Morocco Itinerary 9 Days: Slower Imperial Cities, Sahara & Atlas

Day 1 starts at Casablanca where our English-speaking Berber driver collects you from your hotel or airport in a private, air-conditioned 4x4 or comfortable minibus. From here, the road climbs through Casablanca, Morocco's economic heart, where the colossal Hassan II Mosque rises directly above the Atlantic waves and Art Deco facades line the boulevards. You then continue toward the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world, its 210-metre minaret rising directly over the Atlantic. Lunch is served en route in Rabat, the discreet royal capital, whose Hassan Tower, Kasbah of the Oudayas and royal Chellah necropolis combine Andalusian elegance with Atlantic light. The afternoon takes you to the Hassan Tower, the unfinished 12th-century minaret of red sandstone facing the royal Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Overnight in a carefully selected riad or kasbah hotel with traditional dinner included.

Day 2 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through Rabat, the discreet royal capital, whose Hassan Tower, Kasbah of the Oudayas and royal Chellah necropolis combine Andalusian elegance with Atlantic light. The afternoon takes you to Chefchaouen, the Blue Pearl of the Rif mountains — every wall, door and step painted in shades of cobalt and powder blue. You sleep tonight in a charming guesthouse hand-picked for character, location and breakfast quality.

Day 3 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through Chefchaouen, the Blue Pearl of the Rif mountains — every wall, door and step painted in shades of cobalt and powder blue. The afternoon takes you to Volubilis, the wonderfully preserved Roman provincial city of the 1st-3rd centuries, with mosaics of Bacchus and Hercules still in situ under the open sky. As the light softens you reach Meknes, the fourth imperial city, with the monumental Bab Mansour gate and the colossal stables built by sultan Moulay Ismail for his 12,000 horses. The route winds on through Fes, the spiritual capital of Morocco and home to the world's oldest continuously operating university, with a medieval medina that has not changed its rhythm in nine centuries. Tonight's accommodation is a boutique riad with a courtyard pool, fresh towels and Berber breakfast at dawn.

Day 4 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through the Fes medina, the world's largest car-free urban area with 9,400 alleyways and the medieval tanneries of Chouara at its heart. The afternoon takes you to the Chouara tanneries of Fes, working since the 11th century with limestone vats, pigeon droppings and mineral dyes — a guild that has not changed its methods in 900 years. As the light softens you reach Bou Inania medersa. Overnight in a carefully selected riad or kasbah hotel with traditional dinner included.

Day 5 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through Fes, the spiritual capital of Morocco and home to the world's oldest continuously operating university, with a medieval medina that has not changed its rhythm in nine centuries. The afternoon takes you to Ifrane, the alpine-style town nicknamed the 'Switzerland of Morocco', with chalet roofs and a stone lion guarding the central square. As the light softens you reach Midelt, the high-plateau town between the Middle and High Atlas, famous for apple orchards and Berber tribal carpets. The route winds on through Erfoud, the gateway to the Sahara and capital of black marble fossils where ancient ammonites and orthoceras are still mined from the surrounding hills. Tonight you sleep in a private luxury Berber tent on the Erg Chebbi dunes — real beds, ensuite bathroom, candle-lit dinner and one of the darkest night skies in Morocco for stargazing.

Day 6 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through a sunset camel trek across the dunes, riding in a slow caravan with our Berber team toward the luxury desert camp. The afternoon takes you to luxury Sahara camp. As the light softens you reach Sahara stargazing — Erg Chebbi has Bortle-2 dark sky and on a moonless night the Milky Way and even nearby galaxies are visible to the naked eye. Tonight you sleep in a private luxury Berber tent on the Erg Chebbi dunes — real beds, ensuite bathroom, candle-lit dinner and one of the darkest night skies in Morocco for stargazing.

Day 7 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through Dunes sunrise. The afternoon takes you to Rissani, the ancient caravan town and former capital of the Filala dynasty, with one of Morocco's most authentic Berber markets. As the light softens you reach the Todra Gorge, where 300-metre red limestone walls narrow to just ten metres apart and the river runs ice-cold even in summer. The route winds on through the rose-pink Dades Valley with its cliffs sculpted by erosion into the Monkey Fingers and a string of fortified kasbahs. Overnight in a carefully selected riad or kasbah hotel with traditional dinner included.

Day 8 continues the journey deeper into Morocco. You travel through the rose-pink Dades Valley with its cliffs sculpted by erosion into the Monkey Fingers and a string of fortified kasbahs. The afternoon takes you to Ouarzazate, gateway to the Sahara and home to the Atlas Film Studios where dozens of Hollywood productions are shot every year. As the light softens you reach Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed earthen kasbah whose fortified walls have starred in Gladiator, Game of Thrones and Lawrence of Arabia. The route winds on through Marrakech, the Red City, where palm-fringed gardens meet the dusty noise of the Jemaa el-Fnaa square and the labyrinth of the medina souks. You sleep tonight in a charming guesthouse hand-picked for character, location and breakfast quality.

Day 9 is your return day. You travel through Marrakech, the Red City, where palm-fringed gardens meet the dusty noise of the Jemaa el-Fnaa square and the labyrinth of the medina souks. The afternoon takes you to Bahia. As the light softens you reach the rediscovered Saadian Tombs, hidden for two centuries and revealed in 1917 — sixty-six sultans of the Saadian dynasty under carved Carrara marble. You arrive at your Marrakech hotel or airport in the late afternoon, with photo memory cards full and a head full of Berber drumming.