This 14 Days itinerary Cities Desert Coast Trip is private circuit offers a profound journey through North Africa’s rich historical culture, deeply rooted Jewish heritage, by Volubelis, Meknes, Rabat, Fez,and Marrakech, stunning architecture, culminating in two nights in Essaouira — Morocco’s most distinctive Atlantic city. The itinerary preserves a comfortable, immersive pace across the region’s most significant landmarks: the striking architecture of the Rif Mountains, the ancient medieval crossroads of Fes, the vast Sahara at Merzouga, the dramatic canyon landscapes of the Dades and Todra, the iconic clay kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, and the historic imperial Cities heart of Morocco.
The final chapters of the journey bring you to Essaouira, allowing you to explore its unique historical tapestry. Here, you will experience its 18th-century Portuguese-designed sea ramparts, the historic blue fishing port, and its deep-seated Gnawa music traditions. The city is also celebrated for its beautifully preserved Jewish heritage, reflected in its historic Mellah (Jewish quarter), old synagogues, and distinct architectural style. You will have ample time to wander through its art galleries, watch artisans in the thuya woodworking souks, and walk along its wide Atlantic beach before a final scenic drive north along the coast back to Casablanca Airport.
Route of this 14 Days Trip : Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes → Ifrane → Ziz Valley → Merzouga Sahara → Erfoud → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley → Skoura → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech → Essaouira → Casablanca
Duration: 14 Days / 13 Nights | Starts: Casablanca Airport | Ends: Casablanca Airport | Type: Private Guided Tour
Tour 14 Days Highlights
Arrive at Mohammed V International Airport. Private transfer to your Casablanca hotel. Depending on arrival time, visit the Hassan II Mosque on the Atlantic waterfront — one of the largest mosques in the world, the only one in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, with a guided interior of extraordinary craftsmanship. Walk the Corniche. Evening dinner at Rick’s Café — the atmospheric piano bar recreated from the 1942 Casablanca film, with live pianist, original film memorabilia, and excellent Moroccan cuisine. A perfect first Casablanca evening.
Overnight: Casablanca city hotel
Morning stop in Rabat (1 hr): Hassan Tower, Mohammed V Mausoleum, Kasbah of the Udayas, and the ancient Chellah — a walled Roman and medieval necropolis where storks nest on the minaret ruins, one of the most evocative layered history sites in North Africa. Lunch in Rabat. Afternoon drive north through the Gharb plains to the Rif Mountains. Arrive in Chefchaouen in the early evening. First walk through the blue medina as the lanterns come on.
Overnight: Chefchaouen medina riad
A complete free day in Chefchaouen. Morning guided walk: Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the Kasbah Museum, the artisan weaving and dye workshops, and the mountain spring of Ras el-Ma. Afternoon at leisure — walk the blue lanes, browse Berber crafts, hike the Rif foothills, or sit in a rooftop café. Sunset from the Spanish mosque viewpoint. The blue city repays time spent without an agenda — every alley turns a different shade of indigo in different light.
Overnight: Chefchaouen medina riad
Early departure east through the Rif. Morning at Volubilis — Roman forum, Triumphal Arch, and extraordinary floor mosaics of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Brief stop at Moulay Idriss Zerhoun — Morocco’s holiest town, perched on volcanic hills. Lunch. Afternoon in Meknes: Bab Mansour, Heri es-Souani royal granaries, Place el-Hedim. Late afternoon arrival in Fes. Check into medina riad. Evening walk in Fes el-Bali by lantern light.
Overnight: Fes medina riad
Full day in Fes el-Bali: Chouara Tanneries, Bou Inania Madrasa, Al-Attarine Madrasa, Kairaouine Mosque and University (founded 859 AD, world’s oldest), spice souk, brass market, and the Mellah. Lunch at a Fassi riad restaurant. Afternoon free in the pottery district and Andalusian quarter.
Overnight: Fes medina riad
Early departure south. Drive through Ifrane and the cedar forests of Azrou — Barbary macaques in the trees. Lunch in Midelt. Continue through the dramatic Ziz Gorge — a vast palm-lined canyon cutting through the Middle Atlas into the Sahara. Arrive in Merzouga in late afternoon. Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes. Arrive at your luxury desert camp for Moroccan dinner and Gnawa music under the stars.
Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Erg Chebbi
Sunrise over the dunes. Camel ride back to Merzouga village. Full free day: 4×4 dune excursion, sandboarding, visit to the Gnawa village of Khamlia, visit a Berber nomad family, explore the fossil market of Erfoud, or simply rest on the hotel terrace watching the light shift across the Erg Chebbi. Late afternoon optional return to the dunes for sunset.
Overnight: Merzouga hotel
Morning departure west through Erfoud and the Tafilalt oasis. Continue through the Valley of Roses. Midday arrival at Todra Gorge — walk the 300m canyon floor and have lunch at the gorge. Continue into the Dades Valley. Arrive at your kasbah hotel in the late afternoon with views over the palm oasis.
Overnight: Dades Valley kasbah hotel
Morning guided walk into the Dades Gorge — 2–3 hours through the red rock canyon formations and ancient kasbah villages perched above the river. The gorge at morning, with low light hitting the red cliffs, is one of the most photogenic landscapes in Morocco. Afternoon free: rest at the kasbah hotel, explore the local village, visit a rose cooperative (spring visits), or walk the valley floor. Two nights in the Dades gives you the gorge at dawn and dusk — a different landscape in each light.
Overnight: Dades Valley kasbah hotel
Morning departure west. Stop at the Skoura oasis and Kasbah Amridil. Continue to the UNESCO kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou — guided walk through the ksar. Cross the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2,260m) through the High Atlas. Descend into the Marrakech plain. Arrive at your riad in Marrakech in the evening. Night walk on the Djemaa el-Fna.
Overnight: Marrakech medina riad
Full guided day in Marrakech: Djemaa el-Fna, Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, and the medina souks. Lunch in the medina. Afternoon free: optional Majorelle Garden, hammam, cooking class, or final shopping. Evening farewell dinner in the medina.
Overnight: Marrakech medina riad
Morning drive northwest through the argan tree forest — the ancient Arganeraie UNESCO Biosphere Reserve unique to southwestern Morocco — to Essaouira on the Atlantic coast. Arrive midday. Afternoon guided walk: the sea ramparts and Skala de la Ville — the 18th-century Portuguese-designed coastal battery with bronze cannons still facing the Atlantic — the blue-painted fishing port with its working harbor and returning boats — and the medina souks with their thuya woodworking ateliers, art galleries, and silver shops. Dinner at the port grill stalls — the freshest grilled fish and seafood in Morocco, served at open tables beside the boats. Essaouira has a creative, windswept atmosphere unlike any other Moroccan city — it is simultaneously a working fishing port, an art capital, a Gnawa music stronghold, and one of the finest small medinas in the country.
Overnight: Essaouira medina riad
A complete free day in Essaouira — the great gift of two nights versus one. Morning at leisure: walk the Atlantic beach — a wide, wind-swept bay stretching south for kilometers, with the surf riders and fishing boats against the blue; revisit the ramparts in different morning light; explore the art galleries of the medina — Essaouira has more working galleries per square kilometer than any other city in Morocco, many showing Gnawa-influenced painting and contemporary Moroccan art; visit a thuya woodworking atelier and watch craftsmen carve the fragrant wood into decorative objects using techniques passed down for generations. Afternoon free on the beach or in the medina. Evening: seek out a Gnawa music performance — Essaouira is the undisputed capital of Gnawa music in Morocco, and informal performances happen most evenings in the medina. Final dinner at a rampart restaurant with the Atlantic below.
Overnight: Essaouira medina riad
( Today if you Have Time for a flight we drive by El Jadia, if not highway to The Airport of Casa) After breakfast, depart Essaouira and drive north along the Atlantic coast highway through the green Doukkala plains and the historic city of El Jadida — optional brief stop at the extraordinary Portuguese Cistern of El Jadida (a 16th-century vaulted underground cistern reflected in its shallow water, one of the most atmospheric spaces in Morocco) — to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport. Arrive with comfortable time for afternoon or evening international flights. Your driver guide drops you at departures. The tour ends here. Tour ends at Casablanca Airport
Why spend two nights in Essaouira?
Two nights allow you to fully enjoy Essaouira’s beach, medina, art galleries, and relaxed coastal atmosphere without feeling rushed.
What is the Portuguese Cistern in Essaouira?
It is a historic underground water reservoir built during the Portuguese period in the 16th century and remains an interesting heritage site in the old medina.
Is Essaouira windy?
Yes. Known as Morocco’s windsurfing and kitesurfing capital, Essaouira enjoys refreshing coastal winds throughout much of the year.
Can this tour be customized?
Yes. Additional destinations, extra nights, and alternative start or end points can be arranged to suit your preferences.
Is this tour suitable for seniors and families?
Absolutely. The itinerary is comfortable, family-friendly, and flexible, with optional alternatives to activities such as camel riding. Read More
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