10 days and 9 nights · Round trip from Casablanca
Royal Morocco Tour: 10 Day Private Tour
From US$1,660 per person
Overview · Route map · At a glance · Day by day · What’s included · Prices
Overview
About this 10 day journey
Morocco’s imperial heritage is the heart of this ten day journey. It begins at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and carries you through Volubilis and Meknes to Fez, the spiritual capital, then on to Rabat and Marrakech, with a coastal finale in Essaouira.
There is room to breathe: a full day in Fez, a full day in the gardens and museums of Marrakech, and a free day to spend as you like. It is the best itinerary for travelers who want royal history and city life without the long desert drives.
Highlights
Hassan II Mosque
A tour of one of the world’s great mosques before you head to Fez.
Meknes
Bab el Mansour, perhaps the finest gateway in Africa, the Dar Jamai Museum, and the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum.
Marrakech
The Saadian Tombs, Dar Si Said Museum, Menara Gardens, Koutoubia, Bahia Palace, and the private Yves Saint Laurent gardens.
Moulay Idriss and Volubilis
Lunch in a holy town and a walk among the Roman ruins.
Rabat’s kasbah
The Oudayas Kasbah and its Andalusian gardens, the Moor’s tea house, Chellah, and the Hassan district.
Essaouira
The Portuguese harbor and the Skala, the sea battery left by the pirates.
Route map
Where this journey takes you
Duration10 days and 9 nights, fully private
Start and EndCasablanca airport on Day 1, and Casablanca airport on Day 10
StyleRiads and boutique hotels in the heart of each city
NightsFez 2, Rabat 1, Marrakech 4, Essaouira 1, plus the first night in Fez
Travel PaceEasy. Drives of two to four hours, with free time in Marrakech
Route
Casablanca · Volubilis · Moulay Idriss · Meknes · Fez · Rabat · Marrakech · Essaouira
Itinerary at a glance
Your trip in brief
| Day | Where you go | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Casablanca to Fez | Riad in Fez |
| Day 2 | The Fez Medina | Riad in Fez |
| Day 3 | Fez to Rabat | Riad in Rabat |
| Day 4 | Rabat to Marrakech | Riad in Marrakech |
| Day 5 | Marrakech Sightseeing | Riad in Marrakech |
| Day 6 | The Gardens of Marrakech | Riad in Marrakech |
| Day 7 | A Free Day in Marrakech | Riad in Marrakech |
| Day 8 | Marrakech to Essaouira | Riad in Essaouira |
| Day 9 | Back to Marrakech | Riad in Marrakech |
| Day 10 | Transfer to Casablanca Airport | Departure |
Full itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Casablanca to Fez
Casablanca to Volubilis to Moulay Idriss to Meknes to Fez
We pick you up from Mohammed V airport and take you to the Hassan II Mosque before heading to Fez. After several stops to enjoy the countryside, we visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the small town of Moulay Idriss, where we have a delicious lunch.
Then we continue to the imperial city of Meknes, known as the Moroccan Versailles, with its monumental gates and city walls, founded at the end of the seventeenth century by Sultan Moulay Ismail. Highlights include Bab el Mansour, perhaps the finest gateway in Africa, the Dar Jamai Museum, the old medina, and the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. You continue to Fez and check in. The drive is about four hours, 2.5 to Volubilis and 1.5 to Fez.
Overnight: Riad in Fez
Day 2
The Fez Medina
Fez
After breakfast we begin the exploration of the oldest city and spiritual capital of Morocco. Step back six centuries into the medieval medina, with narrow cobbled streets filled with ancient mosques, towering green glazed minarets, and crumbling fondouks.
Narrow openings reveal private worlds, with peaceful courtyards of carved cedar, brilliantly colored mosaic tiles, and delicately carved stucco. The tour includes madrasas, mosques, and much more, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Riad in Fez
Day 3
Fez to Rabat
In the morning we head west toward Rabat, about two hours away. We enjoy a sightseeing tour of the medina that features the Oudayas Kasbah with its Andalusian gardens and the Moor’s tea house. Then we go to the ancient part of the medina near Bab Laalou and into the Chellah necropolis.
My tour of Rabat also includes the Hassan district, with the famous Mausoleum of Mohammed V.
Overnight: Riad in Rabat
Day 4
Rabat to Marrakech
After breakfast we drive to Marrakech, about three and a half hours away, with comfort stops along the way. The rest of the day is free to settle in to your riad and wander the medina.
Overnight: Riad in Marrakech
Day 5
Marrakech Sightseeing
Marrakech
A sightseeing tour of Marrakech, nicknamed the Pearl of the South, features the sixteenth century Saadian Tombs, the Dar Si Said Museum of Moroccan Arts, the fragrant Menara Gardens, the Koutoubia minaret, and the magnificent Bahia Palace with its extraordinary tiles, opulent courtyards, and fountains.
After lunch on your own, you visit Jemaa el Fna, where fortune tellers, acrobats, vendors, and magicians put on a never ending show. An optional dinner show is available in the evening.
Overnight: Riad in Marrakech
Day 6
The Gardens of Marrakech
Marrakech
We visit the private gardens of Yves Saint Laurent and the private Islamic Art Museum, then drive along the city ramparts that divide the oldest and newest parts of Marrakech. The afternoon is free, with dinner suggested at a renowned restaurant.
Overnight: Riad in Marrakech
Day 7
A Free Day in Marrakech
Marrakech
A day at your own leisure in Marrakech, for the souks, a hammam, a cooking class, or simply a long lunch on a rooftop.
Overnight: Riad in Marrakech
Day 8
Marrakech to Essaouira
After breakfast you depart for the beautiful seaside town of Essaouira, about three hours away. After check in, a sightseeing tour features Essaouira’s Portuguese harbor, which shows the influence of both Moorish and Portuguese design. Highlights include the fishing harbor and the Skala, the battery left by the pirates. The afternoon is free.
Overnight: Riad in Essaouira
Day 9
Back to Marrakech
Essaouira to Marrakech
A morning by the sea, and then a three hour drive back to Marrakech for your final night.
Overnight: Riad in Marrakech
Day 10
Transfer to Casablanca Airport
Marrakech to Casablanca Airport
You are transferred to Casablanca airport for your flight home, about two hours away.
What’s included
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
- Private, air conditioned vehicle (4×4 or comfortable minivan) with a professional English speaking driver guide throughout
- 9 nights in handpicked riads and hotels with en suite bathrooms
- Daily breakfast, and lunch in Moulay Idriss
- Licensed local city guides where a guided visit is described
- All entrance fees to the monuments and sites mentioned in the itinerary
- All fuel, tolls, parking fees, and applicable taxes
- Bottled water in the vehicle, and 24 hour support during your trip
Not included
- International airfare
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Lunches and dinners not listed in the itinerary
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Gratuities for guides and drivers, at your discretion
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Prices
Royal Morocco Tour prices
Every tour is private, so the price per person depends on how many of you travel together and the accommodation level you choose: Affordable Comfort (3 star hotels and riads), Classic Comfort (4 star riads), Affordable Luxury (4 and 5 star riads) or Deluxe Luxury (5 star riads). Prices are per person for the whole 10 day tour, based on two people sharing a room.
| Group size | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler (own room) | US$6,780 | US$7,500 | US$8,400 | US$10,200 |
| 2 travelers | US$3,490 | US$3,850 | US$4,300 | US$5,200 |
| 3 travelers | US$2,580 | US$2,940 | US$3,390 | US$4,290 |
| 4 travelers | US$2,120 | US$2,480 | US$2,930 | US$3,830 |
| 5 travelers | US$1,840 | US$2,200 | US$2,650 | US$3,550 |
| 6 travelers | US$1,660 | US$2,020 | US$2,470 | US$3,370 |
| Single room supplement, whole tour | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per single room | US$540 | US$900 | US$1,350 | US$2,250 |
Included: 9 nights with breakfast, your private vehicle with fuel, tolls and parking, your licensed guide for every day of the tour, entrance fees to the sites on the itinerary. For groups larger than 6 travelers, ask me for the exact price. A 10% supplement applies to dates between 20 December and 5 January. How my prices work.
Good to know
Before you book
Customization
This itinerary is private and flexible. If you wish to add a night, skip a stop, or change the pace, I will shape the journey around you.
Pickup and drop off
Pickup on Day 1 and drop off on Day 10 are both at Casablanca airport.
Booking and cancellation
A 50% deposit confirms your booking and the balance is due 60 days before the tour starts. Cancellation refunds are 100% for 30 or more days before departure, 50% for 15 to 29 days, 25% for 7 to 14 days, and none under 7 days.
What travelers say
Rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor
Guest reviews written since 2012. Read the reviews on TripAdvisor.
“Hassan has a contagious passion for Morocco… I felt safe and taken care of.”
Viator, 5 day desert trip, 2018
“Hassan quickly became more like a brother to us than a guide.”
michalotte02, tourHQ, 2023
“Hassan is an excellent and cautious driver, and each place we visited, the locals knew him.”
Kerry, tourHQ, 2023
Before you go
Read before you travel
- Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss from Fez
- Do You Need a Guide in the Fez Medina?
- Best Time to Visit Morocco: Month by Month
For visas, money, transport and seasons, see the full Morocco Travel Guide or browse the travel blog.
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