10-Day Classic Grand Morocco TourThe Complete Circuit, With Room to Breathe
10 days / 9 nights·Max 12
About this journey
This is our 8-day classic route with two extra days built in — a second day in Fes, and a stop in the Atlas Mountains that the shorter version has to skip. Same essential circuit, less rushed. The route follows the same north-to-south arc: Casablanca and Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes with two full days instead of one, south through the Middle Atlas to a Sahara bivouac, then a stop in the High Atlas foothills on the way into Marrakech rather than a direct final push. This suits first-time visitors who want the complete classic route but found the 8-day version's pace intense on paper. Ten days spreads the same ground over two more days, mainly benefiting Fes and adding a genuine Atlas Mountains stop most classic circuits skip entirely. It's still a moving itinerary — a new base most nights — just with more breathing room than the 8-day version.
- The complete classic circuit with two extra days for breathing room
- Two full days in Fes instead of one
- A dedicated Atlas Mountains stop most classic tours skip
- One night in a Sahara bivouac camp at Merzouga
- Small group, max 12, with weekly departures
Day by day
Your guide meets you at Casablanca airport for a short orientation drive past the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. Overnight in Casablanca to settle in before the trip begins properly.
- Hassan II Mosque exterior
A stop in Rabat takes in the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas before continuing north to Chefchaouen, the blue-washed town in the Rif Mountains, arriving as the medina's alleys catch the late-afternoon light.
- Rabat: Hassan Tower and Kasbah of the Udayas
- Arrival in Chefchaouen
A relaxed day exploring the blue medina on foot, with an easy afternoon walk to the Ras el-Maa waterfall at the edge of town. Chefchaouen rewards wandering more than a fixed itinerary.
- Chefchaouen blue medina
- Ras el-Maa waterfall walk
The drive south stops at Volubilis, Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins, and Meknes, the smallest of the four imperial cities, before continuing to Fes for the evening, where you'll spend three nights.
- Volubilis Roman ruins
- Meknes imperial city
A local guide leads a walking tour of Fes el-Bali — the Chouara tanneries, the Al Quaraouiyine exterior, and the souks organised by trade — at an unhurried pace given the extra day available.
- Fes medina walking tour
- Chouara Tanneries
A second day with nothing fixed — most guests use it to revisit the medina without a guide, explore Fes el-Jdid (the newer, still-old royal quarter), or simply rest before the longer travel days ahead.
- Free day in Fes
- Optional Fes el-Jdid exploration
The drive south passes through the Middle Atlas cedar forests near Ifrane and the Ziz Valley's palm groves before arriving in Merzouga as the dunes turn gold. A camel trek timed for sunset brings you to the desert bivouac camp.
- Ifrane cedar forest
- Ziz Valley
- Sunset camel trek to bivouac
Sunrise over the dunes, then a more manageable drive west through the Dadès Valley to Ouarzazate — split across two days rather than rushed into one, unlike our shorter classic route.
- Sunrise from the dunes
- Dadès Valley
Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO kasbah from Gladiator and Game of Thrones, is walked properly before continuing over the Tichka Pass, with a stop in the Atlas foothills that most classic circuits skip entirely. Arrival in Marrakech by early evening for a final group dinner.
- Ait Benhaddou UNESCO ksar
- Atlas Mountains foothills stop
- Final group dinner in Marrakech
The tour ends after breakfast, with airport transfers arranged around your actual departure time.
- Flexible airport transfer
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
- 9 nights accommodation (hotels and riads in each city, 1 desert bivouac, 1 kasbah guesthouse)
- All transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Licensed English-speaking guide for the full 10 days
- Camel trek to and from the bivouac camp
- 9 breakfasts, 6 dinners
- Entry fees at major sites along the route
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches (budget $8–$14/day)
- Personal travel insurance (required)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Alcohol and personal purchases
Choose your style
Small-Group Tour
- Max 12 travellers
- Weekly departures Feb–May & Sep–Dec
- 9 nights accommodation included
- English-speaking guide throughout
What travelers say
“The extra day in Fes made a real difference — we actually got to just wander rather than feeling like every hour needed a destination.”
“Splitting the desert-to-Marrakech drive across two days instead of one was the single best change from what I'd read about the shorter version.”
“The Atlas Mountains stop on the way into Marrakech was a genuine highlight that felt like a bonus most tours wouldn't bother including.”
Why choose AZA Morocco Tours
- Local expert guides — born and raised in Morocco
- Small groups capped at 10 people maximum
- All-inclusive pricing — no hidden fees
- Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure
- Weekly departures year-round (except desert tours Jul–Aug)
- Verified reviews on TripAdvisor
Questions about this tour
Same essential route, with two extra days — a second day in Fes, and the Sahara-to-Marrakech drive split across two easier days instead of one long push, with an added Atlas Mountains stop.
It moves less than the 8-day version but still changes base most nights. If you want to stay in fewer places for longer, our destination-focused tours are gentler.
A stop in the High Atlas foothills on the Tichka Pass route into Marrakech — most classic circuits drive straight through this area without stopping.
February to May and September to December, avoiding peak Sahara heat in summer.
Yes — it's a popular choice for solo first-time visitors wanting full coverage of Morocco's regions at a slightly gentler pace than our 8-day version.
As a guideline, $8–$10 per traveller per day for the guide and $5–$6 per day for the driver, given directly at the end of the tour.