8 Day Tour from Tangier to Marrakech: North, Fes and the Sahara
The great north-to-south crossing of Morocco, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the gates of the Sahara and on to Marrakech. In eight private days you see the Mediterranean north, the imperial cities, the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the gorges and kasbahs of the south and the High Atlas, at a pace that leaves room for long lunches and unplanned stops.
- Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
- Starts: Tangier (port, airport or hotel)
- Ends: Marrakech
- Route: Tangier → Tetouan → Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Fes → Ifrane → Merzouga → Todra → Dades → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech
- Price: on request, depends on group size, season and camp level
Highlights
- Tangier's Kasbah and Cape Spartel where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean
- A night in the blue town of Chefchaouen
- Two nights in Fes with a full guided day
- Camel trek and a night in a camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley and the Valley of Roses
- Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas
Day by Day
Day 1: Tangier → Tetouan → Chefchaouen
Meet your driver at the port, airport or hotel. Brief tour of Tangier and Cape Spartel, lunch in Tetouan's medina and arrival in Chefchaouen.
Day 2: Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Moulay Idriss → Fes
Morning in Chefchaouen, then south to the Roman city of Volubilis and the hilltop town of Moulay Idriss before reaching Fes.
Day 3: Full day in Fes
Guided visit of Fes el-Bali, its madrasas, tanneries and souks, with a panoramic view from the Merinid tombs.
Day 4: Fes → Ifrane → Midelt → Merzouga
Across the Middle Atlas and down the Ziz Valley. Camels carry you into the dunes for sunset and a night in a desert camp.
Day 5: Merzouga → Rissani → Todra Gorge
Sunrise in the Sahara, then the Rissani market and a drive west to Todra Gorge for an afternoon walk.
Day 6: Todra → Dades Gorge → Skoura
The Dades Gorge road, the Valley of Roses and the palm grove of Skoura, with a night in a restored kasbah.
Day 7: Skoura → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou
Visit Ouarzazate and its Taourirt kasbah, then Ait Ben Haddou for the afternoon light and a night near the ksar.
Day 8: Ait Ben Haddou → Telouet → Marrakech
Take the old caravan road past the Telouet kasbah, cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass and arrive in Marrakech for lunch.
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
- 7 nights in riads, kasbah hotels and a desert camp, with breakfast; dinners in the south
- Camel trek in Erg Chebbi
- Local guides in Fes and Ait Ben Haddou
- Fuel, tolls and bottled water
Not included: lunches, dinners in Chefchaouen and Fes, entrance fees, tips.
Good to Know
- Ferry from Spain: ideal if you cross from Tarifa or Algeciras.
- Shorter: the 5 day Tangier to Casablanca tour skips the desert.
- Upgrade: a luxury camp with private bathrooms is recommended for honeymooners.