Panoramic view of Chefchaouen on the mountainside

8 Days Morocco Tour from Tangier to the Sahara Desert

8-day tour from Tangier to the desert

  • Private tour
  • 8 days / 7 nights
  • Tangier → Marrakech

Eight days from the Mediterranean to the Sahara, with time for a full day in Merzouga and nights in the Dades and Ouarzazate.

From €400 per person Book now

Highlights

  • Chefchaouen
  • Volubilis
  • Fez
  • Khamlia
  • Camel trekking
  • Night in Erg Chebbi
  • Todra Gorges
  • Dades Valley
  • Taourirt and Ait Benhaddou

Trip overview

With two more days than the express route, this trip from Tangier to Marrakech has room to breathe. The first part is the same — Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes and Fez — but once in the south everything stretches out: two nights in Merzouga, one in the Dades Valley and one in Ouarzazate.

That lets you meet the Gnawa village of Khamlia and the nomad families before the camel trek, drive the Dades in the morning, go inside the Taourirt Kasbah and visit Ait Benhaddou unhurriedly on the last day.

Ideal for: travellers entering through Tangier who want to give the south and the desert the time they deserve.

Duration
8 days / 7 nights
Home
Tangier
End
Marrakech
Type
Private
Departures
Every day
Language
English / Spanish

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. Day1

    Tangier → Chefchaouen

    Pick-up in Tangier and, if time allows, a short stop at Cape Spartel, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. We continue into the Rif to Chefchaouen. Afternoon for strolling among its blue façades.

    • Cape Spartel (optional)
    • Rif mountain road
    • Chefchaouen medina
    • Ras el-Maa spring
    • Riad in Chefchaouen
    • Dinner
    • About 2.5–3 h drive
    Blue stepped alleyway in Chefchaouen
  2. Day2

    Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fez

    A quiet morning in Chefchaouen for last photos while the streets are empty. Then south: Volubilis and its Roman mosaics, and Meknes, the imperial city of Moulay Ismail. Overnight in Fez.

    • Chefchaouen first thing in the morning
    • Volubilis
    • Meknes: Bab Mansour
    • Fez
    • Riad in Fez
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 5 h drive with visits
    Roman road and columns at Volubilis
  3. Day3

    Fez city tour

    A walk through Fez el-Bali: the Chouara tannery from the terraces, the Karaouine, Bab Boujloud, Seffarine Square and a madrasa. Dinner and overnight at the riad.

    • Chouara tannery
    • Karaouine
    • Bab Boujloud
    • Seffarine Square
    • Madrasa
    • Riad in Fez
    • Breakfast and dinner
    Traveller photographing the Fez tannery
  4. Day4

    Fez → Ifrane → Azrou → Ziz Valley → Merzouga

    We cross the Middle Atlas via Ifrane and the cedar forest, where the macaques are the real hosts. In the afternoon the Ziz Valley leads us to Merzouga.

    • Ifrane
    • Cedar forest
    • Midelt
    • Ziz Valley
    • Hotel or riad in Merzouga
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • 7–8 h drive with stops
    Barbary macaque
  5. Day5

    Merzouga → Khamlia → Erg Chebbi

    We learn how desert people live and share tea with them. In Khamlia, Gnawa music fills the air. As evening falls, a caravan to the camp and a night in the dunes.

    • Nomad families
    • Khamlia
    • Camel trekking
    • Night in a desert tent
    • Camp in the dunes of Erg Chebbi
    • Breakfast and dinner
    Berber guide with his camel on the dune
  6. Day6

    Erg Chebbi dunes → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley

    Sunrise, shower and breakfast at the hotel. Along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs we reach the Todra, a canyon with 300-metre red walls, and the Tinghir palm grove. Overnight in the Dades.

    • Sunrise in the desert
    • Todra Gorges
    • Tinghir
    • Dades Valley
    • Hotel or kasbah in the Dades Valley
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 5 h drive
    Sun over a dune in Erg Chebbi
  7. Day7

    Dades Valley → Ouarzazate

    We drive through the Dades Gorges and continue past mud-brick fortresses, rose bushes and palm trees to Ouarzazate.

    • Dades Gorges
    • Valley of Roses
    • Skoura
    • Ouarzazate
    • Hotel or riad in Ouarzazate
    • Breakfast and dinner
    • About 3 h drive
    Roses from the Dades Valley
  8. Day8

    Ouarzazate → Ait Benhaddou → Marrakech

    Taourirt Kasbah and the film studios in the morning; then Ait Benhaddou, the setting for films such as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Babel”. The Tizi n’Tichka, at 2,260 metres, takes us to Marrakech.

    • Taourirt Kasbah
    • Film studios
    • Ait Benhaddou
    • Tizi n’Tichka
    • Tour ends at your accommodation in Marrakech
    • Breakfast
    • About 5 h drive with visits
    Ksar of Ait Benhaddou

Timings and the order of visits may be adjusted according to the season, road conditions and your preferences.

What’s included

  • Private air-conditioned vehicle
  • English- or Spanish-speaking driver-guide
  • Fuel
  • Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation
  • Accommodation every night
  • Dinners and breakfasts
  • One camel per person in the desert
  • Night in a camp with private tent
  • Turban and sandboarding in the dunes
  • Photo stops whenever you like

What’s not included

  • Lunches
  • Drinks
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Entrance fees to monuments
  • Tips

Accommodation

We choose small places with character, where a home-cooked dinner is part of the experience. In the desert you can choose between two types of camp.

Travellers having tea on a kasbah terrace

Riads, kasbahs and hotels

Traditional houses with private room and bathroom, in the medinas or overlooking the valley.

  • Private room
  • Dinner and breakfast
Traditional tent lit up at night in the desert

Standard camp

Private tent with beds, blankets and shared bathrooms. The simplest and most authentic option.

  • Private tent
  • Dinner and breakfast
  • Campfire and drums
Luxury camp with rugs and lanterns in Merzouga

Luxury camp

Spacious tents with a large bed, private bathroom and shower, electricity and dinner served at the table.

  • Private bathroom
  • Dinner and breakfast
  • Campfire and drums

What a night in the camp is like

A tip from our team

Chefchaouen photographs best before 9 am, when the shops are still closed and the streets are empty. It is worth an early start on day two.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a private tour or a group tour?

It is completely private: the vehicle, the driver and the itinerary are just for you and your companions. You will not share the trip with strangers, so we can stop wherever you like and adapt the timings.

Can I change the itinerary of “8-day tour from Tangier to the desert”?

Yes. What you see is our standard proposal. We can add a night, change the start or end point, include a guided visit or adjust the stages to your flights. Tell us what you need and we will send you a tailor-made version.

What is the difference between the standard and the luxury camp?

In both you have a private tent, dinner, breakfast and an evening of drums by the campfire. The luxury camp adds a private bathroom with shower inside the tent and more refined décor; in the standard camp bathrooms are shared and you shower in the morning at the hotel in the village.

How long is the camel trek?

About an hour and a half each way, at a gentle pace and accompanied by a camel handler. We set off a couple of hours before sunset to arrive in good light. If anyone cannot or would rather not ride, let us know and we will find an alternative.

How do I book and how do I pay?

Send us the form or write to us and we will confirm availability and the final price within 24 hours. We accept online payment (Visa, MasterCard and PayPal), as well as cash or card in person.

When is the best time of year for this tour?

You can travel all year round. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) have the mildest temperatures. In winter the days are sunny but desert nights are cold, and in summer it is best to start early and make the most of the vehicle’s air conditioning.

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