(5.0)
12 Days
English,spanish
From Tangier
To begin our 12 days desert tour from Tangier, your personal driver will come pick you up from the airport to start your journey through the wonders of Morocco. Our first destination today will be Chefchaouen town, which we will reach after crossing the magnificent Riff Mountains and Tetouan city. You will get to explore this famous blue town and enjoy its charming atmosphere, before heading to the Riad where we will have dinner and spend the night.
The next day of our desert tour from Tangier, we will have breakfast then leave Chefchaouen in the direction of the imperial Fez city. On our way there, we will first drive through the magnificent Riff Mountains, before arriving at Volubilis town. Volubilis is an important archeological site since it used to be a Roman city back during the 3rd century BC.
After exploring the well-preserved roman ruins, we will move on to Meknes city, where we will have a tour of the city’s finest monuments. This includes the famous Bab Mansour (known to be one of the finest gates in all of Morocco), the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail and the city’s Old Medina district. Finally, we will head straight to Fez which we will reach by the evening.
For the next day of our desert tour from Tangier, we will explore everything that the spiritual capital of Morocco has to offer. In fact, Fes was the first-ever imperial city founded by an Islamic dynasty in Morocco, hence why it’s considered a spiritual and holy capital. We will walk through the narrow streets of Fes’s old Medina, in order to learn more about the traditions and customs of locals, and discover the wide range of artisanal products displayed by craftsmen.
Our tour will also include the colorful Chouara leather tanneries, and a variety of buildings showcasing the finest Arabo-Islamic architecture. After we are done with that, we will explore the Jewish quarter “Mellah” as well as the modern part of the city, before finally returning to our Riad.
Today on our desert tour from Tangier, we will pick you up early in the morning from your accommodation in Fez, in order to begin our journey towards Morocco’s Sahara Desert. Along the way, we will be driving through the Middle Atlas Mountains in our comfortable private car, which will allow you to appreciate all the scenery from mountains to rivers to scattered small villages.
We will stop by the beautiful Ifrane town, known as “the Switzerland of Morocco”, then at the cedar forests of Azrou in order to interact with the wild monkeys that live there. We will stop at the town of Midelt for lunch, then finally head to Erfoud town after crossing the magnificent Ziz valley. At this point, we will reach our final destination, which is the Merzouga town where we will spend the night at a hotel.
After waking in the sunny desert, we will head out to the nearby Khamlia village. Khamlia is important for its rich history, and many people visit it nowadays to get a chance to experience the genuine Gnaoua music played by its masters. After that, we will drive around the endless desert, discovering its hidden gems such as the Serji Lake.
As for lunch, we will head to Rissani town, an important meeting point for people and merchants from all over the south. When we are done with lunch, we will return to our hotel in Merzouga to rest for a bit. Then, our fully packed camel caravan will be waiting for us, which we will ride through the sunset and head to the desert camp where we will be spending the night. You will enjoy a cozy atmosphere around a campfire and under the starry night sky, followed by a mouthwatering dinner before sleeping in your Berber tent.
Today on the desert tour from Tangier, we will wake up relatively early in order to go for one last camel trekking ride while the sun is rising, and enjoy the majestic desert scenery. After that we will return to the hotel where you can shower and have breakfast, before we start driving towards the famous Todra Gorges. On the way there we will pass by the towns of Rissani and Tinghir before finally reaching our destination.
The site, where we will also have lunch, is known for its 300 meters high gorges that attract people from all over the world. We can hike around the valley or simply walk along the Todra River, the experience will be just as interesting regardless. Finally, we will head to our final destination of the day: the Dades Valley where we will have dinner and spend the night at a hotel.
Our destination for today will be “The Hollywood of Morocco” Ouarzazate city. On the way there, you will enjoy a scenic drive through the landscape of the south, including old Kasbahs, valleys, oases and palm groves. We will drive by both the cities of Skoura and Kalaat Mgouna before finally arriving at Ouarzazate. You will have dinner and spend the night at a traditional Riad.
After breakfast, we will visit the famous UNESCO world heritage site: the historical Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, where many important international movies were shot (such as Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy…).
Following that, we will head straight to Marrakech city, by driving through the High Atlas Mountains (specifically the Tizin Tichka pass). We will get there by lunchtime, which we will have then continue to our final destination where we will spend the night: Essaouira city.
Today on the desert tour from Tangier, you will explore this charming coastal town, by walking along the historical rampart “Skala” that was established by the Portuguese a long time ago. You must also discover the wonderful craftsmanship unique to Essaouira, that’s displayed in the city’s Old Medina (considered a UNESCO world heritage site).
Another part of the city that you shouldn’t miss would be the Jewish quarter “Mellah”. For lunch, you will get to try the local fresh seafood cuisine, then after that we will return to Marrakech city where we will spend the night at a Riad.
Today will be very eventful, because we will be touring the famous Marrakech. We will start by visiting some very important locations such as the charming Bahia Palace, the Menara gardens, the Saadian tombs, and the Koutoubia mosque.
At this point during the day, we will return to our Riad to enjoy a traditional delicacy for lunch. Then we will continue our tour, this time hitting the old Medina part of the city with its colorful souks and narrow streets. As the sun starts to set, we will explore the famous Jamaa El Fna square and enjoy the traditional street arts there, before finding a spot at a terrace café to have dinner before returning to our Riad.
This next morning on the desert trip from Tangier, we will drive to Casablanca, the economic capital of the kingdom. After visiting the iconic Hassan II mosque, we will start driving along the Moroccan Atlantic coast, to finally arrive at Asilah city. We will spend the night at a hotel.
For the last day of your desert trip from Tangier, you will get to wander around the quiet and cozy Asilah town before finally driving back to Tangier. After transferring you to the airport or the ferry port, our 12 desert tour from Tangier will be officially over.
Daily breakfasts are included, and selected dinners are provided, especially in smaller towns and the desert camp. Lunches are generally not included, giving travelers flexibility to sample local Moroccan cuisine at restaurants, street stalls, or traditional eateries along the route.
The ideal months are spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) when the weather is pleasant across cities, mountains, and the desert. Summer can be very hot in the desert and Marrakech, while winter brings colder nights in the desert and mountainous regions.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, light clothing for daytime, layers for cooler mornings and evenings, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat. Desert nights can be chilly, and mountains may require warmer jackets. Personal items like cameras, medications, and travel documents are essential.
+212 666 392 331
Mhamid, Marrakech, Morocco – 40000, Morocco
journeystomorocco@gmail.com
Journeys Morocco offers authentic travel experiences across the kingdom, from the lively souks of Marrakech to the golden dunes on our unforgettable Sahara Desert tours.
Every trip is part of our carefully designed Morocco tours, crafted to immerse you in culture, history, and breathtaking landscapes.
