10 Days Tour From Casablanca To the Imperial Cities Via Marrakech

Your 10-day tour from Casablanca begins upon your arrival at Casablanca Airport, where our driver/guide will greet you and escort you to the hotel to start experiencing the vibrant energy of Casablanca. If you arrive in the morning, the tour kicks off with a visit to the Hassan II Mosque, a stunning masterpiece of Moroccan architecture located on the Atlantic Ocean's coast.

In the afternoon, a leisurely walk along Ain Diab Beach offers a relaxing seaside perspective of Casablanca. For those arriving in the afternoon, the mosque and beach visits are scheduled for the next day to ensure you don’t miss these key sights before continuing the journey to Rabat. Enjoy your time in Casablanca with a comfortable overnight stay before moving on to the next part of your Moroccan adventure.

Today, we will explore the vibrant colors of Morocco by departing from the historic city of Fes. Our journey will take us through Ifran, the cleanest and most modern city in the country. The name "Ifran" means "caves" in Berber, and it is often referred to as "Little Switzerland" due to its lush greenery and its role as a ski resort in the Middle Atlas region, sitting at an altitude of 1665 meters. Ifran is also renowned for The Brotherhood private university, established in 1997 by King Hassan II of Morocco and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. This international university conducts all its classes in English.

We’ll have lunch in the Berber village of Zaida before heading to Midelt, located at the base of the eastern High Atlas Mountains. From there, we’ll ascend the rugged mountains, home to a large Berber community, and take in the stunning landscapes, including palm tree oases at Jbel Ayachi (3747 meters). Descending through winding roads, we’ll enter the pre-Saharan zone, passing through Errachidia and Erfoud, famous for its pottery and fascinating fossil quarries. Fossils are a significant industry here, as the area was part of a vast ocean 350 million years ago. Finally, we’ll arrive at the red sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. From a wide plateau, you’ll be amazed by the towering dunes of Merzouga emerging on the horizon. The day will end with a camel ride, a delicious dinner, and an unforgettable night in a beautiful desert camp.

Palm Oasis: Our first stop today is Rissani town, home to the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, the founder of Morocco's Alaouite Dynasty in the 17th century. Once the ancient capital of Tafilalet, this quiet town gained prominence as a major caravan crossroads between the north and south. Even today, Rissani remains an important commercial hub in the region. About 127 km from Rissani, you’ll find the Todgha Gorges, nestled beyond the central High Atlas Mountains.

The breathtaking landscapes here resemble Colorado, with high plateaus, dramatic gorges, vast canyons, and peaks shaped by erosion. Some peaks exceed 4,000 meters, including Jbel Saghro at 2,500 meters and Jbel Mgoun at 4,068 meters, making it the highest peak in this part of the High Atlas. This area, populated by Berbers, offers incredible opportunities for hiking or walking through the stunning canyons. From the Todgha Gorges, we continue to Dades Valley, where the lush green of alfalfa plants, olive trees, fig trees, and grapes paints a beautiful scene. Finally, we head to Skoura Palm Oasis for an overnight stay.

We leave Skoura in the morning and head to Ouarzazate, also known as the "Hollywood of Africa," "Noiseless Town," and "The Door of the Desert." This city lies on a barren plateau south of the High Atlas Mountains and is primarily inhabited by Berbers, who built many of the famous kasbahs and structures in the area. One of these is the Taourirt Kasbah, constructed in the 17th century (a brief stop for photos outside). Ouarzazate earned its nickname as "Hollywood of Africa" due to its popularity as a film-making location, with Morocco's largest studios attracting international films like Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Living Daylights (1987), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Mummy (1999), Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Martin Scorsese’s Kundun (1997), and Babel (2005). 

After exploring Ouarzazate, we drive about 30 km to reach the fortified city of Aït Benhaddou, built in the 11th century. This kasbah was once a stop on the caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh. Located on a hill along the Ounila River, it features stunning examples of kasbahs, though they face damage from rain and windstorms. Most locals now reside in a modern village across the river, with only around five families remaining in the kasbah itself.

Aït Benhaddou has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and has also served as a filming location for movies such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Time Bandits (1981), The Jewel of the Nile (1985), Kundun (1997), Gladiator (2000), and Alexander (2004). From this magnificent site, we continue west to Marrakesh, also called the “Homeland of God” in Berber. Before reaching your accommodation, you can take some stops in the Atlas Mountains or, if time and energy allow, enjoy a short walk at Jama el Fnaa Square. Alternatively, you can first check in and then head out.