9-Day Private Morocco Tour: Tangier to CasablancaChefchaouen, Fes & the Merzouga Desert

Upon your arrival at Tangier Airport, your driver will be waiting at the terminal holding a sign with your name. From there, you'll transfer directly to Chefchaouen — the famous Blue Pearl of the Rif Mountains. Take some time to settle in and explore the blue-washed streets of the medina at your own pace.

• Private airport pickup at Tangier
• Scenic drive to the Rif Mountains
• First exploration of Chefchaouen's blue streets

Begin your day with a guided exploration of Chefchaouen — its iconic blue-washed alleyways, the Plaza Uta el-Hammam with its red-roofed kasbah, and panoramic viewpoints over the medina from the Spanish Mosque. The afternoon is free to wander at your own pace, shop for local crafts, or simply sit in a café and soak up the atmosphere.

• Blue medina alleyways and photogenic courtyards
• Plaza Uta el-Hammam and 15th-century kasbah
• Spanish Mosque panoramic viewpoint
• Free afternoon to explore independently

Set off south through the Rif Mountains, stopping at the remarkably well-preserved Roman ruins of Volubilis — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with floor mosaics dating back to the 3rd century. Continue to Meknes, one of Morocco's four imperial cities, for a walk through Bab Mansour gate and the old medina. Arrive in Fes by evening and settle into your riad.

• Roman ruins and mosaics at Volubilis (UNESCO)
• Bab Mansour gate and Meknes imperial medina
• Scenic drive through the Middle Atlas foothills
• Arrival in Fes

A knowledgeable local guide leads you through the labyrinthine streets of Fes el-Bali — one of the world's largest and best-preserved medieval cities. Highlights include the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University (the oldest in the world), the South Tower overlooking the city, the pottery village where craftsmen still work as they have for centuries, Nejjarine Fountain and its beautifully restored fondouk, the Royal Palace gates, and the famous Chouara Tanneries where leather is still dyed in traditional stone vats. In the afternoon, explore the Jewish Quarter (Mellah) before enjoying free time in the medina.

• Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University (world's oldest)
• South Tower panoramic city views
• Pottery village and traditional craftsmen
• Nejjarine Square and Fondouk
• Chouara Tanneries — iconic Fes view
• Jewish Quarter (Mellah)
• Royal Palace ornate gates

Heading southeast, you pass through Ifrane (Morocco's alpine city), the cedar forests of Azrou where wild Barbary macaques roam freely, and the mountain town of Midelt for lunch. The landscape gradually gives way to the dramatic oases of Erfoud and Rissani before you reach the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga. At dusk, meet your camel handlers for a one-hour ride into the dunes to reach your private desert camp — followed by a traditional dinner, campfire, live Gnawa music, and a starlit sky with no light pollution.

• Ifrane alpine city and cedar forests of Azrou
• Barbary macaques in the Atlas cedars
• Midelt for lunch — midpoint between two mountain ranges
• First sight of the Erg Chebbi golden dunes
• Camel ride at sunset to the desert camp
• Gnawa music, campfire and star-gazing

Wake before dawn to watch the sunrise paint the Erg Chebbi dunes in shades of gold and amber — one of Morocco's most spectacular natural moments. After breakfast at the camp, transfer to your hotel and spend the day exploring: visit the village of Khamlia, home to communities of West African origin who perform traditional Gnawa music, explore more of the vast Erg Chebbi dune field, and enjoy a traditional Medfouna lunch (a Berber pizza stuffed with meat, onion and herbs). The afternoon is free for relaxation, quad biking, or a second dune walk.

• Sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes
• Khamlia village and traditional Gnawa music
• Exploration of the Erg Chebbi dune field
• Traditional Medfouna (Berber pizza) lunch

A long but stunning driving day. Pass through the rose valley of Kelaat M'Gouna and the palm-lined oasis of Skoura before arriving in Ouarzazate — Morocco's "Hollywood" — where blockbusters such as Gladiator and Game of Thrones were filmed. Visit the renowned Atlas Corporation Studios before continuing to the magnificent UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. In the afternoon, cross the High Atlas via the dramatic Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2,260m), arriving in Marrakech by early evening.

• Rose valley and rose-water cooperatives at Kelaat M'Gouna
• Ouarzazate cinema studios (Gladiator, Game of Thrones)
• UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Tizi n'Tichka Pass — highest road in North Africa (2,260m)

Meet your local guide after breakfast and spend the day exploring the highlights of the Red City. Visit the opulent Bahia Palace, the historic Saadian Tombs, and the iconic Koutoubia Mosque before plunging into the sensory maze of the medina souks. The tour culminates at Jemaa el-Fna — UNESCO's first Intangible Cultural Heritage site — where snake charmers, storytellers and juice vendors animate the square from dusk onwards.

• Bahia Palace — 19th-century masterpiece
• Saadian Tombs — rediscovered in 1917
• Koutoubia Mosque and gardens
• Traditional medina souks by craft quarter
• Jemaa el-Fna square at dusk

A leisurely final morning to explore Marrakech's enchanting medina at your own pace — browse the spice market, sit in a rooftop café, or simply wander the alleyways. Your driver will collect you at the agreed time and transfer you to the airport (Marrakech or Casablanca) according to your flight schedule.

• Free morning in Marrakech medina
• Airport transfer (Marrakech or Casablanca)