Private multi-day tour · 6 days from Tangier
6-Day Grand Tour: Tangier to Marrakech via Fes and the Sahara
The classic first trip to Morocco, north to south: the blue city of Chefchaouen, Roman Volubilis, a day in Fes with a local guide, a night under the stars in the Sahara and the kasbahs of the High Atlas, ending in Marrakech.
Price on request · your quote within 12 hours
- Private: your group only
- 40% deposit to confirm
- Free cancellation 48 h before
- Tangier Start
- Chefchaouen 1 night
- Fes 2 nights
- Merzouga 1 night, camp
- Marrakech 1 night
- Private tourYour group only
- Guide and driverFrom Tangier, the whole trip
- Tangier to Marrakech6 days, 5 nights
- 5 nights includedAt the level you choose
- 40% depositRefunded up to 48 h before
The classic route
Morocco from north to south in six days
This is the route most people picture when they think of Morocco, and it starts where most tours end. From Tangier you go south through the blue city of Chefchaouen and the imperial city of Fes, cross the Middle Atlas to the Sahara and come over the High Atlas to Marrakech.
Fes gets two nights and a full day with a local guide. The desert night is at a private camp in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, reached by camel at sunset. The one long day is honest about it: Merzouga to Marrakech is about nine hours with stops at the Todra Gorge and Ait Ben Haddou.
It suits first-time visitors, couples and anyone arriving in Tangier by ferry, air or cruise with a week to spare. For a slower pace with two nights near the desert, see the 9-day version.
- 6 days, 5 nightsTangier to Marrakech
- Local guidesIn Fes and Marrakech
- One desert nightCamel ride at sunset
- PrivateYour group only
Day by day
Your 6 days, one by one
Drive times are estimates with stops. Every day can be changed before you travel, or on the road.
Day01
Tangier to Chefchaouen
Into the Rif and the blue city
- About 2.5 h, 115 km
- Riad in Chefchaouen
Pickup at your Tangier hotel, the airport, the train station, the cruise terminal or the ferry port. The road climbs through the Rif foothills to Chefchaouen for an afternoon in the blue medina, Plaza Uta el-Hammam and the Kasbah, with sunset from the Spanish Mosque.
You see Plaza Uta el-Hammam · The Kasbah · Spanish Mosque
Day02
Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis
Roman Volubilis and Moulay Idriss
- About 5.5 h, with stops
- Riad in Fes
South through the hills to Volubilis, the Roman town on the UNESCO list, with its mosaics still in place, and Moulay Idriss, the white hill town beside it. Evening arrival in Fes.
You see Volubilis · Moulay Idriss
Day03
Fes
A full day in Fes with a local guide
- No long drive
- Riad in Fes
A licensed Fes guide leads the medina on foot: the Chouara tannery, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and its university, the Bou Inania madrasa and the artisan quarters. The rest of the day is yours.
You see Chouara tannery · Al Quaraouiyine · Bou Inania madrasa
Day04
Fes to Merzouga
Over the Middle Atlas to the Sahara
- About 8 h, 470 km, with stops
- Desert camp, Erg Chebbi
The long drive south through the cedar forests of Ifrane and Azrou, where Barbary macaques live, Midelt and the palm groves of the Ziz valley. At Merzouga, a camel ride into the dunes at sunset, dinner under the stars and a night at a private desert camp.
You see Cedar forest · Ziz valley · Erg Chebbi
Day05
Merzouga to Marrakech
The kasbah road and the High Atlas
- About 9 h, 560 km, with stops
- Riad in Marrakech
Sunrise over the dunes, then the longest day of the trip, with stops at the Todra Gorge, Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen village on the UNESCO list, and over the Tizi n'Tichka pass. Evening arrival in Marrakech.
You see Todra Gorge · Ait Ben Haddou · Tizi n'Tichka pass
Day06
Marrakech
Marrakech, then departure
- Short transfers in town
- Drop-off at your riad or Marrakech airport
A morning walk with a local guide through Jemaa el-Fna, the Bahia Palace and the souks, then drop-off at your riad or Marrakech Menara airport. A paid return to Tangier by car or by train can be arranged.
You see Jemaa el-Fna · Bahia Palace · The souks
Where you sleep
5 nights, 4 places
1 night
Chefchaouen
A riad in the medina
2 nights
Fes
A riad in or next to the medina
1 night
Merzouga
A private tent at a desert camp in the dunes
1 night
Marrakech
A riad in the medina
Three levels, one route
Standard
Family-run riads and guesthouses, each room with its own bathroom. At the desert camp, a private tent.
Comfort
Boutique riads with more space and character, often with a roof terrace or a pool. At the camp, a larger tent with its own bathroom.
Premium
The best riads and kasbah hotels on the route, and dinners in the riads on request. At the camp, a luxury tent with proper beds.
Tell us the level you want when you ask for your quote. You can mix them, for example a Comfort riad in the city and a Premium tent in the desert.
Good to know
Before you ask for a quote
Longest drive
About 9 hours
Merzouga to Marrakech on day five, with stops at the Todra Gorge and Ait Ben Haddou.
Pace
Moderate
Most days are under five hours on the road; days four and five are long.
Pickup
Anywhere in Tangier
Your hotel, Ibn Battouta airport, Tanger Ville station, the ferry port or a cruise terminal.
Ends
Marrakech
Drop-off at your riad or Marrakech Menara airport. A paid transfer back to Tangier can be arranged.
Walking
About 5 to 8 km on city days
Medina lanes and steps in Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech.
Best months
March to May, September to November
Desert nights are cold from December to February, and the south is very hot in July and August.
Languages
English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Your guide speaks the language you choose. German and Italian with advance notice.
Group
Private, any size
One travel party per vehicle: a car for up to 3, a minivan for 4 to 7, larger vehicles for bigger groups.
Deposit
40% to confirm
Once every detail is agreed we send your invoice, and a 40% deposit by bank transfer or PayPal confirms the trip, and the balance is paid on the first day. The deposit is refunded if you cancel up to 48 hours before departure.
Clear terms
What's included and what's not
Included
- A private air-conditioned vehicle for the whole trip
- Your Tangier-based guide and driver from start to finish
- Licensed local guides in Fes and Marrakech
- 5 nights of accommodation at the level you choose
- Breakfast every day
- The camel ride at sunset, dinner and breakfast at the desert camp
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights and ferry tickets
- Lunches, and dinners not listed as included
- Optional extras such as quad biking in Merzouga or a balloon flight in Marrakech
- Entry fees to monuments and museums
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Travel insurance
Why this tour
Why travel this way
The route most people dream of
The blue city, Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech, in the order that makes sense from Tangier.
Local guides where it matters
Your Tangier guide and driver the whole way, with licensed local guides for the Fes and Marrakech medinas.
Your trip, your pace
One vehicle, one guide and your group only. Stop where you like and change the plan on the road.
Booked direct
You deal with the people who run the trip, with no marketplace commission in the price.
Compare
This tour or a nearby one?
Three routes side by side: length, the desert, the pace and where each one ends.
| Grand Tour to Marrakech | Tangier to Marrakech Express | Imperial Cities & Sahara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 6 days | 4 days | 9 days |
| Route | Tangier to Marrakech | Tangier to Marrakech | Tangier round trip |
| Nights in the desert | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pace | Moderate | Fast | Relaxed |
| Ends | Marrakech | Marrakech | Tangier |
| You are here | See this tour | See this tour |
Your quote
Get a price for your dates
Tell us when you travel, how many you are and the hotel level you like. You get a day-by-day plan and a per-person price, usually within 12 hours. Nothing to pay until every detail is agreed and you have our invoice.
Good to know
Tangier to Marrakech: questions about this tour
What travellers ask before they book.
Is 6 days enough to see the Sahara properly?
Enough for one night at camp, the camel ride at sunset and sunrise over the dunes. For a slower pace and more time near the desert, look at the 9-day tour or the 5-day desert tour.
How long are the driving days?
Most days are under five hours on the road. Day four, Fes to Merzouga, is about eight hours and day five, Merzouga to Marrakech, about nine, both with stops.
Can we do the same route starting in Marrakech?
Yes. The Marrakech to Tangier tour runs it the other way, ending at the Tangier ferry to Spain.
How do you get from Tangier to Marrakech?
The fastest way is the train: the Al Boraq high-speed line to Casablanca, then a connecting train to Marrakech, roughly five to six hours in all. There are also flights and long-distance buses. This private tour takes six days instead, with your own guide, driver and vehicle, through Chefchaouen, Fes and a night in the Sahara.
How much does it cost?
The price depends on your dates, your group size and the hotel level you choose, so we quote it for you, usually within 12 hours. The per-person price falls as the group grows.
Is a deposit required?
Yes, 40% of the trip price. Once we have agreed every detail, we send you an invoice and you pay the deposit by bank transfer or PayPal. It is refunded in full if you cancel up to 48 hours before departure. The balance is paid on the first day of your tour.
More multi-day tours
Other routes from Tangier
Tangier to Marrakech ExpressThe blue city, Fes and a night in a Sahara camp, ending in Marrakech. Built for a short trip, with two long driving days.See the tour
Imperial Cities & SaharaEvery imperial city and the desert, with the Atlas crossing split over two easy days, then back up the Atlantic coast to Tangier.See the tour
Marrakech to TangierThe grand tour in reverse for travellers who fly into Marrakech: the High Atlas, a night in the Sahara, Fes and Chefchaouen, ending at the Tangier ferry to Spain.See the tour
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, cropped: the Taourirt kasbah in Ouarzazate by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0).
