Step into an 11‑day odyssey where Morocco's millennia‑old traditions intertwine with spellbinding landscapes. This hand‑curated expedition sweeps you from the Atlantic façades of Casablanca and Rabat to Fes' medieval maze, onward across cedar‑clad highlands to the golden silence of the Erg Chebbi dunes, before closing amid Marrakech's cobalt gardens and scarlet souks. At every turn, native guides—historians, musicians, artisans—reveal stories etched far deeper than guidebooks, opening doors to Morocco's living soul.
Private Mercedes van with professional driver
Licensed local guides in every Imperial City
Boutique riads and luxury desert camp
14 thoughtfully arranged meals
Touch down at Mohammed V Airport, then head straight to the dazzling Hassan II Mosque. Its 210‑metre minaret pierces the sky while waves lap the esplanade below—a fitting first impression of Morocco's ambition and artistry. Follow the coast for 90 minutes to the capital, Rabat, where a sunset stroll along the corniche reveals fishing skiffs, cafés, and the wide Bou Regreg estuary. Tonight, dine on refined Moroccan classics—think saffron‑laced tajines and almond‑stuffed briouats—before retreating to your sumptuous riad.
Begin inside the white‑and‑blue lanes of the Oudaïa Kasbah, then stand amid the rose‑coloured columns surrounding the unfinished Hassan Tower and gleaming Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Rolling farmland leads you east to Moulay Ismaïl's city, Meknes: admire the monumental Bab el‑Mansour, vast Royal Stables, and the serene Mausoleum itself. A short hop brings you to the olive‑dotted hills of Volubilis, where mosaics of Bacchus and Orpheus still gleam beneath the North African sun. Arrive in Fes at dusk and settle into a boutique riad hidden within the medieval walls.
Lose yourself in the 9,000 alleyways of Fes el Bali: visit 9th‑century Al‑Quaraouiyine University, the exquisite Bou Inania Madrasa, and the caravanserai‑turned‑Nejjarine Museum. From terraces above the Chouara Tannery, watch dyers stir vats of indigo and saffron as they have since the Middle Ages. End the day on a guided street‑food safari—slurp bessara soup, crunch on mahrouq grilled liver—and drift back to your riad beneath a lattice of lantern light.
Start in the 19th‑century Mellah and the richly painted Ibn Danan Synagogue, then cross to an artisan cooperative where potters and zellij masters chip geometric puzzles into life. Rest among the palms and fountains of Jnane Sbil Gardens before browsing the Batha Museum's trove of carved cedar and cobalt ceramics. Opt for a traditional hammam scrub, then celebrate with a final Fassi feast—perhaps delicate chicken pastilla dusted in cinnamon sugar.
Climb to Alpine‑style Ifrane, skirt cedar forests alive with Barbary macaques near Azrou, and lunch in mineral‑rich Midelt. Descend through the vast date‑palm ribbon of the Ziz Valley before sand finally eclipses asphalt at Merzouga. Mount a camel for a slow procession into the ochre Erg Chebbi; sunset sets the dunes ablaze, and a candle‑lit dinner awaits in your luxury tent. Gaze upward—these stars have no rival.
Greet dawn from a dune crest, then listen to hypnotic Gnaoua rhythms in Khamlia village. In Erfoud, watch artisans polish ammonites and trilobites 380 million years old. A home‑cooked lunch with Berber hosts in Aït Ouzzine precedes your drive along the fertile Drâa Valley to the palm‑filled oasis of Skoura. Your kasbah hotel, wrapped in rustling fronds, is pure tranquility.
Walk the labyrinthine Kasbah Amridil, then drive to Kalaât M'Gouna, hub of Morocco's rose‑water trade (and riotously pink each May). Pass "monkey‑finger" rock formations en route to Dadès Gorge, where a clifftop lunch overlooks serpentine switchbacks. Meet cave‑dwelling nomad families near Boutaghrar before returning to Skoura for a starlit night among the palms.
At dawn, wander sandstone lanes of Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO ksar famed by cinema. Optional stop at Ouarzazate's film studios, then ascend the High Atlas via the dramatic Tizi n'Tichka (2,260 m). Pause for sweeping photo ops and an argan‑oil cooperative visit before descending into Marrakech's ochre sprawl. As night falls, plunge into the circus of Jemaa el‑Fna—storytellers, sizzling grills, snake charmers—all under violet skies.
Survey the elegant Koutoubia Minaret, intricate Bahia Palace, and gilded Saadian Tombs, then marvel at the 16th-century Ben Youssef Madrasa's stucco and cedar lacework. After lunch, wander cobalt‑blue paths in Majorelle Garden and browse the adjacent Yves Saint Laurent Museum. Sunset drinks atop a medina roof let you watch the city blush pink.
Join a dada chef for a hands‑on cooking class—mix ras‑el‑hanout, mould semolina khobz, simmer lamb with preserved lemon—then dine on your creations. Spend the afternoon threading the souks: dyers' lane, spice square, copper‑beaters' alley. For calm, drop by the Ensemble Artisanal. A farewell banquet with Andalusian musicians rounds off the journey; later, savour one last lap of Jemaa el‑Fna's nocturnal theatre.
Enjoy a slow morning—perhaps a final hammam or a last hunt for hand‑tooled leather—before driving three hours to Casablanca's airport. As you fly home, dunes, cedar peaks and crimson cities linger in memory, stitched together by Morocco's unmatched hospitality.