Which tour from Casablanca? Routes compared by length
| Tour | Route in brief | Ends in |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | Rabat, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Fes, Ifrane, Merzouga | Fes |
| 7 days | Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga, Todra and Dadès, Aït Benhaddou | Marrakech |
| 8 days | As 7 days plus a full guided day in the Fes medina and a Marrakech city tour | Marrakech |
| 9 days | As 8 days with a full guided day in Marrakech and a free morning | Marrakech |
| 10 days | Arrival day in Casablanca with the Hassan II Mosque, then the full north-to-south route | Marrakech |
| 12 days | Adds Rabat sightseeing, Meknes, a free day in Marrakech and an Essaouira day trip | Casablanca |
| 14 days | Adds Asilah, Tangier, a full day in Chefchaouen and a free day in Fes | Casablanca |
| 16 days | Adds Taroudant, Agadir and two nights in Essaouira | Marrakech |
Every route can be adapted. The shorter tours move quickly, with several long driving days; from 10 days upwards you get full days in Fes and Marrakech without the car, which makes a big difference to how relaxed the trip feels.
Why start your Morocco itinerary in Casablanca?
Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport has the widest choice of long-haul flights in Morocco, including direct services from North America, which makes it the natural arrival point for many travellers. The city also sits roughly halfway down the Atlantic coast, so a tour can head north to the imperial cities, cross the Middle Atlas to the Sahara and finish in Marrakech without retracing its steps.
Casablanca itself is a modern business city rather than a historic one, so most travellers spend half a day there. The essential sight is the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Africa, built partly over the ocean and one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors on guided tours. Add the Corniche, the Art Deco buildings of the city centre and the Habous quarter if you have time. Our Casablanca travel guide has more ideas.
If you land after a long flight, choose an itinerary that starts with a gentle day, such as the 10-day route, which keeps the first day in Casablanca before driving north.
Casablanca to the Sahara desert: how the desert fits in
Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes are a long way from Casablanca, so the desert always comes in the middle of a multi-day tour rather than as a short trip. On most routes you reach it from Fes, crossing the Middle Atlas via Ifrane, the cedar forest and the Ziz Valley, which breaks a drive of roughly 7 to 8 hours into scenic stages.
In the desert you ride camels to a camp in the dunes for sunset, subject to camel availability that day; if none are free, you go by 4x4 with a sunset stop and ride the next morning. Comfort camp tents are private, with their own bathroom and toilet, and a partner camp with air-conditioned tents is also used. Most longer itineraries include time for a 4x4 excursion to nomad families or Khamlia village.
From the desert the route turns west through the Todra Gorge and the Dadès Valley to Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and over the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech.
What our Casablanca tour packages include, and how to tailor them
Every tour is private: you have your own vehicle and driver-guide for the whole trip, and nobody else joins. As described on each tour page, packages cover transport and accommodation during your stay in Morocco; international flights are not included. You can choose between a comfort and a luxury accommodation category. Note that Merzouga has no luxury hotel category, only comfortable and well-run hotels, so the upgrade applies in the Dadès Valley and at the desert camp.
Ways to adapt a route
- Add a night in Chefchaouen or the desert for a slower pace.
- Finish in Fes, Marrakech or back in Casablanca to match your flights.
- Include the Atlantic coast at Essaouira, or the High Atlas around Imlil.
- Travel as a family, friends or colleagues: see private group tours in Morocco.
Send your dates, group size and interests on WhatsApp or through the form, and we will suggest the itinerary that fits.