8-Day Private Imperial Cities & Sahara TourMarrakech, the Sahara and Fes, Entirely Yours
8 days / 7 nights·2–14 (private for your group)
About this journey
This is our private version of the classic south-to-north crossing — Marrakech to Fes, via the Sahara, on your own schedule. Eight days gives a private group real time in each region rather than the tighter pace of a small-group departure, with the flexibility to add or drop stops as you go. The shape of the route runs the same corridor as our small-group crossing: Atlas Mountains, Ait Benhaddou, a private Sahara bivouac, the Middle Atlas cedar forests, and two unhurried days inside the Fes medina with a private guide rather than a group tour. This suits couples and families who want the full desert-to-imperial-cities arc but don't want to share a vehicle or itinerary with other travellers, and who'd rather set their own pace through the Fes medina — lingering in the tanneries, skipping a stop that doesn't interest them, adding a hammam session if there's time. Because it's private, we can also build in requests that don't fit a fixed small-group schedule — a cooking class in Fes, an extra night if the group wants to slow down, a specific riad you've read about.
- Private vehicle and guide for the full south-to-north crossing
- Private Sahara bivouac camp with a flexible sunset camel trek
- Two unhurried days in the Fes medina with your own guide
- Itinerary can flex around your group's interests
- Ends in Fes — we help arrange onward travel
Day by day
Your guide meets you at your Marrakech accommodation at a time that suits you. The drive crosses the Tichka Pass, Morocco's highest year-round mountain road, with viewpoint stops as long as you like. Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO kasbah from Gladiator and Game of Thrones, is explored privately with your guide. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
- Pickup at your accommodation
- Tichka Pass at your pace
- Private tour of Ait Benhaddou
A rose-water cooperative stop and the Dadès Gorge, timed around your group. You reach Merzouga as the dunes turn gold, with a private camel trek to your bivouac camp timed for sunset.
- Dadès Valley and Gorge
- Private sunset camel trek
Sunrise from the dunes at your own pace, with the option of a relaxed morning in Merzouga — a visit to Khamlia's Gnawa musicians is easy to add if your group is interested. From there, the drive north follows the Ziz Valley's palm groves to Midelt, a quiet Middle Atlas town.
- Private sunrise viewing
- Optional Khamlia village add-on
- Ziz Valley drive to Midelt
The morning climbs into the Middle Atlas cedar forests near Ifrane, with time to stop for the Barbary macaques that often gather roadside. Arrival in Fes by afternoon, with the evening free before two unhurried days in the medina.
- Ifrane cedar forest stop
- Barbary macaques (weather dependent)
- Arrival in Fes
A private specialist guide takes you through Fes el-Bali at whatever pace suits your group — the Chouara tanneries, the Al Quaraouiyine exterior, and souks organised by trade. Since it's private, you can linger wherever catches your interest and skip what doesn't.
- Private Fes medina walking tour
- Chouara Tanneries
- Flexible pacing throughout
A day trip to Meknes, the smallest and most underrated imperial city, and Volubilis, Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins — or, if your group would rather stay in Fes, we can swap this for a cooking class or a hammam session instead. Your call.
- Meknes and Volubilis (optional)
- Alternative: cooking class or hammam
A second, unhurried day in Fes — most groups use this for whatever they didn't get to on day 5, plus something extra: a tannery leather workshop, a private cooking class, or simply more time getting lost in the medina without an itinerary.
- Open day for extra Fes experiences
- Optional cooking class or workshop
The tour ends after breakfast, with your private transfer arranged around your actual flight time from Fes.
- Private airport transfer
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
- 7 nights accommodation (2 riads, 2 kasbah guesthouses, 1 desert bivouac, 2 Fes riad nights)
- Private air-conditioned vehicle sized to your group
- Licensed English-speaking guide for the full 8 days, exclusively for your group
- Private camel trek to and from the bivouac camp
- 7 breakfasts, 5 dinners
- Entry fees at Ait Benhaddou, the Dadès/Todra Gorge stops, Volubilis and Meknes
- Private Fes medina walking tour with a local specialist guide
Not included
- International flights (this tour ends in Fes — factor in your return)
- Lunches (budget $10–$20/day)
- Personal travel insurance (required)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Alcohol and personal purchases
Choose your style
2 Travellers
- Private vehicle and guide
- Fully flexible schedule
- 7 nights accommodation included
- Private bivouac camp
4 Travellers
- Same private vehicle and guide
- Lower per-person cost
- 7 nights accommodation included
- Private bivouac camp
6+ Travellers
- Larger private vehicle
- Lowest per-person cost
- 7 nights accommodation included
- Private bivouac camp
What travelers say
“We swapped the Meknes day for a cooking class since none of us were that fussed about Roman ruins — try doing that on a group tour.”
“Two full days in Fes at our own pace was the right call — we'd have felt rushed doing it as a day trip like some other options we looked at.”
“Ending in Fes instead of looping back to Marrakech saved us a full day we'd otherwise have spent driving back.”
Why choose AZA Morocco Tours
- Local expert guides — born and raised in Morocco
- Small groups capped at 10 people maximum
- All-inclusive pricing — no hidden fees
- Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure
- Weekly departures year-round (except desert tours Jul–Aug)
- Verified reviews on TripAdvisor
Questions about this tour
Yes — that's the point of a private tour. Tell your guide what you'd rather do instead and, logistics allowing, it's swapped in.
It ends in Fes, one-way. We can help arrange your onward flight, train, or a transfer back to Marrakech if needed.
The per-person price drops as your group grows, since the vehicle and guide cost is shared. See the pricing tiers above for 2, 4, and 6+ traveller rates.
Yes, easily — just mention it when you enquire and we'll adjust the itinerary and quote accordingly.
It's private to small parties, typically your group plus one or two others rather than a large shared camp. A fully exclusive camp can be arranged on request.
February to May and September to December for comfortable temperatures throughout the route.
As a guideline, $10–$15 per traveller per day for the guide and $6–$8 per day for the driver, given directly at the end of the tour.