Experience a great combination of culture, history, and adventure in just 8 days on this tour through the High Atlas mountains, deserts, and oases. Ride camels in the Sahara, visit markets, tanneries, and craft workshops in the old city of Fes, explore the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, stroll through the beautiful blue streets of Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains, and end your trip in the lively city of Casablanca.
Your adventure begins with a warm welcome and the start of your 8-day tour, as we travel to the Dades Valley via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2260m) and the High Atlas Mountains. On this first day, you’ll be treated to stunning views of Berber villages and dramatic landscapes that change throughout the day.
Our first stop is the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the largest Kasbah in Morocco. Built by the last Berber chieftain El Glaoui Et-Hami in the late 13th century, it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site and still home to some of the Glaoui family members. Here, you’ll take a guided tour of this impressive fortified village and feel like you’re in a movie. Enjoy lunch by the Kasbah.
Next, we’ll continue to Ouarzazate, a city famous for its role in films like Game of Thrones, Gladiator, and Lawrence of Arabia. The journey continues to Dades Gorge, passing through the “Thousand Kasbahs” road, where you’ll have many chances to take beautiful photos of nature.
We’ll make a stop in Skoura, an oasis town in the Valley of Birds, to visit the 18th-century Ameridhil Kasbah. Then, we’ll head to Kalaat Mgouna, known for its rose gardens and annual rose festival in May, before finally arriving in Dades Valley.
After breakfast, we’ll head to the Merzouga Desert, home to the vast Erg Chebbi dunes, one of the largest wind-blown sand dunes in Morocco. We’ll pass through the Berber village of Tinghir, a charming town nestled by Todra Valley, famous for its palm tree groves. We’ll stop at the stunning Todra Gorge, where the cliffs rise up to 300 meters and narrow to just 10 meters apart. You’ll have the opportunity to hike through this breathtaking canyon, the largest of its kind in Morocco.
Afterwards, we’ll continue our journey through various Berber villages, such as Tinjdad, where we can stop for lunch. If you prefer, we can continue to Rissani, where you can try the local specialty—Berber pizza—if we arrive by midday.
After lunch, we’ll make our way to Merzouga, where the camels will be waiting to take you on a memorable trek across the dunes. The camel ride will lead us to a Berber camp in the heart of the Erg Chebbi dunes, which stretch 35 km long and 5 to 8 km wide. These dunes are among the highest in North Africa, offering a truly unique and diverse desert environment.
The camel trek lasts around 1.5 hours from Merzouga to the nomadic camp, where you’ll experience the traditional Berber lifestyle. At the camp, we’ll set up Berber tents, along with a restaurant, kitchen, and western-style toilets. After a delicious dinner, gather around the campfire and enjoy a traditional Berber drum performance. You’ll have time for a romantic walk across the sand dunes under the stars, with a great chance to spot a shooting star. You’ll spend the night at the camp, right in the heart of the Erg Chebbi Desert.
After watching the breathtaking sunrise over the sand dunes and enjoying breakfast, we’ll begin the largest tour of the dunes, passing through several Berber villages. Our first stop will be in Khamlia village, where you’ll experience traditional homes made of thick earthen bricks and enjoy live Gnaoua music performed by the locals.
Next, we’ll continue our journey and give you a “live like a nomad” experience, where you’ll visit a nomadic family in their tent and learn about their simple way of life.
As we travel through the vast Erg Chebbi dunes, the largest in Morocco, you’ll be surrounded by a stunning panorama of black volcanic rock, bright blue skies, lush green palm trees, white salt flats, mirages of water, and the ever-changing golden sand dunes. After this incredible adventure, we’ll arrive at a beautiful accommodation where you can relax and soak in the desert’s beauty.
After breakfast, we’ll begin our journey to Fes, heading north through the stunning scenery of the 1,000 Ziz Palm trees. We’ll stop for lunch in Midelt, known as “the apple capital,” located at the foot of the Ayachi Mountain.
Next, we’ll take a break in the Azrou Cedar Forest, where you’ll have the chance to spend some time with the friendly monkeys. From there, we’ll visit Ifrane, often called the “Switzerland of Morocco” due to its beautiful alpine-style architecture. Finally, we’ll continue our drive to Fes, arriving in the evening.
Discover the alluring charm of Fes Guided Tour Full Day. After picking you up from your hotel or Riad, you will first visit the magnificent Royal Palace to admire its fabulous giant gates and fascinating architecture. Explore The Mellah The Ancient Jewish Quarter, The Andalusian Style Jnane Sbile Gardens, The Batha Museum and Marvelous Towers. Next, you will explore the Old Medina, a UNESCO world heritage site known as the Medina, with shops selling carpets, silver, carpets, silver , and the most captivating handicrafts. You will be introduced to the famous Al-Karaouine university dating back to 859, the sophisticated architecture of Najjarine Fountain, the ancient Chouara Tannery, and the blue-tiled Gate of Bab Boujloud.
After breakfast, we’ll drive you to the imperial city of Meknes, where you’ll discover impressive walls and monumental gates from the 17th century, including the Royal Palace, Bab Berdaïne, Bab Khemis, Bab Mansour, and the grand granaries and stables of El Heri es-Souan, built by Moulay Ismail’s soldiers.
We’ll also visit the underground channels that bring fresh water from the Middle Atlas Mountains, stop by the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, and explore Place El Hedim, a large monumental square, along with other notable sites in the city.
Next, we’ll drive to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Upon arrival, you’ll have the chance to explore these well-preserved ruins, where we’ll learn about the history and culture of this ancient Roman city, including the Arch of Caracalla, the Basilica, and the Capitoline Temple.
After lunch, we’ll continue our journey, passing through Ain Lah (a royal family farm), Zagotta, Dam Achahad, and the Rif Mountains. We’ll make stops to enjoy the beautiful landscape, breathe in the fresh air, and capture photos.
Finally, we’ll head to Chefchaouen, the charming “blue city” nestled in the Rif Mountains. You’ll arrive at this stunning gem of Morocco, known for its picturesque streets and tranquil atmosphere.
After breakfast, we’ll begin our exploration of Chefchaouen, also known as the “Blue City.” This small, charming town is clean, fresh, and full of character. You’ll have the chance to stroll through the old Medina, where you can visit the beautifully restored Kasbah and Plaza Utta Hammam, the central square of the town—perfect for relaxing and soaking in the atmosphere.
With its steep, narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, blue doors and windows, and the mountains as a stunning backdrop, Chefchaouen offers endless opportunities for capturing beautiful photos. You’ll also have the chance to meet the friendly locals, wander through the lively souks (markets), and fully enjoy the unique charm of this amazing town.
After breakfast, We leave Chefchaouen then we will set off to the administrative capital of Morocco, Rabat. In Rabat, you will visit : The magnificent Kasbah of Oudayas, Hassan Tower with its uncompleted minaret, the Mausoleum of Mahammed V and the Hassan 2 (father of the current king )
after we drive to Casablanca the economic capital of Morocco, We will make a visit to the Hassan II Mosque. the second largest in the world, a beautiful building and with spectacular views over the sea. Today is last day, We will bring you to the Airport or hotel of your choice in Casablanca,
Three of us traveled together, starting in Marrakech. The trip was comfortable, and we made stops along the way to really experience local life in Morocco. They took care of booking our riads and accommodations, so we didn’t have to worry about anything. Our guide, ADDI, was amazing—funny, knowledgeable, and gave us great advice for when we explored on our own. I’ll always recommend using DESERT TRIPS. They’ve proven time and again to be one of the best options for small group travel tours.
