Merzouga Desert Journey
Grand Morocco in 14 Days
From Marrakech
From Fes
From Casablanca
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8-Day Morocco Tour from Tangier to Marrakech
Eight days gives the north the time it deserves: a full day in Tangier, a night in Chefchaouen, two in Fes, then the long road over the Middle Atlas to the dunes. After the Sahara you follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Marrakech and finish with a guided morning in the Red City.
Best for: First-timers who want the north and the desert without rushing.
Highlights
- A full day in Tangier: Kasbah, American Legation, Cap Spartel
- Chefchaouen and the Rif mountains
- Volubilis, Meknes and two nights in Fes
- Sunset camel ride in Erg Chebbi
- Todra Gorge and Skoura oasis
- Guided Marrakech before departure
Day by day
Day 1Arrival in Tangier
Your driver-guide meets you at the port or airport. Visit the Kasbah museum in the old sultan's palace, the American Legation, the first U.S. property abroad, then Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules. Night in Tangier.
Day 2Tangier – Rif mountains – Chefchaouen
A short scenic drive into the Rif. Afternoon in Chefchaouen: the Kasbah and its garden, the octagonal minaret, and the blue lanes that are best in the late light.
Day 3Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes
Morning in the quiet blue medina before the drive south. At Volubilis a local guide walks you through the best-preserved Roman city in Morocco, with mosaics still in place. In Meknes you see Bab Mansour, the grandest gate in the country, and El Hedim square. You reach Fes in the late afternoon.
Day 4Fes guided day
A full day in Fes el-Bali, the largest car-free medina in the world, with an official local guide. Bou Inania madrasa, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university founded in 859, the Nejjarine fountain, the Chouara tanneries seen from a leather-shop terrace, and the golden gates of the Royal Palace. Free time in the souks before dinner.
Day 5Fes – Ifrane – Azrou cedars – Ziz Valley – Merzouga
A long and beautiful drive across the Middle Atlas: Ifrane with its alpine roofs, the cedar forest of Azrou where Barbary macaques live, lunch in Midelt below the High Atlas, then the Ziz Gorges and a ribbon of date palms down to Erfoud. At Merzouga you swap the car for a camel and ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi for sunset. Dinner, Berber drums by the fire and a night in your private tent.
Day 6Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley
Sunrise from the top of a dune, then breakfast at camp. In Rissani, the old caravan capital of the Tafilalet, you walk the local souk. The road follows palm oases to the Todra Gorge, where you walk between cliffs up to 300 m high. Evening in the Dades Valley among red rock formations.
Day 7Dades – Skoura – Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou – Marrakech
The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs: the Roses Valley, the palm oasis of Skoura and Kasbah Amridil, then Ouarzazate, Morocco's film capital. At Aït Benhaddou you climb through the UNESCO-listed ksar seen in Gladiator. In the afternoon you cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m) and reach Marrakech by evening.
Day 8Marrakech guided morning and departure
A guided morning in the medina: Koutoubia, Bahia Palace and the souks. Then a transfer to Marrakech airport, or to Casablanca if you fly from there.
Where you'll stay
These are our usual choices. If one is full on your dates we book a place of the same standard, and you can ask for an upgrade.
Price per person
| Room | Per person |
|---|---|
| Double or twin, 2 sharing | €1,720 |
| Triple room, 3 sharing | €1,410 |
| Quadruple, 4 sharing | €1,205 |
| Single room, travelling alone | €3,180 |
Prices include your private car and English-speaking driver-guide for the whole trip. Your exact quote depends on dates, group size and hotel level, and we confirm it within 24 hours.
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car with your own English-speaking driver-guide
- 7 nights: riads in Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech, a private desert camp and a hotel in the Dades Valley
- Breakfast every day
- Dinner at the desert camp and in the Dades Valley
- Official local guides in Volubilis, Fes and Marrakech
- Camel ride into the dunes, one camel per person
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Questions about this journey
Is this a group tour?
No. Every Oasis Roads journey is private: your own car and English-speaking driver-guide, no strangers, up to 7 travellers per car.
Can we take the ferry from Spain?
Yes. Many guests arrive on the Tarifa or Algeciras ferry; we meet you at Tangier port.
Can we change the route or add nights?
Yes. Because the tour is private, we can add a night, swap a stop or change the end city. Tell us when you ask for your quote.
More journeys
Casablanca to Marrakech via the Sahara
Imperial cities, a night in the dunes and the kasbahs of the south, in one week.
From €1,720 per person
The Slow Oasis Road
Two nights in the Dades, the Roses Valley on foot, the Todra Gorge and two desert nights.
From €1,500 per person
Desert, Atlas & Essaouira
Medina, mountains, two Sahara nights, Ouarzazate and a night by the Atlantic.
From €1,940 per person
Where will your road begin?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. Abdou or one of the team will send you a route and a price within 24 hours.