Luxury Morocco: Imperial Cities, Sahara Desert & Atlantic Coast - 15 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Welcome to Morocco! After you land in Casablanca, you'll be chauffered to Rabat from the airport. Check into your luxe accommodations, then get to know the city with the help of your driver and guide. 

Once you've worked up an appetite, grab lunch at a delicious spot that suits your taste. As Morocco's capital and home to the royal family, Rabat oozes imperial glam, from relics of empires past to contemporary eateries specializing in fine dining. If you're hungry for traditional fare, consider taking advantage of the Atlantic's incredible bounty. Even in the medina, you'll find super fresh delicacies like briny oysters and creamy sea urchins. Whatever your palette, your guide will give you an excellent recommendation for where to enjoy your first meal. 

Walk off lunch by exploring the blue-painted Oudaya neighborhood that sits perched above the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasbah of the Oudayas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the crown jewel of this enclave, so explore the complex or stroll around its lush Andalusian gardens, and return to the ramparts for a vivid sunset. You'll visit the Hassan Tower, one of the most magnificent buildings of the Almohad Dynasty. A curiosity of a landmark, Hassan Tower is a minaret of a 12th-century mosque, a lofty construction project that was ultimately abandoned. 

After you wander the ruins, check out the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, which serves as a stellar taste of the intricate tilework, mosaics, and craftsmanship that you'll see throughout the land. Tonight, enjoy Rabat's robust culinary scene. You will find good Moroccan food around the city, but if you're looking for something more continental, head to the embassy quarter of the New City (just inland from the medina) for some of the best French and Italian dining in the country. 

Day 2: Discover Chefchaouen, A City Awash in Blue

Today, you will make your way to Chefchaouen. This little city is a visual delight in blue; walls, doors, windows, stairways, alleyways, and archways—everything is a combination of pastel sky blue and more vivid, saturated hues. Chefchaouen is located in the heart of the Rif Mountains and offers travelers a sense of old Morocco. After you check in at your lavish riad, you are free to explore the town at your own pace or simply relax. Outa el-Hammam, the main square, is the perfect place to watch the world go by. Walk up the tiny higgledy-piggledy alleys away from the touristed areas to find the everyday life of the town.

This neighborhood is a great location to shop for handcrafted wool garments, woven blankets, cedarwood furniture, and other artisanal work from Northern Morocco. Be sure to order a Maqlouba (upside-down) coffee and enjoy it while watching the local women retrieve water and wash their laundry in the nearby spring. Dinner will be on your own with recommendations from your driver or specialist. 

Day 3: Transfer to Fes via Meknes, Moulay Idriss & Volubilis

Today is all about royal vibes: enjoy breakfast in Chefchaouen before hitting the road to explore some imperial cities, culminating in Fes. Your first stop is Meknes, a historic town that boasts a more manageably-sized medina than you'll find once you reach Fes. The shopkeepers are also easy-going here, and you can truly take your time exploring souks filled with spices, slippers, and colorful treasures. Thanks to your driver, you'll make the most of your stopover here with a visit through the scenic Ville Impériale area. Depending on how much time you'd like to spend here, you can discover an array of palaces, gardens, and architectural sites.

Next up is Morocco's oldest town, Moulay Idriss. Considered a holy city by many, the city was founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idriss I, Morocco's first major Islamic ruler. Learn about the conception of the Idrisid dynasty, and be sure to visit the emerald-green minaret here—it's the only round minaret in the country. Your driver will also help you select a great place to enjoy lunch amid the charm of this hilltop town.  

The royal treatment continues with a trip through the centuries in Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you'll find the country's best-preserved ruins from the Roman empire. The sprawling complex features examples of merchant homes (and their ingenious heating systems), intact mosaics, temples, and more. If you're inspired to dive deeper and want to extend your time here, your expert English-speaking guide will give you a private tour tailored to your interests.

When you've had your fill of sightseeing, you'll end your day in Fes at a luxuriously-appointed five-star riad. An oasis in the imperial city, your accommodation will feature a central courtyard where you can lounge and keep cool and, depending on where you stay, may even house its own hammam on the ground floor. If you're interested in a more bespoke spa experience, you can enjoy a relaxing massage in one of Fes's hammams in the evening. Regardless of where you choose to soak and scrub off the day, a delicious dinner awaits. You can hang back at your luxe riad or head out to one of the city's best dining spots.

Day 4: Explore Fes & its UNESCO Medina

Your tour guide will meet you after breakfast to start your exploration in the Fes medina. This UNESCO-protected old quarter is full of charming alleyways and narrow roads. Your local guide will share hidden stories and show you secluded corners of the medina, allowing you to observe both the small details of daily life and the grandiose of the madrasas and palaces. Your guide will help you see the local side of Fes, giving you plenty of recommendations for lunch and dinner.

In the afternoon, enjoy the artisan side of Fes. The city is a hub of Moroccan crafts and arts, enabling you to meet artisans and learn about the history and importance of their trades. You'll visit tanneries and mosaic workshops to observe traditional crafting methods still in use today. 

Head back to your riad for a little reprieve. You can relax for the rest of the day or return to the streets of the medina to test your new knowledge of the city. Or, if you're eager for more cultural immersion, consider a private cooking class with a talented English-speaking chef and teacher. You'll learn about the intricate connections between tradition and food and how to use unique North African ingredients like briny preserved lemons, the exotic complexity of Ras el Hanout (an essential spice blend), and tiny pearls of couscous. Celebrate your lesson by sitting down to feast on your creations!

Day 5: Guerrouane Region Winery Tour

Enjoy a fun and decadent day trip out of the city when you venture into Morocco's unique Guerrouane agricultural region, just beyond Fes. Spend the day learning about the region's crops, history, traditions, and flavors with a winery tour and private tasting. Moroccans have been cultivating and refining wine grapes for large-scale production since the Roman era. The tradition of winemaking can be traced back to the region's Jewish communities and was later expanded by French settlers. Growers and vintners focus on red blends, Rosé, Vin Gris, and local brandies called Mahia (water of life).  

Guerrouane is Morocco's agricultural heartland, where good soil, rain, and sun combine to provide excellent conditions for orchard fruits like apricots, plums, and oranges, as well as the region's prized grapes. This hidden gem is also home to Morocco’s only AOC wine—Coteaux de l’Atlas 1er Cru. After a fun and informative vineyard tour, you'll sit down to an afternoon of tasting flights featuring various local styles of wine. Afterward, you'll return to Fes for the night. The courtyard in your riad is the perfect place to relax as you crack open your favorite bottle from the day's wine discovery. 

Day 6: Over the Middle Atlas Mountains to the Sahara

Today, get an early start so you can answer the seductive call of the Sahara. After an early breakfast, you'll start your road trip by crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains through the town of Azrou and its majestic Cèdre Gouraud Forest, where troops of Barbary macaque monkeys lounge in ancient cedar trees near the road. Then, stop for lunch in Midelt, which sits on a cold, high desert plateau. As the day continues, you'll cross a landscape of steep mountain ranges, broad valleys, and narrow canyon passes. Your driver will take you through the Ziz Valley, an essential branch of the ancient Saharan Trade Route. Gaze out the window to see the area's ksars, fortified houses built by merchants to protect the gold, salt, and spices that passed this way.

After crossing through the Ziz Gorge, you'll see early signs of Saharan dunes. You'll also pass through Erfoud, a bustling market town known for dates and fossils discovered in hillside mines. If you like, you can stop at a local artisan collective to learn about the area's fossils and learn how locals transform them into an array of products. As you continue, the massive dunes of Erg Chebbi will emerge in the distance. This vast sand sea covers 13 square miles (35 square km), with some dunes rising over 650 feet (200 m). 

Once you reach the Sahara, prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in North African luxury. Mount a camel for a ride across the dunes as the sun sets. Take in the golden glow across the landscape with an unobstructed view (you can even spot Algeria in the distance). As night falls, you'll maintain visibility as the moon reflects off the sand, guiding you and your camel to your unique accommodation for the night: a luxurious camp nestled at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Sink into total relaxation in your glamping tent. Later, enjoy a dinner prepared by local Berber tribesmen and cozy by the fire, serenaded by live music.

Gaze up at the heavens from your romantic spot, or see if you can stargaze from atop the dunes before you turn in for the night.

Then, head back down into the Todra oasis, where you'll spend the night in a sumptuously-appointed kasbah, a fortified hilltop town featuring mud bricks and furnished with the finest local products and fossils. Lounge in luxury, then explore the valley for dinner (there are several unexpectedly ambitious restaurants here.) The locals are quite friendly, so feel free to explore the oasis a bit after your meal.

Day 8: Head to Ouarzazate via the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs

Today, travel along ancient trade routes from Tinghir to Ouarzazate through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. Along the way, you'll see many iconic fortified towns. The first significant stop en route will be the town of Boumalne Dadès, an oasis town at the mouth of the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. If you turn north, you can visit the Dadès Gorge, which cuts through a dramatic landscape of rust and mauve-striped mountains. The valley below is an irrigated oasis filled with fig, almond, and olive orchards and dotted with crumbling kasbahs and Berber villages. 

After lunch in Boumalne Dadès, head south toward the Valley of Roses, the heart of rose oil production in Morocco. Every spring, the landscape smells heavenly during the harvest of the perfumed Provence rose. End the day in Ouarzazate, a town famous for its involvement in the Moroccan film industry. There is more to Ouarzazate than movies, though, and you'll drive a short way from town to the iconic ksar of Aït Benhaddou. It's believed that this site dates back to the 11th century when it held a prominent position along the trans-Saharan trade route between Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and the southern desert.

Later, retire to your very own kasbah across a dry riverbed from Aït Benhaddou. If you'd like, head out for a nighttime stroll—when the moon is out, the entire valley glows from light reflecting off the white sand. The sight is enchanting.  

Day 9: Cross the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech via Aït Benhaddou

Take the time to explore Aït Benhaddou once more in the morning light, before leaving the Sahara. Wind your way into the High Atlas Mountains through the towering Tizi n'Tichka Pass. Near the top, enjoy incredible panoramic views of the mountains and the plains of Marrakech below. Be on the lookout for Mount Toubkal—North Africa's highest peak—to the west. As you descend the north-facing slopes, notice the dramatic change in the climate and landscape. You'll soon begin to cross deep river valleys and see abundant almond and walnut orchards.  

Once in Marrakech, check in to your luxury riad, the perfect place to unwind after your travels. Spend the rest of the afternoon at a slower pace and sip a pot of fresh mint tea by the pool or in the shade of a jasmine bush. If you're inspired to head out in the evening, you'll be right on time to watch the medina's main square, Jemaa el-Fna, comes alive with food stalls, snake charmers, and performers. There are many cafés surrounding the square where you can sit and enjoy the activity over a delicious meal, or you could head to the new city to explore Marrakech's modern food scene. 

Day 10: Medina & City Tour in Marrakech

After breakfast, meet your private local guide who will lead you through the old city of Marrakech. As you explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will come across lively souks and maze-like alleys. You're sure to be dazzled by displays of djellabas, brightly colored babouches, intricately-pierced lanterns, conical mounds of exotic spices, and the intense hubbub of medina life. Along the way, your knowledgeable and energetic guide will regale you with the history and stories of the Medina, the Souk, and the Mellah neighborhoods of the Red City. Your guide will also have some great recommendations for the best places to grab lunch!

In the afternoon you'll continue your private tour, exploring places like the Bahia and El Badii Palaces, and the Saadian Tombs. You'll also see the Majorelle Gardens, an iconic garden retreat built over forty years by French painter Jacques Majorelle and later inhabited by famed designer Yves Saint Laurent. Stroll through two and a half acres of peaceful water gardens, visit Morocco’s only museum dedicated entirely to Berber art and culture, and explore Yves Saint Laurent’s gallery, all within the walls of this urban oasis.

Day 11: Morning Hot Air Balloon Ride, Afternoon at Leisure

Marrakech sits where the High Atlas Mountains meet an expansive plain. What better way to observe these contrasted landscapes than taking a hot air balloon ride over the Red City at sunrise? You'll have a pre-dawn wake-up call this morning before transfering in the dark to the mountains and boarding your hot air balloon. Once aloft, watch the sun climb over the highest peaks in North Africa and illuminate the city far below. After your flight, enjoy a delicious and scenic Berber breakfast before you return to Marrakech.

Take the rest of the day to yourself to spend however you like. Take a private cooking class with one of the city's culinary masters, do some self-guided exploring, or visit a market for some additional shopping. Your private driver can take you to any location you desire in the city, and your specialist can help arrange any other private tours or bespoke experiences that speak to you. Tonight, enjoy dinner back at your luxury riad or head out to one of the city's great eateries. 

Day 12: Transfer to Essaouira, Argan Oil & Seafood

Today, you will travel to Essaouira, a town made famous for its excellent surfing beaches and laid-back vibes. The 3-hour drive takes you over extensive, rolling plains. En route, you'll pass through a unique forest, the only ecosystem where argan trees grow. You'll visit an association of local women that make argan oil, famed for its excellent health and beauty properties. You may even see goats grazing on the fruits of the argan trees, high in the tree branches. It is quite a sight!

Upon your arrival in Essaouira, walk the impressive seawalls and discover delights in the Old Medina area. Jewish heritage is very present in Essaouira, home to one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Morocco; in addition to its charm and history, the neighborhood is the perfect example of a community of coexistence.

The Essaouira harbor is the commercial heart of town and a must-see destination for foodies curious about the local culinary culture. Every morning, many fishers haul their catches ashore to sell in the nearby bustling market, where customers haggle for the best deals. Enjoy the fruits of their labor at nearby food stalls where you can tuck into incredibly fresh grilled and fried fish. You can order fish straight from the stalls or do as the locals do: buy your fish in the nearby market and commission a grillmaster to cook it for a small fee. Tonight, relax in one of Essaouira's wonderful luxury riads and let the crash of the waves lull you to sleep.

Day 13: A Day of Seaside Adventure in Essaouira

Soak up the sun today on the sands of Essaouira's beach. If the Atlantic waters prove too cold for a dip, you can still take advantage of a host of other fun activities here! The shore is also home to some significant landmarks. Walk south along the bay to find a ruined fortress in the sand; when the tide is low, you can climb the structure and wander around! Then venture on to cross the nearby stream and climb the hill, where you'll discover the wreckage of another, more massive fortress complex. This is an excellent spot for kids—and kids at heart—to explore.

You'll be chauffeured back to town for lunch, after which the adventures continue. If you're craving adrenalin, take a surfing or kitesurfing lesson on the beach (wetsuits and gear are provided), or explore from the land: you can arrange a camel ride across the sand or a horseback ride through the coastal forests. After, rest up at your riad and enjoy a glass of Moroccan mint tea as you watch the sunset. Then get your fill of freshly caught seafood expertly prepared by the warm locals here.

Day 14: To Casablanca via the Atlantic Coast & Portuguese Ports

Today, you'll head out early to Casablanca via the coastal route, with some brief, interesting stops in other seaside cities along the way. You'll first visit Safi, known for its excellent surfing beaches and views of the Atlantic Ocean. The second city you'll stop at is El Jadida, where you can tour the striking Portuguese cistern. Spend some time walking the ramparts and visiting the Church of the Assumption; after, have lunch here in the city.

Next, stop at Azemour, which has inspired many Moroccan artists over the decades, some of whom have chosen to live here. Life in this community is still traditional, despite its proximity to the cosmopolitan art market of Casablanca. Get inspired by the crumbling 16th-century medina, squeezed between the Oud Er-Rbia (Mother of Spring River) and the ocean.

Once you arrive in Casablanca, check into your hotel and relax before venturing out into the city for dinner and some evening exploration. 

Day 15: Depart Casablanca

It's time to say goodbye to Morocco. Depending on the time of your departure flight, you may be able to do some last-minute sightseeing in Casablanca or enjoy tea at one of the traditional cafés. When the time comes, you'll head to Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport for your flight.

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