Casablanca to Marrakech via Merzouga desert


From

1500€

  • Duration: 15 days
  • Minimum: 2 pax

Book now
Erg Chebbi Tour Erg Chebbi Tour Erg Chebbi Tour Erg Chebbi Tour Erg Chebbi Tour

Itinerary

15-days program for Casablanca to Marrakech via Merzouga desert

Upon arrival, you will drive to Casablanca and then to Rabat. In Casablanca, you will visit Hassan II’s Mosque, which one of the biggest mosques in the world. Afterwards, we head to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, where you will spend the first night.

After breakfast, you will visit the Hassan’s Tower in Rabat and then drive to Chefchaouen via the city of Knetra and the Rif Mountains, crossing via Wazzan and other Rif villages. You will arrive in Chefchaouen late in the afternoon.

You get the whole day to spend it in Chefchaouen to explore one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco. One of the most stunning towns at the feet of the Rif mountains. Chefchaouen’s Medina has a Spanish-style square surrounded by many funky arts and crafts stores, roof-top restaurants, and cafes where you will spend the night to enjoy nature.

After breakfast, the journey starts towards Volubilis, crossing via Wazan and other Rif villages. In Volubilis, you will visit the Roman ruins and learn about the archeological site and its Moroccan history. After visiting the ruins, you will make your way to Meknes, a city with a 17th century heritage. You will stop there for lunch and hang out and enjoy the historical giant walls. More details about the city will be provided once you are there. Fes comes next where you will spend the night.

After breakfast, you will start exploring the oldest city in Morocco, walking in its alleys and small streets. Your visit starts by visiting the Royal Palace gate, the Jewish headquarters, the first Mellah ever built in Morocco, built during the 16th century. You will as well visit the famous Al Qaraouine University, the oldest in the region, the Tanneries, the Attarine museum and Mulay Idriss mausoleum. After lunch, you will visit the tiles cooperative and then experience a wonderful panoramic view over the whole medina of Fes.

You will have a free morning in Fes and drive to Midelt in the afternoon. You will leave Fes travelling towards Ifrane, which is nationally known as the little Switzerland of Morocco and then on to Midelt. During this journey, you get to see glimpses of the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas mountains. Stopping in Azrou, a Berber village in the middle of the famous cedar forest. After some time within the forest, your journey continues to Midelt along the magnificent hills and the Atlas mountains.

After breakfast in your hotel, you will travel to Merzouga via Errachidia and Erfoud. You will be travelling through the fascinating Tiz Ntalghamt pass and the Ziz Gorge, taking in views of the High Atlas plateau. You will notice how the scenery changes to reveal hints of the desert as you approach the city of Errachidia, where you will have lunch and enjoy the Berber hospitality. Afterwards, you will travel along the luxuriant Ziz Valley, stopping for panoramic views along the way to Erfoud and Rissani. You will arrive in Merzouga in the afternoon. Your camels will be waiting for you to take you to the camp at the heart of the desert where you will spend a flamboyant night.

Wake up early to enjoy the ravishing sunrise. After breakfast and a shower, you go to the hotel. From there, you start your tour in the desert. You start by visiting a small village named Khamlia where you will enjoy Gnawa Music. The latter is played by Berbers of color whose ancestors came to Morocco from different parts of Africa. The next stop is mines which no longer function. Our guide will explain to you more once you get there. Visiting nomads come next. You will visit Nomadic families who live in tents. Then you head back to Khamlia where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will have a tour in the Hasi Lbied’s Oasis. The rest of the day is yours so that you can do whatever you like.

After breakfast and a shower, you drive to Boumaln Dades. The first stop will be in few kilometers after El Jirf where you will discover the underground connected chain of wheels that people used to get water to their gardens where they grow vegetables, fruits, and dates. The chain of the connected wheels is designed as a sign of collective cooperation and as well to protect water from evaporation as the weather gets very hot, especially in summer. The locals will explain more once you are there. The ticket for going underground is 20 Moroccan dirhams per a person (2 Dollars). The journey then continues to Tinjdad where you will have lunch. The next stop is Jewish Villages near Tinghir on your way to Todgha Gorges. Our guide will explain in details once you get there. Finally in Todgha Gorges, you enjoy the ravishing views and panoramas. A short walk in the Gorges is included before going to Boumaln Dades.

After breakfast, you will take a short walk in the gorges before departure to Marrakech. There are still many sites and things to explore on your final day before arriving in Marrakech. You will follow the Dades Valley through El Kelaa Magona, the Valley of the Roses and the road of a thousand Kasbahs. You visit Ouarzazate and stop for lunch in the ancient desert village of Ait Ben Haddou. It is now a protected UNESCO site and famous as the nest of many films like the Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia and many others. You can climb to the peak of the Kasbah where you will get to see a heart-taking view.

You will drive via Tichka Pass on your way to Marrakech, where you will see many Berber villages along this way.

You drive through lush valleys filled with orange groves, ancient olive trees and working farms on the drive to the coast. After a short while, you arrive in Chichaoua, where you can take a short break. You will continue on, soon coming upon first signs of the Argan trees. The next stop is Essouira, where you have the chance to wander inside the ancient streets of the Medina. The streets have a genuinely Portuguese feel, after they renamed the city in the 16th century and used it as a port city of their own. Here you can dine on fish straight out of the sea. You as well can have a camel ride on the beach, if you wish.

On your way back to Marrakech, you can visit the women's co-operative of Argan oil where they extract the oil that is famous for its culinary, cosmetic and medicinal properties. After dinner, you can enjoy walking within the famous square of Jemaa Elfna, entertained by magicians, story tellers, musicians and snake charmers.

After breakfast, you start exploring the Red City. You get to see a number of places including the Majorelle Gardens, the Koutoubia Tower, the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palace. After lunch at a restaurant near the square, you will walk through the souks and view hundreds of handicrafts. The afternoon is free so that you can do whatever you desire.

Free day.

Drive to Casablanca depending on your flight.

* These fields are required.

Included

  • Experienced English speaking driver / guide
  • Transport in comfortable air conditioned 4x4 vehicle
  • Pick up and drop off from your hotel
  • 1 Night in the Sahara desert dunes with dinner and breakfast
  • Accommodation in hotel / riad / desert camp in desert tents
  • Camel trek to reach the desert camp (1 camel per person)

NOT included

  • Tips and what's not mentioned
  • Plane ticket to and from Morocco
  • Drinks and lunches

Cost will vary based on:

  • The season when you travel
  • The number of people travelling - more travellers, less cost per person
  • The number of days you want to be on tour
  • We usually provide mid-range accommodation in 3 and 4 /5 star riads and/or hotels, however luxury or budget hotels can also be arranged
  • One way or return travel - round trips cost less

Payments

  • Bookings are confirmed on receipt of a 25% deposit. At your request, we will send an invoice with payment details
  • Deposits can be paid via Paypal or direct bank transfer or western union. Receipts will be issued on receipt of the deposit. The balance can be paid in cash (Euro or Dollars or Moroccan Dirham) to the driver on commencement of the tour
  • You can pay the balance by credit card or direct bank transfer but this will incur a 5% fee
  • Please refer to information about tipping when considering the total cost of your tour

Read recent reviews of our travellers
in our TripAdvisor page.

Let’s go