4-day Tangier to Sahara desert tour with camel trekking

Four days crossing Morocco's mountains and dunes to the Sahara

A 4-day tour from Tangier to Marrakech through the Rif Mountains, High Atlas and Sahara desert, with camel trekking and an overnight stay in a desert camp near Merzouga. You travel through the blue-washed medina of Chefchaouen, cross cedar forests where wild apes live, ride camels to watch the sunset over sand dunes, and visit the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou before ending in Marrakech.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tangier to Fes via Chefchaouen

• Start from Tangier airport or hotel
• Drive through Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen
• Explore Chefchaouen Medina and main square
• Have lunch in Chefchaouen
• Continue drive to Fes
• Overnight stay in Fes

Day 2: Fes to Merzouga Sahara Desert

• Breakfast at riad in Fes
• Drive from Fes to Ifran and Azrou
• Visit Cedar forests and see wild monkeys
• Stop for lunch in Midelt
• Drive past Ziz River and palm trees to Erfoud
• Arrive Merzouga and Erg Chebbi dunes
• Camel trekking at sunset
• Dinner and traditional music at desert camp
• Overnight stay in Sahara desert camp

Day 3: Merzouga to Dades Gorges

• Sunrise over dunes in Merzouga
• Camel ride back to hotel
• Shower and meet guide
• Drive to Tinghir oasis
• Walk along Todgha river and visit Berber villages
• Visit Todgha Gorges
• Lunch at Todgha Gorges
• Drive through Kasbah road to Dades Valley
• Visit fortified Kasbah
• Overnight stay in Dades Valley hotel

Day 4: Dades to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

• Breakfast at hotel in Dades Valley
• Drive through Roses Valley and El Kelaa Mgouna
• Visit Kasbah in Skoura oasis
• Stop in Ouarzazate for studio visit
• Visit Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive through High Atlas Mountains via Tizi n Tichka Pass
• Stop for lunch in mountains
• Arrive in Marrakech
• Overnight stay in Marrakech riad

The experience

The route starts from Tangier airport, port or hotel and heads south through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, where steep cobbled lanes wind between blue-painted buildings and the red-walled 15th-century Kasbah sits in the main square. After exploring the medina and stopping for lunch, you continue to Fes for the night.

Day two takes you from Fes across the plains toward Merzouga, passing through cedar forests in the Middle Atlas where you can spot wild apes, then down the Ziz River valley past fortified kasbahs and thousands of palm trees. At Erg Chebbi, you mount a camel and ride out to watch the sunset over the dunes. Dinner in the desert camp includes a traditional tagine, mint tea and Berber music under the stars, and you sleep in the camp overnight.

On day three you wake early to catch the sunrise over the dunes before riding back to the camp. The afternoon drive follows the Todra River through the oasis of Tinghir, where you walk along the riverbank and visit Berber villages, then enters the Todra Gorge: a series of limestone canyons carved by the river through the High Atlas. You end the day in Dades Valley.

The final day heads west through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs toward Marrakech. You pass through El Kelaa Mgouna, known for rose cultivation, and the oasis of Skoura, then stop in Ouarzazate to visit a cinema studio. The highlight is the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site used for filming Game of Thrones and other productions. You have about an hour to explore it. The drive then crosses the High Atlas through the Tizi n Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters, with a lunch stop in the mountains before arriving in Marrakech.

What’s included

• Camel trekking with overnight in a Sahara desert camp.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout.
• two nights in hotels (Fes and Dades Valley).
• live guide in English, Spanish or French.
• hotel or airport pickup in Tangier.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (19 to 74 years) · Youth (13 to 18 years) · Infant (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Morocco Road Trips

Is this one for you?Choose this four-day route if you're traveling from Tangier and want to experience mountains, desert, and gorges with camel trekking and a full night under stars in the Sahara, rather than splitting the journey across multiple shorter trips.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 18 years); Infant (3 to 12 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou?

The Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou is a fortified clay-brick settlement in the High Atlas that has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. It's been used as a filming location for Game of Thrones, Gladiator and many other films, and you'll have time to walk through it on the final day of the tour.

Can I see wild animals on this tour?

Yes, on day two as you cross the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas near Azrou, you can spot wild apes. The route also passes through areas with fortified kasbahs and traditional Berber villages where you'll see how local life is lived.

What happens during the overnight in the desert camp?

After your camel ride at sunset in Merzouga, you stay at a Sahara desert camp where dinner is a traditional tagine cooked on-site. You'll drink mint tea, listen to Berber music and watch the stars and moon rise over the dunes before sleeping in the camp.

How much time do I spend on the road each day?

Day one is a moderate drive from Tangier to Fes through the Rif Mountains. Day two is the longest, crossing the plains and cedar forests to reach Merzouga by late afternoon. Day three is shorter, focusing on the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley. Day four involves a full drive through the Atlas to Marrakech with stops at Ouarzazate and the Kasbah.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes camel trekking with the overnight stay in the Sahara desert camp, an air-conditioned vehicle for all driving, and two nights in hotels: one in Fes and one in Dades Valley. A live guide speaks English, Spanish or French, and hotel pickup in Tangier is included. Lunches and drinks are not included.