8 Day Morocco Tour from Marrakech: Sahara Desert, Fes and Chefchaouen

Today the mountains give way to desert. The first stop is Todra Gorge, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north of Tinghir, where limestone walls close in until the road and the river share a narrow gap. A short walk along the river is worth the time.

After Tinghir the villages thin out and the ground turns flat and stony, with palm oases here and there. The road passes Erfoud, known for its fossil workshops, and runs through Rissani before it reaches Merzouga. If the Todra stop stays short, you arrive at the dunes in time for the evening light. 

Driving: about 4.5 to 5 hours, not counting stops (roughly 250 to 280 km, or 155 to 175 miles).

Overnight: Merzouga area, night one of two.

There is no long drive today, so you have time for the desert itself. The dunes look different at sunrise, midday and sunset. In summer, daytime highs often pass 40°C (104°F), so plan active time for early morning and late afternoon and rest in between.

The area has more to see than sand. Khamlia, a nearby village, is known for its Gnawa music, and Rissani has a market.

Driving: none, apart from short local transfers.

Overnight: Merzouga area, night two of two.

This is the longest drive of the trip, so expect an early start. You leave the dunes, pass Erfoud and Errachidia, and follow the Ziz Valley, a long strip of palm groves between dry hills. The road then climbs to Midelt, on a high plateau between the High Atlas and the Middle Atlas. It is a good place for lunch.

After Midelt the scenery changes again. Cedar forest begins near Azrou, and Barbary macaques are often seen beside the road. Ifrane, with its steep-roofed, alpine-style houses, makes a natural coffee stop. From there the road drops into Fes, and you arrive in the evening.

Merzouga to Fes is about 460 kilometers (285 miles). Treat the whole day as travel and save your energy for Fes.

Driving: about 7 to 7.5 hours, not counting stops. Expect 9 to 10 hours door to door.

Overnight: Fes.

Fes el-Bali was founded between 789 and 808 and is still lived in. Its lanes are closed to cars, so you explore on foot, sometimes squeezing past a donkey carrying goods. Start early, before the lanes fill up.

The main sights fit into one long day. The Bou Inania Madrasa is a Marinid school with carved wood and tilework. The Chouara tannery is one of the oldest in the city. The Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university was founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri and is often called the oldest continuously operating university in the world. Non-Muslim visitors cannot enter the mosque. Bab Bou Jeloud, the blue gate, marks the western entrance to the medina, and Fes el-Jdid, a later royal quarter founded in 1276, sits next door.

Wear comfortable shoes. Some lanes are steep and uneven. A local guide makes the medina easier to read.

Driving: none.

Overnight: Fes.

After breakfast you drive northwest to Volubilis, a Roman city and UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can walk among its columns, temples and floor mosaics for about two hours. A short stop in Meknes to see the Bab Mansour gate is possible if time allows.

From Volubilis the road runs about 160 kilometers (100 miles) into the Rif Mountains, and the land turns greener and hillier. You reach Chefchaouen in the late afternoon. If there is light left, walk down to Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the main square, for mint tea or an early dinner.

Driving: about 3.5 to 4 hours direct, or about 4.5 to 5 hours with Volubilis and Meknes, not counting stops.

Overnight: Chefchaouen.

Chefchaouen is small enough to cover on foot, so take it slowly. Start in Plaza Uta el-Hammam, where the old kasbah and the Grand Mosque, with its octagonal minaret, face a square lined with cafes. Then wander uphill through the blue lanes. Locals and historians offer several explanations for the color, and none is settled.

Just outside the eastern edge of the medina, the Ras el-Maa spring runs through public basins where residents wash carpets. A path from there climbs to the Spanish Mosque, built in the 1920s and never used. The walk is short, and the view over the town at sunset is the reason to go. 

Driving: none.

Overnight: Chefchaouen.

This 8 day Morocco tour ends after breakfast in Chefchaouen. A return to Marrakech is not part of the itinerary. These are the usual next steps, with approximate road times from Chefchaouen:

• Tangier airport (TNG): about 112 km, 2 hours
• Fes airport (FEZ): about 200 km, 3.5 hours
• Marrakech by road: about 570 to 590 km, around 7 hours without stops

Most travelers who need to reach Marrakech fly or add an extra day. Ask about onward transfers before you book flights.

Driving: depends on your next stop, from about 2 hours to Tangier airport to about 7 hours to Marrakech.

Overnight: none.