Are Kasbah Trails tours private, or do we join a group?

Every Kasbah Trails itinerary is 100% private — just you, your travel companions, and a dedicated driver-guide in your own vehicle. There are no strangers added to your group and no fixed departure dates to work around.

Can you customize an itinerary, or do we have to book one exactly as listed?

Every trip on this site is a starting point. Tell us your dates, pace and interests on WhatsApp or through the form below, and we'll adjust the route, swap in extra nights, or build something from scratch around what you actually want to see.

What's included in the price of a private Morocco tour?

Standard inclusions are a private air-conditioned vehicle with fuel and tolls, an English-speaking driver-guide for the whole trip, accommodation in riads, kasbahs and a desert camp, the Erg Chebbi camel trek, daily breakfast, local guides in the imperial cities, and all local taxes. International flights, most lunches and dinners, entrance fees, tips and travel insurance are not included.

How much does a private Sahara desert tour cost?

Pricing depends on group size, season, and the level of riad or kasbah you choose, since every trip is quoted individually rather than sold at a fixed group rate. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and traveller count for an exact quote — there's no obligation to book.

Is Morocco safe to visit, and is a guide necessary for the Sahara?

Morocco is a well-established, welcoming destination for private travel, and the desert routes we run — through Ouarzazate, the gorges and Merzouga — are on paved and well-travelled roads. A local driver-guide isn't strictly required to enter the country, but it makes the long mountain and desert legs far easier, and it's how a camel trek and desert camp get arranged properly rather than booked blind.

When's the best time of year for a Sahara desert tour?

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) give the most comfortable temperatures for both the High Atlas passes and the dunes. Summer is workable but hot in the desert by midday; winter nights in the Sahara and the mountains can be cold, so pack layers if travelling between November and February.

Which cities can a tour start and end in?

Most itineraries start or end in Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca or Tangier — wherever your flight lands. Filter the tours by city to see what's available, or ask us to build a route between two different cities if you don't see the combination you need.

Travel guide · 6 min read

How to Plan a Morocco Itinerary From Tangier: A Port-City Guide

Written by the Kasbah Trails team

Published July 7, 2026

The lighthouse and Atlantic coastline along Casablanca's corniche, Morocco

Tangier is a different kind of entry point than Marrakech or Casablanca — a short ferry ride from Spain puts it on plenty of itineraries that combine Morocco with a wider European or North African trip, rather than standing alone as the whole holiday.

What Tangier itself offers

A compact, walkable medina, the Kasbah Museum housed in the old sultan's palace, and views out over the Strait of Gibraltar where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean — on a genuinely clear day you can make out Spain's coastline across the water. It's worth a full day before heading further into the country, rather than treating it as a pure transit stop.

The natural first move south: Chefchaouen

Nearly every Tangier-starting route climbs into the Rif Mountains toward Chefchaouen first, and for good reason — it's the logical next stop geographically, and it sets the tone for the mountain scenery that carries through to Fes and the rest of the country.

How far south routes typically go

Shorter Tangier itineraries loop back north after Fes and Chefchaouen; longer ones push all the way south to the Sahara and Marrakech, turning the whole trip into a genuine coast-to-desert crossing. Our 6-day Marrakech Express from Tangier does the full north-to-south run in under a week; the 14-day grand tour from Tangier adds the Atlantic coast on top and settles into a proper two-desert-night pace instead of rushing the Sahara leg.

Practical notes for a Tangier start

If you're arriving by ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras in Spain, build in a real buffer — crossing times and border processing can add unpredictable hours to your first day, more than the ferry timetable alone suggests. Flying directly into Tangier Ibn Battouta airport sidesteps that variable entirely if your schedule is tight and you can't afford to lose a morning to a queue.