7 days · Marrakech → Fes
7-Day Morocco Tour from Marrakech to Fes
Overview
A week on the oasis roads of southern Morocco, with time to walk, not just drive. You arrive in Marrakech, then spend two nights in the Dades Valley to explore the Roses Valley on foot and by car, a day in the Todra Gorge, and two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes before crossing the Middle Atlas to Fes.
Best for: A week in the south at a slow pace.
Highlights
- Evening in Jemaa el-Fna on arrival
- Aït Benhaddou and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
- A full day in the Dades and Roses valleys, with rose oil distillation
- A relaxed day in the Todra Gorge
- Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes, with tea with nomads and Gnawa music
- Rissani, the old Sijilmassa, and the Ziz Valley
- Azrou's cedar forest and Ifrane on the way to Fes
Day by day
Arrival in Marrakech
We meet you at Marrakech airport and drive you to your riad. In the evening, walk to Jemaa el-Fna, where storytellers, musicians and food stalls fill the square.
Marrakech – Aït Benhaddou – Skoura – Dades Valley
Your driver-guide picks you up after breakfast. Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m) you pass villages where corn dries on the roofs. Lunch and a walk at Aït Benhaddou, then the Skoura oasis and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. Night in the Dades Valley.
Dades and Roses valleys
A full day exploring. Terraced fields and the green M'Goun valley lead up through juniper forest to a valley of adobe kasbahs. In the Roses Valley you see the rose fields among the cereal crops, visit villages and watch how rose oil is distilled. Second night in the Dades Valley.
Dades – Tinghir – Todra Gorge
A short drive to Tinghir, an old outpost on the Todra river, through one of Morocco's most beautiful palm oases. Then the narrow heart of the Todra Gorge, with time to walk and take it in. Night near the gorge.
Todra – Erfoud – Merzouga desert camp
Free morning, then east through the palm groves of Tinjdad and Touroug and a fossil workshop in Erfoud. In Merzouga you freshen up at a kasbah, leave extra luggage, and meet your camels. Choose 10 minutes or up to 2 hours of trekking, with time for sunset photos. Dinner and music at camp, night in a private tent.
Nomads, Gnawa music and Rissani
Sunrise over the dunes, then a 4x4 day: the Merzouga oasis, Khamlia village and its Gnawa musicians, a visit to nomad tents, and the birdlife of the Merzouga lake. In Rissani, the old Sijilmassa where salt caravans from Timbuktu once arrived, you explore the souk and eat Berber pizza. Second night in the desert.
Merzouga – Ziz Valley – Midelt – Ifrane – Fes
North through the Ziz gorge and Morocco's largest oasis, with its palms and abandoned kasbahs. Lunch in Midelt under the High Atlas, then rocky plains, cedar forests near Azrou (look for Barbary macaques) and Ifrane. Your driver-guide leaves you at your riad in Fes.
What's included
- Marrakech airport pickup and private air-conditioned car with your own English-speaking driver-guide for 7 days
- 4 nights in hotels, kasbahs or riads, 2 nights in a desert camp (private tent)
- Breakfast and dinner every day
- Camel ride, one camel per person
- 4x4 day around Merzouga, sandboarding and live music at the camp
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
Flights, lunches, drinks, entrance fees, tips and personal expenses and your Fes accommodation.
Questions about this tour
Is a week too long in the south?
Not at this pace. Two nights in the Dades Valley and two in the desert mean fewer long drives and more walking.
Can we add Chefchaouen after Fes?
Yes. We can extend the tour to Chefchaouen and Tangier, or book your stay in Fes.
Is this tour possible in the other direction?
Yes, starting in Fes and ending in Marrakech.
Where would your road take you?
Tell us your dates and group size. Abdou or one of the team will reply with a route and a price within 24 hours.