12-Day Complete Morocco Small Group TourCoast, Mountains, Desert and Imperial Cities
12 days / 11 nights·Max 10
About this journey
Twelve days is what it actually takes to see Morocco's four distinct regions properly rather than compressing them into a highlight reel: the High Atlas, the Sahara, the imperial north around Fes and Meknes, and the Atlantic coast at Essaouira. This is our longest small-group itinerary and the closest thing we run to 'all of Morocco.' The route runs a wide loop out of Marrakech: south and east to the Sahara, north through the Middle Atlas to Fes and Meknes, then back down and west to the coast at Essaouira before returning to Marrakech. Each region gets proper time rather than a rushed pass-through. This suits travellers who've already decided Morocco is worth two weeks, or who are combining a Morocco trip with limited future visits and want to see as much as reasonably possible in one go. It's not rushed by any measure, but 12 days with a fixed daily structure suits people comfortable with a set itinerary rather than freeform travel — for that flexibility, look at our private tours instead. Essaouira at the end is a deliberate choice, not an afterthought — after 9 days inland, the Atlantic air and a slower two-night stay works as a genuine decompression before flying home, not just a box-ticking coastal stop.
- All four Morocco regions we operate in, in one trip: Atlas, Sahara, imperial north, Atlantic coast
- Two nights in the Sahara region including a full bivouac night at Erg Chebbi
- Two full days in Fes plus a Meknes and Volubilis day trip
- Two nights in Essaouira, Morocco's Atlantic port town
- Small group capped at 10 for the entire 12 days
Day by day
The circuit starts over the Tichka Pass, Morocco's highest year-round mountain road, with a viewpoint stop over Berber villages built into the hillside. Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO kasbah from Gladiator and Game of Thrones, is walked before the afternoon coach groups arrive. Overnight in Ouarzazate, Morocco's film-industry hub.
- Tichka Pass
- Ait Benhaddou UNESCO ksar
- Overnight Ouarzazate
A rose-water cooperative stop breaks up the Dadès Valley drive, then a walk into the Dadès Gorge itself. You arrive in Merzouga as the dunes turn gold, with the camel trek to the bivouac camp timed for roughly 90 minutes before sunset.
- Dadès Valley rose cooperative
- Dadès Gorge walk
- Sunset camel trek to bivouac
Sunrise from the dunes, then a slower second day in the desert region. Khamlia, a small village south of Merzouga, is home to a Gnawa musical tradition with roots in West Africa — an informal afternoon performance is usually possible. Erfoud, the regional hub, is known for fossil workshops cutting 350-million-year-old marine fossils out of local rock. Overnight in a Merzouga kasbah hotel.
- Sunrise from the dunes
- Khamlia Gnawa music village
- Erfoud fossil workshops
The drive north follows the Ziz Valley, a green ribbon of date palms cutting through otherwise bare hills, with a stop at the Ziz Gorge viewpoint. Overnight in Midelt, a quiet Middle Atlas town most tours skip past entirely.
- Ziz Valley palm groves
- Ziz Gorge viewpoint
- Overnight Midelt
The morning climbs into the Middle Atlas cedar forests near Ifrane, where troops of Barbary macaques often gather roadside — a genuinely different Morocco to the desert you left two days ago. Arrival in Fes by late afternoon, with the evening free before two full days in the medina.
- Ifrane cedar forest stop
- Barbary macaques (weather dependent)
- Arrival in Fes
A local Fes guide leads a half-day walking tour of Fes el-Bali — the Chouara tanneries, the Al Quaraouiyine exterior, the world's oldest continuously operating university, and the souks organised by trade. The afternoon is free to get properly lost in the medina.
- Chouara Tanneries viewpoint
- Al Quaraouiyine exterior
- Free afternoon in the medina
Meknes, the smallest and most underrated of Morocco's four imperial cities, followed by Volubilis, the country's best-preserved Roman ruins, still scattered with intact mosaics. Both see a fraction of Fes's visitor numbers. Back in Fes for a final medina dinner.
- Meknes imperial city
- Volubilis Roman mosaics
- Final Fes dinner
The route south crosses the Middle Atlas via Azrou and Khenifra, market towns that see almost no foreign tourists, through greener, higher-altitude country than the desert route. Overnight in Beni Mellal, setting up a shorter final approach to Marrakech.
- Azrou and Khenifra market towns
- Middle Atlas scenery
- Overnight Beni Mellal
A shorter drive back into Marrakech, arriving by early afternoon with the rest of the day free — a hammam, the Jardin Majorelle, or simply resting before tomorrow's coastal leg. Overnight in a Marrakech riad.
- Short drive to Marrakech
- Free afternoon
- Optional hammam or Jardin Majorelle
A relaxed two-and-a-half-hour drive west brings you to Essaouira, a walled port town on the Atlantic with a completely different rhythm to anywhere else on this trip — fishing boats, seafood grills on the harbour, and sea air after nine days inland. Afternoon free to explore the ramparts and medina.
- Coastal drive to Essaouira
- Fishing port and harbour
- Free time in the Essaouira medina
A local guide walks you through the Essaouira medina — the Skala ramparts, the woodworking souks, and the fish market at the port. The afternoon is unstructured: a beach walk, a seafood lunch at the harbour grills, or simply sitting somewhere with a view of the Atlantic before flying home.
- Skala ramparts walking tour
- Essaouira woodworking souks
- Free beach or harbour afternoon
The drive back to Marrakech takes around two and a half hours, timed to connect with onward flights. The tour ends at the airport or your Marrakech accommodation, depending on your departure time.
- Transfer back to Marrakech
- Flexible airport drop-off
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
- 11 nights accommodation across kasbahs, a desert bivouac, Fes riads, and coastal Essaouira
- All transport in an air-conditioned minivan (max 10 seats)
- Licensed English-speaking guide for the full 12 days
- Camel trek to and from the bivouac camp
- 11 breakfasts, 8 dinners
- Entry fees at Ait Benhaddou, Dadès/Todra Gorge, Volubilis and Meknes
- Local guides for Fes medina and Essaouira medina walking tours
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches (budget $8–$16/day)
- Personal travel insurance (required)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Alcohol and personal purchases
Choose your style
Small-Group Tour
- Max 10 travellers
- Full circuit: Atlas, Sahara, Fes & Atlantic coast
- 11 nights accommodation included
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Private minivan transport
What travelers say
“Essaouira at the end was such a smart way to close the trip — after nine days inland, the sea air and slower pace felt earned rather than random.”
“Khamlia was a highlight nobody mentions when they talk about Morocco desert tours. The music was completely unplanned-feeling even though obviously it wasn't.”
“Twelve days with the same nine people and one guide — by the end it genuinely felt like a trip with friends, not a tour group.”
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
Not for this route — it's built to cover four genuinely different regions (mountains, desert, imperial north, coast) without rushing any of them. If you'd rather see less in more depth, our 9-day version skips the coast.
It works as a deliberate wind-down after nine days of driving and early starts — a slower, coastal close to the trip rather than another packed inland stop.
It varies by day, mostly 2–5 hours, with two longer stretches (Merzouga to Midelt, and Fes to Beni Mellal) at around 5–6 hours. It's spread out, not backloaded.
Not on the small-group departures, since the group and guide move together for the full route. If you want a custom shorter version, our private tours can be built around specific regions.
February to May and September to December. Essaouira is pleasant nearly year-round thanks to Atlantic winds, but the Sahara section rules out peak summer.
No technical difficulty, but it involves long stretches of driving and a camel trek of 45–60 minutes each way. Most fitness levels manage it comfortably.
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.
Yes — see our private tours for a version with your own vehicle and guide, flexible daily timing, and no fixed group.