Three tested 10-day routes with a map, driving hours for every day, where to sleep and what it costs, from the Marrakech team that drives them.
The best 10 day Morocco itinerary goes one way from Tangier to Casablanca: Chefchaouen and Fes, a night in the Sahara, the Dades Valley and Ait Benhaddou, two nights in Marrakech and two in Essaouira, then up the Atlantic coast. With return flights to Casablanca, loop through the imperial cities with two nights in the dunes; for a honeymoon, drive from Marrakech to Casablanca in palace riads.
Ten days is the length where Morocco stops feeling rushed: every route below has four or five days with no long drive. Each comes with a map, the driving hours for every day, the hotels our tours use and what it costs. We are a tour operator based in Marrakech and these are our own tour routes. For a shorter trip, see the 7 day Morocco itinerary.
Route 1Our pickOur pick: the whole country in 10 days
Route 2More time in the dunes
Route 3Palace riads and private moments
Ten days is the length where Morocco stops feeling rushed: every route below has four or five days with no long drive. Choose by your flights first, then by how much time you want in the desert.
Switch between the routes, then tap a stop to see where it is. Places with a guide on this site link to it.
Morocco 10-day routes
More days do not mean more driving per day: the long legs are the same as on a one-week trip, but they are spread out with rest days in between. Routes 1 and 2 have about 32 hours on the road over ten days; Route 3, with fewer long legs, about 28.
Hours on the road, day by day
Route 1 · Our pick: the whole country in 10 days
One way from the north to the Atlantic: Chefchaouen and Fes, a night in the dunes, the Dades Valley and Ait Benhaddou, two nights in Marrakech and two in Essaouira, then up the coast to Casablanca.
About 323 km · 5.5 h
Pickup at Tangier airport, the ferry port or your hotel, then south into the green Rif Mountains. Lunch and a walk in the blue medina of Chefchaouen, arriving in Fes in the evening.
Riad in the Fes medina
On foot in the medina
A full day in the largest car-free medina in the world: Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Nejjarine Fountain, the Chouara tanneries and the Mellah, ending at the Merenid Tombs above the city.
Riad in the Fes medina
About 459 km · 7.5 h (longest day)
Ifrane, the Azrou cedar forest and its Barbary macaques, lunch in Midelt, then the palm groves of the Ziz Valley down to Merzouga and a sunset camel ride to a desert camp in Erg Chebbi.
Desert camp, Erg Chebbi
About 250 km · 4.5 h
Sunrise from the dunes, then west through Tinghir to walk the river in the Todra Gorge between cliffs more than 300 m high, and on to the Dades Valley for the night.
Kasbah hotel, Dades Valley
About 330 km · 6.5 h
Through the Rose Valley around Kelaat M'Gouna to Ouarzazate, then Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO-listed earthen ksar, and over the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech.
Riad in the Marrakech medina
On foot in the city
The Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Majorelle Garden and the souks, ending at Jemaa el-Fna as the food stalls and storytellers set up.
Riad in the Marrakech medina
About 190 km · 2.5 h
West across the argan forest, with a stop at a women's cooperative that presses argan oil, reaching Essaouira by lunchtime with the afternoon free.
Riad in the Essaouira medina
On foot in the town
Walk the Skala de la Ville ramparts, watch the blue boats come into the harbour and browse the thuya-wood workshops of the medina. The afternoon is free for the beach, a hammam or a seafood lunch at the port.
Riad in the Essaouira medina
About 278 km · 4 h
North past Safi and the oyster lagoon of Oualidia to El Jadida, where the Portuguese City of Mazagan, a UNESCO-listed fortress, hides a vaulted underground cistern.
Hotel near the old city, El Jadida
About 90 km · 1.5 h, then the airport
A short drive to Casablanca for the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the Atlantic, then Mohammed V Airport or your hotel.
Do this as a private tour
10 Days Tour from Tangier to Casablanca via the Sahara
from $1,550 per person for two travellers sharing (Standard tier): private 4x4 with fuel and tolls, driver-guide for 10 days and nine nights.
Route 2 · More time in the dunes
Up the coast to Rabat, into the Rif for Chefchaouen, through Volubilis and Meknes to Fes, then two nights in the Sahara with a full day around the dunes, back through the Dades Valley to Marrakech, and a highway transfer to Casablanca for your flight.
About 95 km · 1.5 h
From Mohammed V Airport to the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the Atlantic, then north to Rabat for the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Hassan Tower.
Riad in the Rabat medina
About 250 km · 4.5 h
From the coast into the Rif Mountains, reaching Chefchaouen by early afternoon for the Ras el-Maa waterfall, Plaza Uta el-Hammam and sunset from the Spanish Mosque.
Boutique riad in Chefchaouen
On foot in the medina
Al Quaraouiyine, the Bou Inania Madrasa and the Chouara tanneries in the lanes of the old medina.
Riad in Fes el-Bali
About 459 km · 7.5 h (longest day)
An 08:00 start through Ifrane and the Azrou cedar forest, lunch in Midelt, the Tizi n'Talghamt pass and the Ziz Valley down to the dunes.
Luxury desert camp, en-suite tent
About 40 km off-road by 4x4
Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia, tea with a semi-nomadic family on the black hamada, and time for sandboarding or the camp fire.
Luxury desert camp (same camp)
About 250 km · 4.5 h
Sunrise on the dunes, then Tinghir, the Todra Gorge and the switchback road into the Dades Valley at sunset.
Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley
About 330 km · 6.5 h
The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through Kelaat M'Gouna and Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, then over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m) to Marrakech.
Riad in Marrakech
On foot in the city
The Koutoubia, the Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace and the souks, ending at Jemaa el-Fna; the late afternoon is free for the Majorelle Garden.
Riad in Marrakech
About 240 km · 2.5 h to the airport
A private transfer from your riad to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport or your hotel.
Do this as a private tour
10 Days Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech: Imperial Cities & Sahara
from $1,490 per person for two travellers sharing: private 4x4, driver-guide for 10 days, nine nights and guided walks in Fes and Marrakech.
Route 3 · Palace riads and private moments
Our honeymoon route: two nights in a palace riad in Marrakech, the Atlas and a luxury desert camp, then north through Fes, Volubilis and Chefchaouen to Rabat and Casablanca. Fewer hours on the road than Routes 1 and 2, and every night in a top hotel. See our luxury tours for other routes in this style.
Airport transfer, 20 min
A fast-track welcome at Marrakech Menara Airport and a private transfer to your riad in the medina or the Palmeraie.
La Villa des Orangers, Royal Mansour or The Oberoi
On foot in the city
The Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum early, before the crowds, the Bahia Palace in the afternoon and a private tour of the souks.
Same as night 1
About 330 km · 6.5 h
Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass and down the Ounila Valley to Ait Benhaddou for lunch facing the ksar, then the Skoura palm grove and the Valley of Roses to the Dades by sunset.
Chez Pierre or Xaluca Dades (suite)
About 250 km · 4.5 h
A walk along the Todra riverbed, Erfoud, then a camel or 4x4 across Erg Chebbi to a private luxury camp for sunset.
Desert Luxury Camp or Kam Kam Dunes (en-suite tent)
About 459 km · 7.5 h (longest day)
Sunrise in the dunes, the palm ribbon of the Ziz Valley, the Azrou cedar forest and Ifrane, arriving in Fes.
Riad Fes (Relais & Châteaux) or Palais Amani
On foot in the medina
Al Quaraouiyine, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Nejjarine Museum and the Chouara tanneries from a private terrace.
Same as night 5
About 200 km · 3.5 h
The mosaics and Triumphal Arch of Volubilis, then up into the green Rif to Chefchaouen for dusk in the blue lanes.
Lina Ryad & Spa or Dar Echchaouen
About 250 km · 4.5 h
An early photo walk in Chefchaouen, then down to the Atlantic for the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas.
Sofitel Jardin des Roses or La Tour Hassan
About 95 km · 1.5 h
A private visit to the Hassan II Mosque and a farewell dinner in Casablanca.
Four Seasons Casablanca or Hyatt Regency
Airport transfer, 40 min
Transfer to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport for your flight home.
Do this as a private tour
10 Days Luxury Morocco Honeymoon Tour from Marrakech
from $2,950 per person for two travellers sharing: private vehicle and driver-guide, nine nights in the hotels above, a couples hammam and three candlelit dinners.
March to May and September to November are the best months for all three routes. In summer the desert passes 40°C while Essaouira and the coast stay cooler, which suits Route 1; in winter the Rif gets rain and nights at a desert camp drop close to freezing. Month by month in the best time to visit Morocco.
When to go, region by region
Tap a month to see its temperatures.
Marrakech in OctoberIdeal
Warm days and mild evenings: the best weather for the medina and souks.
Average high 28 °C, low 15 °C (Marrakech).
Private 10-day tours on our routes cost from $1,490 per person for two travellers sharing (Route 2), $1,550 (Route 1) and $2,950 for the luxury Route 3, all with nine nights included. Here is Route 1 once lunches and tips are added. More on what moves the price in Morocco tour prices.
Example: two travellers on Route 1
| Private tour, Route 1 (2 × $1,550) | $3,100 |
|---|---|
| 9 lunches each (100–120 MAD a meal) | $180–$220 |
| Driver-guide tip, 10 days (150–200 MAD a day) | $150–$200 |
| Entrance fees, drinks, souvenirs | Your choice |
About $3,430–$3,520 for the two of you, before entrance fees and shopping.
What is not in a tour price
Each route crosses a mountain range and reaches the desert, where no train goes, so you need a car or a driver for most of it. The train covers Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech, which helps only for the city legs. Self-drive is possible on all three, but see driving in Morocco before deciding.
| How you travel | Route 1North to south, ending on the coast | Route 2Imperial cities and two desert nights | Route 3Luxury, Marrakech to Casablanca |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private driver-guideDoor to door, guides in each city | Works well | Works well | Works well |
| Self-drive rentalPossible; long Atlas and desert days | Possible, with trade-offs | Possible, with trade-offs | Possible, with trade-offs |
| TrainOnly between the big cities | Does not work | Does not work | Does not work |
| Bus and shared toursCheapest, but slow and fixed to group schedules | Possible, with trade-offs | Possible, with trade-offs | Does not work |
Add Tangier, a free day in Marrakech and Essaouira on the same circuit.
14 day Morocco itinerarySwap Erg Chebbi for the remote dunes of Erg Chigaga, reached by 4x4 from M'Hamid.
5 days Erg Chigaga tourFrom Marrakech, Imlil and the Toubkal valleys are about 1.5 hours away.
Imlil day tripShorter driving days, a family desert camp and hotels with pools.
8 days family tourA 10-day route through the mellahs of Fes, Sefrou, Marrakech and Essaouira.
10 days Jewish heritage tourFes to Merzouga (about 7.5 h) and Merzouga to Marrakech are full days. Put a city day or a desert day between them, as every route above does.
Moving every night is tiring. Two nights in Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira is what makes 10 days feel relaxed.
Essaouira is about 2.5 h from Marrakech and stays cool in summer: on 10 days there is time for it.
A one-way route like Tangier to Casablanca saves a full day of driving back, if your flights allow it.
The same format for every length of trip, from a few days in Marrakech to two weeks across the country.
Yes. Ten days covers the main regions, the north, Fes, the Sahara, Marrakech and the Atlantic coast, with four or five days that have no long drive.
Tangier to Casablanca: Chefchaouen and Fes, a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes, the Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley, Ait Benhaddou, two nights in Marrakech, two in Essaouira and El Jadida, ending at the Hassan II Mosque. It is our 10 Days Tour from Tangier to Casablanca.
One night is enough to see sunset and sunrise on the dunes; two nights give you a full day by 4x4 around Merzouga, with Gnawa music in Khamlia and a visit to a nomad family. Route 2 on this page has two.
Our private 10-day tours cost from $1,490 (Casablanca loop), $1,550 (Tangier to Casablanca) and $2,950 (luxury honeymoon) per person for two travellers sharing, with nine nights included. Lunches add 100 to 120 MAD per person per meal and a driver-guide is usually tipped 150 to 200 MAD a day.
In Tangier if you arrive from Spain or find a flight there, in Casablanca for the main international airport, or in Marrakech. A one-way route saves a full day of driving back, so check open-jaw flights first.
Yes. Route 1 spends two nights there; Essaouira is about 2.5 hours from Marrakech through the argan forest and stays much cooler than the inland cities in summer.
March to May and September to November. In summer the desert passes 40°C while Essaouira and the coast stay cooler; in winter the Rif gets rain and desert nights drop close to freezing.
Want your 10 days planned for you?
Build a day-by-day plan with real drive times in the trip planner, or book one of the routes above as a private tour.