Tangier to the Sahara Desert & Fes – 5 Days

This 5 day desert tour from Tangier takes you from the Strait of Gibraltar to the dunes of the Sahara and back in a single private loop. With your own driver and licensed local guides, speaking English or any language you choose, you visit Volubilis and Meknes, cross the Middle and High Atlas, sleep in a camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes and finish with a guided morning in the medina of Fes.

It is a compact itinerary for travellers who start in northern Morocco and want the Sahara without flying south. As with all Morocco Private Trip itineraries, the trip is yours alone, so pace, hotels and stops can be adjusted to suit you.

Day 1: Tangier to Meknes via the Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Your private driver picks you up at your hotel, the airport or the port in Tangier and heads south towards the imperial heartland of Morocco. The first major stop is the Roman city of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you walk among columns, a triumphal arch and houses floored with mosaics.

In the afternoon you explore Meknes, the 17th-century capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail. You see the city ramparts and Bab Mansour gate, the Bou Inania Medersa, the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, the Dar Jamaï Museum and, from outside, the Royal Palace and the Grand Mosque, before checking in for the night.

Meals: Not included · Overnight: Meknes

Day 2: Meknes to the Todra Gorge across the Middle & High Atlas

Today is a long scenic drive south. You cross the Middle Atlas via Ifrane, a mountain town often called the Switzerland of Morocco, and the cedar forest near Azrou, where you may spot Barbary macaques.

After a lunch stop in Midelt, the road climbs into the High Atlas and passes through Berber villages before descending towards the oasis of Tinghir and the Todra Gorge, where you spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: Todra Gorge

Day 3: Todra Gorge to Merzouga & a Camel Trek into Erg Chebbi

In the morning you walk between the towering rock walls of the Todra Gorge. You then drive east through the palm groves of the Ziz Valley and the town of Erfoud to Rissani, where you can try medfouna, a stuffed bread that is a local speciality, for lunch.

You reach Merzouga in the late afternoon and set off by camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset. Your night is spent in a Berber tent camp among the dunes.

Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: Desert camp, Erg Chebbi

Day 4: Sunrise in the Sahara, then on to Fes

Wake early to watch the sun rise over the dunes, then ride back by camel to Merzouga. After breakfast you drive north through Rissani and the Ziz Valley, with a stop in a Berber village for lunch.

The afternoon drive brings you back across the Middle Atlas to Fes, where you stay overnight in a traditional riad in the medina.

Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: Fes

Day 5: Guided Tour of the Fes Medina & Return to Tangier

The morning is a half-day guided walk through the medina of Fes el-Bali. You see the Al Quaraouiyine Mosque, founded in 859, and the Andalusian Mosque from outside, as well as fountains, a medersa, the Dar Batha Museum, the Chouara tanneries and the souks.

After lunch in Fes you drive back to Tangier, with scenic stops along the way, and are dropped off at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation

You stay four nights: a hotel in Meknes, a hotel near the Todra Gorge, a Berber tent camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes and a traditional riad in Fes. Every property is handpicked for its authentic character, and VAT and regional taxes are included.

Good to Know Before You Book

• Start and end: pickup in Tangier at your hotel, the airport or the port, and drop-off at your hotel in Tangier on Day 5.
• Guides: English-speaking licensed local guides are standard, and you can opt for a guide in any other language you prefer.
• Camel trek: the sunset ride into Erg Chebbi and the sunrise ride back are included.
• Meals on this tour: daily breakfast from Day 2 (4 in total). Lunches, dinners and drinks are paid locally.
• Not included on this tour: international flights or ferry tickets, lunches, dinners, drinks, tips, any optional activity and personal expenses.
• Driving: this is a road-trip itinerary with long drives on Days 2, 4 and 5, broken up by stops along the way.
• What to pack: comfortable shoes, a warm layer for desert nights and the mountains, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, and a small bag for the night in the camp.

Who Is This Tour For?

• Travellers starting in Tangier who want to see the Sahara in a short trip
• Visitors arriving by ferry or plane in northern Morocco with five days to spare
• Couples, families and friends who want a private vehicle and a guide in their own language
• Anyone who wants to combine Roman ruins, mountain scenery, the desert and a medina in one loop

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about this 5-day private desert tour. Payment, deposit and cancellation questions are answered in the booking FAQ on this page.

Route & Travel

Meals, Accommodation & Fees

Guides & Languages