16 Days Grand Morocco & Sahara Journey

Some travelers visit Morocco. This journey transforms how you see it. The 16-day grand Morocco & Sahara journey is the ultimate Signature Collection experience—a meticulously curated private tour that traces an extraordinary route from the northernmost tip of Africa to its most remote desert expanse, with every detail designed for travelers who demand both depth and comfort.

Your luxury Morocco tour begins where continents collide: Tangier, the legendary port city overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, where Europe and Africa face each other across just 14 kilometers of water. Tangier’s storied history as an international zone attracted artists, writers, spies, and dreamers—from Paul Bowles to the Rolling Stones—and your curated welcome dinner featuring northern Moroccan cuisine and fresh Atlantic seafood sets the tone for a journey of exceptional encounters.

Travel into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, the famous “Blue Pearl” of Morocco. Unlike standard tours that offer only a brief visit, this itinerary includes a full day of authentic rural experiences—scenic walks through mountain countryside, visits to small Berber villages, and a traditional home-hosted lunch with seasonal ingredients that reveals the genuine warmth of Rif Mountain hospitality. Watch the sunset from the Spanish Mosque viewpoint, where panoramic vistas of blue rooftops against mountain backdrops create one of Morocco’s most photographed scenes.

The imperial heritage unfolds at Volubilis, North Africa’s best-preserved Roman ruins, where 2,000-year-old mosaics and columns emerge from olive groves. Continue to Meknes to admire the monumental Bab Mansour gate before arriving in Fes—Morocco’s spiritual and cultural heart, and the undisputed highlight of any Morocco journey.

Fes receives the Signature Collection treatment with a specialist local guide who reveals not just the famous sights but the hidden stories of the world’s largest car-free urban area. Visit the Chouara Tanneries, where leather has been dyed using unchanged methods for over a millennium. Explore artisan quarters where master craftsmen practice trades passed down through generations. View the exterior of Al Quaraouiyine University, founded in 859 AD and the oldest continuously operating university on Earth. Enjoy a rooftop lunch overlooking the medina—a moment of calm above the extraordinary labyrinth below.

Continue to Rabat, Morocco’s elegant political capital, to explore the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas with its blue-and-white streets and Atlantic panoramas. In Casablanca, admire the magnificent Hassan II Mosque—the world’s third-largest mosque, built over the Atlantic Ocean with a 210-meter minaret—before a Signature Experience day where you choose between a Culinary Signature Tour sampling Casablanca’s finest dishes or an Architectural & Art Deco Tour exploring the city’s remarkable early 20th-century heritage.

The journey shifts to the Atlantic coast with Essaouira, Morocco’s most charming seaside town. Explore the medina, ramparts, and fishing harbor, enjoy freshly grilled seafood, and discover a women-run argan cooperative to learn about the “liquid gold” that has become Morocco’s most famous natural product. Optional activities include beach horseback riding at sunset or a private cooking class.

Marrakech commands three days of exploration. Discover the Bahia Palace, the Koutoubia Mosque, and the electric Jemaa el-Fna square with an insider guide. Visit the iconic Majorelle Garden with its cobalt pathways and exotic plants. Enjoy free time for souk exploration, hammam spa experiences, or simply absorbing the Red City’s intoxicating atmosphere.

What sets this 16 days Morocco itinerary apart is its grand finale—a journey into the remote Erg Chigaga dunes, Morocco’s largest and most untouched sand sea. Cross the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2,260m), visit the lesser-known Telouet Kasbah (a Glaoui dynasty fortress rivaling Ait Ben Haddou in grandeur), and drive through the dramatic Ounila Valley. Explore Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO World Heritage fortified village that starred in Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Continue through Agdez and the palm-lined Draa Valley—following ancient caravan routes that once connected Timbuktu to Marrakech—before reaching M’hamid, the last outpost before the great desert. From here, an off-road 4×4 expedition takes you deep into Erg Chigaga, where dunes reach 300 meters high and the silence is absolute. Your luxury desert camp, camel trek at sunset, traditional Berber dinner, and a night under impossibly bright stars create the most authentic Sahara experience possible.

With Signature Collection accommodations throughout—boutique riads, oceanfront hotels, kasbah guesthouses, and premium desert camps—private luxury transport including 4×4 for desert sections, expert guides in every major city, curated dining experiences, and complete flexibility to customize every detail, this grand Morocco & Sahara journey represents the pinnacle of Moroccan private travel.