Morocco Family Tours: Private Trips Built for Kids
Quick answer: Morocco is a very good family destination. Children are welcomed everywhere, the food is mild and familiar, and experiences like camel rides, sleeping in a desert camp and exploring the souks are exciting at any age. The easiest way to travel as a family is a private tour: your own vehicle and driver, a pace set around naps and meals, shorter driving days and family rooms booked in advance. Our most popular family trips are the 4 day desert tour from Marrakech, the 7 day tour from Marrakech and the 10 day tour from Casablanca. Plan a family trip on WhatsApp or send us your dates and children’s ages. Planning a family holiday abroad means juggling a lot: long journeys, picky eaters, nap times, safety, and finding things that interest a six year old and a teenager at the same time. Morocco handles this better than most people expect. Families are at the centre of Moroccan life, and children are greeted warmly in markets, restaurants and villages. Distances can be long, though, and the right planning makes the difference between a stressful trip and the best holiday your family has had. This guide is written by our team in Marrakech, who plan private tours for families every month. It covers how to choose a route, how long to spend, which experiences children love, what to pack, how to handle food, health and safety, and what a family tour typically includes and costs. Why Morocco works well for families Short flights from Europe. Marrakech is around three to four hours from much of Western Europe, which makes it realistic even with young children. A warm welcome for children. Moroccans are generally very kind to children, and families travelling together are respected. Adventure without extreme effort. A camel ride, a night in the dunes, monkeys in a cedar forest and a medina full of colour are thrilling but not physically demanding. Food children recognise. Bread, grilled chicken, omelettes, couscous, fresh orange juice and pancakes are everywhere. Spices are fragrant rather than hot. Variety in a small area. Mountains, desert, beaches and historic cities can all be combined in a week or ten days. Time zone. Morocco is close to UK and European time, so there is little jet lag from Europe. Private or group tour for families? For most families, private is the better choice, and it is often less expensive per person than parents expect. On a private tour the vehicle and driver cost the same whether two or six people travel, so the per person price drops as your family grows. Private family tour Shared group tour Who is in the vehicle Only your family Up to a dozen or more other travellers Stops Toilet, snack and leg stretch whenever needed Fixed schedule Start time Agreed with you, can be later for young children Usually early and fixed Rooms Family rooms or connecting rooms booked in advance Standard rooms Pace Built around your children Built around the group Price per person Falls as the family size grows Fixed per person Group tours suit independent teenagers or older families on a tight budget. With children under twelve, the freedom to stop when someone needs the toilet, is car sick or simply needs to run around is worth a great deal. How long should a family trip be? Trip length What fits Suggested tour 4 to 5 days Marrakech plus a relaxed desert trip 4 day desert tour with 2 nights near the dunes One week Marrakech, Atlas, desert and gorges 7 days from Marrakech 8 to 10 days Imperial cities, Chefchaouen, desert and Marrakech 10 days from Casablanca or 10 days from Marrakech Two weeks The full country with rest days and a beach at the end A custom private tour, ask us With children, plan fewer places and more nights in each. Two nights in a place feels very different from one, because you unpack once and the next day starts slowly. The best family itineraries 4 days: Marrakech and the Sahara at a family pace The standard 3 day desert tour from Marrakech has a nine hour drive back on the last day, which is hard for young children. The 4 day version splits that drive and gives you a full day around the dunes. Day 1: Marrakech over the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley. Stops at mountain villages and the kasbah, where children enjoy climbing to the top. Day 2: Dades Gorge, Todra Gorge (a flat walk between huge rock walls, great for kids), then Merzouga and a sunset camel ride to camp. Day 3: A free day in the dunes. Sandboarding, a visit to a nomad family, music in Khamlia village, a second sunset and a second night at camp. Day 4: Return towards Marrakech, with a long lunch stop and a break at the Tizi n’Tichka pass. Full details: 4 days desert tour from Marrakech. 7 days: the classic family loop from Marrakech A week lets you add the Atlas Mountains and more time in Marrakech. A typical family plan: Day 1 and 2: Marrakech. A gentle guided walk through the medina, Majorelle Garden, and Jemaa el Fna square in the early evening. Day 3 to 6: The desert loop with nights in the Dades Valley, the dunes and Ait Ben Haddou or Ouarzazate. Day 7: Back in Marrakech, a pool afternoon and a final dinner. See the 7 day tour from Marrakech. 10 days: Casablanca to Marrakech via Chefchaouen and the desert For families flying in from North America, starting in Casablanca and finishing in Marrakech is common. The route covers the Hassan II Mosque, Rabat, the blue streets of Chefchaouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the Fes medina, the desert and Marrakech. With children, we usually build in shorter driving days and two nights in Fes and Marrakech. See the 10 day tour from Casablanca. Tell us about your family (ages, dates, starting city) and we