12 day Morocco itinerary at a glance
The extra two days compared with a 10-day trip are spent at the end, in and around Marrakech, so the trip finishes slowly rather than with a rush to the airport. Here is the full route.
| Day | Route | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casablanca – Rabat | Hassan II Mosque | Rabat |
| 2 | Rabat – Chefchaouen | Hassan Tower, Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Kasbah of the Udayas | Chefchaouen |
| 3 | Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes | Roman mosaics, Bab Mansour | Fes |
| 4 | Fes | Guided medina tour, tanneries, Bou Inania Madrasa | Fes |
| 5 | Fes – Ifrane – Midelt – Ziz Valley – Merzouga | Cedar forests, Barbary macaques | Hotel by the dunes |
| 6 | Merzouga and Erg Chebbi | Nomads, Khamlia, sunset camel trek | Desert camp |
| 7 | Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dadès | Sunrise, Todra canyon | Dadès Valley |
| 8 | Dadès – Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou – Marrakech | Valley of the Roses, Tizi n'Tichka | Marrakech |
| 9 | Marrakech | Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, souks | Marrakech |
| 10 | Marrakech at leisure | Majorelle Garden or optional activities | Marrakech |
| 11 | Essaouira day trip | Ramparts, fishing port, argan trees | Marrakech |
| 12 | Departure | Transfer to RAK or CMN | – |
Who the 12 days tour from Casablanca suits
Twelve days is the length to pick if you want to see all of Morocco's classic regions and still have time to rest. It works particularly well for:
- Families: four nights in one Marrakech riad means no packing and unpacking at the end, and the free day lets children recharge. Ask us about connecting rooms and shorter driving stints.
- First-time visitors who dislike rushing: each big city gets a full guided day, and the long driving days are separated by days on foot.
- Travellers who want the coast too: the Essaouira day trip adds the Atlantic, its UNESCO-listed medina and fresh seafood.
If your time is shorter, the 10 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca follows the same route with two fewer nights in Marrakech. For an even more relaxed pace, the 14 day Morocco itinerary adds further nights. Travelling with friends or another family? Have a look at our private group tours in Morocco.
Casablanca to Marrakech in 12 days: driving and pacing
The longest days on the road are day 5, Fes to Merzouga, roughly 8 to 9 hours with stops, and day 8, Dadès to Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, roughly 7 to 8 hours including Aït Benhaddou. Day 1 is short, about an hour from Casablanca to Rabat after the mosque visit. Days 4, 9 and 10 involve no long drives, and the Essaouira trip is about two and a half hours each way.
Your private driver-guide stays with you for the whole trip and works in English, French, Spanish or Italian (Spanish and Italian depend on availability and are confirmed before booking). Licensed local guides lead the walking tours in Fes and Marrakech, where the medinas are closed to cars.
Accommodation categories
The route uses riads in Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech, a hotel at the edge of the dunes, a desert camp and a kasbah-style hotel in the Dadès Valley. You can book in a comfort or a luxury category. Merzouga has only comfort-category hotels, so the upgrade applies in the cities, the Dadès Valley and the desert camp, where the comfort camp offers private tents with their own bathroom and toilet.
The desert part of your 12 days in Morocco
You reach Merzouga on the evening of day 5 and spend the night in a hotel by the dunes, which leaves day 6 free for the Sahara. In the morning a 4x4 trip takes you to visit a nomad family and to hear Gnawa music in Khamlia; in the late afternoon you ride camels for about an hour and a half into Erg Chebbi to watch the sunset and reach your camp. The camel ride depends on camel availability on the day. If no camels are free, you drive to camp by 4x4 with a sunset stop on the dunes and ride the camels the next morning.
Optional additions include a 1 to 2 hour quad bike ride in the Merzouga dunes or sandboarding. A partner camp with air-conditioned tents is also available, a good choice in the summer months.
Best time and practical tips for a 12 day Morocco tour itinerary
- Spring and autumn give the most comfortable temperatures across the whole route, from the Rif to the Sahara.
- Summer is hot in Fes, Marrakech and the desert, while Essaouira stays cool and breezy, which makes the coastal day especially welcome.
- Winter brings sunny days, cold desert nights and occasional snow on the Atlas passes. Bring a warm jacket.
Pack layers, sun protection, a scarf, comfortable walking shoes and modest clothing for mosques and villages. The dirham (MAD) is a closed currency, so you obtain it in Morocco; carry cash for lunches, city dinners, entrance fees and tips, none of which are included. International flights are not part of the package. For a month-by-month view, see our guide to the best time to visit Morocco.