By Sabir, Morocco Extra Tours. I have guided and driven travellers across Morocco since 2004, and most of my tours with Americans, Canadians and Australians start in Casablanca.
Quick answer: The classic Morocco itinerary from Casablanca starts with a pickup at Mohammed V airport, then head north through Rabat and Chefchaouen to Fes, cross the Middle Atlas to the Sahara at Merzouga, and finish in Marrakech or back in Casablanca. Plan at least 7 days for the cities and the desert, and 9 to 10 days if you want time to enjoy them instead of living in the car.
Casablanca is where most international flights land, so it is the natural starting point for a private tour of Morocco. Here is the itinerary I drive with my guests, how many days you really need, and the practical details nobody tells you before you land.
Arriving at Mohammed V airport
I meet my guests at Mohammed V airport in Casablanca. If you land in the morning after a long night flight, do not rush: we go to the hotel first, you rest, and we start visiting later in the day. The trip is long, and the first day sets the tone for everything after it.
What to see in Casablanca
Casablanca is a modern city, so one afternoon or one day is usually enough. These are the places I take guests to:
- The Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the ocean. It is the highlight of the city.
- The Corniche, the long seafront road with cafés and ocean views.
- Mohammed V Square and its government buildings.
- The Habous quarter, the "new medina", with its arcades and small shops.
- Sometimes the old medina, if guests want to see it.
The classic route north: Rabat, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes and Fes
This is the route I drive most often in the first days of a tour from Casablanca.
- Casablanca. Arrival, rest, then the Hassan II Mosque, the Corniche, Mohammed V Square and the Habous quarter.
- Rabat, then Chefchaouen. On the way north we stop in Rabat for about an hour at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Hassan Tower. In Chefchaouen, guests check in, rest, then go out to discover the blue town.
- Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis and Meknes. We visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis and pass through Meknes. Moulay Idriss is only a stop if the guest wants it. We reach Fes in the late afternoon so you can rest
- Fes with a local guide. Fes with a local guide. A full day in the oldest medina of Morocco (details below).
My honest advice on each city
- Rabat really deserves a full day. If you have the time, add the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Chellah for their history. Our longer tours include a night in Rabat.
- Chefchaouen: walk the lanes of the old medina, then watch the sunset from the Spanish Mosque on the hill.
- Volubilis is absolutely worth it, above all if you love Roman history and archaeology.
- Meknes looks a lot like Fes, so most of my guests are happy to just pass through.
A day in Fes
In Fes we always visit with a licensed local guide:
- The gates of the Royal Palace and the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter.
- The Borj Sud (South Tower) for the view over the whole city from the hill.
- A pottery workshop.
- Then I drop you and the guide at the closest point to the old medina. Cars cannot go inside, so the rest is on foot.
- In the medina: Seffarine Square and its coppersmiths, the Bou Inania Madrasa, Al Quaraouiyine, the Zawiya of Moulay Idriss, silk and clothing workshops, and the tanneries.
From Fes to the Sahara and Marrakech
After Fes, most tours cross the Middle Atlas (Ifrane, Azrou and the cedar forests) and the Ziz Valley to reach the dunes of Merzouga for a camel ride and a night in a desert camp. From the desert, the road goes back west through the Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley, Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou, then over the High Atlas to Marrakech.
If you want to know what that desert night is like, read A Night in a Sahara Desert Camp: What to Expect. For the road itself, see Todra Gorge to Merzouga: Best Stops. Not sure which desert to choose? Read Merzouga vs Chegaga.
Driving times on a tour from Casablanca
These are the real times I count with guests, including the usual stops. Without stops, the drive is shorter, but you would miss the best part of the trip.
- Casablanca to Rabat: About 1.5 hours. Visit of the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.
- Rabat to Chefchaouen: About 5 hours. The Rif mountains begin before Ouazzane, where we usually stop for a break and toilets.
- Chefchaouen to Fes: 3.5 to 4 hours direct, about 6 hours with stops. Lunch, Volubilis and Meknes.
- Fes to Merzouga: 8 to 9 hours. Ifrane, the cedar forest with its Barbary macaques, lunch in Midelt, Rich or Errachidia, and a last stop at the Ziz Valley oasis and its palm groves.
- Camel ride to the camp: 1.5 to 2 hours. If you cannot continue on the camel, a 4x4 takes you to the camp.
- Merzouga to Boumalne Dades: About 5 hours. Lunch, the old khettara water channels near El Jorf, and the Todra Gorge.
- Boumalne Dades to Marrakech: 5 to 6 hours. Ouarzazate and the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou.
- Merzouga to Ouarzazate: About 7 hours. For shorter tours that skip the night in Dades.
- Merzouga to Marrakech: About 10 hours. The longest day of any tour, used only when time is short.
This is why I always tell guests not to squeeze the desert into a short trip: the Fes to Merzouga day and the way back to Marrakech are long, and they are much better split over two days.
What is included in a private tour
- Your own English-speaking driver for the whole trip.
- A comfortable minivan. The roads are good, so you do not need a 4x4. We only use a 4x4 on the sand in the desert.
- Your nights and breakfast. Breakfast is included every day.
- A licensed local guide in Fes. He comes with the driver to your riad, usually at 9:30, and the visit ends around 4 pm.
Not included: entrance tickets to monuments, and lunches and dinners. If you want meals added, tell us before the trip and we will include them.
Riad or hotel?
In modern cities like Casablanca and Tangier, we book hotels. In the old cities, I recommend a riad: a traditional Moroccan house built around a courtyard. The architecture is authentic, it shows you the local culture, and the welcome is warmer and more personal than in a big hotel. Most of my American, Canadian and Australian guests, and many Europeans, prefer riads. As they often tell me: "We have hotels at home, we want something different." If you prefer a classified hotel, just tell us.
Where does the tour end?
It depends on your flight home:
- Casablanca: most Americans, Australians and Japanese fly home from Mohammed V airport, so many of our tours end in Casablanca.
- Marrakech: some European guests fly home from Marrakech airport, so the tour ends there.
- Fes: rarely. Some guests want a few extra days in Fes, then take the train to Casablanca airport. Count about four hours.
Tip for your last night: if your flight leaves Casablanca early, sleep in a hotel near the airport, such as Atlas Sky or Relax Airport Hotel. They run a free shuttle to the airport every half hour, and the ride takes only about ten minutes. Just be at the hotel reception five minutes before the shuttle leaves.
How many days do you need? Our tours from Casablanca
Choose by the time you have. All our tours are private, with your own driver.
- 5 days: 5 Days Casablanca to Marrakech via the Desert. Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga, Dades Valley, Marrakech.
- 5 days: 5 Days Casablanca to Fes via Tangier and Chefchaouen. Casablanca, Rabat, Asilah, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Volubilis, Fes, back to Casablanca. No desert.
- 7 days: 7-Day Morocco Tour: Sahara, Fes, Chefchaouen and Marrakech. The imperial cities, Chefchaouen and the Sahara at a calmer pace.
- 9 days: 9 Days Morocco Tour from Casablanca. Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes, Fes, Merzouga, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech.
- 10 days: 10-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca: Desert, Cities and Coast. Casablanca, Meknes, Volubilis, Fes, Merzouga, Todra, Dades, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech, Essaouira.
- 16 days: 16 Days Morocco Grand Tour: Cities, Desert and Ocean. Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga, Dades, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Essaouira, back to Casablanca.
- 20 days: 20-Day Morocco Imperial Cities and Sahara Tour. The full classic route, then Erg Chegaga, Tata, Mirleft, Taroudant, Essaouira and Marrakech.
My advice: five days work if you only want one part of Morocco: the north and the imperial cities, or a fast run to the desert. To see the cities and the Sahara without being exhausted, take 9 or 10 days. With two weeks or more, you can add the ocean and the deep south.
The two biggest planning mistakes
1. Choosing the cheapest price. A couple finds a 5-day tour from Casablanca to Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga and Marrakech at about $900 per person. They leave it to find something cheaper, book at $600 per person, and then everything is poor: the driver, the hotels, the restaurants and the camp. Do not book at very low prices. It is better to ask the agency for a 15 to 20% discount and ask them to commit to good service.
2. Trying to see everything in five days. Some travellers want the imperial cities, Fes, Marrakech, Chefchaouen and the Sahara in five days. They end up exhausted and spend most of the trip in the car. The desert needs time, and cities like Fes and Marrakech need at least two days each to explore and enjoy.
Practical tips for your first days
- Do not drink tap water. Most health problems on a trip to Morocco come from tap water and street food. Drink bottled water and ask your driver or guide where to eat.
- Carry cash. Many roadside restaurants and small shops only take cash. Cards work in large supermarkets and classified hotels.
- Take a licensed guide in the medinas. The most common trap is refusing a licensed guide, walking alone, then letting a bazaar owner do whatever he wants with you. A licensed guide fears for his licence and his reputation, and he knows real handicrafts from fake ones.
- Tipping your driver: about 100 to 200 MAD per day is usual, depending on how happy you are with the service.
A story from the road
One night near Batha in Fes, after dropping my clients at their riad, I was about to go to sleep when I saw an American woman with her three children. Nobody could take her to the station, where her husband was waiting, so I told her to get in. On the way she told me she was from New York; when I said I was from the High Atlas, she said she had been there the week before. When we met her husband, she took out money to pay me. I said: "No, this one is free, for the children." That, for me, is what travelling in Morocco should feel like.
FAQ
Can a tour from Casablanca end in Marrakech?
Yes. Many of our tours start in Casablanca and end in Marrakech, which suits guests who fly home from Marrakech airport. Others loop back to Casablanca.
Do I need a full day in Casablanca?
Not always. If you land in the morning, rest first, then half a day is enough for the Hassan II Mosque, the Corniche and the Habous quarter.
Can I reach the Sahara on a tour from Casablanca?
Yes. The usual way is via Fes and the Middle Atlas to Merzouga. Plan at least 5 days, and ideally 9 or more.
Is a private tour from Casablanca safe?
Yes. Morocco is a very safe country, and with a private driver you always have someone local by your side. Watch your phone and wallet in crowded places, as in any big city.
How long is the drive from Casablanca to Chefchaouen?
About 6.5 hours with the stop in Rabat: 1.5 hours to Rabat, then about 5 hours through the Rif mountains.
How long is the drive from Fes to Merzouga?
8 to 9 hours with the stops in Ifrane, the cedar forest, lunch and the Ziz Valley. It is a long day, but one of the most beautiful.
How do I get from Fes to Casablanca airport?
By train, in about four hours, or with your driver if it is the last day of your tour.
Start your tour from Casablanca
Tell us how many days you have and which airport you fly home from, and we will build the route with you. See all our Morocco tours from Casablanca, or, if you also plan time in Marrakech, read our guide to a desert trip from Marrakech.