This 7-day tour to Chefchaouen and desert via Fes gives pride of place to the Medinas of Morocco, from the blue pearl of Chefchaouen through the mountains of Rif to the oldest imperial city of cultural Fez. Through the heart of middle Atlas, admire the beautiful landscapes of Ifran city and Azrou and meet the wild Barbary apes in a cedar forest on the road to the Sahara desert of Morocco, experience a camel trek on sand dunes and spend a night under the stars in a Saharan Berber tent. Discover Todgha and Dades gorges, the Kasbahs of UNICCO in Ouarzazate, and the palm oases. Head to Marrakech through the Atlas Mountains, which are dotted with tiny villages.
Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech via Sahara desert, Kasbahs, Ouarzazate, etc
Your accommodation in Tangier
Your accommodation in Marrakech
Please arrive by 07:45 AM for a prompt departure at 08:00 AM
Casual, comfortable athletic clothing & shoes, hat and sun glaces
Depends on the number of people
7 Days – 6 Nights
We will meet you in Tangier, the northern port of Morocco that faces Spain. We will then drive through the Rif Mountains, with their Berber towns and valleys, hidden away in these mountains is the Blue Pearl – Chefchaouen. This town is known for its white and blue houses, narrow squares, winding streets, and blue-painted stairways. It’s a photographer’s dream and an interesting place to explore.
You have the whole day to wander and explore the Medina. There is so much to see and discover, from the history of the town to its hidden gems. Make sure to visit the square at night for great food and atmosphere. After a full day of exploring, overnight at the same hotel with breakfast.
The sun is shining brightly as we leave the blue city and travel across the beautiful landscapes of the region. We pass fields of wheat, wildflowers, and typical metal-roofed houses until we reach Ouazzane; this is home to some of the best honey and figs in Morocco. Next is a visit to the Roman Ruins of Volubilis. This UNESCO site is home to extensive excavations that include columns, mosaics, a huge gateway, and many streets and houses. Originally founded in 225 BC, this was an important city that provides an interesting insight into the life of Romans in this region. With your guide, you will learn all about its history and significance. Next, we head to the imperial city of Meknes, which was founded by the Almoravides dynasty in the 11th century as a military settlement and became a capital under Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century. He introduced a Hispano Moorish style in the architecture with the great Bab Mansour; a gate of intricate mosaic or Zellige, the ramparts, the granary, and the Sahrij Swani Basin used for storing water, and plantation. From Meknes, after visiting the beautiful city of Meknes, we continue our journey to the spiritual capital of Fes. Along the way, we’ll stop at various sites, including an ornate riad in the medina. We’ll overnight in Fes and enjoy breakfast in the morning before continuing our journey.
Welcome to Fes! Your guide will come and meet you in your riad, and then we’ll start the guided tour. The tour will be a mixture of walking and driving so that we can cover as much of the city as possible. You’ll see the huge seven gates of the Royal Palace, as well as the Mellah or Jewish quarter – an important commercial area that was once home to many traders. We’ll also stop at a pottery cooperative so that you can see some intricate and fascinating work that goes into making these beautiful pieces. We go to north Bourj for a panoramic view of the whole Medina and then into the Medina for a delicious Fes-style lunch. In the afternoon, you can visit the cultural and spiritual sites and monuments in the Medina and its narrow souks full of foods and crafts, artisans, and of course the famous Tanneries. Fes has, 9000 car-free streets and is best explored with a knowledgeable local guide. Its ancient history includes housing the world’s oldest still operating university, with a library and mosque founded in 859 by a woman named Fatima; called the Quaraouiyine. Overnight in the same riad. Breakfast included.
After breakfast, our journey south toward the Sahara begins. Our first stop will be in Ifrane, known locally as “the little Switzerland of Morocco” because of its alpine architecture. As you enter the great cedar forest in the Middle Atlas Mountains, you’ll likely see the indigenous Barbary monkeys swinging from tree to tree. After lunch, our trip south will take us through the Middle Atlas mountains and into the Ziz Valley. The landscape here is amazing, there are so many panoramic spots that you can’t help but stop and take in the views. As the journey continues, the terrain changes from mountains and canyons to rivers and plateaus. After a long day of driving through Berber towns and villages, we finally reached Rissani. Once the capital city called Sijilmassa, it is the foundation of the Alaouite dynasty which is currently ruling Morocco. The open desert suddenly appeared before Merzouga was in sight. Our camels were waiting to take us across the golden dunes to our desert camp, where a welcoming glass of mint tea would be waiting for us.
The most magical time of the day is before the sunrises, when all is silent, and you can see how the light changes across the dunes as the sun moves. You will be woken in time to enjoy this, and then you will ride the camels back in silence to fully appreciate the tranquility of the desert and the Erg Chebbi Dunes. You can have breakfast, a shower, and some more time to yourself before setting off on your next adventure! On our journey through Morocco, we will travel to some of the most beautiful places on earth. We’ll go to Merzouga and Rissani, past the kasbah towns and villages. We’ll see vast palm groves and more. But one of the highlights will be Tinghir and the Todra Gorge. This 300-meter high canyon is only 10 meters wide at its narrowest point – making it a magnet for international rock climbers. Next on our tour of the wonders of Morocco is Dades gorges, a place where erosion has formed some crazy rocks that look like fat fingers. You’ll spend the night in a typical hotel in the gorge and enjoy local hospitality with dinner and breakfast. It’s certain to be an unforgettable experience!
As soon as we wake up, we head out to see some of the most amazing sights Morocco has to offer by driving along the Dades Valley and the Valley of the Roses, you’ll see many roses colored adobe kasbahs, fields of crops with hedges of Damascus roses which are cultivated here for their highly prized fragrant oil. Kelaat M’gouna. On the way, we will stop at a rose cooperative so that you can purchase some rose water gifts and learn about the processes involved with growing roses. We will then continue along this road to Skoura palm grove, Ouarzazate (Hollywood of Africa), and Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah – a UNESCO heritage site and fortress, also well known as a film set, where we visit the old fortified village. As we continue our Tangier to Marrakech tour, we come to the High Atlas mountains, and the winding roads that cross Tizi n´Tichka pass at 2,260 meters. Here we can stop to observe the process of making Argan Oil at a women’s cooperative before driving down to the plains’ Medina, where our Tangier to Marrakech tour ends.
