4-Day Desert Tour from Chefchaouen to Marrakech

Blue mountains, Sahara sunrise, gorges and kasbahs in four days

A 4-day guided tour starting and ending in Chefchaouen that crosses northern Morocco through Fes, the Sahara Desert near Merzouga, and the gorges of Dades Valley before finishing in Marrakech. The itinerary includes a camel trek at sunrise in the Erg Chebbi dunes, a night in a desert camp, visits to Todgha and Dades gorges, and stops at Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate. Hotel pickup in Chefchaouen is included, and you travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a live guide in English, Spanish, French or Arabic. All accommodations and meals at the camp are provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Chefchaouen to Fes exploration

• Pick up from hotel in Chefchaouen
• Drive through Rif Mountains to Ouazzane
• Arrive in Fes
• Tour Fes Medina with local guide
• Overnight in authentic Riad in Fes

Day 2: Fes to Merzouga desert journey

• Breakfast in Fes
• Drive to Ifrane, Morocco's Switzerland
• Visit cedar forest and see Barbary apes
• Lunch in Midelt
• Drive through Ziz Valley with panoramic stops
• Visit Berber villages, Erfoud, and Rissani
• Arrive Merzouga, drink mint tea
• Camel ride to sunset in sand dunes
• Overnight in desert camp with dinner

Day 3: Sahara sunrise and Dades Valley

• Early wake-up for Sahara sunrise
• Camel trek back to riad
• Breakfast and shower at guest home
• Drive to Tinghir and Todgha gorges
• Trek in Todgha gorge valley
• Drive to Dades Valley, see rock formations
• Overnight in riad or guesthouse in Dades

Day 4: Dades to Marrakech via Ait Benhaddou

• Breakfast in Dades
• Drive through Dades Valley to Kalaat M'Gouna
• Stop to buy rosewater in Kalaat M'Gouna
• Visit Ouarzazate film studios and Kasbah
• Lunch at Ait Benhaddou Kasbah
• Drive across Tizi n'Tichka pass
• Stop at women's cooperatives for Argan oil
• Arrive at hotel in Marrakech

The experience

You start with hotel pickup in Chefchaouen on the morning of day one and drive south through the Rif Mountains toward Fes, stopping at Ras el-Maa Waterfall along the way. Once in Fes, a local guide takes you through the Medina to see the city's main sights, and you spend the night in a traditional riad. The second day is the long push into the desert: the route passes through Ifrane (known as Morocco's Switzerland), the cedar forest where Barbary apes live, and the Ziz Valley before arriving in Merzouga at sunset. After mint tea, you ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes and sleep in a well-equipped desert camp.

Day three starts before dawn so you can watch the sunrise from the dunes on camel, then trek back to a guesthouse for breakfast and a shower. From there you head to Todgha Gorge, Morocco's tallest and narrowest gorge, where you can walk down into the valley. The afternoon takes you into Dades Valley, where the landscape shifts to towering rock formations and sand castles. You overnight in a riad or guesthouse in the gorge itself. The final day follows the Dades Valley (called the Way of Thousand Kasbahs for its string of fortified villages) toward Ouarzazate, with a stop in Kalaat M'Gouna to buy rosewater. You visit Ouarzazate's film studios and kasbah, then have lunch at Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed kasbah that has appeared in films like Lawrence of Arabia. The drive ends by crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass through the High Atlas, with a stop at a women's cooperative to learn about argan oil production, before arriving in Marrakech.

All accommodations are included: riads in Fes and Dades Valley, and a desert camp in Merzouga. Breakfast is provided each morning, and dinner at the camp. The vehicle is private and air-conditioned, and your guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish, French or Arabic throughout. Lunches and drinks are not included, nor are tips and personal expenses.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Chefchaouen.
• private air-conditioned vehicle for all four days.
• live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, French or Arabic.
• four nights of accommodation in riads and desert camp.
• breakfast each morning and dinner at the camp.
• camel ride at sunset and sunrise in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• night in a well-equipped desert camp.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 85 years) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 6 years): free · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 30 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Morocco Tours 4x4 - Day Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour with a fixed itinerary and set dates, so you travel at the operator's pace with your own guide and vehicle: ideal if you want the route planned and the driving handled, but not the flexibility to linger at any one stop or change direction. The four-day length fits the full arc from Chefchaouen through the Sahara to Marrakech without rushing. A shorter tour would skip either the desert camp or the gorges.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years); Child (3 to 6 years): free; Infant (under 3): free.

What is the camel ride like in Merzouga?

You ride a camel at sunset into the Erg Chebbi dunes on day two, then again at sunrise on day three before trekking back to the guesthouse. The rides take you into Morocco's highest sand dunes, and you spend the night in a desert camp between them.

Do I need any special fitness level for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The camel rides and gorge walks are at a leisurely pace, and the long driving days allow rest between activities.

What are Todgha and Dades gorges like?

Todgha Gorge is Morocco's tallest and narrowest gorge, and you can walk down into its valley. Dades Valley is known for dramatic rock formations called "monkey toes" and traditional sand castles built into the landscape. You overnight in the gorge itself.

Is this a private tour or shared with other travelers?

This is a private tour, so you travel in your own air-conditioned vehicle with your guide and no other groups.

What's included in the price and what do I pay separately?

The tour includes all four nights of accommodation, breakfast each day, the camel rides, the desert camp night, the private vehicle and guide, and hotel pickup in Chefchaouen. Lunches, drinks and tips are not included.