Private journey · Any date
5 Days in Morocco: Marrakech to Chefchaouen via the Sahara
Marrakech · Dades Valley · Merzouga · Midelt · Fes · Chefchaouen
This 5-day private Morocco tour runs one way from Marrakech to Chefchaouen, crossing the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou, sleeping on the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, then climbing north through the Ziz Valley and the Middle Atlas to Fes and the blue city. It covers 1,333 km and includes five nights. On the final morning we drive you to whichever airport you fly from - Fes, Tangier, Casablanca or Marrakech - at no extra cost.
team
Every route on this page was designed in Marrakech by our own team, and is run on the ground by our own Moroccan guides and drivers. Booked and guaranteed by Moratra LLC.
The route
- Dades ValleyDay 1 · 344 km · 7.3 h
- MerzougaDay 2 · 306 km · 6.3 h
- MideltDay 3 · 276 km · 5.6 h
- FesDay 4 · 211 km · 4 h
- ChefchaouenDay 5 · 196 km · 4.1 h
Day by day
01Over the Tizi n Tichka to Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades GorgeDades Valley · 344 km · 7.3 h · Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Leave Marrakech early and climb into the High Atlas over the Tizi n Tichka pass, winding between rocky peaks with the valleys opening below. On the far side stands Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen kasbah listed by UNESCO, its towers glowing ochre in the afternoon sun. Lunch is in Ouarzazate, the gateway to the south, then the road runs east to the Dades Valley, arriving as the folded rock formations catch the last light.
02Todgha Gorge and Tinghir, then camels into the Erg Chebbi dunesMerzouga · 306 km · 6.3 h · Breakfast, lunch and dinner
The morning road threads out of the Dades Gorge between red cliffs, then reaches Todgha Gorge, where limestone walls rise more than three hundred metres above a narrow river. You pass through the oasis town of Tinghir before the landscape empties out toward the Sahara. At Merzouga camels carry you into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset, and the night is spent at a desert camp with music around the fire.
03North through the Ziz Valley to MideltMidelt · 276 km · 5.6 h · Breakfast and dinner
Rise for sunrise over the dunes, then turn north. The road passes the fossil workshops of Erfoud and the town of Errachidia before entering the Ziz Valley, where palm groves cut a green ribbon between bare desert cliffs. The day ends in Midelt, a quiet mountain town at the foot of the Middle Atlas known for its apple orchards.
04Cedar forests, Ifrane and into FesFes · 211 km · 4 h · Breakfast and dinner
Climb out of Midelt into the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, stopping near Azrou where Barbary macaques come down to the roadside. Pass through Ifrane with its stone chalets and gardens, then descend into Fes. The afternoon is free to walk the edges of the old medina, a maze of alleys and workshops that has changed little in centuries.
05Over the hills to the blue city of ChefchaouenChefchaouen · 196 km · 4.1 h · Breakfast
Leave Fes in the morning and drive north through rolling farmland toward the Rif mountains. Chefchaouen appears late in the day, its medina washed in blue from doorstep to rooftop. The evening is yours to wander the alleys and squares as the light softens, and the night is spent in a riad inside the old town. The following morning your driver takes you on to your departure airport, whichever one you are flying from.
What is included
- Private 4x4 vehicle with English-speaking driver
- All accommodation as listed in the itinerary
- Meals as specified per stop
- One night in a traditional desert camp in Merzouga with camel trek
- Stops at Ait Ben Haddou, Todgha Gorge and the Ziz Valley
- Scenic crossing of the Tizi n'Tichka pass and the Middle Atlas cedar forests
- All transfers between cities as per the itinerary
- Support throughout the journey, from Marrakech to Chefchaouen
- Drop-off at any airport in Morocco at the end of the tour - Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes, Tangier or Agadir - included in the price
- International flights to and from Morocco
- Travel and medical insurance
- Lunches unless explicitly listed in the programme
- Drinks during meals
- Entrance fees to monuments, museums and the Atlas Studios
- Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff
- Personal expenses such as laundry, phone and souvenirs
- Visa fees if applicable
See it for yourself
Where you sleep
A comfortable hotel set against the red rock of the gorge, chosen for its terrace and the view down the valley at dusk.
An ensuite tented camp on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes, with proper beds, private bathrooms, dinner under the stars and a fire circle.
A quiet mountain hotel at the foot of the Middle Atlas, a simple and restful stop between the desert and the cedar forests.
A riad inside the old city, within walking distance of the medina gates.
A riad in the blue medina itself, so the alleys are outside your door at first light before the day visitors arrive.
Why this journey
- One continuous route from Marrakech to the Rif mountains, with no day spent doubling back
- The UNESCO kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n Tichka pass on day one
- A night in a desert camp on the Erg Chebbi dunes after a sunset camel trek
- The Ziz Valley, then cedar forests and Barbary macaques near Azrou
- A night in Fes and a final night in the blue medina of Chefchaouen
- A one-way route that still ends at your airport, wherever in Morocco you fly from
Is this journey for you?
Yes if
- You want the Sahara and the north of Morocco in one trip
- You are flying home from Fes, Tangier, Casablanca or Marrakech - we drive you to any of them
- You would rather move forward each day than return to the same city
No if
- You want several nights in one place rather than a night in each
- You have fewer than five full days available
- You are travelling with very young children - the first two days are long in the car
Questions
Where does this tour end?
In Chefchaouen, the blue city in the Rif mountains, with a night included there. The following morning your driver takes you on to your departure airport.
How many nights are included?
Five: the Dades Gorge, a desert camp at Merzouga, Midelt, Fes, and a riad in Chefchaouen on the final night. Meals are half board except at the desert camp, which is full board, and bed and breakfast in Chefchaouen. The airport transfer takes place the morning after that fifth night.
Is this tour private or shared?
Private. The vehicle is yours alone. Moroccan tourism licensing caps a 4x4 at four passengers, so parties of five or more travel in a premium minivan. Either way you share it with no one outside your party.
How long are the driving days?
Day one is the longest at 344 km, then 306 km to the dunes, 276 km north through the Ziz Valley, 211 km into Fes, and 196 km to Chefchaouen. The days get shorter as the trip goes on.
Are all the hotels four or five star?
No, and we would rather say so. This route passes through places where a five-star hotel simply does not exist and the best bed in town is a family-run kasbah or a camp under the dunes. We promise the best available address in each place you sleep: three to four-star hotels in the Dades Gorge and Midelt, a premium camp at Merzouga, and riads in Fes and Chefchaouen.
How much do I pay to confirm?
A 50 percent deposit confirms the booking and the balance is due on arrival in Morocco. We confirm your dates first, then send you a secure Stripe payment link.
Can the tour end at a different city or airport?
Yes. The route finishes in Chefchaouen, but we will drive you on to any airport in Morocco and that transfer is included in the price - Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes, Tangier or Agadir, or anywhere else you are flying from. Tell us your flight when you book so we can set the departure time: some airports are an hour or two from Chefchaouen and others are most of a day on the road, so the earlier we know, the better the last day works.
Other journeys
From
$875 per person
Based on two travellers sharing
50% deposit to confirm · balance on arrival