7 Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca: Day-by-Day Route

The best 7 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca runs in a loop: Casablanca and Rabat on day 1, Chefchaouen on day 2, Fes on day 3, a long drive to the Merzouga dunes on day 4, a desert camp night, the Dades Valley on day 5, Aït Benhaddou on day 6 and Marrakech on day 7.

Most travellers land at Casablanca's Mohammed V airport, and the city sits in the right place to start a loop that covers Morocco's imperial cities, the Rif mountains, the Sahara and the High Atlas. Below is the exact route our drivers use on our 7-day Morocco tour from Casablanca, with realistic drive times and what is worth your time at each stop.

If you only have three days and are starting in Marrakech instead, our best-selling 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour covers the southern half of this route.

What does a 7 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca look like?

Here is the route at a glance. Times are pure driving at a relaxed pace; on the road we add photo, coffee and lunch stops.

Some guests prefer to sleep in Chefchaouen on night 1 and do Rabat on the way; others want an extra evening in Casablanca first. Because this is a private route, both are easy to arrange.

Day 1: Casablanca and Rabat to Chefchaouen

We collect you from your hotel or the airport and start at the Hassan II Mosque, built on the Atlantic shoreline and one of the few mosques in Morocco that non-Muslim visitors can enter on a guided tour. Its minaret is one of the tallest in the world, and the sea views from the esplanade are worth the early start.

About an hour and a quarter up the coast is Rabat, the capital. In a couple of hours you can see the unfinished Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the white-and-blue lanes of the Kasbah of the Udayas overlooking the Bou Regreg river. Rabat is listed by UNESCO as a "Modern Capital and Historic City". After lunch we head north-east into the Rif foothills and arrive in Chefchaouen for sunset.

Tip for day 1

The Hassan II Mosque runs fixed tour times and closes to visitors during prayers and on Fridays at midday, so we plan the pick-up around the morning slots.

Day 2: Chefchaouen to Fes

Morning is the best time in Chefchaouen, before the day-trippers arrive. Walk up through the blue-washed alleys to Plaza Uta el-Hammam and the red-walled kasbah, then, if you have energy, climb 20–30 minutes to the Spanish Mosque for a view over the whole town. After lunch we drive south through olive country to Fes, arriving in the late afternoon.

Day 3: A full day in the Fes medina

Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. We strongly recommend a licensed local guide here: the lanes are a genuine maze. A classic day includes the Bab Bou Jeloud blue gate, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the outside of Al Quaraouiyine (founded in the 9th century and often described as the world's oldest continuously operating university), the Chouara tannery seen from a leather-shop terrace, and the metalworkers' square at Seffarine.

• Wear comfortable shoes — the medina is hilly and paved with stone.
• Pack a small bag tonight for the desert; your main luggage stays in the vehicle.
• Bring a warm layer: desert nights are cool for most of the year.

Day 4: Fes to the Merzouga dunes

This is the longest day of the trip, but it is also one of the most varied. We climb into the Middle Atlas to Ifrane, a tidy alpine-style town, then stop in the cedar forest near Azrou where Barbary macaques often come close to the road. The landscape opens up past Midelt and the Ziz Valley, where a ribbon of palm groves runs through the gorge, before the road reaches Erfoud and Rissani.

In the late afternoon you meet your camel and cameleer at the edge of Erg Chebbi and ride for about an hour into the dunes, timed for sunset. Dinner, music around the fire and a night under the stars at a desert camp follow. If you are curious why we always choose Merzouga rather than Zagora, see our comparison of Merzouga vs Zagora.

Day 5: Sahara sunrise, Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley

Wake early for sunrise from the top of a dune, then ride back to the village for breakfast and a shower. An optional quad bike session is possible before we leave. Heading west through Tinejdad and Tinghir, we stop at the Todra Gorge, where the canyon walls rise steeply on either side of a narrow riverbed — an easy, flat walk. The afternoon drive continues to the Dades Valley, famous for its rock formations and the switchback road above Boumalne.

Day 6: Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Aït Benhaddou

Today is short on driving and rich in scenery. We follow the Valley of Roses through Kelaat M'Gouna, pass the kasbahs of Skoura's palm grove and reach Ouarzazate, home of the Atlas Film Studios. In the afternoon we continue to the fortified village of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO site and a familiar backdrop from Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Our Aït Benhaddou guide covers its history and filming locations. Sleeping in or near the village means you see it at golden hour, after the coach tours have left.

Day 7: Over the High Atlas to Marrakech

The final drive crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at about 2,260 m the highest major road pass in Morocco, with argan-oil cooperatives and Berber villages along the way. You arrive in Marrakech around lunchtime. From here we can drop you at your riad, at Marrakech Menara airport, or drive you back to Casablanca, about three hours on the motorway.

If you are staying on, add at least two nights in Marrakech for the medina, Jemaa el-Fna and the gardens.

Is seven days enough for Morocco?

A 7 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca is enough to see the highlights if you accept a few long drives. What you give up is time: one night in Chefchaouen, one camp night in the Sahara, and only an afternoon in Marrakech. If you can stretch to ten days, our 10-day Morocco grand tour from Casablanca adds breathing room and coastal stops. If you have less time, the 4-day Casablanca to Merzouga desert tour focuses on the Sahara.

Ways to adapt this route

• Add Volubilis and Meknes: the Roman ruins and the imperial city can be visited between Chefchaouen and Fes, making day 2 longer.
• Reverse it: start in Marrakech and finish in Casablanca if your flights work better that way.
• Upgrade the camp: choose a luxury tent with private bathroom for the Sahara night.
• Slow down: add a second night in the Dades Valley for hiking.

Best time of year for this Morocco road trip

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable months for this itinerary: mild in the cities and bearable in the desert. Summer is very hot in Fes and Merzouga, and winter nights in the Sahara and on the Tichka pass can be close to freezing. Our article on the best time to visit the Sahara goes into month-by-month detail. For entry requirements and official guidance, check Visit Morocco before you book flights.

Private driver or self-drive?

Self-driving is possible, but this route includes mountain roads, long empty stretches and medinas where parking is tricky. With a private driver you can sleep or look out of the window on the long Fes–Merzouga day, and your driver handles fuel, police checkpoints and hotel logistics. In Fes and Chefchaouen, a local guide saves hours of getting lost. That is why we run this 7 day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca as a private tour rather than a shared bus.

Written by Walid
Founder of Pure Morocco Experience, born and based in Morocco. Walid and his team of drivers and guides run desert tours from Marrakech every week. More about us.