7-Day Private Morocco Grand Tour : Imperial Cities and Sahara Desert

Your grand Moroccan adventure begins today. Your dedicated local driver and tour companion will meet you at your hotel or riad in Marrakech — if your accommodation is inside the medina and vehicles cannot access it, we will arrange a meeting point just a short walk away.

The afternoon and evening are yours to settle in, explore the legendary Djemaa el-Fna square and the souks of the medina, and soak up the sights, sounds and energy of one of the world's most extraordinary cities. Your companion is on hand throughout your stay to share recommendations, stories and local knowledge that will bring Marrakech to life in a way no guidebook ever could.

Dinner is included this evening at a traditional Moroccan restaurant — a warm welcome and a first taste of the incredible food that awaits you throughout the journey.

After breakfast your driver and companion is ready and waiting. You head south on an approximately 3-hour drive covering around 200 km, climbing through the dramatic High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka pass. At 2,260 meters above sea level this is one of the highest mountain roads in North Africa — your companion will stop at the summit so you can soak in the panoramic views, grab a coffee and stretch your legs.

You then descend toward Ait Benhaddou — a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah standing since the 11th century and famous as a filming location for Gladiator, Game of Thrones and The Mummy. Your certified local guide will bring its history to life with a walking tour of the ancient village. You continue to Ouarzazate, known as the Hollywood of Africa, for an overnight stay.

Dinner is included this evening in Ouarzaza

After breakfast your driver and companion takes you deeper into the south — one of the most scenic drives in Morocco, approximately 350 km and around 4 to 5 hours with comfortable stops along the way. Every 1.5 to 2 hours your companion will make a short break for coffee, a stretch or a toilet stop so you always feel relaxed and never rushed.

Along the way you pass through the Valley of Roses and stop in Kalaat M'Gouna where rosewater and rose oil have been produced for centuries. Your companion will then guide you through the breathtaking Todra Gorge — canyon walls rising 300 meters on both sides and one of the most dramatic landscapes in all of Morocco.

By afternoon you reach Merzouga and the legendary Erg Chebbi dunes, some of the tallest in Morocco at over 150 meters. At sunset your camel trek begins, guided by our local Berber team deep into the golden dunes. A traditional camp awaits with a candlelit dinner, live Berber music around the fire and a sky absolutely full of stars above the Sahara.

Dinner is included this evening at the desert camp.

Rise before dawn to watch the Sahara turn gold in the morning light — one of the most breathtaking moments of the entire journey. After a traditional Berber breakfast at camp your companion is ready for the drive north to Fes, approximately 570 km and around 7 hours with regular comfort stops every 1.5 to 2 hours.

Your driver and companion will take you through the stunning Ziz Valley and its vast palmeries, one of the most beautiful oasis landscapes in all of Morocco. You pass through the ancient town of Erfoud, famous for its fossils, and continue north through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas where Barbary macaques are often spotted along the roadside.

By evening you arrive in Fes — one of the world's oldest medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Your companion drops you off directly at your hotel or riad. If your accommodation is inside the medina and vehicles cannot access it, we will drop you at the nearest accessible point, just a short walk away.

Dinner is included this evening in Fes.

Today is dedicated entirely to Fes — and there is no city in Morocco quite like it. Your companion will guide you through the Fes el-Bali medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest and best-preserved medieval city centres in the world. Founded in the 9th century, Fes is a living, breathing piece of history where little has changed for centuries.

You will visit the famous Al-Qarawiyyin University — founded in 859 AD and recognised as the oldest continuously operating university in the world — explore the ancient tanneries with their extraordinary rainbow of natural dyes, walk through the covered souks where artisans work leather, brass, wood and ceramic using techniques passed down through generations, and discover the hidden riads, mosques and fountains of this extraordinary city.

Your companion knows Fes intimately and will take you beyond the tourist trail to the real heart of the medina — the neighbourhoods, the smells, the sounds and the stories that make this one of the most fascinating places on earth.

Dinner is included this evening in Fes.

After breakfast your companion drives you west through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen — approximately 3 hours and one of the most scenic drives in northern Morocco. Nestled in the folds of the mountains, Chefchaouen is famous for its medina of blue-washed alleyways, archways and staircases that seem to glow in the mountain light.

Your companion will guide you through the winding streets of the old city, sharing the history and stories behind this extraordinary place — a town founded by Moorish and Jewish exiles in the 15th century. You will have free time to explore the souks, visit the central Plaza Uta el-Hammam and photograph the famous blue alleys at your own pace.

You stay overnight in Chefchaouen, one of the most magical and atmospheric towns in all of Morocco.

Dinner is included this evening in Chefchaouen.

After breakfast your companion drives you from Chefchaouen to Casablanca — approximately 4 hours through the rolling hills of northern Morocco. Along the way you pass through Rabat, Morocco's elegant capital city, where your companion can point out the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas from the road if time allows.

You arrive in Casablanca in the early afternoon — a city of grand Art Deco architecture, the magnificent Hassan II Mosque and the energy of Morocco's largest and most cosmopolitan city. Your companion drops you off directly at your hotel or at the airport for your onward journey, bringing seven unforgettable days in Morocco to a close.