5 days and 4 nights · Marrakech to Casablanca
Southern Morocco: 5 Day Private Tour
From US$510 per person
Overview · Route map · At a glance · Day by day · What’s included · Prices
Overview
About this 5 day journey
Five days to cross the High Atlas, walk among the adobe kasbahs of the south and sleep in the Sahara. This private journey leaves from Marrakech and travels through some of the most striking landscapes in Morocco, from the mountains to the dunes, with a driver guide at your side the whole way.
Every day has its own character: a mountain pass, a World Heritage fortress, a valley of roses, red rock gorges, a night under the stars and a return through the Draa Valley. It is a route for travelers who want to see the deep south calmly and in comfort.
Highlights
Ait Benhaddou
An adobe fortress listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with views you will not forget.
Dades and Todra Gorges
Rock walls and unusual formations in two of the most beautiful canyons in the country.
The Draa Valley
Nkob and its traditional adobe architecture, far from the busiest routes.
Valley of Roses
A road of villages and gardens between Ouarzazate and the Dades Valley.
A night in the Sahara
A camel ride across the dunes of Merzouga and dinner in a desert camp.
Local lunches
Each day, lunch in a local restaurant serving the cooking of the region.
Route map
Where this journey takes you
Duration5 days and 4 nights, fully private
Start and EndMarrakech on Day 1, and Casablanca (airport or a place of your choice) on Day 5
StyleTraditional guesthouses and a desert camp
NightsOuarzazate 1, Dades Valley 1, Sahara camp 1, Nkob 1
Travel PaceActive. Road days with stops for photos, lunches and visits
Route
Marrakech · Tizi n’Tichka · Ait Benhaddou · Ouarzazate · Valley of Roses · Dades Gorges · Todra Gorge · Merzouga · Rissani · Alnif · Nkob · Agdz · Casablanca
Itinerary at a glance
Your trip in brief
| Day | Where you go | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate | Hotel in Ouarzazate, dinner included |
| Day 2 | Ouarzazate to the Dades Valley | Hotel or guesthouse in the Dades Valley, dinner included |
| Day 3 | Dades Valley to Merzouga | Desert camp, dinner included |
| Day 4 | Merzouga to Nkob | Guesthouse in Nkob, dinner included |
| Day 5 | Nkob to Casablanca | Departure |
Full itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate
Marrakech To Ait Benhaddou To Ouarzazate
We leave Marrakech early for Ait Benhaddou. On the way you enjoy views of the High Atlas and cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass, with its bends, Berber villages and viewpoints that are perfect for photographing the mountains.
We visit the famous kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and have lunch in a local restaurant. Afterwards we continue to Ouarzazate, where dinner and your room are waiting.
Overnight: Hotel in Ouarzazate, dinner included
Day 2
Ouarzazate to the Dades Valley
Ouarzazate To The Valley Of Roses To The Dades Valley
After breakfast we visit the Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate. Then we set off for the Dades Valley, passing through the Valley of Roses, a landscape of villages and fields that smells of roses in spring.
After lunch in a local restaurant you enjoy the unusual rock formations of the Dades Gorges. Dinner and the night are in the valley.
Overnight: Hotel or guesthouse in the Dades Valley, dinner included
Day 3
Dades Valley to Merzouga
Dades Valley To Todra Gorge To Merzouga
In the morning we leave for Merzouga, at the heart of the Sahara. On the way we stop at the Todra Gorge to explore its impressive landscape.
After lunch in a local restaurant we reach Merzouga and get ready for the camel ride across the dunes. Dinner and the night are in a desert camp.
Overnight: Desert camp, dinner included
Day 4
Merzouga to Nkob
Merzouga To Rissani To Alnif To Nkob
After the sunrise over the desert, you ride back to Merzouga by camel. We have breakfast and leave for Nkob, a village in the Draa Valley, passing through Rissani and Alnif and stopping for lunch on the way.
We arrive in Nkob, known for its traditional adobe architecture, and spend the night in the village with dinner included.
Overnight: Guesthouse in Nkob, dinner included
Day 5
Nkob to Casablanca
Nkob To Agdz To Ouarzazate To Casablanca
After breakfast we begin the drive back to Casablanca, passing through Agdz and Ouarzazate. We stop for lunch in a local restaurant and continue the journey.
The tour ends in Casablanca, with a drop off at the airport or at the place of your choice.
What’s included
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
- Private, air conditioned vehicle with a professional driver guide
- 4 nights of accommodation with breakfast, including a luxury desert camp
- Lunches and dinners in local restaurants as described in the itinerary
- All entrance fees to the monuments and sites mentioned
- Camel ride across the dunes of Merzouga
- All fuel, tolls, parking fees and taxes
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- International airfare
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Gratuities for guides and drivers, at your discretion
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Prices
Southern Morocco 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 5 day tour, based on two people sharing a room.
| Group size | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler (own room) | US$1,580 | US$1,900 | US$2,300 | US$3,100 |
| 2 travelers | US$840 | US$1,000 | US$1,200 | US$1,600 |
| 3 travelers | US$680 | US$840 | US$1,040 | US$1,440 |
| 4 travelers | US$590 | US$750 | US$950 | US$1,350 |
| 5 travelers | US$540 | US$700 | US$900 | US$1,300 |
| 6 travelers | US$510 | US$670 | US$870 | US$1,270 |
| Single room supplement, whole tour | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per single room | US$240 | US$400 | US$600 | US$1,000 |
Included: 4 nights with breakfast and dinner, your private vehicle with an English speaking driver guide, fuel, tolls and parking, the camel ride in the dunes and the entrance fees on the route. 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. We can add a night, change the pace or adapt the stops to your interests.
Pickup and drop off
Pickup is in Marrakech on Day 1. The tour ends in Casablanca, at the airport or at the place you prefer.
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 Bouaouina is not just a tour guide; he is a storyteller, an ambassador of Moroccan culture, and a true friend”
Rachel, tourHQ, 2023
“The ONLY way to see Morocco is with Hassan Bouaouina.”
Young766, TripAdvisor, 2012
“Hassan has a contagious passion for Morocco… I felt safe and taken care of.”
Viator, 5 day desert trip, 2018
Before you go
Read before you travel
- Best Time for the Sahara, and What to Pack
- Best Time to Visit Morocco: Month by Month
- Money in Morocco: ATMs, Cards, Tipping and a SIM
For visas, money, transport and seasons, see the full Morocco Travel Guide or browse the travel blog.
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Send a booking request with your dates and group size, or ask me anything about the route first. I plan every trip personally and reply within 48 hours.