Desert Tour from
Tangier to Merzouga
Overview
6 Days from the Strait
of Gibraltar to the Sahara
Begin your Moroccan odyssey in Tangier — where Europe meets Africa — and journey the full length of this extraordinary country all the way to the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi. Over six days you'll discover Chefchaouen's blue streets, the ancient medina of Fes, the dramatic Middle Atlas forests, and the vast silence of the Sahara Desert.
Crafted for seniors and couples who want to experience Morocco in depth, at a relaxed and comfortable pace — private vehicle, handpicked riads, a luxury desert camp, and a dedicated guide from start to finish.
Tour Highlights
- Explore Tangier's vibrant medina & Kasbah
- Wander the blue-painted streets of Chefchaouen
- Visit the UNESCO-listed medina of Fes
- Cedar forests of the Middle Atlas & Barbary macaques
- Traverse the Ziz Valley & Gorges of the South
- Sunset camel ride over Erg Chebbi dunes
- Night in a luxury Berber desert camp
- Sunrise over the Sahara — a memory for life
- Todra Gorges, Aït Benhaddou & Ouarzazate
- Return via Tizi n'Tichka pass & end in Marrakech
Day by Day
Your Itinerary
Your guide meets you at your hotel or the port in Tangier — the legendary gateway between two continents. The morning is spent discovering this fascinating city at a relaxed pace before an afternoon of coastal scenery.
- Welcome mint tea at your riad and tour briefing
- Walking tour of the Tangier Medina — spice souks, artisan workshops, and hidden courtyards
- Visit the Kasbah Museum — panoramic terraces overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar
- Coffee at the legendary Café Hafa — perched on the cliff with views to Spain
- Afternoon visit to the Cave of Hercules — sea-carved cave with the iconic Atlantic window
- Evening stroll along the Tangier Corniche
🏨 Overnight: Boutique Riad, Tangier Medina
Leave Tangier and head east along the Mediterranean coast into the Rif Mountains. Your destination is Chefchaouen — one of the most photogenic towns in the world, famous for its labyrinth of blue-washed streets and mountain tranquility.
- Scenic drive through the lush green Rif Mountains
- Brief stop in Tetouan — a UNESCO-listed Andalusian medina
- Arrive in Chefchaouen by midday — check in and lunch
- Guided walk through the blue medina — every alley a photograph
- Visit the Plaza Uta el-Hammam and the ancient Spanish mosque for mountain views
- Free afternoon to explore at your own pace — local cafés, artisan shops, sunset rooftops
🏨 Overnight: Riad in Chefchaouen
After a leisurely breakfast in the blue city, you head south through the cedar highlands toward Morocco's most ancient imperial city. En route, a remarkable detour to Roman Morocco.
- Depart Chefchaouen through scenic cedar forest roads
- Visit Volubilis — Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins (UNESCO), with extraordinary mosaics and triumphal arch (approx. 1.5 hrs)
- Stop in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun — Morocco's holiest town, perched on twin hills
- Arrive in Fes late afternoon — check in at your medina riad
- Optional: first evening wander through the Fes el-Bali lit alleys
🏨 Overnight: Riad in Fes Medina
A full day of spectacular scenery as Morocco transforms around you — from alpine forests to volcanic plateaus to the palm-lined Saharan gateway. The landscape changes every hour.
- Early breakfast and departure from Fes heading south
- Stop in Ifrane — Morocco's "Little Switzerland" — for coffee among the chalets
- Drive through the Azrou cedar forest — spot wild Barbary macaques among the trees
- Lunch stop in Midelt, the "city of apples", at altitude 1,500m
- Descent through the dramatic Ziz Valley and Gorges
- Drive alongside the Ziz River lined with thousands of date palms
- Arrive in Merzouga at sunset — mount your camel for the dunes
- Sunset camel trek into Erg Chebbi — arrive at camp for a Berber dinner under the stars
🏕️ Overnight: Luxury Berber Desert Camp, Erg Chebbi
Wake before the sun. Climb the great dunes of Erg Chebbi in the pre-dawn silence and watch the Sahara ignite in shades of amber, pink and gold — one of the most profound travel experiences on earth.
- Sunrise over Erg Chebbi — guided walk to the dune crest at dawn
- Traditional Berber breakfast back at camp
- Visit a Merzouga Berber family for mint tea and a glimpse of desert life
- Drive through the Draa Valley and the Road of the Kasbahs
- Walk through the towering Todra Gorges — 300m rock walls, crystal river
- Pass through Boumalne Dades and the Valley of the Roses
- Visit Aït Benhaddou — the UNESCO ksar used in Game of Thrones and Gladiator
- Arrive in Ouarzazate — the "Hollywood of Africa"
🏨 Overnight: Hotel in Ouarzazate
Your final day of driving takes you over Morocco's most spectacular mountain road and delivers you into the warmth and colour of Marrakech — the perfect place to end an unforgettable journey across Morocco.
- Optional morning visit to Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate (~1 hr)
- Cross the legendary Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass at 2,260m — sweeping Atlas panoramas at every turn
- Scenic viewpoint stops through Berber mountain villages
- Lunch in the foothills with views back over the Atlas
- Arrive in Marrakech early afternoon — check in at your riad
- Guided walk through the Djemaa el-Fna square — snake charmers, musicians, food stalls
- Explore the souks of the medina — spices, leather, lanterns, carpets
- Evening dinner on a rooftop terrace overlooking the square
🏨 Overnight: Riad in Marrakech Medina
What's Covered
Includes & Excludes
✓ Included
- ✓ Private air-conditioned vehicle (4×4 or minivan)
- ✓ Professional English-speaking driver/guide
- ✓ 5 nights accommodation (riads, desert camp, hotel)
- ✓ Daily breakfast at each accommodation
- ✓ Dinner on Night 4 at the desert camp
- ✓ Sunset camel trek in Merzouga dunes
- ✓ Luxury private tent at desert camp
- ✓ Guided tour of Volubilis Roman ruins
- ✓ Guided walk in Chefchaouen blue medina
- ✓ All fuel, tolls and parking fees
- ✓ Entrance to Aït Benhaddou UNESCO site
- ✓ Bottled water throughout the tour
- ✓ All taxes and service charges
✗ Not Included
- ✗ International flights to/from Morocco
- ✗ Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- ✗ Lunches and dinners (except camp dinner)
- ✗ Personal spending & souvenirs
- ✗ Tips for your guide (appreciated)
- ✗ Atlas Film Studios entrance (~$10, optional)
- ✗ Marrakech guided medina tour (optional)
- ✗ Single room supplement (ask us)
Gallery
Scenes from the Journey
Reserve Your Spot
Ready to Cross Morocco?
Send us a message and we'll respond within 24 hours to confirm your dates, answer any questions, and personalise your journey. No payment required to enquire.
- Duration 6 Days / 5 Nights
- Group size Private (1–8 pax)
- Departure Tangier
- Return Marrakech
- Pace Easy — Relaxed
- Ideal for Seniors & Couples
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