6 Days Marrakech Desert & imperial cities Tour

Uncover Morocco’s most iconic contrasts on a 6 Days Marrakech Desert & imperial cities Tour that loops from the Red City to the Sahara and back via the imperial capitals. Wind over the High Atlas, step inside the earthen fortress of Ait Benhaddou (UNESCO), trace the kasbah-studded valleys to the Todra Gorges, and ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a starlit night in a luxury camp. Continue north through the cedar forests and alpine towns of the Middle Atlas to Fes for two nights of deep cultural discovery, then weave through Meknes and Volubilis (UNESCO) before the modern-meets-historic capital of Rabat. Conclude with a coastal detour via Casablanca and return to Marrakech with a camera roll full of memories.

Travel in comfort with private transportation and an experienced English-speaking driver. This journey blends UNESCO heritage, grand landscapes, artisan traditions, and immersive medina life — thoughtfully paced with two nights in Fes and a smooth finish back in Marrakech.

6 Days Marrakech Desert & imperial cities Tour – Highlights:

• Atlas Crossing — Panoramas over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2,260 m)
• UNESCO Ait Benhaddou — Morocco’s famed ksar & filming location (UNESCO)
• Kasbahs & Canyons — Dades Valley, the “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs,” and Todra Gorges
• Erg Chebbi Camel Trek — Sunset ride to a luxury desert camp + sandboarding & stargazing
• Middle Atlas Scenery — Ziz Valley, Azrou cedar forest & alpine Ifrane
• 2 Nights in Fes — Guided medina tour, artisan quarters, and time to wander
• Meknes & Volubilis — Imperial grandeur & Roman mosaics (UNESCO)
• Rabat — Hassan Tower, Udayas, Chellah (UNESCO city: UNESCO)
• Casablanca — Optional interior visit to the Hassan II Mosque en route to Marrakech
• Private & Flexible — Tailored pacing, curated stops, and handpicked stays

Itinerary: 6 Days Marrakech Desert & imperial cities Tour

At Morocco On Tour, every trip is private and customizable. Want golden-hour photography in Chefchaouen-like lanes in Fes, hands-on ceramic workshops, or extra dune time? Tell us your style — we’ll tune the pacing, experiences, and accommodations to match.

Day 1: Marrakech → High Atlas → Ait Benhaddou → Ouarzazate → Dades Valley

(6–7 Hours Drive)

After a private pickup from your riad at 8:00 AM, we climb into the High Atlas Mountains along the serpentine Tizi n’Tichka road. The landscape shifts from olive groves to terraced Berber hamlets clinging to red-earth slopes. We’ll pause for sweeping viewpoints and, if you wish, a small argan oil cooperative to learn traditional pressing techniques.

By late morning, the skyline of Ait Benhaddou rises — an earthen fortress city whose towers have starred in countless films. Cross the shallow riverbed and wander lanes of sun-baked pisé walls to the hilltop granary for cinematic views of the Ounila Valley. Over lunch, gaze back at the ksar and watch its colors shift with the light. Curious what defines a kasbah? Here’s a primer on what a kasbah is.

Continue to Ouarzazate — the “Hollywood of Africa.” Time permitting, step inside Taourirt Kasbah or peek behind the scenes at the Atlas Film Studios. Then cruise the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, passing palm oases and mud-brick villages en route to the Dades Valley. Check in at a cozy kasbah-style hotel and enjoy dinner overlooking the valley’s sculpted cliffs.

Day 2: Dades Valley → Tinghir Oasis → Todra Gorges → Erfoud → Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) Luxury Desert Camp

(4–5 Hours Drive)

Wake to mountain light and a fresh breakfast. We trace Dades’ playful formations — nicknamed “Monkey Fingers” — before descending to the Tinghir Oasis, where ancient irrigation channels thread a sea of date palms. Soon, 300-meter cliffs close in as we enter the Todra Gorges. Stroll the riverbed beneath sheer golden walls as climbers dot the rock above.

After lunch, roll past Tinjdad to Erfoud, famed for its fossil workshops and the date-rich Tafilalet. As the afternoon light turns honeyed, the dunes of Erg Chebbi rise on the horizon. Swap wheels for a camel and sway across the sands at sunset (or opt for a 4×4 transfer to the camp).

Tonight, settle into your private ensuite tent at a luxury desert camp. A hearty dinner awaits, followed by Berber rhythms around the fire and a sky strewn with stars. Sandboards are on hand for a moonlit glide down the dunes if you’re feeling adventurous.

Day 3: Merzouga → Rissani (optional) → Ziz Valley & Gorges → Midelt → Azrou Cedar Forest → Ifrane → Fes

(7–8 Hours Drive)

Rise early for an optional sunrise that paints the dunes in shifting gold. After breakfast, ride camels back or transfer by 4×4 to your vehicle. If timing suits, we can make a short stop in Rissani — birthplace of Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty — to wander its storied market.

Our route north threads the palm oases of the Ziz Valley and the sculpted Ziz Gorges, with photo stops to breathe in the vastness. Break for lunch in Midelt before the scenery shifts to the Middle Atlas range. In the cedar forests near Azrou, keep an eye out for wild Barbary macaques, then pass through alpine-style Ifrane, nicknamed “Little Switzerland.” Arrive in Fes by late afternoon and settle into your riad. Evening at leisure. (Night 1 in Fes)

Day 4: Fes — Full-Day Guided City Tour

(Night 2 in Fes)

With a licensed local guide, step into the labyrinth of Fes el-Bali, a living museum of craft and spirituality. Highlights often include the Royal Palace gates (exterior), the Jewish Mellah, the ornate Attarine Medersa, the Nejjarine Museum & Fountain, and the venerable Karaouiyine Mosque/University (exterior). From terraces overlooking the Chouara tanneries, watch centuries-old leather-dyeing techniques in a riot of color.

Meet artisans shaping zellij mosaics, hammering brass, and carving fragrant cedar — crafts passed down through generations. If time allows, drive up to Borj Nord for a sweeping city panorama. The rest of the day is yours for rooftop tea, a hammam, or a food tasting in the medina.

Day 5: Fes → Meknes → Volubilis → Rabat

(4.5–6 Hours Drive incl. visits)

Depart for Meknes, the 17th-century showpiece of Sultan Moulay Ismail. Admire the monumental Bab Mansour, stroll El Hedim Square, and, time permitting, visit the vast Heri es-Souani granaries and royal stables as well as the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (if open).

Continue to Volubilis (UNESCO), Morocco’s best-preserved Roman city. Walk the forum, basilica, triumphal arch, and sublime mosaic floors set against rolling hills. By afternoon, roll into Rabat, the elegant capital and UNESCO World Heritage city. Depending on timing, make photo stops or short visits at the Hassan Tower & Mohammed V Mausoleum, the whitewashed Udayas Kasbah, or the evocative ruins of Chellah. Overnight in Rabat.

Day 6: Rabat → Casablanca (Hassan II Mosque) → Marrakech

(4–5 Hours Drive + visits)

Enjoy a relaxed Rabat morning or finish any sights from yesterday. Then follow the Atlantic coast to Casablanca for an optional interior tour of the Hassan II Mosque — one of the world’s largest, set dramatically over the ocean. Stroll the seaside Corniche or the Habous quarter’s arcaded streets for a last taste of urban Morocco.

By late afternoon, continue along the highway to Marrakech for drop-off at your riad — closing the loop where it began. As city lights replace desert stars, you’ll carry the Atlas vistas, campfire beats, and the medina’s timeless hum with you long after the journey ends.

Tour Gallery: 6 Days Marrakech Desert & imperial cities Tour