6 Days from Marrakech To Tangier via Desert & Fez

Marrakech – High Atlas Mountains – Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah – Ouarzazate – Boumalne Dades

Pick up from your accommodation in Marrakech at 8 a.m., and depart to the High Atlas, a subrange of Moroccan Atlas Mountains, going through Tizi N´Tichka pass with stops for panoramic views and taking pictures of the Berber small villages that camouflage in the landscape. Then we continue south to the ksar (fortified village) of Aït Ben Haddou where we will visit the famous Kasbah (declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986). Famous films have been shot in this spectacular stage, including Gladiator, Obelix, The Mummy, The Jewel of the Nile, and Sahara with Penelope Cruz…etc. Free time for lunch in town. Then we continue to Ouarzazate also known as “The gate of the desert” that in the Berber language means “noiseless or without confusion”. Here we´ll see the Taourirt kasbah, one of the most spectacular ksars in Morocco. The next site to visit is the Rose Valley going through the big Skoura palm grove, a beautiful place to contemplate more than 700.000 palms and numerous kasbahs that are built in the surrounding area. In this Valley damascenes, roses are raised for cosmetic use such as the valued rosewater. The Rose Festival is held here annually in May, it is an important museum for Moroccan culture. Finally, we reach the Dades valley where we´ll spend the night.

Boumalne Dades – Todra Gorges – Jorf – Erfoud – Merzouga (overnight in the Sahara Desert)

After breakfast in the hotel, drive back through the valley to see the amazing rock formation “the monkey toes”, and the still-standing 19thcentury Kasbah of Ait Yul. Leaving the Dades valley towards Tinrghir and after some stops on the way, we´ll reach the Todra Gorges. The scenery is spectacular. At the Gorge, you’ll walk under the 300m high red cliff, where many rock-climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport. Local people live in the area and can be seen in their adobe villages. After a short walk in the Todra gorges continuing our trip to Erfoud and Rissani where we’ll have lunch and afterward we’ll leave for the village of Merzouga. In the afternoon you will have a camel ride, guided by an experienced Camel man, to explore inside the mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi. Here you’ll spend your first night under the stars, or if you prefer, in a traditional Berber nomad tent. Dinner will be served in the tent where you will spend the night. Overnight in a desert camp.

Merzouga – Rissani – Ziz Valley – Azrou – Ifrane – Fez

Very early in the morning, we have a “Date with the sunrise”. In the middle of the desert, waking up early is a “must-do” to contemplate the most spectacular sunrise you´ve ever seen at the top of a dune close to the camp. After having breakfast, we return to Merzouga on the camels and we start our trip to the north, through the Tafilalet palm grove, the biggest in the world. You´ll see thousands of palm trees along the 20km of road. This way leads us to the Ziz valley, which river comes down from the high Atlas and feeds the palm grove. Here we make a stop and from this high viewpoint, enjoy a magnificent view of the valley and the town of Aoufous. We make another stop in Midelt, just in the heart of the Atlas where you´ll have free time for lunch and rest for a while. In the afternoon we continue our way through the Cedar forest where, if we are lucky, we´ll see some monkeys. The next place we´ll visit is the city of Ifrane, situated in the northwestern slope of the Middle Atlas at 1630 meters above the water level. Its broad avenues, its urban development with perfect cleanness, the gardens, the green areas, and its architecture make this city look like a Swiss town. Ifrane feels misplaced in Morocco. That’s why it´s named Moroccan Switzerland, and if that´s not enough it has an important ski resort, Michlifen. About 6 pm we arrive at Fez and check in the hotel/riad.

Fez sightseeing

After breakfast, you will meet with a local tour guide to explore Fez, the most ancient and holy of the Imperial cities. Your cultural and historic tour will take you through the 2000-year-old living medina. A labyrinth of narrow streets, alive with markets and souks, craftsmen, donkeys, and mules transporting their loads. Visit the Attarine and Bou Anania Medersas (Islamic universities), the Nejjarine fountain, the Moulay Idriss Mausoleum, and the Karaouine Mosque. Finish your tour with a visit to Fes Jdid, and the revered Merenid Tombs for a spectacular panoramic view of Fes.

Fez – Chefchaouen

After breakfast, we depart from Fes to Chefchaouen. A scenic drive will take you through fertile agricultural land to high, in the Rif Mountains. We will rush the blue city by the mid-day after the cheek-in in your hotel you will have free time to explore and take beautiful photos of the city on your own. enjoy a walking tour through Chefchaouen’s cobbled medina, absorbing the Moorish and Spanish atmosphere. Admire the striking blue-and-white houses and visit the 18th-century kasbah, with its tower, garden, and museum.

Chefchaouen – Tetouan -Tangier

Today you will continue driving through the Rif mountains to Tangier passing by Tetouan to arrive in Tangier by mid-day. our driver will drop you off in your hotel, port, or airport and it’s the end of our services.
NB: The hotel for the last night is not included in the tour price.