Imperial & Culture · Private journey
8 Days from Tangier to Marrakech — The Rif & Atlas Kasbahs
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Tangier to Marrakech
- Private, just your group
Overview
An eight-day north-to-south grand tour — the Rif, the imperial cities, camels in the Sahara and the Atlas kasbahs.
The route
TangierStart- Chefchaouen
Fes
The Sahara
Aït Ben Haddou
Ouarzazate
MarrakechEnd
Itinerary
Day by day
A working draft: every day can be lengthened, shortened or swapped once we know what matters most to you.
- Day1
Tangier city
Settle into Tangier with a day tracing where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic — the Kasbah Museum, the Dar el Makhzen and the American Legation — before a walk out to the Hercules Caves.
Tangier - Day2
Tangier → Chefchaouen
Climb into the Rif Mountains for Chefchaouen, wandering the market stalls around Place Outa el-Hammam, the red-walled kasbah and the Ethnographic Museum as evening settles over the blue lanes.
Chefchaouen - Day3
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes
Descend from the Rif to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, then the imperial city of Meknes and its Bab Mansour gate, before continuing to Fes for the night.
Fes - Day4
A full day in Fes
A local guide leads you through the medieval medina — the Bou Inania madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university, a working pottery village and the carved gateways of Nejjarine Square — with views over the royal palace gates.
- Day5
Fes → Ifrane → Merzouga (Sahara camp)
Cross the Middle Atlas via the alpine town of Ifrane and cedar forest scattered with Barbary macaques, then drop through the Ziz Valley toward the Sahara. A sunset camel trek carries you into the Erg Chebbi dunes for dinner and a night at a desert camp.
The Sahara - Day6
Merzouga → Todgha Gorge → Boumalne Dadès
Drive west through Rissani and the palm groves of Tinghir to Todgha Gorge for a walk beneath its towering canyon walls, then continue to Boumalne Dadès for the night.
- Day7
Boumalne Dadès → Valley of Roses → Ouarzazate → Aït Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Follow the Valley of Roses to the Amerhidil Kasbah, then the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Ouarzazate's film studios and the UNESCO ksar of Aït Ben Haddou. Cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass into Marrakech.
Marrakech - Day8
Departure
Free time in Marrakech before your transfer to the airport in Marrakech or Casablanca.
The details
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle, fuel & tolls
- English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- Accommodation in riads, kasbahs & a desert camp
- Camel trek to the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Desert camp with dinner & breakfast
- Daily breakfast
- Local guides in the imperial cities
- All local taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches & some dinners
- Monument & museum entrance fees
- Drinks & personal expenses
- Tips / gratuities
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Questions about this journey
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.
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.
Want this route adjusted? Message us on WhatsApp or browse all 33 journeys.
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Begin your journey
Make the 8-day journey your own
Tell us your dates and what you'd change, and we'll come back with a real draft and a clear price, not a form letter.