The whole kingdom, coast to coast, in two unhurried weeks.
Our 15-day Grand Tour is the most complete journey we offer: a private, coast-to-coast circuit that weaves together every region of Morocco — the four imperial cities, the Atlantic ports of Rabat and Essaouira, the Sahara at Merzouga, the great gorges and oases of the south, and the High Atlas.
It suits travellers who want to see Morocco properly, without rushing, and to travel deep rather than fast. Every night's accommodation, every stop and the overall rhythm are designed around you.
Private local Berber & Arab guides who know every kasbah, dune and shortcut.
Reserve your dates now and pay nothing until your itinerary is approved.
Every stop, hotel and pace is built around you — never a fixed coach group.
Reachable on WhatsApp before and during your trip, day or night.
Your driver-guide welcomes you at Casablanca airport and transfers you into the city, Morocco's largest and its economic capital on the Atlantic. The highlight is the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, built partly over the ocean with a soaring 210-metre minaret — and one of the few mosques in Morocco non-Muslims may enter, via a guided visit. With time, your guide can also show you the Art Deco downtown and the Corniche seafront. After settling into your hotel, the evening is free to rest and shake off the flight before the grand circuit begins. (arrival day, light sightseeing)
We drive up the coast to Rabat, the elegant, low-key capital, for a morning of sightseeing: the picturesque blue-and-white Kasbah of the Udayas above the river mouth, the soaring Hassan Tower and the royal mausoleum, and the leafy boulevards that make Rabat feel calmer than other Moroccan cities. After lunch we head inland and north into the green Rif Mountains, the landscape turning rugged and forested, to reach Chefchaouen — the famous blue city — by early evening, in time to settle in and catch the soft light on the cobalt walls. (approx. 5 hrs driving, with Rabat tour)
A full free day to enjoy Chefchaouen at your own pace — and it rewards slowness. Wander the stepped lanes washed in countless shades of blue, browse the wool, leather and crafts the Rif is known for, and sip mint tea in the Outa el Hammam square beneath the kasbah. Climb to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint for a sweeping panorama over the blue medina and the mountains — best at sunset — or follow the path to the Ras el Maa waterfall where locals still wash clothes. Your guide can suggest a short hike into the surrounding hills, or simply leave you to get happily lost. A calm, photogenic interlude early in the trip. (no long driving — a day to relax)
Leaving the Rif, we drive south to two of Morocco's great historical sites. Volubilis is the best-preserved Roman city in the country — we walk among standing columns, a triumphal arch and astonishingly intact floor mosaics, set in open countryside. Nearby Meknes, the monumental 17th-century imperial capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail, follows: the vast Bab Mansour gate, the royal granaries and the long ramparts that earned it the nickname 'the Versailles of Morocco'. After lunch in Meknes we continue the short distance to Fes, checking into a riad in or beside the ancient medina. (approx. 4 hrs driving, with two major stops)
A full guided day in Fes el-Bali, the largest car-free urban area on earth and Morocco's spiritual and intellectual heart. With a local guide you'll thread its thousands of lanes — where donkeys still carry goods — to the famous tanneries with their honeycomb of dye pits, the dazzling tilework of the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Al-Qarawiyyin (the world's oldest university), and the workshops of coppersmiths, weavers and ceramicists. We break for lunch in a restored riad and stop for mint tea along the way. The evening is free to enjoy this extraordinary medieval city. (city day — walking)
Today we cross from the imperial north to the Sahara. Climbing into the Middle Atlas, we pause in alpine Ifrane, the 'little Switzerland' of Morocco, and the cedar forest of Azrou, where Barbary macaques gather by the road. We descend the palm-lined Ziz Valley and its gorges, with a lunch stop along the way, as the landscape dries toward the desert. Reaching Merzouga in the late afternoon, you ride camels into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset and a night in a Berber camp, with a tagine dinner, drumming and a sky thick with stars. (approx. 7–8 hrs driving)
Wake before dawn for sunrise over Erg Chebbi, then ride back for breakfast. We travel west along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, pausing at the old caravan market of Rissani, then walk into the magnificent Todra Gorge, where sheer 300-metre walls close around a cool river. Continuing through Tinghir's palmery, we reach the rose-coloured Dades Valley in the late afternoon, with its surreal 'monkey-finger' rock formations and famous switchback road, overnighting in a valley guesthouse. (approx. 5 hrs driving)
A gentler day through the south's loveliest country. We follow the Valley of Roses, fragrant and pink in spring, and the Skoura palm oasis with its old kasbahs, to Ouarzazate, Morocco's 'Hollywood' — with the option to visit the Atlas Studios or the Taourirt Kasbah. A short drive brings us to Aït Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed earthen city where countless films were shot; you'll cross the river and climb through its kasbahs with a local guide, then overnight nearby with the ksar floodlit across the valley. (approx. 4 hrs driving)
We cross the High Atlas by the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), a mountain road of switchbacks, Berber hamlets and far-reaching views, stopping wherever the panorama demands a photo and for coffee at a mountain café. Descending into the Haouz plain, we reach Marrakech by mid-afternoon and check into your riad in the medina. The evening is free to begin discovering the 'red city' — perhaps a first encounter with the nightly theatre of Jemaa el-Fna. (approx. 4 hrs driving)
A full day exploring Marrakech with a local guide: the landmark Koutoubia minaret, the painted ceilings and courtyards of the Bahia Palace, the marble-adorned Saadian Tombs, and the labyrinthine souks organised by trade, where your guide helps you find the artisans and bargain. We also visit serene gardens such as the Majorelle or Menara, with stops for mint tea and photographs. The evening is free to return to Jemaa el-Fna's food stalls and musicians, or relax on a rooftop terrace overlooking the square. (city day — walking)
We leave the city for the Atlantic coast, the road passing through groves of argan trees — found only in this region — where you may see goats perched in the branches and can stop at a women's cooperative producing argan oil. By midday we reach Essaouira, a breezy, blue-and-white former Portuguese port with sea ramparts, a relaxed medina and a long beach. The afternoon is free to explore the fortified Skala, the bustling fishing harbour and the art galleries, or simply enjoy fresh grilled seafood by the water. Overnight in Essaouira. (approx. 3 hrs driving)
A full free day to enjoy Essaouira at leisure — a genuine pause midway through the journey. Wander the wave-battered ramparts and the whitewashed medina, browse the thuya-wood workshops and galleries the town is known for, or relax on the wide beach, popular with windsurfers thanks to the steady Atlantic breeze. Seafood lovers can pick their catch straight from the harbour grills. Your guide can also arrange an optional camel or horse ride along the sands, or a day trip to nearby beaches. It's a calm, creative, sea-air counterpoint to the desert and the cities. (no driving — a day to relax)
We leave the coast and head back inland toward the mountains, with the choice that suits you: a route via the Atlantic toward Agadir, or — more popular — into the foothills of the High Atlas south of Marrakech, through Berber villages and terraced valleys. We stop for lunch in a scenic spot and reach our accommodation in the Atlas foothills or Marrakech by late afternoon, positioning us for tomorrow's mountain day. Your guide tailors the exact route to your interests and the season. (approx. 4–5 hrs driving)
A day in the heart of the High Atlas at Imlil, the trailhead village beneath Mount Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak (4,167 m). We walk at an easy pace between Berber villages along irrigation channels and walnut groves, with the option of a mule to carry bags or to ride. You'll visit a traditional village home for mint tea and a home-cooked tagine lunch, learning how mountain families live, and take in sweeping views of the snow-streaked peaks. It's a green, restorative finale — mountains bookending the desert and coast you've already seen. We return to Marrakech in the evening. (approx. 2 hrs driving, plus walking)
After breakfast, the timing of your day depends on your flight. If you have time, there's a chance for last-minute shopping in the souks or a final coffee on a sunny terrace before we transfer you to Marrakech airport (Menara) in good time for your departure. Your guide makes sure you leave relaxed and on schedule, at the end of a two-week journey that has taken in all four imperial cities, the Atlantic coast, the Sahara, the great gorges and oases, and the High Atlas — the whole kingdom, coast to coast. (transfer to airport)
You sleep in hand-picked riads and boutique hotels, plus a comfortable Sahara camp with private en-suite tents, real beds and a Berber dinner under the stars. Choose standard, superior or luxury and we match it.
Travel in a private, air-conditioned 4x4 or modern minivan with your own English-speaking driver-guide. No shared coaches and no waiting — you set the pace and stop wherever you like for photos.
Choose your comfort level — Comfort, Superior or Luxury — and we hand-pick every riad, kasbah hotel and desert camp to match. Exact properties are confirmed on your personalised itinerary.
| Night | Area | Where you stay | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casablanca | Boutique riad or hotel | Bed & breakfast |
| 2 | Chefchaouen | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Lina Ryad & Spa | Bed & breakfast |
| 3 | Chefchaouen | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Lina Ryad & Spa | Bed & breakfast |
| 4 | Fès | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Riad Fès / Palais Amani | Bed & breakfast |
| 5 | Fès | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Riad Fès / Palais Amani | Bed & breakfast |
| 6 | Erg Chebbi (Merzouga) | Luxury desert camp · private en-suite tente.g. Riad Azawad / Kasbah Mohayut & a luxury Erg Chebbi camp | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 7 | Erg Chebbi (Merzouga) | Luxury desert camp · private en-suite tente.g. Riad Azawad / Kasbah Mohayut & a luxury Erg Chebbi camp | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 8 | Aït Ben Haddou | Kasbah hotel or riade.g. Ksar Ighnda / Riad Caravane | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 9 | Marrakech | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Riad Kniza / Riad BE Marrakech | Bed & breakfast |
| 10 | Marrakech | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Riad Kniza / Riad BE Marrakech | Bed & breakfast |
| 11 | Essaouira | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Heure Bleue Palais | Bed & breakfast |
| 12 | Essaouira | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Heure Bleue Palais | Bed & breakfast |
| 13 | Marrakech | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Riad Kniza / Riad BE Marrakech | Bed & breakfast |
| 14 | Marrakech | Boutique riad or hotele.g. Riad Kniza / Riad BE Marrakech | Bed & breakfast |
Morocco packs an astonishing range of landscapes and cultures into a relatively small country, and the shorter tours — however good — always involve choosing what to leave out. Two weeks is what it takes to leave almost nothing out: all four imperial cities, the Atlantic coast, the Sahara, the great southern gorges and oases, the blue city of Chefchaouen and the High Atlas, joined into one private circuit that never has to sprint.
Just as importantly, fifteen days changes the texture of the trip. Instead of a new bed every night you have time to linger — a free day in Chefchaouen, two nights by the sea in Essaouira, an unhurried day in the Atlas — so the journey feels like living in Morocco for a fortnight rather than photographing it from a moving car. It's the tour we recommend for travellers who may only make this trip once and want to do it thoroughly.
The Grand Tour begins on the Atlantic at Casablanca, where the colossal Hassan II Mosque — its minaret rising over the ocean — is one of the few mosques in Morocco non-Muslims may enter. From there the route reaches Rabat, the elegant capital, with its Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower and the royal mausoleum, before heading north to Chefchaouen.
Inland lie two more highlights most short tours skip: Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco with their mosaics and standing columns, and Meknes, the monumental imperial city of the sultan Moulay Ismail. Together with Fes and Marrakech later in the trip, this means you visit all four of Morocco's imperial cities — something only a longer itinerary makes possible.
Few places reward a slow day like Chefchaouen, the town painted in endless shades of blue against the green Rif Mountains. With a free day built in, you can wander its stepped lanes without a schedule, climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the medina, and browse the wool and crafts the region is known for — a calm, photogenic interlude early in the trip.
Fes follows, and a full guided day does justice to the largest car-free medina on earth: the tanneries, the intricate madrasas, and the workshops of artisans working in leather, copper and ceramic. Having a local guide here turns what could be a bewildering maze into a genuine immersion in medieval Morocco.
From the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas the route drops through the palm-lined Ziz Valley to Merzouga, where you ride camels into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset and a night at a Berber camp under exceptionally dark skies. Sunrise over the sand the next morning is, for many, the emotional peak of the whole fortnight.
Turning west, you follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the Todra and Dades gorges, the fragrant Valley of Roses and the kasbah country around Ouarzazate and Aït Ben Haddou. These southern days string together the oases, canyons and earthen fortresses that define pre-Saharan Morocco, before the High Atlas crossing to Marrakech.
After a guided day in Marrakech — its palaces, souks and the nightly spectacle of Jemaa el-Fna — the tour reaches the coast at Essaouira, a breezy, blue-and-white former Portuguese port with sea ramparts, a relaxed medina and some of the best grilled seafood in the country. Two nights here provide a genuine pause: beach, art galleries and Atlantic air midway through the journey.
The final days offer a choice that's yours to make: more of the Atlantic toward Agadir, or a day high in the Atlas at Imlil, walking between Berber villages beneath Mount Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. It's a fitting finale — mountains and coast bookending the desert and the cities you've already seen.
Over two weeks comfort matters, so the tour runs in a private air-conditioned vehicle with your own driver-guide throughout, and the accommodation is chosen to your taste — from characterful riads to five-star hotels and, in the desert, anything from a comfortable standard camp to a private luxury bivouac. You approve every hotel on the list before paying a deposit.
The generous length makes this our most flexible itinerary and a favourite for honeymoons, milestone trips and multi-generational families: we can weave in luxury touches, slow the pace further, or re-route around your interests. If fifteen days is slightly more than you have, treat this as a template — tell us your dates and we'll shape the perfect-length version around them.
Because this circuit spans the coast, the mountains, the imperial cities and the Sahara, the shoulder seasons of spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the sweet spot: warm but not punishing in the desert and the cities, comfortable on the coast, and pleasant in the Rif around Chefchaouen. Spring adds wildflowers and green valleys; autumn brings the date harvest in the south and settled weather by the sea.
Summer is hot inland — Marrakech, Fes and the desert can be intense — though the Atlantic coast at Essaouira and Agadir stays refreshingly cool, and we time activities around the heat. Winter offers bright, clear days, dramatic light and far thinner crowds, with cold desert and mountain nights that simply call for a warm layer. Over a fortnight you'll experience several climates, so packing for range is the key.
A two-week trip across such varied terrain rewards a little thought in the suitcase. Bring layers you can mix for both hot desert afternoons and cool mountain or coastal evenings, comfortable broken-in walking shoes for the medinas and the Atlas, modest options for visiting religious sites, and swimwear for the coast and pools. A small day-bag handles the camel trek and city walks while your main luggage stays in the vehicle.
Because the pace is unhurried, with several two-night stays, you unpack properly more than once rather than living out of a bag — one of the quiet luxuries of the longer itinerary. Sun protection, a refillable water bottle and any personal medication round out the essentials, and your driver-guide is on hand throughout to keep the long fortnight running smoothly.
Rated 5.0/5 by 97 travellers on this and similar private tours. Read traveller reviews →
See our reviews on TripAdvisorVisit Maghreb is a small, licensed travel agency based in Marrakech, run since 2008 by native Moroccan guides born and raised across the regions you'll explore — the High Atlas, the southern kasbah valleys and the Sahara. Every itinerary is designed and led by people who actually live here, never resold from a call centre abroad.
Your private guide speaks your language and personally knows the families who run the riads and desert camps you'll stay in. Pricing is fully transparent with no hidden extras, you pay no deposit until your itinerary is approved, and we're reachable on WhatsApp before and throughout your journey.
Easily — this is a template. Tell us your dates and interests and we'll lengthen, shorten or re-route it for you.
Very much so. We can weave in luxury riads, a private luxury desert camp and special touches throughout.
Yes — Marrakech, Fes, Meknes and Rabat are all included, along with the Atlantic coast at Casablanca and Essaouira, which is what makes this our most complete circuit.
Send your dates and wishes on WhatsApp or the form — free and no obligation.
We design a day-by-day plan and refine it until it is exactly right.
Approve the itinerary and reserve with a small, secure deposit.
Your private guide meets you on arrival — everything is handled.
Flexible cancellation: reschedule or cancel free up to 30 days before departure. No deposit is taken until you approve your itinerary, and every price is transparent with no hidden extras.
Bestseller
Cross the High Atlas, walk through Aït Ben Haddou's kasbah, descend the Dades Valley and sleep two nights under the stars at Erg Chebbi.
One Way
Cedar forests of Ifrane, an Erg Chebbi camel trek, Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley and Aït Ben Haddou — ending in Marrakech.
Popular
All the icons of the 3-day tour plus the Valley of Roses and a slower rhythm — ideal if three days feels rushed.
