Merzouga Desert Journey
Casablanca to Marrakech via the Sahara
From Marrakech
From Fes
From Casablanca
Couples
Families
Friends
Boutique riads
Luxury desert camps
Nights under the stars
Our story
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17-Day Grand Morocco Tour from Casablanca
Our longest journey and our slowest. Two nights in Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara, the Todra and Dades valleys, three in Marrakech and two in Essaouira. You never pack your bags two days in a row for long, and there is time to walk, to sit in a village café and to say yes to an invitation for tea.
Best for: The slowest, deepest journey we offer.
Highlights
- Chefchaouen and the Akchour waterfalls
- Guided Fes
- Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- A night by the Todra Gorge and walks in the Dades
- Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou
- Three nights in Marrakech and two in Essaouira
Day by day
Day 1Arrival in Casablanca
Welcome at the airport. Hassan II Mosque and an evening on the Corniche.
Day 2Casablanca – Rabat – Chefchaouen
Rabat's Kasbah of the Oudayas and Hassan Tower, then north into the Rif to Chefchaouen.
Day 3Chefchaouen and the Akchour waterfalls
A morning walk to the Akchour falls, afternoon in the blue medina.
Day 4Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes
Morning in the quiet blue medina before the drive south. At Volubilis a local guide walks you through the best-preserved Roman city in Morocco, with mosaics still in place. In Meknes you see Bab Mansour, the grandest gate in the country, and El Hedim square. You reach Fes in the late afternoon.
Day 5Fes guided day
A full day in Fes el-Bali, the largest car-free medina in the world, with an official local guide. Bou Inania madrasa, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university founded in 859, the Nejjarine fountain, the Chouara tanneries seen from a leather-shop terrace, and the golden gates of the Royal Palace. Free time in the souks before dinner.
Day 6Fes – Ifrane – Azrou cedars – Ziz Valley – Merzouga
A long and beautiful drive across the Middle Atlas: Ifrane with its alpine roofs, the cedar forest of Azrou where Barbary macaques live, lunch in Midelt below the High Atlas, then the Ziz Gorges and a ribbon of date palms down to Erfoud. At Merzouga you swap the car for a camel and ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi for sunset. Dinner, Berber drums by the fire and a night in your private tent.
Day 7A day with the desert
Nomads, Gnawa music in Khamlia and the silence of the dunes. Second night at camp.
Day 8Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge
Rissani's souk, then the Todra Gorge for an afternoon walk and a night beside the canyon.
Day 9Todra and the Dades Valley
A walk through the palm groves of Tinghir, then the winding road up the Dades Gorge and its 'Monkey Fingers' rocks.
Day 10Dades – Roses Valley – Skoura – Ouarzazate
The Roses Valley, Kasbah Amridil in the Skoura oasis and a night in Ouarzazate.
Day 11Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou – Tizi n'Tichka – Marrakech
Atlas Studios, Aït Benhaddou, then over the High Atlas to Marrakech.
Day 12Marrakech guided day
A morning with an official local guide: the Koutoubia minaret, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the souks of the medina. The afternoon is yours, perhaps the Majorelle Garden or a hammam, before the storytellers and food stalls of Jemaa el-Fna come alive at dusk.
Day 13Free day in Marrakech
A day of your own: gardens, hammam, cooking class or a balloon flight at sunrise.
Day 14Marrakech – argan country – Essaouira
West across the plains to the Atlantic, through argan forests where goats sometimes climb the trees. Essaouira is a white-and-blue fortified port with a gentle pace: walk the Skala ramparts, the art galleries and the fishing harbour, and eat grilled fish by the boats.
Day 15Essaouira at leisure
A free day by the ocean. Walk the medina, try kitesurfing, ride a horse along the beach, or simply sit on a rooftop with mint tea. Your driver-guide is on hand for ideas.
Day 16Essaouira – El Jadida – Casablanca
The coast road by El Jadida's Portuguese cistern to Casablanca.
Day 17Departure from Casablanca
Transfer to Casablanca airport.
Where you'll stay
These are our usual choices. If one is full on your dates we book a place of the same standard, and you can ask for an upgrade.
Price per person
| Room | Per person |
|---|---|
| Double or twin, 2 sharing | €3,660 |
| Triple room, 3 sharing | €3,000 |
| Quadruple, 4 sharing | €2,560 |
| Single room, travelling alone | €6,770 |
Prices include your private car and English-speaking driver-guide for the whole trip. Your exact quote depends on dates, group size and hotel level, and we confirm it within 24 hours.
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car with your own English-speaking driver-guide
- 16 nights in riads, kasbahs, hotels and 2 nights in a private desert camp
- Breakfast every day
- Dinner at the desert camp, Todra and Dades
- Official local guides in Volubilis, Fes and Marrakech
- Camel ride into the dunes, one camel per person
- 4x4 desert excursion
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Questions about this journey
Is this a group tour?
No. Every Oasis Roads journey is private: your own car and English-speaking driver-guide, no strangers, up to 7 travellers per car.
Is 17 days too long?
Not at this pace. Half of the nights are second nights, so it never feels like a race.
Can we change the route or add nights?
Yes. Because the tour is private, we can add a night, swap a stop or change the end city. Tell us when you ask for your quote.
More journeys
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The Atlantic coast, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes and two Sahara nights in one private trip.
From €3,010 per person
The Grand Loop from Tangier
A full circle of Morocco: the Atlantic coast, Marrakech, the Sahara, Fes and the Rif.
From €3,010 per person
Two Weeks, Two Nights in the Sahara
The grand tour, with a full day and a second night among the dunes.
From €3,010 per person
Where will your road begin?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. Abdou or one of the team will send you a route and a price within 24 hours.