8 day Morocco Itinerary from Tangier

Your 8 day Morocco itinerary from Tangier, "Mountains, Medinas & Nomad Tents" begins when we pick you up at your riad/hotel in the morning of Day 1. Leaving Tangier, we’ll travel through the beautiful Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen. You’ll immediately see why Chefchaouen is called the "Blue City" of Morocco when you see all the blue-painted buildings nestled on the slopes of the mountain.

After lunch, you’ll have the afternoon free. You may want to explore the main square or wander the winding streets of the medina. Chefchaouen has many fascinating arts & crafts shops and the atmosphere is very laid-back. You may also choose to hike to the Spanish Mosque located further up the mountainside above the town. The view from there is worth the climb.

You'll spend the night at a local riad.

After breakfast at your riad, we’ll head south to the Roman ruins at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll explore the partially-excavated ruins of mosaics, buildings, arches, & columns with a local guide.

After touring the ruins, we'll drive a short distance to Meknes, one of Morocco’s four historic Imperial Cities. Originally founded as a fortress in the 11th century, Meknes later became the capital of Morocco in the 17th century. We’ll visit the Moulay Ismail shrine and the remains of the Imperial Stables. We’ll also visit the impressive Bab el Mansour gate with its stunning, centuries-old Zelig tilework & carvings.

We’ll have lunch in Meknes, then continue our journey in the afternoon to Fes, the oldest of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities. After checking in to your riad, we’ll have a traditional Moroccan meal at a restaurant in the medina.

After breakfast in the riad, a local guide will take you on a tour through the narrow, winding alleys of the Fes medina. Fes was established in the Middle Ages and still functions as a medieval city in many ways. Around every corner there’s something fascinating to see. You’ll visit several historic & cultural sites and see some stunning examples of intricate Islamic architecture & decoration dating back centuries.

Your guided tour includes a visit to the famous Fes tanneries, where centuries-old methods – all natural & labour-intensive – are still used today to cure and dye leather. Local craftspeople then fashion the hides into world-renowned leather clothing and accessories in every colour of the rainbow.

You'll have lunch in the medina with your guide.

Later in the afternoon, we'll take you outside the medina to visit a local pottery co-operative. There you’ll learn how Morocco's colourful pottery & zelig tiles are made – completely by hand. You’ll also see skilled artisans at work creating the intricate Zelig tile mosaics for which Morocco is famous. Although it makes for a long day, this stop is fascinating and should not be missed.

Back at your riad, you can relax before dinner. You'll spend a second night at the riad.

On Day 4 of your 8 day Morocco itinerary from Tangier to Marrakesh, we’ll head to the Sahara Desert. You’ll see the amazing change in the landscape as we travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains.

Our first stop will be in Ifrane, a popular ski resort town known as the "Switzerland of Morocco". You’ll notice the rooftops here, unlike elsewhere in Morocco, have steep peaks designed to shed show easily. Next, we’ll pass through Azrou. If you wish, we can make a brief stop to see the Barbary apes that live in surrounding cedar forests.

After stopping for lunch in Midelt, the “apple capital” of Morocco, we’ll follow the meandering Ziz Valley with its palm-filled oasis. The Ziz Oasis stretches for hundreds of kilometres. We’ll stop at a lookout point so you can take some panoramic photos.

Continuing our drive to the desert, we’ll pass through Erfoud, famous for its annual Date Festival in October and known for its abundant fossils. Eventually, we’ll leave the highway and drive off-road to the Merzouga region of the Sahara Desert and the magnificent sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. Erg Chebbi has the highest dunes in North Africa, and the sight of them rising suddenly out of the desert floor never fails to impress!

We’ll reach the desert hotel by late afternoon, and your camels will be waiting for you. You’ll leave civilization behind and camel-trek into the high dunes, where you’ll see the sands change colour as the sun moves across the sky. You’ll have time to explore, take pictures, and watch the sunset before camel-trekking back out of the big dunes.

When you arrive at the desert camp, you’ll enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal, followed by African drumming around a campfire. You’ll spend the night in tents surrounded by small dunes.

On Day 5, enjoy a full day in the Sahara. After breakfast, we’ll explore the desert around Erg Chebbi by 4x4, including a spot where you can see ocean fossils embedded in desert rock. Then we’ll head across the hamada (black desert) to visit a family of Berber nomads. We’ll take tea with them in their desert home (traditional nomad tent or small house made of mud & straw bricks). Your driver/guide will translate for you.

Next, we’ll drive to the desert village of Khamlia, where we’ll have lunch and enjoy a live Gnawa music performance by local musicians. Gnawa is a traditional African form of music involving drums, special metal castanets, & synchronized movements.

When we return to the desert hotel in the afternoon, you'll have time to relax and watch the sunset before having dinner at the desert hotel. You’ll spend a second night in tents in the nearby desert camp.

Leave the dunes behind on Day 6 of your 8 day Morocco itinerary from Tangier to Marrakesh. Our first stop is the town of Rissani, where you’ll visit the local souk (market). This is where local people buy just about everything – food, clothing, household items – even live sheep & goats! On Tuesdays, the travelling market arrives, and people flock from nearby villages to shop.

Our next stop is Todra Gorge, with its steep, 300-metre-high walls. Todra is a popular spot for rock climbers, as well as Moroccan families enjoying a picnic by the river. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, you’ll have a chance to walk along the river.

In the afternoon, we’ll drive through the Dades Valley, known as the "Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs", following the winding road through the mountains.

We’ll end the day in the spectacular Dades Gorge, with its nearby rock formation known as “Monkey Toes”. You’ll spend the night in a Berber guesthouse in the gorge.

On Day 7 of your "Mountains, Medinas & Nomad Tents" Tour, we’ll head to Marrakesh. You’ll have some time to walk along Dades Gorge before we drive to Kalaat M’Gouna, the “Valley of the Roses”. This lush, green valley is Morocco’s rose-growing region, producing millions of rose petals each year. The petals are then processed to make a wide variety of rose-infused products. The harvest is celebrated each May with the Rose Festival – worth attending if you can arrange your visit around this popular festival. We'll stop here so that you can see, smell, and, if you wish, purchase something made from local roses.

Our journey continues, passing through Ouarzazate, known as the "Hollywood of Morocco" because of its thriving film industry. Ouarzazate has both Moroccan and international film studios, and the surrounding barren landscape is often used for on-location filming.

Winding through the mountains, we’ll arrive at Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou in time for lunch. Ait Ben Haddou is the oldest Kasbah in the south of Morocco, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the village was originally built in the 17th century, people still live and work there today, their homes built right into the rock or made with mud bricks, which are made locally using the same methods as in ancient times. Ait Ben Haddou has also featured in many films, including The Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven.

After lunch in the village, you’ll have time to explore the Kasbah. It’s a gentle climb through winding streets to the top, where you can see in all directions.

From there, we'll head into the High Atlas Mountains. We’ll take a side road to visit the ruins of Telouet Kasbah (Palace of Glaoui) before crossing over Morocco’s highest road pass – the Tizi-n-Tichka pass at 2260m. We’ll stop at the top of the pass for refreshment and to take pictures of the stunning mountain views before descending towards Marrakesh.

We’ll reach the Imperial City of Marrakesh in the evening. After checking in to your riad, you’ll have the evening free. You can relax or you may want to visit the world-famous Jmaa El Fna square, which fills every night with tourists and Moroccan families alike, out to enjoy fresh-cooked food and be entertained by storytellers, musicians, and dancers. It’s a carnival-like atmosphere and not to be missed!

After breakfast in your riad, a local guide will take you exploring for the day in Morocco's "Red City". There are many fascinating cultural and historic sites to visit, such as the Saadian Tombs, in addition to the bustling souks in the medina. You'll have lunch with your guide at a local restaurant.

After the tour, you’ll have some free time to relax or explore on your own. Or, if you prefer, we can take you outside the medina to visit the famous Majorelle Gardens.

Your 8 day Morocco itinerary from Tangier, "Mountains, Medinas & Nomad Tents" ends with a second night at your riad (breakfast the next morning is also included).