This seven-day tour travels from Tangier to Marrakech via the north and the Sahara, linking many of Morocco’s top highlights. Along the route you discover Cape Spartel and the Cave of Hercules, Chefchaouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, Meknes, Fes, Ifrane, the Merzouga desert, the Todra and Dades gorges, and Ait Ben Haddou.
You start in Tangier with Cape Spartel and the Cave of Hercules, then cross the Rif to Chefchaouen. Then you visit Volubilis and Meknes on the way to Fes for a day with a guide, before crossing the Middle Atlas via Ifrane and the Ziz Valley to the desert at Merzouga for a camel ride, a night in the Sahara and a full 4×4 day. The final leg runs west through the gorges, Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou, and across the High Atlas to Marrakech.
Good to know: the Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou, one of the stops on this itinerary, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Your driver meets you at your accommodation, the airport or the port in Tangier, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic near Cape Spartel. First you explore the city, including the Cave of Hercules and Cape Spartel. There is free time for lunch. In the afternoon the road turns inland via Tetouan and through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, with stops for the views. Night in a hotel.
Approx. 2 hours driving · Overnight: Hotel in Chefchaouen
Following breakfast, enjoy free time to wander the blue-painted lanes of Chefchaouen. Then you drive to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its mosaics, columns and arches. After exploring the ruins, a drive of about 30 km brings you to Meknes to see Bab Al-Mansour, the Sahrij Souani basin, the royal stables and granaries, and the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. The day ends in Fes. Night in a riad.
Approx. 4 hours driving · Overnight: Riad in Fes
Following breakfast, you are collected from your riad to explore Fes, the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco. First, a drive takes you to the Royal Palace Gate, the Mellah, the panorama from the Borj Sud fortress, and the Ceramic Village and School. Then a local guide walks with you through the medieval medina, visiting the Al Attarine Madrasa, the University and Mosque of Al-Qarawiyyin and the colourful Chouara tanneries.
About 30 min by car / 2–3 hours on foot · Night: Riad in Fes
Following breakfast, you travel south via Imouzzer to Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco, and then through the cedar forest, home of wild Barbary macaques. After a lunch stop in Midelt, you cross the Tizi n’Talghamt pass and follow the Ziz Valley, with stops for the views.
In the afternoon you arrive in the Sahara at Merzouga, where camels carry you across the dunes to a high dune for sunset. Then it is on to your desert camp for Berber drums around the fire under a sky full of stars. Night at the camp.
Approx. 7 hours driving · Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Merzouga
Following breakfast, the whole day is dedicated to the Merzouga area: sand dunes, a seasonal lake, mines, fossil sites and palm oases. The day starts with an off-road drive to an old kohl (eyeliner) mine, followed by Berber tea with nomad families in their woven tents.
Then you visit Khamlia for Gnaoua music and dance. After lunch you walk through a palm grove and drive to Merzouga’s seasonal lake, where flamingos are often spotted. Then you return to Merzouga. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Approx. 2 hours driving · Overnight: Hotel in Merzouga
Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the dunes. Following breakfast, you leave the dunes for Rissani, whose souk is busiest on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Next you visit a fossilised-marble workshop in Erfoud.
Then you drive through the Touroug and Tinjdad palm groves to the Todra Gorge, with free time to explore it and have lunch. In the afternoon the road continues to the Dades Valley via Boumalne Dades, with stops at the “monkey fingers” rock formations and at a valley viewpoint. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
About 5 hours on the road · Night: Hotel in the Dades Valley
Following breakfast, you drive to Kalaat M’Gouna to discover the Roses Valley. Then you drive through the Skoura palm grove to Ouarzazate for a tour of the film studios.
Then you continue to the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified village listed by UNESCO. You cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, with stops for lunch and photos, and finally we drop you at your riad in Marrakech. The tour ends here.
Approx. 5.5 hours driving
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The tour is fully private: only you and the people in your booking travel together, with no other guests added. We focus on quality, personal journeys, and that is why nearly all of our tours run privately.
Depending on the camp, the camel ride takes from 40 minutes up to about 1.5 hours. If you would rather not ride, a camp 4×4 can drive you and your bags to and from the camp. Quad bikes (ATVs) are also available at an extra cost.
Yes. Every tent at the luxury camp is just for you, with its own en-suite bathroom and hot water.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the ideal seasons, with mild, comfortable weather across most of the country. Winter is also a good choice, especially for the south and the Sahara.
We use air-conditioned 4x4s and minivans. Our 4×4 is a Land Cruiser Prado for up to 4 travellers; our minivans are a Mercedes Vito Tourer, Ford Tourneo or similar for up to 8. Larger groups of more than 8 travel in a minibus with up to 18 seats.