6 days from Tangier to Marrakech via the Moroccan desert

Tánger, Marrakech

6 photos

Duration

6 Day

Maximum number of people

Minimum age

Tour type

From Tangier

Overview:

This 6-day tour from Tangier to Marrakech will allow you to discover the cultural and natural diversity of Morocco, combining the magic of the north, the historical richness of Fez, and the vastness of the Sahara Desert. From your arrival in Tangier, you will travel through the enchanting blue city of Chefchaouen and the Rif Mountains before reaching Fez, where you will enjoy a comprehensive guided tour of its medieval medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The journey continues to the Merzouga Desert, passing through breathtaking landscapes such as Ifrane, the forests of Azrou, and the Ziz Valley. There, you will enjoy an unforgettable camel ride, a night in traditional Berber tents under the stars, and live Berber music. You will also visit Khamlia, home of the Gnawa people, and follow the old tracks of the Paris-Dakar Rally to the Ouzina Desert, where you will meet local families, experience authentic traditions, and witness spectacular dunes at sunset.

The route then takes you to the majestic Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley, and the legendary Route of a Thousand Kasbahs, passing through Skoura, Ouarzazate, and the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Finally, you’ll cross the High Atlas Mountains to reach the vibrant city of Marrakech, where this unique six-day adventure between the Atlantic, the Atlas Mountains, and the Sahara comes to an end.

Included/Excluded

Transportation and Guide
Accommodation and Meals
Tourist Visits

Meals
Additional Expenses
Travel insurance

Tour Plan

Day 1 Tangier – Chefchaouen – Fez

Upon arrival at Tangier airport or port, your driver/guide will be waiting with a sign bearing the agency's name or your name. You will then be picked up and taken to Chefchaouen (the Blue City), where you will have 3 hours to enjoy this town in the Rif Mountains. Afterward, we will cross the Rif Mountains to reach the city of Fez, where you will be transferred to your accommodation.

Accommodation in a Riad with breakfast included.

Day 2 Guided tour of Fez

After breakfast, your local guide will arrive at your accommodation at 10:00 AM to begin the tour of the Medina of Fez el Bali, one of the largest medieval sites still existing in the world. The entire medina, with its souks and medieval alleyways, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We will enter through the Bab Boujloud gate and explore the souk with its narrow, labyrinthine streets, frequently dodging mules laden with heavy bundles. We will visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, with its valuable cedar woodwork, stucco, and marble and onyx decorations. We will also see the Zaouia of Moulay Idriss, the city's founder, the Andalusian Quarter with its mosque and the Es-Sahrij Madrasa, and the former Dar Batha Palace, built in the Andalusian-Arabic style and dedicated to the arts and traditions of Fez. The Al-Karaouine University Mosque, one of the oldest in the world, founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, and the tanners' and dyers' quarter, where techniques have remained unchanged since the Middle Ages, are among the highlights. In the afternoon, your guide will drop you off at your accommodation or in the medina.

Accommodation in a Riad with breakfast

Day 3 Fez – Midelt – Azrou – Ziz Valley – Merzouga (Camel Ride and One Night in the Merzouga Desert)

After breakfast, we depart from Fez for the Merzouga desert, passing through Ifrane (the "Switzerland of Morocco"). There, you'll have 20 minutes to take photos and stroll through the town square. We then arrive at the forests of Azrou, home to wild monkeys. This will be a great opportunity to photograph Moroccan nature. We'll have lunch in the Berber village of Zaida. We continue through the Middle Atlas Mountains, enjoying the scenery of Midelt until we reach the small village of Rich. We then proceed to the Ziz Valley, where we'll make a panoramic stop for photos. In the afternoon, we arrive in Erfoud, where we begin to experience the Saharan air with the Tafilalet oasis. We continue to Merzouga, where we switch to camels for an overnight stay in traditional Berber tents (haimas) in the Erg Chebbi desert.

Accommodation in traditional Berber tents with dinner, breakfast, and a live Berber music performance.

Day 4 Merzouga – Khamlia – Taouz – Dakar Rally Track – Jdaid Village – Lunch with a Berber family – Ouzina Desert and Sunset in the Erg Ouzina Dunes.

We'll wake up early to watch the sunrise from atop a dune, then have a leisurely breakfast. You can choose to return to the hotel by camel or 4x4. We'll continue along the route, or you can relax by the pool or explore the dunes if the weather is nice. You can also take a quad bike or buggy excursion through the Erg Chebbi dunes. Afterward, we'll take the 4x4 to the village of Khamlia, home to the Gnawa people, musicians of sub-Saharan origin (Black Africa). They'll entertain us with music and dance while we enjoy mint tea (Berber whiskey). You can buy a CD of their music for €10 or give them a tip of at least €5. We'll then continue to Taouz, from where we'll travel along the old Paris-Dakar Rally track to see some wonderful rock engravings. We'll pass through the village of Jdaid, where we'll have lunch at a Berber family's home (Berber pizza and tea). There, you can also get a henna tattoo from a specialist (a tip is customary). If you're interested, you can take a stroll through the village of Ouzina and its oasis. In the afternoon, we'll go to our hotel nestled in the Ouzina desert to drop off our luggage. We can also visit the Ouzina dunes to watch the sunset and enjoy this wild and pristine desert in southern Morocco.

Accommodation at Kasbah Hotel Porte de Sahara Ouzina with dinner and breakfast

Day 5 Ouzina – Taouz – Merzouga – Rissani – Erfoud – Todra Valley and Gorges – Dades Valley

We will wake up and have breakfast at 9:00 AM. We will then depart from the hotel for a 6-day, 5-night excursion to the Dades Valley, starting in the Ouzina Desert. We will pass through Rissani, one of the oldest cities in Morocco and the capital of the Alaouite dynasty. There, we will stop at the edge of town to take a photo of the "Gateway to the Desert." We will continue on to Erfoud, where there is an opportunity to visit a fossilized marble factory, before heading towards the palm groves of Touroug and Tinjdad. Afterwards, we will arrive at the Todra Gorge. The riverbed has carved out canyons with vertical walls, a paradise for climbers. We will have lunch there and walk to enjoy the gorges. In the afternoon, we will continue to the Dades Valley where we will spend the night.

Accommodation in a hotel with dinner and breakfast.

Day 6 Dades Valley – Rose Valley – SKoura – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – High Atlas – Marrakech

After breakfast, we depart for the Valley of Roses, where we will make a stop if you are interested. Afterward, we continue our journey to Skoura (Route of a Thousand Kasbahs). We will arrive in Ouarzazate, the city of cinema, where we will stop at the Taourirt Kasbah for a panoramic photo. Then we will visit the film studios for another photo stop. Afterward, we continue our route toward the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou (an ancient 11th-century fortress, declared a World Heritage Site). We cross the Anti-Atlas Mountains via the Tizi-N-Tinifift pass. Around noon, we will arrive at the famous village of Ait Ben Haddou. Free time to visit the Kasbah and have lunch. In the afternoon, we return to Marrakech. Crossing the High Atlas Mountains, we travel to the Red City of Morocco (Marrakech). We will transfer you to the nearest point accessible by car, and this concludes our 6-day, 5-night tour from Tangier to Marrakech, passing through the Merzouga Desert.