5 Days Tour from Marrakech to Tangier

The tour starts in Marrakech and heads south through the High Atlas Mountains. Tizi n’Tichka pass sits at 2,260 metres — the panoramic views from the top stretch back across the Haouz plain on a clear day.

The road descends into the pre-Saharan south. The first stop is Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah — a UNESCO World Heritage site of packed earth Berber towers above a dry riverbed that has appeared in Game of Thrones, Gladiator, and dozens of other productions. Your driver-guide leads the full walk through the ksar. No entry fee required.

After Ait Ben Haddou the road continues east through Ouarzazate — Morocco’s film capital — and along the Dades River into the canyon. You arrive at your hotel for the overnight in the Dades Valley in the late afternoon. Dinner and breakfast included.

320 km  ·  approx. 5 hours driving  ·  Overnight: Dades Valley

The morning starts in the canyon. You drive east into Todra Gorge — limestone walls rising to 300 metres and narrowing to about 10 metres at the tightest point. Walk the base before 11am for the best light.

From Todra the road crosses the flat pre-Saharan plain to Merzouga. By late afternoon the first Erg Chebbi sand dunes appear on the left — the edge of the Sahara desert and the start of the camel trek into the dunes.

The sunset camel ride into the dunes takes about 45 minutes. The luxury desert camp is inside the dunes — private tent, en-suite bathroom, hot water, air conditioning. Dinner at the camp, a fire, live Berber music, and a sky with no light pollution. Breakfast included.

220 km  ·  approx. 4 hours driving  ·  Overnight: Desert camp, Erg Chebbi

You wake up at the desert camp and watch the sunrise from the dune ridge before heading north. The longest drive of the tour. The road goes through Erfoud and into the stunning Ziz Valley — a long date palm oasis lined with old kasbahs cutting through the desert toward Midelt.

From the Ziz Valley the road climbs into the cedar forest of the Middle Atlas. You pass through Ifrane — the Switzerland of Morocco — at 1,650 metres where Barbary macaques sit in the trees near Azrou along the roadside.

You arrive in the city of Fes in the early evening. Overnight in a riad or hotel. Breakfast included.

490 km  ·  approx. 9 hours driving  ·  Overnight: Fes

A licensed local guide meets you at your riad in the morning for a guided tour of the Fes medina before you leave the city. The Fes medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most complex urban environments in Morocco — the guide covers the main souks, Al-Qarawiyyin University, Bou Inania Medersa, and the tanneries viewed from the leather shop terraces above. Allow about three hours.

After the guided tour you leave Fes and head northwest into the Rif Mountains toward Chefchaouen. The blue city sits in a valley in the Rif foothills and is completely different from anything else on this route. You arrive in the early afternoon with the rest of the day free to explore the medina at your own pace.

approx. 190 km  ·  approx. 3 hours driving  ·  Overnight: Chefchaouen

The final day of the Marrakech to Tangier desert tour. You leave Chefchaouen in the morning and head north toward Tangier. The road follows the Rif foothills before descending to the Mediterranean coast. Tangier appears on the horizon as you approach from the south.

Drop off at Tangier Ibn Battuta Airport, Tangier Med Port, or your accommodation in the city. The tour ends in Tangier — finished the tour from Marrakech in five days via the Sahara and the blue city.

approx. 150 km  ·  approx. 2.5 hours driving  ·  End: Tangier

Merzouga to Fes is 490 km and approximately 9 hours. This is the only long drive throughout the tour — every other day is between 2.5 and 5 hours. Leave the desert camp early on day three. A 6am departure with a lunch stop in Midelt gets you to Fes by early evening.

Your driver-guide leads the walk on day one. No entry fee required. Allow about one hour for the full circuit. Go in the morning — it is quieter before the day-trip groups arrive from Marrakech.

The sunset camel ride on day two takes about 45 minutes into the Erg Chebbi dunes. If you prefer not to ride camels, a 4×4 transfer to the desert camp is available at no extra cost. Let your guide know before arriving in Merzouga.

The blue medina is best on foot in the early morning before 9am. If you arrive on day four in the early afternoon you have the whole evening to explore. Day five morning before departure towards Tangier is also worth an early walk.

Confirm your drop off point when you book — Tangier Ibn Battuta Airport, Tangier Med Port, or your accommodation in the city. The drive from Chefchaouen to Tangier is 150 km and about 2.5 hours. Plan your ferry or flight time accordingly.

March to May and October to November are the best months. Desert temperatures at Erg Chebbi sit between 18 and 28°C and the Rif Mountains around Chefchaouen are green and clear. July and August are possible but day three is a long drive in the heat.

Day one: Marrakech south through the High Atlas Mountains — Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate — to the Dades Valley. Day two: east through Todra Gorge to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes. Day three: north through the Ziz Valley and Middle Atlas to Fes. Day four: northwest to Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains with a guided Fes medina tour in the morning. Day five: north to Tangier. The tour ends in Tangier after five days and four nights on the road.

Private transport for all 5 days, English-speaking driver-guide, licensed local guide in Fes on day four morning, one night in the Dades Valley with dinner and breakfast, one night at a luxury desert camp at Erg Chebbi with dinner and breakfast, one night in Fes with breakfast, one night in Chefchaouen with breakfast, the sunset camel trek, sandboarding, and the driver-guide walk through Ait Ben Haddou. Lunches on all five days are not included.

On this 5-day tour the schedule allows a full walk through Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah on day one. Your driver-guide leads the circuit through the ksar — up past the old Berber houses, through the narrow lanes, and up to the granary at the top. About one hour. No entry fee required.

Four nights — Dades Valley canyon hotel on night one, luxury desert camp inside the Erg Chebbi dunes on night two, riad or hotel in Fes on night three, and riad or hotel in Chefchaouen on night four. Three tiers available across all four nights. The tour ends with a drop off in Tangier on day five — no hotel night in Tangier is included.

Contact us on WhatsApp or fill in the enquiry form on this page. We confirm availability and send full pricing for your group size within a few hours. A small deposit secures your dates. Check our cancellation policy for full details.