Fez

The most direct route to Erg Chebbi and back, for travellers based in Fez with four days rather than a week. The Middle Atlas cedar forests and Ziz Valley palmeries do a lot of the scenic work on the way down.

The shortest way to see three imperial cities and the best Roman ruins in the country, without touching the desert or the coast further south: a good add-on to a Fez-based trip rather than a trip on its own.

A short trip into the cedar forests and mountain air of the Middle Atlas: Ifrane's alpine-style streets, Barbary macaques near Azrou, and a slower pace than the medina, an hour and a half from Fez.

A short run out to the Atlantic coast and back: Rabat's quiet historic core and the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, for travellers based in Fez who want the coast without a longer commitment.

Fez is the closest starting point to Morocco's far north, which makes this the most efficient way to see both the blue town and the Strait of Gibraltar without a longer loop.

Fez is Morocco's culinary and craft capital as much as its cultural one: this trip goes deep on both, with hands-on time in kitchens and artisan workshops rather than a checklist of monuments.

All four imperial cities and Morocco's best Roman ruins, in a loop that starts and ends where most international flights land: no desert, no coast further south, just the historic core of the country.

A private route over the Atlas passes and down into the Sahara, with two nights to actually sit still in the dunes instead of rushing through them. We end in Fez instead of backtracking to Marrakech, so every day moves forward.

The four imperial cities without a single night in the desert: for travellers who came for the architecture, the history, and the medinas, and would rather spend the extra days there than in a 4x4.

The reverse of our classic Marrakech-to-Fez route, for travellers whose flights land or leave from Fez. Two nights in the dunes, the Todra and Dades gorges, and a finish in Marrakech rather than a backtrack.

Fez's hammam tradition runs deep, which makes it a natural base for this women-only trip: traditional bathhouses, a female-guided medina walk, and two nights under the desert stars.

Morocco's two great food cities in one trip: Fez's tanneries and spice trade, Marrakech's souks and street food: with hands-on cooking classes in both.

A cooler, slower route for travellers who'd rather trade a second desert crossing for cedar forests and mountain air: Ifrane is a realistic add-on from Tangier by way of Fez.

A shorter, easier-paced northern loop for families: no desert crossing, fewer long driving days, and stops kids tend to actually enjoy, like the Akchour walk and Rabat's tram-friendly old town.

Tangier's own Spanish-and-Moroccan food culture, then Fez's tanneries and spice trade, then Marrakech's souks and street food: with hands-on cooking classes along the way.

North to the blue town most Marrakech-based itineraries skip, with the Hassan II Mosque and the Fez medina worked into the same loop so the long drives earn their keep.

A family-paced version of our desert route: a stop in the Middle Atlas to break up the drive, shorter days in the car, and a desert camp chosen for comfort over remoteness.

A one-way crossing for travellers landing in Casablanca and departing from Fez (or vice versa): Marrakech, the Atlas passes, two nights in the dunes, and the gorges, finishing in Fez rather than doubling back.

Tangier sits closer to Morocco's imperial cities than most people assume: this loop takes in the capital, the Roman ruins at Volubilis, and Fez's medina before returning north.

The longer, fuller version for a first trip to Morocco: all four imperial cities are not on this route, but the ones that matter most are, plus a proper two-night stop in the Sahara instead of a rushed overnight.

Fez's tanneries at sunrise, Chefchaouen's blue lanes before the crowds, and two nights in the dunes for sunrise and sunset: a route built entirely around light and timing.

The same route as our classic circuits, upgraded throughout: boutique riads and kasbahs instead of guesthouses, a private luxury desert camp, and a pace built with real rest days, not just travel days.

A Fez-based version of our luxury circuit: boutique riads, a private desert camp, and a closing stretch on the coast, timed so nothing feels rushed.

The full north-to-south crossing: Tangier is the furthest of our departure cities from the Sahara, so this route takes longer than the others, with real stops rather than a rushed dash south.

Ten days for travellers who want to see most of what Morocco offers without cutting corners: north to Chefchaouen, the coast at Casablanca, the High Atlas, and a proper two nights in the Sahara before returning to Fez.

The full country in ten days, upgraded throughout: boutique riads in each city, a private desert camp, and a pace with real rest days built in rather than back-to-back transfers.

The longest of our luxury circuits, because Tangier is the furthest departure point from the south: boutique riads, a private desert camp, and a closing stretch on the coast, with nothing rushed to make up time.

A full loop for travellers with two weeks and a wish to see most of what Morocco offers: mountains, desert, the imperial north, and a few days by the Atlantic to finish. This is the version we most often end up rebuilding from scratch around a specific traveller, so treat it as a starting draft, not a fixed plan.