Five days take you from Casablanca to Marrakech through Chefchaouen, Fes and the Merzouga Sahara. Walk through the blue medina, explore Fes with a local guide, ride a camel across Erg Chebbi and continue through Todra, Dades and Ait Ben Haddou.
Five days bring together several very different sides of Morocco without forcing the route to return along the same roads. Casablanca is the starting point, Chefchaouen introduces the Rif Mountains, Fes adds a full medina experience, and Merzouga changes the scenery completely with the Sahara.
This 5 day tour from Casablanca is especially suitable for travelers who want to combine northern Morocco with the desert while finishing in Marrakech.
The first stage heads directly toward Chefchaouen, where blue-painted lanes, mountain views and a slower medina atmosphere create a gentle start to the journey.
Fez receives more attention than on many shorter Casablanca tours. A local guide introduces you to the historic medina, traditional craft areas and some of the city’s best-known monuments before the itinerary turns south.
From there, the Morocco itinerary 5 days moves through Ifrane, cedar forests and the Ziz Valley until the Erg Chebbi dunes appear beside Merzouga.
A Morocco camel ride leads across part of the dunes toward your desert camp. When the weather and arrival time allow, there is time to stop for sunset before dinner and an overnight stay in the Sahara.
The final two days move through Rissani, Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley before reaching Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou.
The last section climbs into the High Atlas Mountains and descends toward Marrakech, completing a varied 5 days in Morocco route from the Rif Mountains to the Sahara and southern valleys.
Journey experience
Day by day
The first hours of the journey leave Morocco’s largest city behind and head toward the quieter mountain landscapes of the north.
Pickup can be arranged from Mohammed V International Airport, your Casablanca hotel or another agreed location in the city.
From Casablanca, the road turns north toward Chefchaouen and the Rif Mountains.
The landscape becomes greener as the route approaches northern Morocco, with hills and smaller towns replacing the urban surroundings of Casablanca.
Once in Chefchaouen, check into your riad or hotel before heading into the medina.
The remaining hours are intentionally flexible. Walk through the blue-painted streets, spend time around Outa El Hammam, browse small shops or simply find a terrace overlooking the old town.
Chefchaouen rewards a slower pace, so there is no need to turn the first day into a long list of scheduled visits.
Dinner according to your accommodation package and overnight in Chefchaouen.
Blue mountain streets give way to one of Morocco’s oldest and most complex imperial cities.
After leaving Chefchaouen, continue south toward Fes, where a local guide will meet you for a closer look at the historic city.
Much of the visit takes place on foot inside the Medina of Fes.
Depending on timing and opening conditions, the guided route can include the Royal Palace gates, Al Attarine Madrasa, Nejjarine, traditional craft areas and viewpoints over the Chouara Tanneries.
The visit can also pass through the Mellah and areas around Al Quaraouiyine, helping you understand how religious buildings, workshops, markets and residential quarters are connected inside the medina.
Rather than simply moving from monument to monument, the purpose of the guided visit is to give context to Fes and the daily life that still takes place within its historic streets.
After the tour, settle into your riad in the medina and enjoy the rest of the evening at your own pace.
Overnight in Fes.
City walls disappear behind you today, and before the day is over the horizon is filled with Sahara dunes.
Leave Fes toward Ifrane before continuing into the cedar landscapes of the Middle Atlas.
Around the forested areas near Azrou, Barbary macaques may sometimes be seen. They are wild animals, so sightings cannot be guaranteed and they should not be fed or disturbed.
The road continues through mountain scenery toward Midelt and gradually becomes drier as you travel farther south.
Around the Ziz region, long palm groves create a green corridor through the rocky landscape. When timing permits, a panoramic stop can be made over the Ziz Valley.
The scenery becomes increasingly desert-like beyond Erfoud until the Erg Chebbi dunes rise near Merzouga.
Prepare a small bag for the night and meet the camel team before leaving the vehicle behind.
Your Morocco camel ride follows part of Erg Chebbi toward the camp, with time for a sunset stop when weather, daylight and arrival time allow.
At the camp, settle into your private tent before dinner.
Depending on the accommodation package selected, your stay can be arranged in a comfortable camp or an upgraded luxury desert camp in Merzouga.
Traditional drums or music may be organized after dinner according to the camp’s evening program.
Overnight in the Sahara.
The fourth day begins beside the dunes and ends among canyon walls and unusual rock formations.
Wake early if you would like to watch sunrise over Erg Chebbi before breakfast.
Leave the camp by the arranged camel or 4x4 transfer and continue toward Rissani.
Rissani remains an important regional trading centre. When your visit falls on a market day and the schedule allows, there may be time for a short walk through the traditional souk.
The road then heads toward Tinghir and Todra Gorge.
Step out of the vehicle and walk beside the river beneath the canyon walls. Being on foot gives a much clearer sense of the scale of Todra than simply passing through by road.
From Todra, continue toward Boumalne Dadès.
The Dades Valley brings another change of scenery, with traditional villages, winding roads and unusual formations commonly known as the Monkey Fingers.
Dinner and overnight in a hotel or riad in the Dadès region.
The final day follows the architecture and mountain landscapes of southern Morocco toward Marrakech.
Leave Dadès and continue toward Ouarzazate through valleys and villages shaped by traditional earthen architecture.
Travelers interested in Morocco’s film industry can request an optional stop at Atlas Studios when the schedule and opening hours allow.
The main historical visit is Ait Ben Haddou.
Often searched online as the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the site is more accurately described as a fortified ksar built from traditional earthen structures.
Take time to walk through part of the settlement and appreciate its architecture before returning to the road.
The final stage climbs into the High Atlas Mountains, where mountain roads and panoramic viewpoints gradually replace the dry landscapes of the south.
Short stops can be made when traffic, weather and the schedule permit.
Your 5 day tour from Casablanca finishes in Marrakech with drop-off at your hotel, riad or the nearest accessible location.
This itinerary is arranged as a private journey from Casablanca to Marrakech, giving your party its own vehicle, professional driver and a more flexible rhythm throughout the five days.
One of its strongest advantages is the variety. The same journey moves from the blue streets of Chefchaouen to the historic medina of Fes, the cedar landscapes of the Middle Atlas, the Sahara dunes and finally the valleys and mountains of southern Morocco.
Fes is not treated as a simple overnight stop. A guided Fes medina tour gives you time with a local guide before the route continues toward the desert.
Merzouga also receives a complete overnight experience. A private camel ride across Erg Chebbi leads toward the camp, where a private tent and dinner in the Sahara create a very different atmosphere from the city stages of the tour.
For travelers looking for additional comfort, an upgraded luxury desert camp can be arranged according to availability and the accommodation category selected.
The route is designed to keep moving naturally toward Marrakech. Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley, Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou all become part of the journey instead of requiring long detours or a return along the same road.
Pickup and drop-off can be arranged directly from your airport, hotel, riad or another agreed accessible point, helping the private service feel seamless from the first day to the last.
If you have less time, compare this itinerary with our 4-day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca.
For more time in northern Morocco, the imperial cities and the Sahara, our 7-day tour from Casablanca offers a slower route.
You can also browse all tours from Casablanca, or adapt hotels, desert accommodation and trip length through our Customize Your Morocco Tour service.
Once your travel dates are confirmed, contact us to arrange availability and your preferred accommodation level.
Tour details
Tour gallery
Before you book
Yes, if you want an active route. Five days allows you to include Chefchaouen, a guided visit of Fes, the Merzouga desert, Todra Gorge, Dades and Ait Ben Haddou before finishing in Marrakech.
Yes. The first night is spent in Chefchaouen, with free time after arrival to walk through the blue medina and enjoy the mountain-town atmosphere.
Yes. Day 2 includes time in Fes with a local guide before your overnight stay in the city.
Yes. A camel ride across part of the Erg Chebbi dunes is included before the desert-camp stay. Sunset timing depends on weather, season and arrival time.
Yes. A luxury desert camp in Merzouga can be arranged according to availability and the accommodation category selected when booking.
The tour finishes in Marrakech on Day 5, with drop-off at your hotel, riad or the nearest accessible point to your accommodation.
You may also like
Continue exploring Morocco with a few journeys that connect naturally with this route.
Private tourSpend 10 days crossing Morocco from Casablanca through Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes and the Merzouga Sahara before continuing through Todra, Dades and Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakech. Includes guided city tours, an Erg Chebbi camel ride and two nights in the Merzouga region.
Private tourSpend one week crossing Morocco from Casablanca to Marrakech through Rabat, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Fes and the Sahara. This private 7-day route includes a guided Fes tour, Erg Chebbi camel ride, desert camp, Todra Gorge, Dades and Ait Ben Haddou.
Private tourSpend two weeks crossing Morocco from Casablanca through Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, the Merzouga Sahara, Marrakech and Essaouira. This private 14-day itinerary combines imperial cities, Atlantic towns, mountain landscapes and a desert camp in Erg Chebbi.
Follow Luxury Morocco Destinations for a closer look at Morocco — Sahara sunsets, Marrakech streets, Atlas landscapes, coastal escapes, and moments from our private luxury tours.
