Eight days is the sweet spot for a first trip to Morocco. This private one-way tour starts in Marrakech, crosses the High Atlas to the Sahara for two nights at Merzouga, spends a full guided day in Fes and finishes in the Blue City of Chefchaouen, with a drop-off in Tangier, Fes or Casablanca at the end.
This 8 day Morocco tour covers the country’s highlights in one direction, from Marrakech to the Blue City, without backtracking.
This route covers Morocco’s greatest hits at a comfortable pace, without backtracking. You cross the High Atlas and visit Ait Ben Haddou, drive the Dades and Todra gorges, sleep in a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes and spend a full day around Merzouga. Then you cross the Middle Atlas to Fes for a day in its medieval medina, visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis on the way north, and finish with two nights in Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains.
On the last day, we drive you to Tangier (for the ferry to Spain or your flight), back to Fes or to Casablanca airport. Want to end in Marrakech? See our 10-day Marrakech, Sahara and Blue City loop.
At Merzouga, the Erg Chebbi dunes rise to around 150 meters, among the tallest in Morocco. The Medina of Fez, founded in the 9th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. Chefchaouen, founded in 1471 in the Rif Mountains, is famous for its blue-washed medina.
The best months for a full Morocco circuit are March to May and September to November, when both the cities and the desert are comfortable. Summer is hot inland and in the Sahara, and winter brings cold desert nights and snow in the mountains.
Leave Marrakech in the morning and cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass. Visit Ait Ben Haddou and walk up through the ksar, then continue through Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses to the Dades Valley. Dinner and overnight at a hotel with views of the gorge.
Meals included: Dinner
Drive up the Dades Gorge, then east to the Todra Gorge for a walk between its high walls. Continue across the desert plains to Merzouga. Ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset and spend the night in a desert camp, with dinner and music around the fire.
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Watch the sunrise from the dunes, then spend the day exploring the desert: Gnawa music in Khamlia, the Rissani market and the nomad areas around the dunes. Sandboarding or quad biking are available as options. In the evening, check into a hotel at the edge of the dunes.
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Drive north through the Ziz Valley’s palm-filled canyon to Midelt, then cross the Middle Atlas via the cedar forests of Azrou, where Barbary macaques live, and the alpine-style town of Ifrane. Arrive in Fes in the early evening and check into a riad in or near the medina.
Meals included: Breakfast
Spend the day in Fes el-Bali, one of the largest car-free medinas in the world, with a licensed local guide. See the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the outside of the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university, the Chouara tannery and the craft workshops of the souks. The evening is free.
Meals included: Breakfast
Drive to Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman site in Morocco, with its mosaics and triumphal arch, and continue to the hilltop holy town of Moulay Idriss. In the afternoon, cross the foothills of the Rif to Chefchaouen and check into your riad in the Blue City.
Meals included: Breakfast
A free day to explore the blue lanes of the medina at your own pace. Visit the kasbah museum on Outa el Hammam square, walk up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset views over the town, or hike to the Ras el Maa waterfall. Your driver-guide can suggest routes and restaurants.
Meals included: Breakfast
After breakfast, your driver takes you to your final stop: Tangier (about 2.5 hours) for the ferry to Spain or a flight, Fes, or Casablanca airport.
Meals included: Breakfast
How much does the 8-day Morocco tour cost?
Our private 8-day Morocco tour from Marrakech to Chefchaouen starts from $1,090 per person, based on 2 travelers. That includes the private vehicle and driver-guide, 7 nights in riads, hotels and a desert camp, the camel ride, a licensed guide in Fes, daily breakfast and 3 dinners. Upgrades to luxury riads are available. Send us your dates for an exact quote.
Is 8 days enough to see Morocco?
Yes, for the highlights: Marrakech’s surroundings, the Sahara, Fes and Chefchaouen. Add a day or two at the start to explore Marrakech itself.
Where does the tour end?
In Chefchaouen, with a transfer on the last day to Tangier, Fes or Casablanca, whichever suits your onward travel.
Is this tour private?
Yes. You travel only with your group, in your own vehicle with a driver-guide, and the itinerary can be adjusted.
Can I take the ferry to Spain at the end?
Yes. Tangier is about 2.5 hours from Chefchaouen, and ferries run from Tangier to Tarifa and Algeciras.
What kind of hotels are included?
Comfortable, characterful riads and hotels, chosen for location and cleanliness. Upgrades to luxury riads and camps are available.
What is the best time of year for this tour?
March to May and September to November. Summer is hot in the desert and Fes, and winter brings cold nights in the Sahara and the Middle Atlas.
