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PRIVATE MOROCCO EXPERIENCE

12 days tour from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert, Fes and Chefchaouen

DURATION 7 Days

FROM Marrakech

5.0

Private Tour

The 12 days tour from Marrakech is a private round-trip circuit of Morocco that starts and ends in the red city and crosses the High Atlas, the Sahara, the imperial cities, the Rif and the Atlantic coast in twelve days. You travel in your own air-conditioned vehicle with a driver, sleep two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes, walk the medieval medina of Fes with a licensed guide and finish beside the ocean in Essaouira. Because the loop closes where it opens, you never pay for an expensive one-way transfer at the end.

What makes this route unusual is not its length. It is the heritage density. This single itinerary passes eight of Morocco’s nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites — Marrakesh, Ait Ben Haddou, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis, Rabat, El Jadida and Essaouira. Only Tetouan, far up in the north, is left out. Moreover, our drivers work every week with travellers from Spain and Latin America, so you can request a Spanish-speaking driver and Spanish-speaking local guides in Marrakech and Fes at no extra cost on most dates.

Key facts at a glance

Duration	12 days / 11 nights
Start and finish	Marrakech (Menara airport, riad or hotel)
Total driving	About 2,300 km; Google routes the bare loop at 2,161 km / 33 h
UNESCO sites on the route	8 of Morocco’s 9
Nights in the Sahara	2, in Erg Chebbi near Merzouga
Longest driving day	Day 7, Merzouga to Fes, 478 km / 7 h 50
Shortest driving day	Days 2 and 8, no road transfer at all
Highest point	Tizi n’Tichka pass, 2,260 m
Group type	Private only; no strangers join your vehicle
Languages	Spanish, English, French and Arabic drivers on request
Best months	March to May and September to November
Price	Indicative ranges below; a fixed quote is sent before you book

Quick answers

How long is the 12 days tour from Marrakech?

Twelve days and eleven nights. You spend two nights in Marrakech, one in Ouarzazate, one in the Dades valley, two in the Sahara at Erg Chebbi, two in Fes, one in Chefchaouen, one in Casablanca and one in Essaouira.

How much driving is there in total?

Roughly 2,300 kilometres including the sightseeing detours to Telouet, Volubilis and El Jadida. Google Maps routes the bare loop at 2,161 km and 33 hours. Most days sit between three and five hours behind the wheel, and two days involve no transfer at all.

How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites does the route pass?

Eight: the medina of Marrakesh (1985), Ait Ben Haddou (1987), the medina of Fez (1981), the historic city of Meknes (1996), the Roman site of Volubilis (1997), Rabat (2012), the Portuguese city of Mazagan at El Jadida (2004) and the medina of Essaouira (2001). Morocco has nine cultural World Heritage Sites in total.

Is the 12 days tour from Marrakech private?

Yes. The vehicle, the driver and the itinerary belong to your group alone. Therefore you set the departure time each morning, and you can stop wherever a view or a market catches your eye.

Do I need to be fit?

No. The two longest walks are the climb to the granary at Ait Ben Haddou and the guided walk through the Fes medina, and neither exceeds two hours. The camel ride is always optional, since a 4×4 can take you to the camp instead.

Eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in one loop

Most twelve-day Morocco itineraries string together three or four famous places. This one is built around the country’s World Heritage list, which is why it reads differently from a standard desert circuit. Morocco has nine cultural sites inscribed by UNESCO, and the 12 days tour from Marrakech reaches eight of them.

Site	Inscribed	Day on this tour
Medina of Fez	1981	Days 7-9
Medina of Marrakesh	1985	Days 1-3 and 12
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou	1987	Day 3
Historic City of Meknes	1996	Day 9
Archaeological Site of Volubilis	1997	Day 9
Medina of Essaouira	2001	Days 11-12
Portuguese City of Mazagan, El Jadida	2004	Day 11
Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City	2012	Day 10

Fez was Morocco’s first World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1981. Rabat was the most recent, added in 2012. Only the medina of Tetouan, inscribed in 1997, lies off this route. In addition, Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech carries a separate UNESCO listing for intangible cultural heritage, which is why the evening on day one matters more than it looks on paper.

Highlights of the 12 days tour from Marrakech

Marrakech and the south: Atlas, kasbahs and Sahara

Guided walk through the medina of Marrakesh, with the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the Ben Youssef Madrasa
Majorelle Garden and the Berber Museum, or a hammam or cooking class instead
Crossing the High Atlas at the Tizi n’Tichka pass, 2,260 metres above sea level
Telouet Kasbah, the ruined Glaoui palace with painted cedar ceilings behind plain mud walls
Ait Ben Haddou, the fortified ksar that has appeared in dozens of films
Ouarzazate and its Atlas Studios, plus the Skoura palm grove and Kasbah Amridil
Valley of the Roses at Kelaat M’Gouna and the winding Dades gorge road
Todgha Gorge, where the canyon narrows to about ten metres between 160-metre walls
Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes, which rise to roughly 150 metres
Two Sahara nights, with a standard Berber camp or a luxury tent with a private bathroom
4×4 run to Dayet Srji, the Mfis mining village and the fossil beds, plus tea with a nomad family
Gnawa music at Khamlia, played on the guembri and metal qraqeb

The north: Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and the Rif

Ziz valley viewpoint, the Azrou cedar forest with its Barbary macaques and alpine-looking Ifrane
Full guided day in Fes el-Bali, from Bab Boujloud to the Chouara tannery
Al-Qarawiyyin, recognised as the oldest continuously operating degree-granting university in the world
Bab Mansour and the Heri es-Souani royal granaries in Meknes
Volubilis, where the Orpheus and Bacchus mosaics still lie in the open where the floors were
Two nights in blue Chefchaouen, with Ras El Maa waterfall and sunset from the Spanish Mosque

The Atlantic coast: Rabat, Casablanca, El Jadida and Essaouira

Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower and the Chellah necropolis in Rabat
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, whose 210-metre minaret stands over the Atlantic
Portuguese Cistern of El Jadida, with its twenty-five pillars and mirror-still floor
Essaouira ramparts, the blue fishing fleet and the thuya woodworkers
Argan cooperative run by women on the road back to Marrakech

Who the 12 days tour from Marrakech suits

This route fits travellers with twelve to fourteen days of holiday who would rather take one complete trip than three short ones. It works for couples, families with teenagers, groups of friends and honeymoons. Above all, it works for a first visit to Morocco, because it gathers the four pillars of the country in one loop: imperial cities, mountains, Sahara and ocean.

If you have fewer days, our 7 days private tour from Marrakech follows a shortened version of the same road. By contrast, if you have more time, the 15 days Morocco tour from Tangier adds the north. Travellers arriving by ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras usually prefer the 12 days tour from Tangier, which covers the same spirit in the opposite direction.

Day by day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech and Jemaa el-Fna

Your driver meets you at Marrakech Menara airport and takes you to your riad inside the medina. After check-in and a rest, the evening belongs to Jemaa el-Fna. The square changes character once the sun drops: food stalls open, storytellers gather small circles and the smell of grilled meat and mint tea fills everything. We keep the first day of the 12 days tour from Marrakech deliberately light, because long flights from Latin America land tired. If your plane arrives late, we simply move the walk to the next morning.

Driving: airport transfer only, about 20 minutes
Overnight: riad or hotel in Marrakech
Meals: none included

Day 2: Guided day in Marrakech

After breakfast a licensed local guide walks you through the historic heart of the red city. You see the Koutoubia from outside, the ornate Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs that stayed hidden for centuries behind a sealed wall, and the Ben Youssef Madrasa with its carved cedar and zellige. Then you enter the souks, where each lane keeps to one trade: leather, copper, spices, wool, slippers. In the afternoon you visit the Majorelle Garden and the Berber Museum, a blue oasis of bamboo and cactus. Alternatively we swap the garden for a traditional hammam or a Moroccan cooking class. Our guide to Marrakech goes deeper into the medina.

Driving: none
Overnight: riad or hotel in Marrakech
Meals: breakfast

Day 3: Marrakech – Tizi n’Tichka – Telouet – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate

Today the journey south really begins. The road climbs the High Atlas to the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 metres, and you stop along the way to photograph terraced valleys and villages built from red earth. A side road then takes you to Telouet Kasbah, the ruined palace of the Glaoui family, where painted cedar ceilings and zellige survive behind unremarkable mud walls. In the afternoon you reach Ait Ben Haddou, the World Heritage ksar inscribed in 1987. You cross the riverbed and climb the lanes to the old granary, and from the top the whole palm grove opens out. The day ends in Ouarzazate, home of the Atlas Studios.

Driving: about 205 km, 4 h 20; the Telouet detour adds roughly 40 km
Overnight: hotel or riad in Ouarzazate
Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 4: Ouarzazate – Skoura – Valley of the Roses – Dades valley

The fourth day of the 12 days tour from Marrakech starts after breakfast, driving east to the Skoura palm grove, a dense oasis that hides old adobe kasbahs such as Amridil. Its irrigation channels still work the way they did centuries ago. Next the road runs through the Valley of the Roses around Kelaat M’Gouna, where thousands of Damask roses are harvested every spring. By mid-afternoon you reach the Dades valley, known as the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. The zigzag road and the rock formations called monkey fingers make one of the most photographed landscapes in the country. Your hotel sits beside the river, so the night is quiet and the stars are already bright.

Driving: 134 km, about 2 h 40
Overnight: hotel in the Dades valley
Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 5: Dades – Todgha Gorge – Erfoud – camel trek in Merzouga

The fifth day of the 12 days tour from Marrakech starts with a walk inside the Todgha Gorge. At the narrowest point the canyon floor shrinks to about ten metres while the limestone walls rise some 160 metres on either side, and further along the cliffs reach three to four hundred metres. Climbers come here from all over the world, and the shade stays cool even in summer. Afterwards the landscape opens into desert plains scattered with black stone. You pass Erfoud and Rissani, and finally the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon. Late in the afternoon a camel trek carries you over the crests to camp while the sand turns orange, then pink, then violet. Dinner is served under the tent and the drums stretch the evening out.

Driving: 266 km, about 4 h 20
Overnight: desert camp in Erg Chebbi, standard or luxury
Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 6: Merzouga – 4×4 excursion – nomads – Gnawa music

Above all, get up early for sunrise over the dunes. The alarm is worth it, because the light changes minute by minute and the silence is total. After breakfast a 4×4 excursion takes you beyond the main dune cordon to the dry lake of Dayet Srji, the old mining village of Mfis and the fossil beds that made this region famous. Then you take tea with a nomad family who still move with their herds. Afterwards you continue to Khamlia, a village founded by descendants of sub-Saharan communities, where Gnawa musicians play their hypnotic rhythms on the guembri and metal qraqeb. In the afternoon you can try sandboarding or simply sit on a dune. If you are weighing this erg against the other one, read our comparison of the Marrakech desert routes.

Driving: local 4×4 circuit, about 60 km
Overnight: desert camp or hotel beside the dunes
Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 7: Merzouga – Ziz valley – Midelt – Azrou – Fes

This is the longest road day of the 12 days tour from Marrakech, although the landscape changes constantly. First you follow the Ziz valley, an endless ribbon of palms between red canyon walls, and its viewpoint is one of the most photographed stops on the route. Then comes Midelt, an apple town between the High and Middle Atlas, where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon the road enters the Azrou cedar forest, home to Barbary macaques, before crossing Ifrane, a mountain town with pitched roofs that looks oddly alpine. You reach Fes at dusk and your driver drops you at the riad inside the old city.

Driving: 478 km, about 7 h 50
Overnight: riad or hotel in Fes
Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 8: Full guided day in the Fes medina

Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, and its thousands of lanes make a local guide essential. You start at the blue gate of Bab Boujloud and walk on to Al-Qarawiyyin, founded by Fatima al-Fihri in the ninth century and recognised by UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating degree-granting university on the planet. The Bou Inania Madrasa shows carved cedar, stucco and zellige at their best. Later you look down on the Chouara tannery from the terrace of a leather shop, where hides are still treated in natural dye vats. The visit also takes in the pottery workshops outside the walls, where craftsmen cut mosaic by hand. Our tours from Fes page collects other routes that begin in this city.

Driving: none
Overnight: riad or hotel in Fes
Meals: breakfast

Day 9: Fes – Meknes – Volubilis – Chefchaouen

Day nine leaves Fes and drives to Meknes, the smallest of the four imperial cities. The monumental Bab Mansour gate, the Heri es-Souani royal granaries and stables, and the walls raised by Moulay Ismail are what earned the city its comparison with Versailles. A short hop then brings you to Volubilis, the best preserved Roman site in Morocco, where the mosaics of Orpheus, Bacchus and the Labours of Hercules still lie in the open exactly where the floors of the rich houses were. The hilltop town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun sits just above. In the afternoon the road climbs into the Rif towards Chefchaouen, and the first sight of blue-washed houses against grey mountain is a genuine surprise. You arrive in time for sunset from the Spanish Mosque above the town.

Driving: 258 km, about 4 h 50 behind the wheel, a full day with both stops
Overnight: riad or hotel in Chefchaouen
Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 10: Chefchaouen – Rabat – Casablanca

On day ten of the 12 days tour from Marrakech the morning stays free in the blue city, which is the best time for photographs because the lanes are still empty. You can walk up to the Ras El Maa waterfall, visit the kasbah museum or take a coffee on Plaza Uta el-Hammam. Chefchaouen also keeps a strong Andalusi imprint, and many residents speak some Spanish. After lunch you drive to Rabat, the political capital and a World Heritage Site since 2012. There you visit the Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and, if time allows, the Chellah necropolis. Towards evening you continue the short run down the Atlantic coast to Casablanca.

Driving: 335 km, about 5 h 20
Overnight: hotel in Casablanca
Meals: breakfast

Day 11: Casablanca – El Jadida – Essaouira

The eleventh day opens at the Hassan II Mosque, one of the very few mosques in Morocco that non-Muslims may enter. Its minaret rises 210 metres above the ocean and part of the prayer hall is built directly over the water. Guided visits leave at fixed times each morning, so we book the slot in advance.

Then you drive down the coast to El Jadida and its Portuguese Cistern, the underground hall of the Portuguese city of Mazagan. The fortress was begun in 1514 and the chamber was converted into a cistern in 1541; twenty-five pillars in five rows of five hold up the vault, and a single round opening in the roof throws the famous reflection across the water. Orson Welles filmed part of Othello down there. The road carries on past empty beaches and argan forests to Essaouira, whose Portuguese ramparts, blue boats and Atlantic wind have made it the favourite of artists and surfers. More coastal routes appear on our tours from Casablanca page.

Driving: 380 km, about 4 h 50
Overnight: riad or hotel in Essaouira
Meals: breakfast

Day 12: Essaouira – return to Marrakech

Enjoy a last morning in the medina of Essaouira, inscribed by UNESCO in 2001. You can watch the boat carpenters working in the port, buy thuya wood carvings or eat grilled sardines straight off the fish market. Around midday you head back inland through the argan forests, where a women’s cooperative shows how the oil is pressed by hand. You reach Marrakech in the afternoon and your driver drops you at Menara airport or at your hotel, depending on your flight. Here the 12 days tour from Marrakech ends, although many travellers add two extra nights to rest beside a pool first.

Driving: 176 km, about 2 h 50
Overnight: not included; final transfer included
Meals: breakfast

Route, distances and driving times of the 12 days tour from Marrakech

Every figure below for the 12 days tour from Marrakech was checked leg by leg against Google Maps driving directions, not copied from a brochure. Distances change slightly with the exact hotel and with road works, so treat them as close estimates rather than promises.

Leg	Distance	Driving time	Day
Marrakech to Ouarzazate via Tizi n’Tichka, Telouet and Ait Ben Haddou	205 km + detour	4 h 20	3
Ouarzazate to Dades valley via Skoura and Kelaat M’Gouna	134 km	2 h 40	4
Dades to Merzouga via Todgha, Erfoud and Rissani	266 km	4 h 20	5
Merzouga 4×4 desert circuit	about 60 km	3 h	6
Merzouga to Fes via the Ziz valley, Midelt, Azrou and Ifrane	478 km	7 h 50	7
Fes to Chefchaouen via Meknes and Volubilis	258 km	4 h 50	9
Chefchaouen to Casablanca via Rabat	335 km	5 h 20	10
Casablanca to Essaouira via El Jadida	380 km	4 h 50	11
Essaouira to Marrakech	176 km	2 h 50	12
Total	about 2,300 km	about 40 h over 9 driving days

Two of the twelve days involve no road transfer at all: day 2 in Marrakech and day 8 in Fes are both walking days. Consequently the average works out near four hours of driving per travelling day, and we always break it into short stretches with stops for photographs, coffee and lunch.

Photo gallery of the route

These photographs of the 12 days tour from Marrakech follow the order of the itinerary, from the Koutoubia in Marrakech to the Atlantic at Essaouira. Click any image to open it at full size.

Koutoubia mosque minaret and gardens at sunset in Marrakech

Food stalls and lanterns on Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech at night

Snow-capped High Atlas peaks above the Tizi n'Tichka pass road

Earthen towers of the Ait Ben Haddou ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage site

Adobe village above a palm grove in a southern Moroccan oasis valley

Desert camp with carpets and tents among the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga

Camel caravan crossing the Sahara dunes of Erg Chebbi at sunrise

Chouara tannery dye pits seen from a leather terrace in Fes

Blue-painted lane with flower pots in the medina of Chefchaouen

Blue houses of Chefchaouen seen from the hillside above the Rif town

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca at sunset above the Atlantic Ocean

Rocky Atlantic shoreline below the white medina of Essaouira

What is included and what is not included

Included

Private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver, fuel and tolls
Spanish-speaking, English-speaking or French-speaking driver on request
Pick-up and drop-off at Marrakech Menara airport, riad or hotel
11 nights of accommodation in riads, hotels and a Sahara camp
Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes
4×4 excursion around Merzouga with the nomad visit and Gnawa music at Khamlia
Licensed local guides for the walking days in Marrakech and Fes
Daily breakfast, plus dinner on the nights marked in the itinerary
Bottled water in the vehicle for the whole circuit
All road transfers listed in the route table above

Not included

International flights and travel insurance
Lunches, drinks and personal spending
Entrance fees to monuments, museums and the Hassan II Mosque
Optional activities such as hammam, quad bikes or sandboarding
Tips for the driver, the guides and the camp staff
Extra nights in Marrakech before or after the circuit

Map of the 12 days tour from Marrakech

The loop runs clockwise. First it drops south over the Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades valley and the dunes at Merzouga. Then it climbs north through the Ziz valley to Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and Chefchaouen in the Rif. Finally it returns down the Atlantic through Rabat, Casablanca, El Jadida and Essaouira before closing in Marrakech. All of it runs on surfaced roads in good condition.

Accommodation on the 12 days tour from Marrakech

On the 12 days tour from Marrakech you choose one of three comfort levels, and the desert camp follows the same logic. We do not publish hotel names on this page because availability changes every week, and naming a property we cannot confirm would be dishonest. Instead, once you tell us your dates and your budget, we send a written list with the actual properties held for you.

Stop	Nights	Standard	Comfort	Luxury
Marrakech	2	Riad in the medina	Larger riad with a pool	Boutique riad or 5-star hotel
Ouarzazate	1	Hotel in town	Kasbah-style hotel	Kasbah hotel with a pool
Dades valley	1	Hotel by the river	Kasbah hotel with a valley view	Upper-range kasbah hotel
Erg Chebbi	2	Berber camp, shared bathrooms	Camp with a private bathroom	Luxury tent, private bathroom, real bed
Fes	2	Riad in the medina	Riad with a terrace	Palace riad or 5-star hotel
Chefchaouen	1	Guesthouse in the blue town	Riad near the kasbah	Upper-range riad
Casablanca	1	City hotel	4-star hotel	5-star hotel near the corniche
Essaouira	1	Riad inside the walls	Riad with a sea view	Boutique riad or beach hotel

Price of the 12 days tour from Marrakech

What moves the final figure

Three factors decide the budget. First comes the number of travellers, because the cost of the vehicle and the driver is shared across the group. Next comes the accommodation level. The third factor is the season, since Easter, August, Christmas and New Year are the most expensive dates of the year.

Indicative ranges

Take a group of four as the reference. In the standard category the price per person usually sits between about 950 and 1,200 euros. Moving up to comfort, the range runs from roughly 1,200 to 1,600 euros. Luxury starts above 1,800 euros, with boutique riads and a camp tent with its own bathroom. These figures are indicative and they shift from year to year, so we always send a fixed written quote before you book anything.

How to spend less without losing quality

Travelling in March, April, October or November lowers the price and improves the weather at the same time. Sharing the vehicle with another couple cuts the cost per person sharply. Moreover, upgrading only two nights, for example the desert and Fes, usually gives a better result than upgrading the whole trip.

How to book the 12 days tour from Marrakech

Tell us your arrival date, the number of travellers and the comfort level you prefer for the 12 days tour from Marrakech. We then send a complete quote within twenty-four hours, and usually much sooner. You can write to us by email at favoritesmoroccotours@gmail.com, message us on WhatsApp at +212 786 278943, or use our contact page. No payment is taken until the itinerary and the hotel list are confirmed in writing.

How the 12 days tour from Marrakech compares with other options

Point of comparison	This 12 days tour from Marrakech	Typical group tour
Vehicle	Private, your group only	Shared minibus, 12 to 16 people
Departure time	You decide each morning	Fixed by the operator
UNESCO sites	8 of Morocco’s 9	Usually 3 to 5
Sahara nights	2	1
Photo stops	Unlimited	Scheduled only
Guided city days	Marrakech and Fes, licensed guides	Often optional and paid separately
Language	Spanish, English, French or Arabic driver	One language for the whole group
Start and finish	Same city, no one-way transfer	Often one-way, with an added fee

Know before you go on the 12 days tour from Marrakech

Best time of year

For the 12 days tour from Marrakech, March to May and September to November give the best weather of the year: mild days, a comfortable desert and clear mountain passes. These are also the busiest seasons, so book early. In July and August the midday heat in the south is heavy, though we start earlier, lengthen the shaded stops and move city visits to the ends of the day; Essaouira stays cool thanks to the Atlantic wind. From December to February the Sahara nights are cold and snow can fall in the Atlas, yet the light is beautiful and the monuments are empty. Our page on the best time to visit Morocco covers this in detail.

What to pack

Bring comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat and sun cream. Add a warm jacket for the desert nights and the mountain passes, even in summer. Modest clothing helps in the medinas, although Morocco is relaxed with visitors. Sockets are European, two round pins at 220 volts, and a power bank is worth carrying because the camp usually runs on solar panels with limited charging hours. There is a fuller list in our guide on what to wear in Morocco.

Money, water and connectivity

On the 12 days tour from Marrakech the currency is the dirham (MAD) and you change money on arrival. Cards work in cities and larger hotels, but cash matters in the souks and in small villages. Do not drink tap water; bottled water is included in the vehicle for the whole circuit, and in the desert you should raise your daily intake even if you do not feel thirsty. A local SIM card is cheap and covers most of the route, though signal drops inside the dunes.

Reviews of our tours

Favorites Morocco Tours holds a 5.0 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor from 14 traveller reviews at the time of writing. Those reviews cover the agency as a whole rather than this specific route, so we do not present them as a rating for the 12 days tour from Marrakech. You can read every one of them, unedited, on our TripAdvisor page. We do not publish invented testimonials on this website.

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 14 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Nieves P 
 
 
 
 Verified Viaje a Marruecos con amigos.
Fue un viaje increíble!!! Lo pasamos muy bien y la gente es maravillosa…
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Carolina C 
 
 
 
 Verified Lo mejor en el Desierto del Sahara
Una experiencia simplemente inolvidable. Dormir bajo un cielo lleno de estrellas, recorrer las impresionantes dunas del Sahara y disfrutar de la hospitalidad marroquí hizo de este viaje algo mágico. Marruecos me regaló paisajes espectaculares, cultura fascinante y recuerdos que llevaré conmigo para siempre. ¡Una aventura que recomiendo al 100%! 🌵🐪✨
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    sarah a 
 
 
 
 Verified Excellent séjour
Le séjour était merveilleux tant les activités que la cuisine. Rashid était génial, serviable et à l’écoute. Je recommande les yeux fermés. Sarah
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Cris A 
 
 
 
 Verified Las estrellas del desierto.
Experiencia excepcional!! Nos trataron super bien, la noche en el desierto fue increíble. La fiesta en la hoguera super divertida. Las Jaimas muy confortables, la comida rica, en resumen volvería a ir una y mil veces.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    angel a 
 
 
 
 Verified Amazing experience, the sceneries, culture and friendly people
Nothing but praise and gratitude!! Everything was spectacular and exceeded our expectations! Not only the places we visited but also the hotels and riads where we stayed! I especially highlight the attention, care, professionalism, and warmth of our guide Moha: always kind, attentive, taking care of every detail, and making sure we were comfortable. Additionally, an excellent photographer! He helped us capture the joy and the landscapes! Always with a smile!! Thank you!!!!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Hermila De Jesú... A 
 
 
 
 Verified .
Estuvimos muy contentas en un viaje de 8 días por Marruecos, Moha fue nuestro conductor, siempre amable, respetuoso y muy profesional, no solo nos llevó a los puntos previstos sino que también nos mostró la cultura y tradición de las familias Marroquíes ¡super recomendable! Gracias totales
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Irma B 
 
 
 
 Verified Viaje espectacular
Fue un viaje increíble , superó mis expectativas , nuestro Guía y conductor Moha fue siempre muy amable , días antes de iniciar se puso en contacto y todo fue muy bien organizado , los hoteles, comidas, el campamento espectacular , nuestro tour fue solo para nuestro grupo de 3 y fue muy cómodo , lo recomiendo totalmente
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Timothy N 
 
 
 
 Verified Trip Around Morocco
We had an awesome trip with our family of 7 (&3 young kids). We went from Marrakesh to Erg Chebbi to Fes and had amazing stops along the way , which gave our kids a great experience. Highly recommended
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    susana b 
 
 
 
 Verified Moha conductor
Hicimos un toque y nos acompañó Moha como conductor!! El mejor chofer!!! Un genio!!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    María Trinidad G 
 
 
 
 Verified Hicimos de nuestro sueño, una realidad !
"¡Una experiencia inolvidable en el Sahara! Reservamos el tour de 3 días desde Marrakech a Merzouga y superó todas nuestras expectativas. Nuestro guía Mohamed Alt-Said , fue increíble: no solo es un conductor experto, sino que nos explicó todo sobre la cultura bereber con mucha paciencia. Pueblos de adobe, con sus maravillosas gentes . El campamento en las dunas era mágico y la cena junto al fuego fue el mejor momento del viaje. Moha, nos hizo disfrutar de una cena inolvidable bajo las estrellas. Precioso amanecer y divertida excursión 4 x 4 en desierto. El coche era moderno y muy cómodo. Si buscas una agencia honesta y profesional en Marruecos, no busques más. ¡Totalmente recomendados!"

Frequently asked questions about the 12 days tour from Marrakech

How many days do you need to see Morocco properly?

Twelve days, the length of this 12 days tour from Marrakech, is the shortest span that covers the imperial cities, the High Atlas, the Sahara and the Atlantic without rushing. With seven days you can do Marrakech, the desert and Fes. With four you can reach the dunes and come back. Below four days the driving starts to outweigh the sightseeing.

Is twelve days too long for Morocco?

Rarely. Two of the twelve days have no driving at all, and the pace is built around one main stop per day rather than three. Travellers who feel the length usually want more beach time, which we solve by trimming a night in Casablanca and adding it in Essaouira.

Can the 12 days tour from Marrakech run in the opposite direction?

Yes. Some travellers prefer to take the Atlantic coast first and finish in the desert. The distances stay the same, although the Fes guided day then falls near the end. Just tell us which order you want when you ask for the quote.

Can the circuit start in Casablanca, Fes or Tangier instead of Marrakech?

It can. We reorder the stages to match your arrival airport while keeping the same places. Write to us with the city where you land and we will rebuild the sequence around it.

Do I need a visa to visit Morocco?

According to Morocco’s official tourism portal, citizens of Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru and most Latin American countries do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to ninety days. A passport valid for at least six months is enough. Always confirm your own nationality before you fly, since rules change.

Is it safe to travel around Morocco?

The 12 days tour from Marrakech passes through settled, well-travelled areas, and Morocco is one of the calmest destinations in North Africa. The most common problem is small-scale hustling in the medinas, which a licensed guide removes almost entirely. Travelling with your own driver also removes the risk of getting lost on the road.

How much luggage fits in the vehicle?

One large suitcase and one cabin bag per person fit comfortably. We use minivans or minibuses depending on the group size, and for six travellers or more we assign a larger vehicle so the luggage never takes a passenger seat.

Can I skip the camel ride?

Of course. A 4×4 can take you to the camp instead, and there is no price difference. Some travellers ride out at sunset and return by car the next morning, which is a good compromise.

What happens if my flight lands in the middle of the night?

Nothing changes. The transfer is included at any hour and the riad is told in advance that you are arriving late. We simply move the first day activity to the following morning.

Which meals are part of the price?

On the 12 days tour from Marrakech, breakfast is included every day. Dinner is included on the nights marked in the itinerary, which are days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. Lunches are not included, because stopping where you feel like stopping gives a better trip than a fixed restaurant list.

Is there Wi-Fi and electricity in the desert camp?

Standard camps run on solar panels with limited charging hours and usually have no Wi-Fi. Luxury camps generally offer both, along with hot water and a private bathroom. Bring a power bank either way, since the sockets are shared.

Can children join the 12 days tour from Marrakech?

Yes, and families do this route often. Child seats are available on request at no charge. For younger children we usually shorten day 7 by adding a night in Midelt or Ifrane, which turns the longest drive into two easy halves.

Can non-Muslims go inside the Hassan II Mosque?

Yes. It is one of the very few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, and entry is by guided tour at fixed times each morning. Tickets are not included in the tour price, so we buy the slot in advance and add it to your quote if you want it.

How far in advance should I book?

Two to three months ahead is comfortable for spring and autumn, and longer for Easter, August and the Christmas period. Last-minute departures are often still possible, although the choice of riads narrows quickly.

Who we are

Favorites Morocco Tours is a local agency based in Marrakech. Our drivers are Moroccan, most of them from the south, and several grew up in the villages this route passes through. We run the 12 days tour from Marrakech as a private trip only, we do not sell seats in a shared minibus, and we do not add compulsory shopping stops to the itinerary. You can read more about the team on our about us page.

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Book your 12 days tour from Marrakech

Ready to travel? Send us your arrival date, the number of travellers and the comfort level you want, and a full quote comes back within twenty-four hours. Email favoritesmoroccotours@gmail.com, message WhatsApp +212 786 278943, or use the contact page. We will be glad to build this 12 days tour from Marrakech with you from start to finish.