5 Day Desert Tour from Tangier To Marrakech

Duration: 5 Days/4 Nights Distance: 1335 km

Start: Tangier End: Marrakech

Type: Private Tour

Highlights at a Glance

Stroll the enchanting blue streets of Chefchaouen, the “Blue Pearl”

Explore the medieval medina of Fez (UNESCO World Heritage & world’s first university)

Admire the landscapes of the Ziz Valley, the Cedar Forest with Barbary macaques & alpine Ifrane

Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes & overnight in a luxury desert camp

Walk through the stunning Todra Gorges and palm groves

Explore Ouarzazate, the “Hollywood of Africa” & Atlas Film Studios

Visit UNESCO site Aït Ben Haddou, famous film location (Gladiator, Game of Thrones)

Scenic drive through the High Atlas Mountains via Tizi N Tichka

Tour Program

Day 1 : Tangier – Chefchaouen

Distance: 112km Time on the road: 2h 30min

You will be greeted at the port or airport of Tangier, and then you will begin your journey through the Rif mountains, which will bring you to Chefchaouen. It is a Berber city that is situated in a stunning setting, where the contrast of white and blue colors come together to create a stunning view of the town, the colors are grouped on various levels, shines out on the green fields. When we arrive there, you will have time to explore the beauty and the main attractions of the city. You take leisurely strolls, discovering new places, and appreciating the scenic lanes of the city, which are blue in color. You can go to see Ras Elma, it is a source of water that passes in the middle of town and supplies the locals with water. However, you can go to explore a fortified Kasbah, it is located right adjacent to the Plaza Uta el-Hammam, which is the major plaza in Chefchaouen. Additionally, in the evening you can climb up to the Spanish mosque where you can watch a nice sunset from a higher ground.

Day 2 : Chefchaoun - Fez

Distance: 189km Time on the road: 3h 30min

Your Moroccan tour of 5 days will make its way to Fez. Upon your arrival you will go on a tour of the city that is considered to be the cultural and religious center of Bahrain. In this tour, you will be immersed in the enchanted atmosphere of a medieval oriental city, you will stroll through the winding and narrow streets of the ancient Medina, and you will become familiar with the numerous historical and architectural monuments that adorned the former capital of the Kingdom of the Sultans from the Merinid and Alaouite dynasties. The majority of these monuments are outstanding examples of the architectural style known as Moorish influence. During your trip, you will go to the Bu Inanya mosque, as well as the madrassas, which are Islamic educational institutions, Nejarin plaza, and the fountain. You will find yourself in the handicraft quarters, where artisans who deal with leather and ceramics do their work according to the techniques that they have acquired from their grandfathers and great-grandfathers. These techniques are carefully passed down from one generation to the next. Once it is done, we will go to the Jewish quarter that is still there at the current day. It demonstrates that the Jewish community and the Muslim community coexist in the same space. After spending a long day in the Medina, the driver will pick you up to your hotel. Overnight in Fez.

Day 3 : Fez – Ifrane – Azrou – Monkeys forest – Erfoud – Desert

Distance: 463km Time on the road: 7h 30min

Your authentic Morocco tour will take us to the direction of the desert. After having your breakfast, we check out and make our way to Merzouga. Although it is one of the longest trips, which takes around seven hours to drive, we will enjoy the time since we will be seeing different landscapes. During our journey, we will make a stop in Ifrane, a town that is known as “Moroccan Switzerland” due to its European-like nature and temperature, parks that feature lakes and chalets, a ski resort, and an abundance of snow during the winter months. When we are on our way to Azrou, we will have the opportunity to feed the wild monkeys and observe the spectacular Atlas cedars that are located in the area around Ifrane. The monkeys are amicable, and they enjoy each other’s company when they are fed. We will restart our journey to Midelt, we will have lunch. In our route will drive through the valley and the canyon of the Ziz River, We will stop in one of the panoramic views in the valley to take some photos, after that we will continue to the desert, you will check into your hotel near the dunes.

Day 4 : Desert - Rissani - Toudra Gorges - Boumaln Gorges

Distance: 270km Time on the road: 4h: 0min

Wake up early to witness the breathtaking sunrise over the Sahara dunes, a magical moment not to be missed. After enjoying breakfast at the desert camp, you will ride your camels back to Merzouga, where you can refresh before continuing the journey.

Our first stop will be Rissani, home to one of the oldest and most traditional souks (markets) in Morocco, where locals trade spices, livestock, and handicrafts. From there, we travel through Tinjdad on the way to the spectacular Todra Gorges, famous for their towering cliffs reaching up to 300 meters high. Here, you will have time to walk along the gorge and enjoy the stunning natural scenery.

The journey continues through the Dades Valley, where we will spend the night.

Day 5 : Dades-Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou -Marrakech

Distance: 323km Time on the road: 5h 30min

Our journey to Marrakech will begin with a brief stop in the Dades gorges. We are going to travel by Mgouna, which is the location of the flowers festival that takes place annually. After that, we continue to Ouarzazate. This city is often referred to as the “Hollywood of Morocco” owing to the fact that a great number of historical films were shot in the city. We have a stop Atlas film studio. Following that, we will take a short trip to Ait Ben Hadou, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The kasbah is famous for making series and films such us Game of Thrones and Gladiator. After our visit to the Kasbah, we will continue to Marrakech passing by the high Atlas Mountains, Tizi n-Tishka, which is located at an elevation of 2260 meters. Along the route, we will be stopping for photographs at several locations. There are vistas of the verdant river valleys with adobe settlements and the remnants of old kasbahs when traveling along this route, which is one of the most scenic ways in Morocco. We will arrive in Marrakech and check into your Riad.

Accommodations

Category 1
Chefchaouen	Riad Hicham
Fez	Riad Tahra
Desert	Sahara Desert Luxury Camp
Dades	Hotel Babylon Dades Gorges

Category 2
Chefchaouen	Dar Echchaouen
Fez	Palais Houyam
Desert	Caravanserai Luxury Desert Camp
Dades	Riad Dades Paradise

Category 3
Chefchaouen	Lina Ryad & Spa
Fez	Palais Faraj
Desert	Desert Luxury Camp
Dades	Eden Boutique Hotel

*In case the listed hotel is fully booked, we will provide a similar option of the same category and inform you accordingly.

What’s included in our Morocco desert tours

Transport in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle
Professional English-speaking driver/guide (or request other preferred language)
Breakfasts throughout the tour
Camel ride experience in the Sahara Desert
Overnight stay in a Merzouga desert camp
Accommodation in carefully selected hotels and traditional riads
Dinners in the desert and Dades
Sandboarding