14-Day Morocco Itinerary: Grand Imperial & Sahara Route

Atlantic waves crash against the polished marble foundation of Casablanca’s monumental coastal sanctuary as sea mist catches the afternoon light.

Begin your 14-day Morocco itinerary by touching down at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN). Take the direct ONCF airport train or meet your private driver for the transit downtown. Head straight to the Hassan II Mosque, one of the few working Islamic sanctuaries open to non-Muslim visitors on guided tours.

Bougainvillea flowers spill over whitewashed stone alleys high above the Bou Regreg estuary as sea breezes drift across the historic ramparts.

Take an ONCF TNR conventional train from Casa-Port to Rabat-Ville. Walk through the monumental Bab Oudaia gate into the Kasbah of the Udayas, enjoying fresh mint tea with almond gazelle horns at Cafe Maure. In the afternoon, visit the unfinished 12th-century minaret of Hassan Tower and the intricately carved marble tombs of the Mohammed V Mausoleum.

Wild storks nest atop stone triumphal arches while preserved Roman tile mosaics rest amidst olive groves on the green slopes of the Saïss plain.

Travel east from Rabat into the agricultural heartland. Spend two hours exploring UNESCO-listed Volubilis, the ancient Roman empire's most remote southwestern outpost. Marvel at intact floor mosaics depicting Bacchus and the Four Seasons before passing through the holy hillside town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun. Pause in imperial Meknes to admire the massive Bab El-Mansour gate before arriving in Fez as dusk settles over its ancient walls.

Hand-hammered copper resonates through narrow corridors rich with the scent of cedar shavings, roasted cumin, and natural leather dyes.

Dedicate a full day of your 14-day Morocco itinerary to exploring the world’s largest intact medieval city. Walk beneath the blue glazed tiles of Bab Bou Jeloud into the Tala'a Kebira. Tour the 14th-century Medersa Bou Inania to view its intricate stucco work and carved cedar screens, then peer into the courtyard of the University of Al-Qarawiyyin. Later, visit a leather terrace overlooking the round stone vats of the Chouara Tannery.

Alpine chalets and fragrant cedar forests give way to sheer red canyon walls and deep date palm groves stretching along the Ziz River.

Today marks the grand transition southward. Leave Fez early, climbing into the Middle Atlas mountains past the pitched roofs of Ifrane. Stop in the ancient cedar forests of Azrou to watch wild Barbary macaques moving through the branches. After crossing the high plateau of Midelt for a lunch of grilled lamb skewers, drive through the Tunnel de Foum Zabel into the dramatic red limestone cliffs and dense palm oasis of the Ziz Valley, arriving in Erfoud.

Golden sand dunes rise 150 meters into clear skies as camel saddles creak rhythmically on the late afternoon ride into camp.

The absolute desert highlight of your 14-day Morocco itinerary awaits. Journey through Rissani—the ancient desert trading post—before reaching the edge of Erg Chebbi. Swap your vehicle for a camel caravan or 4x4 dune shuttle to reach your secluded desert bivouac. Savor a traditional slow-simmered Berber tagine around the open campfire, listen to hypnotic Gnawa rhythms played on iron krakebs, and sleep under an incredible blanket of stars.

Cool mountain spring water flows past the sheer limestone walls of Todra Gorge, where morning climbers scale sheer vertical rock faces.

Wake early to climb the sand ridge behind your camp for sunrise as the dunes glow deep orange. After breakfast, travel west through Tinghir, where ancient mud-brick villages sit surrounded by vibrant green date palms. Follow the winding road directly into Todra Gorge, walking the narrow canyon floor where 300-meter limestone cliffs rise vertically overhead. Continue toward the quiet mountain village of Boumalne Dades as evening approaches.

Paved roads twist up dramatic mountain cliffs above unique rock formations known locally as the "Monkey Fingers."

Day 8 of this 14-day Morocco itinerary brings you face to face with stunning geological wonders. Drive up the famous Tisdrine switchbacks, stopping at the cliffside cafe at the top for mint tea overlooking the dramatic canyon hairpins below. Descend back down into the Dades Valley and travel west through Kalaat M'Gouna—the center of Moroccan rose water production—admiring dozens of ancient, crumbling earthen kasbahs.

Sun-baked clay turrets glow warm terracotta in the evening light against the dry riverbed of the Ounila Valley.

Drive through the Skoura oasis to explore the historic 17th-century Kasbah Amridil, featured on the 50-dirham note. Continue past Ouarzazate's movie studios to reach the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ksar Aït Benhaddou. Walk across the stepping stones or footbridge over the riverbed, following narrow clay passageways up to the ancient hilltop granary overlooking the valley.

Snow-capped High Atlas peaks line the horizon as the paved mountain highway navigates sweeping hairpin turns over North Africa's highest mountain pass.

Take on the most dramatic mountain drive of your 14-day Morocco itinerary. Ascend through the Ounila Valley, making a stop at the crumbling Glaoui Palace in Telouet. Rejoin the N9 highway to cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 meters. Marvel at views of terraced Berber hamlets clinging to the mountainsides before making the long descent into the energetic, sun-drenched plains of Marrakech.

Storytellers and musicians gather as twilight blankets Jemaa el-Fnaa, while barbecue smoke drifts upward past the illuminated Koutoubia minaret.

Dive into Marrakech’s lively historical treasures. Tour the grand courtyards and stained-glass windows of Bahia Palace, marvel at Italian Carrara marble in the Saadian Tombs, and browse through spice stalls piled high with cumin and saffron in Rahba Kedima. As sunset arrives, find a rooftop table overlooking Jemaa el-Fnaa to watch the open square transform into a bustling open-air market.

Giant cacti and bamboo groves frame the electric cobalt blue facade of Jacques Majorelle’s historic artist studio.

Enjoy a slower pace on Day 12 of your 14-day Morocco itinerary. Pre-book an early morning entry slot for Jardin Majorelle, strolling along shady garden pathways before browsing Berber jewelry at the adjoining Pierre Bergé Museum. Spend your afternoon visiting the serene marble courtyards of Le Jardin Secret in the medina, or take a quick day trip up into the High Atlas foothills of the Ourika Valley.

Atlantic trade winds sweep across 18th-century stone battlements while gulls soar above rows of bright blue wooden fishing boats.

Leave the heat of interior Marrakech behind and head west toward the ocean. The road passes through native argan forests on the way to the laid-back coastal town of Essaouira. Walk along the historic Skala de la Kasbah seawall, running your hands along Dutch bronze cannons overlooking crashing waves. Explore the quiet, whitewashed medina alleyways, browsing artisan workshops where craftsmen polish rare indigenous thuya wood.

Savor a final morning coffee on the sunny ramparts as fishing boats return to port with the morning catch.

Conclude this 14-day Morocco itinerary with a morning stroll around the fishing harbor. Choose fresh sardines, sea bass, or calamari to be grilled over charcoal and served with warm flatbread. Pick up culinary argan oil and orange blossom water at the spice stalls before meeting your transfer. Supratours coaches connect Essaouira with Marrakech; arrange a separate transfer from the bus station to Menara Airport. If flying out of Marrakech, read our detailed departure guide.