9 days · Marrakech
9-Day Morocco Tour: Desert, Atlas and Essaouira
Overview
Nine days that cover the whole of southern Morocco without packing a bag every morning. Two nights in Marrakech with a guided medina tour, the Atlas and the Dades Valley, two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes, the film town of Ouarzazate, a night by the Atlantic in Essaouira, and free time back in Marrakech before your flight.
Best for: A first trip to Morocco, airport to airport.
Highlights
- Guided walk through Marrakech's medina, Jemaa el-Fna and the Koutoubia
- Aït Benhaddou, Skoura oasis and the Dades Valley
- Todra Gorge and two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Tea with nomads and Gnawa music
- Draa Valley, N'kob and Ouarzazate
- Telouet kasbah and a night in Essaouira by the ocean
- Free time for Majorelle Garden, Bahia Palace or a hammam
Day by day
Arrival in Marrakech
Your driver-guide meets you at the airport and takes you to your riad. The afternoon is yours: wander the souks, find a café, or rest in the riad's courtyard.
Marrakech guided city tour
A full day with a local city guide: Jemaa el-Fna, the Koutoubia mosque, and the hidden lanes and gardens of the medina. Entrance fees are left out so you choose which sites to visit. Free time afterwards for the souks or a spa.
Marrakech – Aït Benhaddou – Skoura – Dades Valley
Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to the ksar of Aït Benhaddou, then through the Skoura oasis and the Roses Valley to the Dades Valley, on the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. Night in the valley.
Dades – Todra Gorge – Merzouga desert camp
A walk in the narrow Todra Gorge, then on to Merzouga at the edge of the Sahara. Leave your luggage at the kasbah and ride a camel into Erg Chebbi. Sunset, dinner, music by the fire, and a night in a private tent.
A day in the desert
Sunrise on the dunes and breakfast. Visit nomad families for tea and listen to Gnawa musicians. Later, another camel ride into the dunes as the light softens. Dinner at camp and a second night under the stars.
Merzouga – Rissani – N'kob – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate
West through Rissani and N'kob, with lunch in N'kob and an optional fossil workshop. Then the Draa Valley's palm groves and kasbahs to Ouarzazate, where Gladiator and Game of Thrones were filmed. Night in a hotel.
Ouarzazate – Telouet – Essaouira
Over the Atlas to Telouet kasbah and a visit to an old salt mine, then a long drive west to Essaouira on the Atlantic. Evening in the walled medina, among galleries and fishing boats. Night by the ocean.
Essaouira – Marrakech
A relaxed morning by the sea, then back to Marrakech. Free afternoon for Majorelle Garden, Bahia Palace or a hammam, and dinner in one of the city's restaurants or the square.
Free morning and airport transfer
A last morning for shopping, a cooking class or a quiet coffee. Your driver-guide takes you to the airport for your flight.
What's included
- Airport pickup and drop-off, private air-conditioned car with your own English-speaking driver-guide
- Local guide for the Marrakech city tour
- 6 nights in hotels, kasbahs or riads, 2 nights in a desert camp (private tent)
- Breakfast and dinner every day
- Camel rides, one camel per person
- Sandboarding and live music at the camp
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
Flights, lunches, drinks, entrance fees, tips and personal expenses.
Questions about this tour
Is this a good first trip to Morocco?
Yes. It covers Marrakech, the mountains, the desert and the coast, with a private driver-guide the whole way.
Day 7 looks long. Can we split it?
Yes. We can add a night, or skip Telouet and go straight to Essaouira.
Can you also book our Marrakech riad?
Yes, we book all the accommodation.
Where would your road take you?
Tell us your dates and group size. Abdou or one of the team will reply with a route and a price within 24 hours.