- Casablanca
- 12 Days
Private 12 Day Morocco Tour From Casablanca
12 Days Casablanca to Marrakech: Imperial Cities, Chefchaouen and the Sahara Desert
This 12 day Casablanca to Marrakech tour is a private Morocco itinerary that goes further than the standard route, adding the blue city of Chefchaouen and an extra day around Marrakech on top of the Imperial Cities and the Sahara Desert. You travel with your own driver guide and vehicle the entire way, sleep one night in a desert camp at Erg Chebbi, and finish with two full days to explore Marrakech and the High Atlas at your own pace. Every stop below can be adjusted, this is a starting point for your Morocco vacation package, not a fixed script.
12 Days Casablanca to Marrakech Tour Overview
Twelve days is enough time to see Morocco properly rather than rushing between highlights. This itinerary is built around four themes: the Imperial Cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech, the blue streets of Chefchaouen, a night in the Sahara Desert at Merzouga, and the kasbahs and valleys of the south, Dades, Todra and Ait Ben Haddou. It is a private Morocco tour from the first pickup in Casablanca to the final drop off in Marrakech, with your own driver guide and vehicle throughout, not a shared bus with a fixed schedule.
Most travelers comparing Morocco itineraries ask the same question: is 12 days enough to explore Morocco? For a first visit that wants both the cities and the desert without feeling rushed, yes, 12 days is close to the sweet spot. Shorter trips usually have to cut either Chefchaouen or a proper night in the dunes. This one does not.
Why Choose This 12 Day Morocco Tour
Private and Fully Customizable Itinerary
Your own driver guide and vehicle, not a shared group tour. Add a day in Chefchaouen, drop Essaouira, or extend your stay in Marrakech, the route bends to you.
Local Expert Guides
A family run Morocco tour operator with drivers who know the Sahara routes, the mountain passes and the medinas firsthand, not from a brochure.
Comfortable Transportation
Private 4x4 or minibus depending on group size, air conditioned, for the full distance from Casablanca through the desert to Marrakech.
Want this exact route with different dates? Send us your travel window and group size for a free personalized itinerary.
Day by Day Journey Through Morocco
Day 1: Casablanca to Rabat
Your driver guide meets you on arrival in Casablanca for a stop at the Hassan II Mosque, one of the only mosques in Morocco open to non Muslim visitors, before continuing to Rabat. In Rabat you visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Chellah, a walled necropolis built over an old Roman colony. Dinner and overnight in Rabat.
Day 2: Rabat to Chefchaouen
Head north to Chefchaouen, the blue city tucked into the Rif Mountains. The afternoon and evening are free to walk the blue washed alleys, photograph the Kasbah and the main square, and watch the town turn gold and then blue as the light changes. Dinner and overnight in a Chefchaouen riad.
Day 3: Chefchaouen to Meknes to Volubilis to Fes
Leave Chefchaouen for Meknes, an Imperial City known for Bab Mansour, one of the most ornate gates in North Africa. Continue to Volubilis, the best preserved Roman ruins in Morocco, with mosaics and a triumphal arch still standing after almost two thousand years. The day ends with arrival in Fes for overnight.
Day 4: Fes
A full guided day inside the Fes Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest of Morocco's Imperial Cities. You walk through the Kairaouine Mosque area, the Bou Inania madrasa, the Nejjarine fountain, and the open air tanneries where leather has been dyed by hand for centuries. Dinner and overnight in Fes.
Day 5: Fes to Ifrane to Azrou to Midelt
Drive south through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas. Ifrane, often called the Switzerland of Morocco for its alpine style architecture, comes first, followed by Azrou, known for cedar wood carving and troops of Barbary macaques in the surrounding forest. Continue to Midelt for dinner and overnight against the High Atlas peaks.
Day 6: Midelt to the Ziz Valley to Merzouga
The road crosses the Tizi n Talghemt pass and follows the Ziz Valley, a long palm lined gorge, before reaching Erfoud and Rissani. By late afternoon you arrive in Merzouga at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Leave the vehicle and continue by camel into the desert for an overnight stay in a luxury desert camp or a traditional Berber camp, with Berber music around the campfire after dinner.
Day 7: Merzouga to Todra Gorge to Dades Valley to Ouarzazate
Wake before sunrise to watch the light hit the dunes, then ride back out by camel. The route continues to Tinghir, where the Todra Gorge cuts through pink rock walls, then through the Dades Valley, known for its kasbahs and rose fields, before arriving in Ouarzazate for the night.
Day 8: Ouarzazate to Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakech
Visit the Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate, then Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah and the backdrop for numerous film productions. The drive continues over the Tizi n Tichka pass through the High Atlas Mountains before descending into Marrakech. Dinner and overnight in a riad.
Day 9: Marrakech
A full guided day in Marrakech: the Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace, the Koutoubia Mosque, and the souks of the medina, ending at Jemaa el Fna as it fills with musicians and food stalls at dusk.
Day 10: Essaouira Day Trip
A day trip to Essaouira, the fortified Atlantic port city known for its blue and white medina and relaxed pace. Walk the ramparts, browse the woodworking workshops, and have lunch by the port before returning to Marrakech for the night.
Day 11: Ourika Valley or Free Day in Marrakech
Your extra day on this 12 day itinerary. Most travelers choose either a half day excursion into the Ourika Valley in the High Atlas foothills, or a free day to revisit the souks, the Majorelle Garden, or simply relax at the riad. Tell us which you would prefer when booking and we build it into the plan.
Day 12: Departure from Marrakech
Transfer to Marrakech Menara Airport for your departure flight, bringing the 12 day Casablanca to Marrakech tour to a close.
Sahara Desert Experience
The night in Merzouga is the part of this trip most travelers remember longest. Erg Chebbi has some of the tallest dunes in Morocco, and the camel trek in at sunset, dinner under the stars, and Berber music around the campfire is a different pace from anything earlier in the itinerary. If you would rather not ride a camel, a 4x4 transfer to the same camp can usually be arranged instead.
- Camel trekking across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, with a sunrise option the next morning
- Choice of a standard Berber camp or a luxury desert camp with private bathrooms
- Dinner and breakfast included at the camp, with Berber music after dinner
- Stargazing far from any city light, in one of the darkest skies in North Africa
Luxury Accommodation Throughout Your Journey
Accommodation on this 12 day Morocco tour runs through traditional riads in the Imperial Cities and Marrakech, comfortable hotels in Ouarzazate and Midelt, and one night in a desert camp at Merzouga. Riads are rated three to five stars depending on the package you choose, and the desert camp can be upgraded from a standard Berber tent to a luxury tent with a private bathroom and proper bed.
Couples planning a Morocco honeymoon tour often choose the upgraded riad and luxury camp option for this exact route, since the 12 day length already allows time to slow down without adding extra travel days.
What Is Included and Excluded
Included
- Private transport in a 4x4 or minibus with driver guide for all 12 days
- Airport pickup in Casablanca and drop off in Marrakech
- Hotel and riad accommodation with breakfast and dinner each night
- One night in a desert camp in Merzouga, including camel trek
- Entrance fees to the sites listed in the itinerary
- Guided visits in Fes, Marrakech and Chefchaouen
Excluded
- Lunches, unless otherwise specified
- Drinks
- Tips for drivers and guides
- Optional activities not listed, such as quad biking or hot air ballooning
Why Book With Desert Marruecos Tours
Booking a Morocco tour operator from abroad comes with reasonable concerns: is the company legitimate, will the quoted price hold, will the driver actually show up. We are a family run operator, every tour we run is private with no hidden costs added after booking, and the price agreed by email is the price you pay. Our drivers are local desert experts who know these routes firsthand.
100 Percent Private
No shared buses, no fixed group schedule.
No Hidden Costs
Inclusions and exclusions listed clearly before you book.
Local Desert Experts
Family run, based in Marrakech, drivers who know the routes firsthand.
Flexible Itineraries
Add a day, remove a stop, change your accommodation level any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 12 days enough to explore Morocco?
For a first visit covering the Imperial Cities, Chefchaouen and a proper night in the Sahara Desert without rushing, 12 days is close to ideal. Shorter trips usually have to drop either the desert or the north of the country.
Is this tour private or shared?
This is a fully private Morocco tour. You travel with your own driver guide and vehicle, and only with the people in your own booking.
Can I customize the itinerary?
Yes. You can add or remove days, swap Essaouira for extra time in Marrakech, change your accommodation level, or adjust the order of cities. This itinerary is a starting point.
Are airport transfers included?
Yes, pickup in Casablanca and drop off in Marrakech are both included as part of the tour.
What accommodation is included?
Riads and hotels rated three to five stars depending on the package, plus one night in a desert camp in Merzouga, which can be upgraded to a luxury tent with a private bathroom.
Will we visit the Sahara Desert and are camel rides included?
Yes, one night is spent at a desert camp in Merzouga, and the camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes is included. A 4x4 transfer to the same camp can be arranged instead if you prefer not to ride a camel.
What meals are included?
Breakfast and dinner are included each day, including at the desert camp. Lunches are not included so you can choose where to eat along the route.
What vehicle will we travel in?
A private 4x4 or an air conditioned minibus, depending on your group size, for the full 12 days.
Is this tour suitable for families, and can honeymoon couples book it?
Yes to both. Families can adjust pacing and hotel room configuration, and couples on a Morocco honeymoon tour often upgrade the riads and desert camp for a more private, comfortable version of this same route.
Is Morocco safe and what should I pack?
Morocco is a safe country for tourists, with the usual common sense precautions of any destination. Pack light layers for the day, a warm layer for desert nights, sunglasses, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes for the medinas.
How do I reserve this 12 day Morocco tour?
Send us your travel dates, group size, and any accommodation preferences by WhatsApp, phone or email. We reply with a tailored itinerary and a clear price, usually within a day.
Reserve Your 12 Day Morocco Adventure
Send your travel dates, your group size, and your preferred accommodation level. We will reply with a tailored itinerary and a clear price, no hidden fees, no pressure to decide on the spot.