Imperial Cities & Sahara Desert Tour: Marrakech to Marrakech

Arrive in Marrakech and transfer to your riad, set within the city’s walls and courtyards. After settling in, the evening is left open to rest and begin adjusting to the rhythm of the city. You may choose a quiet walk through nearby streets, a simple meal, or time on the rooftop as the call to prayer moves across the city, marking the close of the day.

Explore Marrakech’s medina with a knowledgeable guide, visiting key monuments and quiet courtyards alike. Lunch is enjoyed in the medina, followed by visits to the Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, and Bahia Palace.

Travel inland, crossing open plains before entering the winding Ounilla Valley. Stop at Telouet Kasbah to explore its layered history and mountain setting, then continue on to Ait Ben Haddou. Walk through the earthen village and climb above the ksar to watch the light soften at sunset before overnight in Ait Ben Haddou.

Depart Ait Ben Haddou and travel east to Skoura to visit Kasbah Amridil, a well-preserved example of traditional earthen architecture. Continue through the Roses Valley, stopping at a local rose cooperative, before arriving in Dades Gorge for the night.

A hike among the Monkey Fingers reveals the sculpted beauty of the gorge. Picnic in the mountains and share tea with nomadic families. In the evening, you are welcomed into a local home for dinner and music.

Visit a rug cooperative near the Monkey Fingers and take part in a weaving workshop with women artisans. Lunch is shared in the gorge, followed by a quiet afternoon and dinner at your hotel or Riad.

Travel east from Dades Gorge through the narrow walls of Toudgha Gorge. Along the way, visit traditional irrigation systems and the Amazigh culture and art museum in El Khorbat. Lunch en route before continuing on to Merzouga for overnight at the edge of the desert.

Travel into the desert by 4x4, visiting nomadic families and historic mineral sites. The rhythms of Gnawa music fill the air, and a local market offers a glimpse of daily life at the desert’s edge. Lunch is Amazigh pizza, baked traditionally. In the late afternoon, camels carry you into the dunes. The evening is spent in a desert camp with Amazigh music, dinner, and stars overhead.

Depart the desert in the morning and travel north through the Ziz Gorge, where steep rock walls open into a long valley of palm oases and cultivated fields. Stop in Erfoud to sample local dates before continuing into the cooler elevations of the Middle Atlas, arriving in Midelt for the night.

Travel north from Midelt toward Fes, with the landscape gradually softening as you leave the mountains behind. Upon arrival, walk around the Medina and spend the afternoon at your leisure before settling in for overnight in Fes.

A guided walk through the medina introduces the living heart of Fes. You move through artisan quarters, historic schools, and the tanneries where natural dyes color leather as they have for centuries. The day unfolds at walking speed, with time to pause, observe, and absorb.

A short drive brings you to El Bhalil, a village built into the hillside. You are welcomed into a family’s cave home for lunch, sharing a meal shaped by place and tradition. Nearby, women artisans demonstrate the careful craft of silk button making. In the afternoon, you return to Fes.

Leave Fes in the morning and travel through open countryside to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, where stone columns and mosaics rest among olive groves. After time to explore the site, continue north into the Rif Mountains, arriving in Chefchaouen by evening for overnight.

A full day to explore Chefchaouen’s blue-washed streets. In the evening, you walk to the Spanish Mosque to watch the sun set over the hills.

An early drive leads to Akchour for a waterfall hike through green valleys and stone paths. You return to Chefchaouen in the afternoon for a cooking class and a shared meal with a local family. Overnight in Chefchaouen.

Leave Chefchaouen in the morning and travel through the Rif Mountains toward Tetouan, a city shaped by Andalusian influence. Walk through the medina and visit a traditional tile workshop, where geometric patterns are still made by hand. In Tangier, explore the old medina and spend time in small galleries and local art spaces that reflect the city’s creative life. Overnight in Tangier.

Visit the Hercules Caves in Tangier before continuing on to Asilah, a small coastal town known for its murals and artistic spirit. You can walk the medina, visit markets, and drink tea alongside local artists.

Travel south along the coast, stopping in Rabat to explore the Oudaya Kasbah, Hassan Tower, Royal Palace grounds, and the ruins of Chellah. Continue to Casablanca to visit the Hassan II Mosque before settling in for the night.

Follow the coast south from Casablanca to the lagoon at El Oualidia, where calm waters attract flamingos and oysters are harvested fresh from the sea. Continue on to Safi, arriving in the afternoon for the night.

Depart Safi along the Atlantic coast, beginning with a pottery class led by local artisans, working with clay shaped by generations of craft. The road follows the shoreline south, with wide ocean views and changing light, before arriving in Essaouira for the night.

Explore the Medina and visit a traditional wood workshop, learning how local materials and maritime life shape the craft.

Departure from Marrakech