Imperial Cities
6 Days / 5 Nights
From the Imperial Cities to the dunes of the Sahara, this journey takes you across Morocco’s most iconic landscapes, ending in the vibrant Red City of Marrakesh.
Journey Snapshot
Quick Reference
Best For
Imperial Cities, Sahara Desert, First-time Morocco travelers, History & culture
Pace
Moderate-paced journey with a balance of sightseeing, scenic drives, and immersive cultural experiences
Starts & Ends
Begins in Casablanca or Marrakesh
Ends in Marrakesh
Customize This Itinerary
Private and fully customizable around your interests, travel style, and preferred pace
Overview
DURATION:
6 days / 5 nights
ROUTE:
Casablanca / Rabat
Fes
Volubilis
Merzouga
Skoura
Marrakesh
Tour Details
While we have tours that focus on a particular region of Morocco – our Imperial Cities Tour will broaden the range and introduce to our travelers the most interesting regions of the country. We start our journey in Marrakesh or Casablanca – going clockwise from the North of Morocco, down south to the Saharan Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga before looping back up to Marrakesh via the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou.
On this adventure, you will visit the Imperial Cities, camp overnight in the magnificent desert dunes of the Saharan Desert, drive through lush greenery of the scenic Skoura Valley and end the tour in Marrakesh – known as the Red City but also one of the most visited cities in the world.
This tour will also take you to five of the nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Morocco. Take that bucket list!
What's Included in Your Journey
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Private 4x4 Transfer with collection/return at accommodation or airport.
Mineral water will be provided throughout private 4x4 transfer
5 nights accommodation (including breakfast). Dinner will also be included at Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps
NOT INCLUDED
Travel insurance & supplemental travel medical insurance
Vaccinations
Single supplement
Itinerary
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Transfer from your accommodation or airport in Marrakesh/Casablanca. Casablanca is the business and commercial hub of Morocco. If you have time, one of the landmarks worth paying a visit is the Hassan II Mosque. The Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world (largest in Africa) – and a reflection of impeccable modern day Moroccan craftsmanship. Most mosques in Morocco are closed to non-Muslims and this is one of the very few in the country that is open to tourists.
Continue on your way to Rabat to enjoy the sights of this Imperial City. This city is also the present day political and administrative capital of Morocco. Your knowledgeable guide/driver will take you to all the sights worth visiting (ruins of the Citadel of Challah, Hassan Mosque, Mohamed V Mausoleum and the Kasbah des Oudayas). After a day of sightseeing, spend the night at a well-appointed Riad in Rabat.
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After enjoying breakfast at the riad, the tour will continue with a visit to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Meknes was founded in the 11th century as the capital of the Alaouite dynasty. Some sights that are worth visiting are Bab El Mansour (the most ornate gate in all of Morocco), Place El Hedim (a bustling grand square), Bab El Khemis (the beautiful door that is the gateway into the Medina of Meknes), the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (resting place for the founder of Meknes), Palais El Mansour (summer residence of the Moulay Ismail) and Heri Es-Sousani (the awe-inspiring horse stables and granaries that once housed more than 12,000 royal horses).
The second World Heritage site is the important ancient Roman outpost of Volubilis. It was founded in the 3rd century BC as the capital of Mauretania in the Roman Empire, later becoming the capital of the Idrisid dynasty. Even if you only have a few hours, Volubilis is worth a visit. This ancient Roman ruin is astonishingly beautiful. The bold mosiac tiles are still vibrantly intact in most of the structures and it will most certainly take your breath away! After savoring your day in Moroccan’s history, begin your short journey to the city of Fez. There you will spend the night at one of the most delightful riads.
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Continue on your journey from Fez to the Saharan Erg Chebbi dunes (Merzouga) via the Middle Atlas. On route, you will stop by Ifrane (a Moroccan Alpine village) and the Cedar Forest (near the town of Azrou) where you can visit the famous Barbary apes. Upon arriving in Merzouga, enjoy an epic camel ride into the sunset before arriving at your desert camp for the night. For those who do not have an interest in a camel ride, your driver will be more than happy to drive you directly to the camp.
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Continue on your journey from Fez to the Saharan Erg Chebbi dunes (Merzouga) via the Middle Atlas. On route, you will stop by Ifrane (a Moroccan Alpine village) and the Cedar Forest (near the town of Azrou) where you can visit the famous Barbary apes. Upon arriving in Merzouga, enjoy an epic camel ride into the sunset before arriving at your desert camp for the night. For those who do not have an interest in a camel ride, your driver will be more than happy to drive you directly to the camp.
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After having spent a restful night at the Merzouga desert camp, transfer by camel to meet your driver to start your journey to Skoura Valley. For travelers who do not wish to ride a camel, our driver will be more than happy to arrange pick-up at the desert camp. The scenic route to Skoura Valley will be via Todgha Gorge and Dades Valley. The gorge is about 15 km long and the drive is breathtaking. The deep red cliffs beside the Todgha River have an average height of 400 meters which makes it one of the most canyons in the world. Dades Valley is also know as the “valley of figs”. This valley is green, lush and bursting with life. You will see fields of almonds, cheeries, peach, apple, apricot and dozens of other fruits. It is like walking through the Garden of Eden on Earth. Continue the scenic drive to spend the night at a well-appointed riad in Skoura.
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After enjoying breakfast at the guesthouse – the journey to Marrakesh will begin with a stop in Ait Ben Haddou. You will be given an opportunity to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site (made famous by the movie “Gladiator” and TV show “Game of Thrones”). The scenic drive will continue through the High Atlas Mountains and the Tizi n’Tichka pass (altitude 2260 meters) to arrive at your final destination.
Map Route
