This 5 day Semester at Sea tour starts and ends in Tangier and adds the imperial city of Fes to the Sahara route. You leave the ship on March 31, 2027, spend a night in our own desert camp near the Erg Chebbi dunes, and return by train in time for the ship’s departure. It is built for the Spring 2027 Tangier port call (March 31 to April 5) and for the Fall 2027 voyage if it calls at Tangier.
This tour is built for Semester at Sea students and groups. The driver-guide stays with the group throughout. Book the return train a few days ahead, keep a buffer of several hours before the all-aboard time, and let your guide confirm road and train times the day before. The exact all-aboard time is set by the ship. The best months are March to May and September to November.
We are a family-run private tour operator, so your group deals with the same team before and during the trip. Every tour is private, with a driver-guide who stays with the group, and each itinerary can be adjusted to your field program and the ship’s schedule. See all our Semester at Sea tours, read the Semester at Sea Morocco 2027 port guide, browse the Semester at Sea Morocco photo gallery, or compare the 4 day tour. The Fes medina on the route is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Your driver-guide meets you at the Tangier port. The road climbs into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, the Blue City, where you spend a few hours in the blue medina and stop for lunch (not included).
In the afternoon you drive on to Fes, arriving in the evening for dinner and a night in a riad.
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After breakfast, a local guide takes the group through the old medina of Fes, one of the largest car-free medieval cities in the world, past the Chouara tannery, the medersas and the souks.
In the afternoon you cross the Middle Atlas by Ifrane and the Azrou cedar forest, where Barbary macaques live, and reach Midelt for dinner and the night.
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Drive south through the Ziz Gorges and the palm groves of the Ziz Valley, reaching Merzouga in the early afternoon. Ride quad bikes across the dunes if you like (optional, paid locally).
At sunset the group rides camels into the Erg Chebbi dunes to our desert camp. Dinner is served at camp, followed by a campfire with Berber drums and songs, then stargazing from the dunes far from any city light.
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Watch the sun rise over the dunes, have breakfast at camp and ride back out on your camels. The drive west crosses the Draa Valley palm groves and the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, with stops for lunch (not included) and photos.
You reach Marrakech in the evening and check in to a riad in the medina.
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Spend the morning in the Marrakech medina and Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Your guide then drops the group at Marrakech train station for the ONCF train north to Tangier, the day before the ship sails.
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Will we be back in Tangier before the ship sails?
Yes. The tour leaves on March 31, the day the ship arrives, and you are back in Tangier on April 4, the day before it sails, with a full day of buffer.
Is this a private tour for our group?
Yes. Your group travels in its own vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide for all 5 days, and you never share with other travelers.
Where do you meet us?
Your driver-guide meets the group at the Tangier port as you come off the ship. We confirm the exact meeting point with you before the voyage reaches Morocco.
What is the difference from the 4 day tour?
The 5 day tour adds a night in Fes and a guided walk through its medina, and splits the drive to the Sahara over two days, so the days on the road are shorter.
Do we need to book the train back ourselves?
We can book the Marrakech to Tangier train tickets for your group in advance, so seats are confirmed. Just tell us when you book the tour.
What is the night in the desert camp like?
You ride camels into the dunes at sunset, have dinner at camp, then gather around the campfire for Berber drums and songs. After that it is stargazing in the dunes. Tents have proper beds and blankets.
What should we pack?
A warm layer for the desert night, a scarf for sun and sand, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and a small overnight bag for the camp. Shoulders and knees covered is respectful in the medinas.
