run this tour for travellers in their 70s.
Q: What type of riads are used? A: We use carefully selected riads in each city — typically 3-4 star boutique properties with traditional architecture, private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and rooftop terraces. Upgrades to luxury riads are available on request.
Q: Is the Essaouira detour essential? A: Not essential, but highly recommended. Essaouira offers a completely different atmosphere to inland Morocco — the ocean air, the whitewashed Portuguese walls, the wind, and the relaxed pace provide a wonderful counterpoint to the intensity of Marrakech and Fes.