8 days from Tangier: Chefchaouen, Fez, the desert and Marrakech

Trip overview

If you're arriving by ferry from Spain, we pick you up in Tangier and over eight days you travel down through Chefchaouen, Fez, the Merzouga dunes and the southern kasbahs to Marrakech.

• Duration8 days / 7 nights
• Starts inTangier
• GroupPrivate · 1–16 people
• DifficultyEasy
• LanguageEspañol
• DeparturesDaily departures all year round

Highlights

• Pick-up at Tangier port or Tanger Med when you arrive by ferry
• A night in the blue medina of Chefchaouen
• Roman ruins of Volubilis
• Guided tour of the Fez medina
• Camels and a night in the Erg Chebbi desert
• Todra Gorge and Dades Valley
• Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou
• Finish in Marrakech, with plenty of flights to Spain

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1: Arrival in Tangier – Chefchaouen

   We pick you up at Tangier Ville port if you arrive by ferry from Tarifa, at Tanger Med if you come from Algeciras, or at the airport. If time allows, we take a short tour of Tangier: the kasbah, the Petit Socco and the viewpoint on Place du Faro, from where you can see the Spanish coast on clear days.

   Then we head south. It's about 2 hours to Chefchaouen, already in the first mountains of the Rif. We arrive in the afternoon, with time to wander the blue medina and walk up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset. Dinner at your own choice on Outa el Hammam square. If the boat is very late, the Tangier walk gets cut short.

   Riad in the Chefchaouen medinaNo meals included

2. 2

   Day 2: Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fez

   Head out into the Chefchaouen medina early, when the streets are almost empty. After breakfast we drive south through olive groves and farming villages.

   In about 3 hours we reach Volubilis, the most important Roman site in Morocco, with mosaics still in place. There's little shade, so bring a cap and water. From there you can see Moulay Idriss, the holy town. In Meknes we make a short stop at the Bab Mansour gate and El Hedim square. Fez is less than an hour away and we reach the riad in the late afternoon. It's a day with lots of stops and you arrive tired.

   Riad or hotel in FezBreakfast

3. 3

   Day 3: Guided tour of Fez

   You spend about 4 or 5 hours in Fez el Bali with a Spanish-speaking local guide. There are thousands of alleyways and without a guide it's easy to get lost.

   We enter through Bab Bou Jeloud and see the Bou Inania madrasa, the coppersmiths' Seffarine square and the outside of Al Qarawiyyin University, considered one of the oldest still-functioning universities in the world. The Chouara tanneries are seen from a terrace. They smell strong, and the terrace usually belongs to a leather shop that will want to sell you something. In the afternoon you can rest at the riad or go up to the Marinid Tombs to see the medina at sunset.

   Riad or hotel in FezBreakfast

4. 4

   Day 4: Fez – Ifrane – Ziz Valley – Merzouga

   A driving day towards the desert, 7 to 8 hours with stops. We cross the Middle Atlas via Ifrane and the Azrou cedar forest, home to Barbary macaques. We pass Midelt and the Tizi n'Talghemt pass and come down into the Ziz Valley, with viewpoints over a palm grove several kilometres long.

   In the late afternoon we reach Merzouga. The camels are waiting there to cross the Erg Chebbi dunes to the camp, about an hour and a half, with the sun already low. If you've never ridden before, you'll feel it the next day. Berber dinner and a night in a tent. Bring something warm, because it gets quite cool at night.

   Desert camp in Erg ChebbiBreakfast and dinner

5. 5

   Day 5: Sunrise in the dunes – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades

   We wake you early to climb a dune and watch the sunrise. For many people it's their favourite part of the trip. You ride back by camel to Merzouga, shower and have breakfast.

   We head west through Rissani, birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, and Erfoud, with its fossil workshops. There they'll show you pieces and suggest you buy; there's no obligation. At midday we reach Tinghir and walk through the Todra Gorge, a canyon with sheer walls beside a clear river. In the afternoon we continue to the Dades Valley, known for its rock formations. About 5 hours in the car in total with stops.

   Kasbah hotel in the Dades ValleyBreakfast and dinner

6. 6

   Day 6: Dades – Skoura – Aït Ben Haddou – Tizi n'Tichka – Marrakech

   This is the other long day, 7 to 8 hours with stops. We pass through Kalaat M'Gouna, in the Valley of Roses, and the Skoura oasis, with mud-brick kasbahs among the palms. In Ouarzazate you see the Taourirt kasbah from the outside.

   We continue to Aït Ben Haddou, a mud-brick ksar where lots of films have been shot, and walk up to the granary at the top. In the afternoon we cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at about 2,260 metres, and come down to Marrakech, arriving at the end of the day. The pass road has lots of bends; if you get car sick, tell us and we'll stop more often.

   Riad in the Marrakech medinaBreakfast

7. 7

   Day 7: Marrakech

   In the morning you explore Marrakech with a local guide: the Koutoubia, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the souks, where each street has its trade, from dyers to spice sellers.

   The afternoon is free. You can visit the Majorelle Garden (book your ticket beforehand, because it's the most crowded spot), go to a hammam or shop for crafts. At dusk Jemaa el Fna square fills with food stalls, musicians and storytellers. The driver can recommend restaurants and terraces depending on what you like and what you want to spend. On the square, ask the price before you sit down at a stall.

   Riad in the Marrakech medinaBreakfast

8. 8

   Day 8: Marrakech – Departure

   Last breakfast at the riad. If your flight is in the afternoon, you have the morning free to walk around or do some last shopping in the souks.

   At the agreed time we take you to Marrakech Menara airport, about 20 minutes from the medina, with direct flights to many Spanish cities. If you need to get back to Tangier for the ferry, there are two options: a private transfer by road, about 7 hours on the motorway, or a drop-off at Marrakech station to take the train and change to the high-speed line in Casablanca. The train is less tiring, but you have to carry your bags at the change. End of our services.

   End of the tripBreakfast

What's included

Prices per person

The vehicle and driver are paid per day and shared between the travellers, so the price per person goes down the more of you there are. Accommodation is charged per person per night (7 nights).

• Standard: Comfortable hotels and riads, standard desert camp
• Superior: More characterful accommodation and a superior desert camp
• Children aged 3 to 11: 3% less than an adult.
• Groups of more than 7 people travel in two vehicles. The booking calculator takes this into account.

Payment and cancellation

You pay a 15% deposit when you book. The rest is paid on the first day of the trip, in cash or by bank transfer. You can also pay it by PayPal or card, with a 5% surcharge.

Private: free up to 48 hours before the start. If you cancel in time, we refund the full deposit.

Extras you can add

Chosen when you book and added to the total. You can also ask for them later, subject to availability.

Frequently asked questions

Destinations on this trip