Private multi-day tour · 5 days from Tangier
5-Day Morocco Imperial Cities Tour: Fes, Meknes and Rabat
Three royal capitals and no desert: Fes with a local guide, Meknes and the Roman town of Volubilis, Rabat, then the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, with a private guide and driver.
Price on request · your quote within 12 hours
- Private: your group only
- 40% deposit to confirm
- Free cancellation 48 h before
- Tangier Start
- Fes 2 nights
- Meknes Stop
- Rabat 1 night
- Casablanca 1 night
- Private tourYour group only
- Guide and driverFrom Tangier, the whole trip
- Tangier to Casablanca5 days, 4 nights
- 4 nights includedAt the level you choose
- 40% depositRefunded up to 48 h before
History first
Three royal capitals in five days
Morocco has had four imperial capitals: Fes, Meknes, Rabat and Marrakech. This tour covers the three closest to Tangier, with time to walk each one, and ends in Casablanca at the Hassan II Mosque.
Fes gets two nights and a full day on foot with a local guide. Meknes, the city of Sultan Moulay Ismail, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis fill the drive to the coast. Rabat, the capital today, has the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Hassan Tower.
There is no desert and no drive longer than about four hours, so the days are about the cities. It suits history and architecture lovers, and anyone who has seen the south on an earlier trip.
- 5 days, 4 nightsTangier to Casablanca
- Local guidesIn Fes and Rabat
- VolubilisA UNESCO-listed Roman town
- PrivateYour group only
Day by day
Your 5 days, one by one
Drive times are estimates with stops. Every day can be changed before you travel, or on the road.
Day01
Tangier to Fes
South to Fes
- About 4 h, 300 km
- Riad in Fes
Pickup in Tangier and the drive south through farmland to Fes. Late afternoon at the Merenid tombs on the hill above the city, for the view over the whole medina as the evening call to prayer begins.
You see Merenid tombs viewpoint
Day02
Fes
Fes el-Bali with a local guide
- No long drive
- Riad in Fes
A licensed local guide leads you through Bab Boujloud into the medina: the Bou Inania madrasa, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and its university, the terraces above the Chouara tannery and the craft quarters. In the afternoon, the golden gates of the Royal Palace and the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter.
You see Bou Inania madrasa · Chouara tannery · The Mellah
Day03
Fes to Rabat via Meknes and Volubilis
Meknes, Volubilis and on to the coast
- About 4 h, with stops
- Riad or hotel in Rabat
Meknes, the capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail: the monumental Bab Mansour gate, his mausoleum and the vast granaries. A short drive to the Roman town of Volubilis and its mosaics, then west to Rabat for the evening.
You see Bab Mansour · Moulay Ismail mausoleum · Volubilis
Day04
Rabat to Casablanca
The capital, then the great mosque
- About 1 h 15, 90 km
- Hotel in Casablanca
Rabat in the morning with a licensed local guide: the Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Then Casablanca and a guided tour inside the Hassan II Mosque, which non-Muslim visitors can enter on the official tours.
You see Kasbah of the Udayas · Hassan Tower · Hassan II Mosque
Day05
Casablanca
Casablanca, then home or onward
- Depends on where you go next
- Casablanca airport, or back to Tangier
The Habous quarter and the Art Deco centre in the morning, then drop-off at Mohammed V airport, or back to Tangier by road, about three and a half hours, or on the high-speed train, about 2 hours 10.
You see The Habous · Art Deco centre
Where you sleep
4 nights, 3 places
2 nights
Fes
A riad in or next to the medina
1 night
Rabat
A riad in the medina or a hotel
1 night
Casablanca
A hotel near the centre
Three levels, one route
Standard
Family-run riads and guesthouses, each room with its own bathroom.
Comfort
Boutique riads with more space and character, often with a roof terrace or a pool.
Premium
The best riads and kasbah hotels on the route, and dinners in the riads on request.
Tell us the level you want when you ask for your quote. You can mix them from one night to the next.
Good to know
Before you ask for a quote
Longest drive
About 4 hours
Tangier to Fes on day one, and Fes to Rabat with the stops on day three.
Pace
Moderate
No long drives: the days are spent in the cities.
Pickup
Anywhere in Tangier
Your hotel, Ibn Battouta airport, Tanger Ville station, the ferry port or a cruise terminal.
Ends
Casablanca
Drop-off at Mohammed V airport or your hotel, or back to Tangier by road or high-speed train.
Walking
About 6 to 8 km a day
The Fes medina is all on foot, with steep lanes. Comfortable shoes are a must.
Best months
All year
Spring and autumn are best. Fes and Meknes are hot in July and August; the coast stays mild.
Languages
English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Your guide speaks the language you choose. German and Italian with advance notice.
Group
Private, any size
One travel party per vehicle: a car for up to 3, a minivan for 4 to 7, larger vehicles for bigger groups.
Deposit
40% to confirm
Once every detail is agreed we send your invoice, and a 40% deposit by bank transfer or PayPal confirms the trip, and the balance is paid on the first day. The deposit is refunded if you cancel up to 48 hours before departure.
Clear terms
What's included and what's not
Included
- A private air-conditioned vehicle for the whole trip
- Your Tangier-based guide and driver from start to finish
- Licensed local guides in Fes and Rabat
- 4 nights of accommodation at the level you choose
- Breakfast every day
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights and ferry tickets
- Lunches and dinners
- Entry to monuments, Volubilis and the Hassan II Mosque
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Travel insurance
Why this tour
Why travel this way
The cities on foot
Local guides in Fes and Rabat, and two nights in Fes so the medina is never rushed.
No desert, no long roads
The longest drive is about four hours, which leaves the days for the cities themselves.
Your trip, your pace
One vehicle, one guide and your group only. Stop where you like and change the plan on the road.
Booked direct
You deal with the people who run the trip, with no marketplace commission in the price.
Compare
This tour or a nearby one?
Three routes side by side: length, the desert, the pace and where each one ends.
| Imperial Cities Express | Tangier to Fes | Rabat and Casablanca | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 5 days | 3 days | 3 days |
| Route | Tangier to Casablanca | Tangier round trip | Tangier to Casablanca |
| Nights in the desert | No | No | No |
| Pace | Moderate | Moderate | Relaxed |
| Ends | Casablanca | Tangier | Casablanca |
| You are here | See this tour | See this tour |
Your quote
Get a price for your dates
Tell us when you travel, how many you are and the hotel level you like. You get a day-by-day plan and a per-person price, usually within 12 hours. Nothing to pay until every detail is agreed and you have our invoice.
Good to know
Morocco imperial cities: questions about this tour
What travellers ask before they book.
Why is Marrakech not included?
Marrakech is the fourth imperial city, about two and a half hours south of Casablanca. Add two days to end there, or look at the 9-day tour, which includes all four.
Can we visit inside the Hassan II Mosque?
Yes, on the official guided tours, which run several times a day except at Friday prayers. The entry fee is paid on site.
Can we end the tour at Casablanca airport?
Yes. We leave you at Mohammed V airport on day five, or drive you back to Tangier.
What are the imperial cities of Morocco?
The four cities that have served as royal capitals: Fes, Meknes, Rabat and Marrakech. This private tour covers Fes, Meknes and Rabat, with the Roman ruins of Volubilis on the way and Casablanca at the end.
How much does it cost?
The price depends on your dates, your group size and the hotel level you choose, so we quote it for you, usually within 12 hours. The per-person price falls as the group grows.
Is a deposit required?
Yes, 40% of the trip price. Once we have agreed every detail, we send you an invoice and you pay the deposit by bank transfer or PayPal. It is refunded in full if you cancel up to 48 hours before departure. The balance is paid on the first day of your tour.
More multi-day tours
Other routes from Tangier
Tangier to FesTwo nights in Fes with a day in the medina and a licensed local guide, the Roman ruins of Volubilis on the way, and back to Tangier or on by train.See the tour
Rabat and CasablancaThe Atlantic side of Morocco: Roman Lixus, the royal capital Rabat and the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, ending at the airport or back in Tangier.See the tour
Imperial Cities & SaharaEvery imperial city and the desert, with the Atlas crossing split over two easy days, then back up the Atlantic coast to Tangier.See the tour
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, cropped: the Bab Mansour gate in Meknes by Steven Lek (CC BY-SA 4.0); a blue and white lane in the Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat by Alllexxxis (CC BY-SA 3.0).
