RIVATE TOUR — 6 DAYS MOROCCO ITINERARY FROM CASABLANCA TO MARRAKECH

OVERVIEW

Six days in Morocco gets you a little breathing room — the same core route as the 5 day trip, but with a full day in Fes for a proper guided tour of the medina. If you’ve heard that Fes is a city that rewards slow exploration, that’s accurate, and this is the shortest itinerary that actually gives you the day to do it.

The rest of the route covers the standard highlights: Casablanca, Rabat, the blue city of Chefchaouen, a camel trek and night in the Sahara, a walk through the Todra Gorge, the kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou, and the High Atlas crossing to Marrakech.

Every itinerary is fully customisable to suit your preferences and pace.

DURATION: 6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS
START: CASABLANCA
END: MARRAKECH
TOUR STYLE: PRIVATE

HIGHLIGHTS

– The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
– The Hassan Tower in Rabat
– Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue city
– A full day exploring the Fes medina with a local guide
– Camel trekking across the Erg Chebbi dunes
– Sunset and sunrise over the Sahara
– A night under the stars in a luxury desert camp
– A walk through the Todra Gorge
– The UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
– Crossing the High Atlas Mountains

ITINERARY

DAY 1: CASABLANCA → RABAT → CHEFCHAOUEN

Pick-up at Mohammed V International Airport or your Casablanca hotel. First stop is the Hassan II Mosque, then on to Rabat — Morocco’s capital — for a quick tour that includes the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas.

After lunch in Rabat, we continue north to Chefchaouen, in the Rif Mountains. Check in at your hotel or riad and settle in. Overnight in Chefchaouen.

Approximate driving distance/time: 374 km / 6 hours

DAY 2: CHEFCHAOUEN → FES

Breakfast at your riad, then the morning is yours to explore Chefchaouen — the painted blue alleys, the small souks, the old medina. Most people take a camera and get lost for a while; the whole town is compact enough that you won’t stay lost for long.

After lunch we drive south to Fes. You’ll arrive in time to settle in at your riad in the old medina. Overnight in Fes.

Approximate driving distance/time: 197 km / 3 hours 38 minutes

DAY 3: GUIDED TOUR OF FES

Full day in Fes with a local guide. Fes is one of Morocco’s imperial cities and the oldest of the lot — its medina is UNESCO-listed and is generally considered one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. Trying to do it without a guide usually ends in getting lost and missing most of what makes the place interesting.

The day starts at the golden gate of the Royal Palace, then moves into the medina proper — Al-Qarawiyyin University, the Al-Attarine Madrasa, the Nejjarine fountain, and the Chouara tanneries. You’ll also visit the Mellah (the old Jewish quarter) and end at a fortress with a panoramic view over the city. Back to your riad for the night.

DAY 4: FES → IFRANE → MIDDLE ATLAS → ZIZ VALLEY → MERZOUGA

The long driving day. After breakfast we head south — first stop is Ifrane, then across the Middle Atlas via the cedar forest where Barbary macaques often turn up. Lunch is at a restaurant along the way.

The road then descends through the Ziz Valley, a long corridor of palm groves, and continues to Merzouga at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes.

You’ll swap the car for a camel in the late afternoon, ride across the dunes to your luxury camp (pausing on a high ridge for sunset), and settle into your private tent with an en-suite bathroom. Dinner at camp, followed by drumming around a campfire under a full desert sky.

Approximate driving distance/time: 500 km / 7 hours 30 minutes

DAY 5: MERZOUGA → RISSANI → TODRA GORGE → DADES GORGE

Sunrise over the dunes is worth the early wake-up. After breakfast you’ll return to Merzouga by camel or 4×4.

If it’s a Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday, we can stop at the traditional souk in Rissani. Then on to the Todra Gorge for a walk under its towering cliffs, followed by the drive through the Dades Valley with its “monkey fingers” rock formations. Overnight at your Dades hotel.

Approximate driving distance/time: 310 km / 5 hours

DAY 6: DADES → OUARZAZATE → AIT BEN HADDOU → HIGH ATLAS → MARRAKECH

The final day heads west to Ouarzazate. An optional visit to Atlas Studios is available, then on to Ait Ben Haddou — a UNESCO-listed kasbah used as a film set for Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, and Game of Thrones. You’ll have time to walk through it properly.

Lunch at a local restaurant, then the climb over the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass and down into Marrakech. Drop-off at your accommodation ends the tour.

Approximate driving distance/time: 353 km / 6 hours 30 minutes

IMPORTANT NOTES

– Driving times don’t include stops for lunch and sightseeing.
– This tour can also start from Tangier.
– Dietary preferences (vegetarian, vegan, allergies) can be accommodated — please mention this when booking.
– Quad biking or buggy activity can be added in the Erg Chebbi dunes at additional cost.
– Prefer not to ride a camel? A 4×4 can take you into and out of the camp instead.
– Three accommodation categories are available — let us know your preference when booking.
– A 5-day version of this trip is available for those with less time, and 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 day, and 2-week versions for those with more.