Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca at the start of a 9-day Morocco itinerary

9-Day Morocco Itinerary: Imperial Cities & Sahara

Nine days from Casablanca gives you enough time to properly cover Morocco's imperial cities — Rabat, Fes, Meknes — plus a full Sahara desert loop through the Middle Atlas and Dades Valley, without the rushed back-to-back driving days that shorter itineraries require, making it a well-balanced option for a first substantial trip to the country.

Why start in Casablanca

Casablanca is Morocco's main international gateway, so a Casablanca-based route avoids extra domestic flights and lets you visit the Hassan II Mosque, one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, right at the start of the trip. Our Casablanca travel guide covers the city in more depth for anyone with an extra half-day to spare.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day	Route	Highlights
Day 1	Arrive Casablanca	Hassan II Mosque tour, evening along the corniche.
Day 2	Casablanca → Rabat → Fes	Morning in Rabat's kasbah and medina, continue to Fes for the evening.
Day 3	Fes exploring	Full day in the Fes medina: tanneries, madrasas, and traditional artisan workshops.
Day 4	Fes → Merzouga	Drive via Ifrane and the Middle Atlas cedar forests, Ziz Valley, arrive for a camel trek and desert camp.
Day 5	Sunrise → Dades Valley	Sunrise over the dunes, drive through Todra Gorge into the Dades Valley.
Day 6	Dades Valley → Marrakech	Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n'Tichka pass, stop at Ait Ben Haddou en route.
Day 7	Marrakech exploring	Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, Bahia Palace and the Majorelle Garden area.
Day 8	Day trip from Marrakech	Atlas Mountains and Imlil valley, or the Ourika Valley, depending on preference.
Day 9	Marrakech → Departure	Final souk shopping before transferring to the airport.

Why this route works well

No day requires more than about 6 hours of driving, since the route is spread across 9 days rather than compressed.
It covers all three widely recognized "must-see" categories: imperial cities, the Sahara, and Marrakech's souks and gardens.
Ending in Marrakech, Morocco's busiest tourist hub, makes for easier last-day shopping and a wider choice of return flights.

See our Marrakech vs Fes comparison if you want to weigh how much time to allocate between the two.

Practical planning tips

Book Fes and Marrakech riads in the medina rather than outside the walls for easier walking access to sights. For the Ait Ben Haddou stop, our Ait Ben Haddou guide has background on this UNESCO-listed kasbah, and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre has further detail on the site's listing.

Book this itinerary

This 9-day route is designed to move at a comfortable, well-balanced pace between cities, culture and the desert.

Book our 9-Day Private Morocco Tour from Casablanca.

Questions Fréquentes

Is 9 days enough to see Morocco properly?

Yes, 9 days is a well-balanced length that covers the imperial cities, a full Sahara desert loop, and Marrakech without the rushed pace of shorter itineraries.

Should I start this itinerary in Casablanca or Marrakech?

Casablanca works well as a starting point since it is Morocco's main international gateway and includes the Hassan II Mosque, though the same route can be reversed starting from Marrakech.

How much driving is involved in a 9-day Morocco itinerary?

No single day requires more than roughly 6 hours of driving, since the itinerary is spread across 9 days rather than compressed into a shorter trip.

Does this itinerary include time in the Middle Atlas?

Yes, the drive from Fes to Merzouga passes through the Middle Atlas cedar forests around Ifrane, a scenic and cooler stretch of the route.