Morocco unfolds like a story told in landscapes — the salt-kissed Atlantic coast giving way to the cedar-forested slopes of the Atlas Mountains, then descending into the silence of the Sahara, where the dunes glow amber at golden hour and the stars burn so bright they feel close enough to touch. Threading it all together: the Imperial Cities — Fez, Marrakech, Meknès, Rabat — ancient medinas humming with centuries of trade, artistry, and Amazigh, Arab, and Andalusian soul.
Here you go:
Day 1 — Saturday, July 3 | Arrival in Casablanca
Airport pickup from Mohammed V International Airport (CMN)
Check-in and settle in
Afternoon visit to the Hassan II Mosque, set dramatically on the Atlantic Ocean
Stroll the Corniche waterfront and Art Deco city centre
Welcome dinner (included)
Accommodation: Hotel or similar, Casablanca
Day 2 — Sunday, July 4 | Casablanca → Essaouira
Breakfast included
Depart Casablanca south along the Atlantic coast (approx. 3.5 hours)
Arrive in Essaouira — a UNESCO-listed blue-and-white port city
Explore independently
Evening stroll along the 18th-century ramparts at sunset
Accommodation: Riad Amana or similar, Essaouira
Day 3 — Monday, July 5 | Essaouira — Beach & Local Exploration
Breakfast included
1/2 day to explore at your own pace
Morning on the wide Atlantic beach — cool ocean breezes make July here a pleasure
Explore the working fishing harbour and rampart walls
Browse woodworkers, weavers, and jewelry makers in the Medina
Accommodation: Riad Amana or similar, Essaouira
Day 4 — Tuesday, July 6 | Essaouira → Marrakech
Breakfast included
Free morning — final beach walk or browse the souks
Depart for Marrakech (approx. 2.5 hours)
Check in at your riad in the medina
Evening at leisure — Jemaa el-Fna square is electrifying at night
Accommodation: Free People Riad or similar, Marrakech
Day 5 — Wednesday, July 7 | Marrakech — Full Day
Breakfast included
Half-day guided tour
Afternoon at leisure — options (not included) hammam, shopping, or riad rooftop
Traditional Moroccan cooking class
Cooking class dinner (included)
Accommodation: Free People Riad or similar, Marrakech
Day 6 — Thursday, July 8 | Marrakech → Aït Ben Haddou → Dadès Valley
Breakfast included
Cross the High Atlas Mountains via Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2,260m)
Explore Aït Ben Haddou — UNESCO World Heritage ksar with hilltop panoramic views
Continue into the Dadès Valley — the Valley of the Roses
Dinner included
Accommodation: Ksar Sultan or similar, Dadès Valley
Day 7 — Friday, July 9 | Todra Gorge → Desert Arrival
Breakfast included
Early morning visit to Todra Gorge — walk the 300-meter canyon walls in the cool morning air
Continue south to the Sahara Desert
Late afternoon arrival at camp, sunset on the golden dunes
Dinner included
Evening: Amazigh music and drumming, stargazing, tea under the stars
Accommodation: Desert camp with a/c
Day 8 — Saturday, July 10 | Desert
Breakfast included — watch sunrise over the dunes
Desert day tour: Tea with nomads an Gnawa Music
Lunch at restaurant (not included)
Swimming Pool
Dinner included at camp
Accommodation: Desert camp with a/c
Day 9 — Sunday, July 11 | Desert → Azrou Cedar Forest → Fez
Breakfast included
Morning stop at Azrou Cedar Forest — ancient cedars
Continue north to Fez (approx. 2 hours from Azrou)
Afternoon arrival and check-in
Free evening to explore the edges of the medina
Accommodation: Riad Dar Laura or similar, Fez
Day 10 — Monday, July 12 | Fez — Full Day
Breakfast included
Half day guided tour of Fez el-Bali — UNESCO World Heritage Site and world's largest car-free urban area
Evening at leisure
Accommodation: Riad Dar Laura or similar, Fez
Day 11 — Tuesday, July 13 | Fez → Volubilis → Chefchaouen
Breakfast included
Depart Fez with a stop at Volubilis — UNESCO Roman ruins with remarkably preserved mosaics
Continue into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen (approx. 1.5 hours from Volubilis)
Evening arrival and check-in
Accommodation: Riad Cherifa or similar, Chefchaouen
Day 12 — Wednesday, July 14 | Chefchaouen → Rabat
Breakfast included
Half-day guided tour of Chefchaouen — blue medina, artisan workshops, Uta el-Hammam square
Depart after lunch (approx. 3.5 hours to Rabat)
Evening arrival in Rabat — Morocco's elegant and relaxed capital
Accommodation: Riad or similar, Rabat
Day 13 — Thursday, July 15 | Rabat → Casablanca — Last Night
Breakfast included
Morning in Rabat: Kasbah of the Udayas, Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Hassan Tower, UNESCO medina stroll
Short drive to Casablanca (approx. 1 hour)
Afternoon free — relax, shop, or revisit the Hassan II Mosque
Farewell dinner (included)
Accommodation: Hotel or similar, Casablanca
Day 14 — Friday, July 16 | Departure Day
Breakfast included
Free morning at leisure
Airport transfer to Mohammed V International Airport (CMN)
Depart Morocco — until next time!
**Some changes may be made to the itinerary due to considerations outside our control.
Group will have designated vehicle
Marrakech, Essaouira, Fez, and Chefchauen
Select dinners as listed
To help you get ready
Ask all your questions before you go
Other than those included
Activities suggested or optional may have additional fees.
Some fees are paid on site during local tours and you will be advised to to have MAD (dh) on hand
Journeys & Zen Morocco is a boutique travel company specializing in authentic, immersive experiences in Morocco's Sahara Desert and beyond. Founded by Christine DePalo in partnership with Amazigh guide Salem Bahba, we connect travelers with the real Morocco — its people, traditions, and landscapes — through ethical, non-extractive tourism that directly supports local Amazigh-owned businesses.
Our flagship experience is Arawan Luxury Desert Camp, located in the remote dunes of Erg Lihoudi near M'hamid El Ghizlane, where guests enjoy comfortable desert accommodations, traditional hospitality, stargazing, and genuine cultural exchange far from the crowds of typical tourist routes.