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5 Day Marrakech to Tangier Tour

Highlights

  • Explore the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou
  • Rest in a traditional Berber camp in the Sahara
  • Explore the Fes Medina from the local perspective
  • Get lost in the magnificent Todra Gorge
  • Gaze in wonder at the High Atlas Mountains
From £880 pp
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What you'll do

Overview

The ultimate Morocco experience. On this all-encompassing 5-day tour, you'll be thrown headlong into everything Morocco. Relax in traditional Berber camps, muscle your way through hectic souks and medinas, take in towering mountain peaks, dramatically plunging gorges, endlessly vast deserts and incredible mountain fortresses, all served with a dash of rich, vibrant cultures, interwoven throughout the stunning landscape.

Starting your private tour at Marrakech and ending in Tangier, you’ll discover all the best of what this incredible country has to offer. You’ll gaze at the endless chains of the High Atlas and swim in cool, clear rivers. You’ll unwind in a tranquil camp in the vast wilderness of the Sahara Desert, your campfire providing the only other source of light from the impossible number of stars.

Wander through a maze of twisting stairways in ancient fortified villages, and through the labyrinth of noise, colour and scent in the Medina of Fes. Try incredible authentic cuisine and learn the traditions of city, rural and nomadic life, truly understanding what makes the wide variety of cultures here tick.

As well as seeing the showstopper sights – Ait Ben Haddou, the Sahara, Chouara Tannery – we’ll take you off the beaten track, to hidden spots of natural beauty or local spots to eat. As well as incredible food and fascinating history, you’ll experience hypnotic, traditional musical performances in breath-taking locations, camel treks over vast, shifting dunes of golden sand, and explore bustling souks glittering with lamps and fragrant with spices.

By the time you’re dropped off in buzzing Tangier, alive with entrepreneurial energy and a city on the rise, you’ll be able to feel satisfied that you’ve seen the real Morocco, the side to Morocco most don’t have the opportunity to experience, and been treated to the very best this gateway to Africa has to offer.

Head to the Wilderness

We will collect you from your riad or hotel after breakfast and head immediately into the High Atlas Mountains, where you’ll enjoy the breath-taking panoramic views of soaring, snow-capped peaks dropping dramatically into deep canyons and valleys. We will stop along the way to take in some of the best jaw-dropping vistas, giving you the opportunity to take the first of many, many photos on the tour.

Once we have traversed the Atlas Mountains, we will reach the awe-inspiring Ait Ben Haddou. An historical Kasbah which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a famous backdrop for many Hollywood films; Gladiator, The Mummy, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and part of the TV series Game of Thrones, to name a few.

You can immediately see why. A step back in time, this jumble of earthen clay buildings represents a step back in time, as the old caravan route settlement clambers up the ancient hillside in a maze of twisting staircases, shaded alleys and hidden courtyards. After a walk to explore Ait Ben Haddou, we’ll have lunch with a spectacular view of the Kasbah.

Moving on, we drive through Ouarzazte, also known as Moroccan Hollywood, due to it being the location of Morocco’s biggest filming studios. It’s also known as the gateway to the Sahara Desert, and is one of the final outposts standing on the edge of a desert that stretches 3000 miles over the horizon.

The final destination for the day is Boumalne, where you will relax, and have the opportunity to rejuvenate with an evening swim in the cool Dades River. You’ll then enjoy an authentic, traditionally prepared dinner and a comfortable overnight stay so that you’re refreshed for day two.

Explore Stunning Gorges and Magical Desert

After breakfast, you’ll set out for Todra Gorge, your first stop of the day. A magnificent chasm in the limestone bedrock, plunging as far as 300m, the naturally formed canyon, carved over thousands of years by the Togdha and Dades rivers, it’s an incredible sight to behold. You’ll get the opportunity to explore the area, feeling dwarfed by the huge walls of rock that rise above you in rugged cliffs and swirls of colour.

The journey continues to Merzouga, and this is where it’ll seriously begin to feel as if you’ve arrived in the Sahara. Great, soaring dunes rise up around this small desert village, glowing a rich gold as the sun beats down from the vast, blindingly blue sky. As you arrive you’ll be welcomed with a refreshing cup of mint tea, and after packing an overnight bag, set off on a camel trek into the endless wilderness of the desert.

As you pick your way across the majestic dunes underneath a deep blue dome of sky, watch as the sun sinks and swells in the sky, taking on a gently ebbing hue of red as the sky turns indigo and the dunes a delicate shade of ochre. A true African sunset in an evocative setting, this peaceful, quiet moment is one of the highlights of the five days.

A warm welcome awaits at a traditional Berber camp where you will be staying the night. Under a huge dark canvas littered with clouds of stars, you will enjoy an authentic Moroccan dinner, sleepily hypnotic desert drums, and some of the best stargazing you will ever experience.

From Vast Desert to Alpine Hilltops

We start our third day early to begin our camel trek back to your hotel, during which you’ll catch a beautiful Sahara sunrise in the midst of the tranquility of the dunes, watching as the stars slowly melt into the ever more blue sky. We’ll arrive back at the hotel for breakfast, a shower, and a general refresh.

Then, we’ll depart for Fes. On this journey through arid plains and dusty valleys, we’ll stumble across an oasis of lush green at Ziz Valley. A river of emerald green palm groves carpets the valley floor, as orange-brown rock rises up dramatically either side.

We’ll then continue through the picturesque Middle Atlas, admiring the diversity of landscapes, ranging from harsh mountain peaks to deep cedar forests, eventually arriving in the high plain town of Midelt.

You’ll also travel through the tidy, bizarrely alpine Ifrane, built by the French in the 1930s. This town feels as though it were airlifted in from Switzerland, and is an interesting little stop that is extremely popular with domestic tourists, thanks to its European feel.

After Ifrane, experience the deliciously laid back Azrou, a Berber market centre surrounded by sweet-scented cedar woods complete with the elusive, endangered Barbary Macaque. We’ll stop here for lunch, so that you can enjoy the lush meadows and cute medina, before pushing on for Fes.

Once we arrive, prepare to thrust yourself back into city action with a relaxing dinner and overnight stay at a comfortable riad, ready for a hectic day of exploring Fes.

Hectic Fes and Addictive Chefchaouen

We’ll depart from the riad after breakfast, and head out to explore Fes. A city steeped in culture and history, bursting with life and crackling with chaos, an adventure through Fes is exactly that, an adventure. You’ll never know what you’ll find around the next shaded ally corner; a picturesque square with delicate water features, a street piled with food stands, an ancient tannery still in operation…

Fes has so much to offer and countless enthralling places to visit. We’ll take a look at the Karueein Mosque and University, believed to be the oldest operational University in the world. The mosque is not open to non-Muslims, but you can get a good view of this beautifully tiled and decorated building from an entryway.

Depending on how much time we have, other visits may include the Ibn Danan Synagogue, the beautiful ruins of the Marinid Tombs and rooftops that allow stunning panoramic views overlooking Fes and its sea of minarets.

After exploring Fes, our next destination is the Blue City: Chefchaouen, located in the North West of Morocco in the beautiful Rif Mountains. This town is famous for being painted in vibrant shades of blue, and it sits like a shimmering lake on the side of the wooded hillside.

The blue-washed mountain village is alive with artistic flair and charm, and is a delightfully laid-back, easy maze of narrow lanes to explore. The gorgeous backdrop makes for wonderfully creative travel photos as you submerge yourself in the glowing, submarine alleys. Here, you will spend the final night of the tour in your riad, and enjoy another incredible, traditionally prepared meal.

Experience the Gateway to Africa

We begin our final morning with breakfast, before setting out for Tangier. Boasting a pleasant coastal promenade, vibrant souks and hectic markets of glittering lampshades and fragrant piles of spices, the gateway between Africa and Europe is a great place for exploration.

Its multicultural community and buzzing arts scene has attracted a wide variety of visitors and residents alike, from Tennessee Williams to the Rolling Stones. The port city is the country’s most important trade link, due to its location on the Strait of Gibraltar, and therefore it has a rich history and diversity just waiting to be explored, and is influenced by a myriad of cultures.

Tangier has long been a famous destination for writers and artists to escape to; famous Moroccan writer from Tangier, Mohammed Choukri, befriended other literary legends on their visits to Tangier, such as Tennessee Williams and Paul Bowles.

Here, the tour comes to an end and you will be dropped off at your riad or hotel.

What's included

Included

  • Transportation
  • 4 nights in different, authentic accommodation
  • Breakfasts and dinners
  • Local English speaking guide
Your local host

Hamid and Gilly

Hamid was raised as a nomad. His family lived a nomadic life until he was about 6 years old.  Hamid’s family of 10 then settled in a remote desert village.  Family is everything to him.  Hamid is from the Amazigh tribe. “Amazigh” means free people.  He speaks five different languages:  Berber, Arabic, English, Spanish and French.  Hamid is a great people person – with a good sense of humour.  He is very in tune with nature and he enjoys showing his country to travellers. He worked as a cameleer when he left school, taking visitors on camel treks into the Saharan sand dunes. There, he mastered the art of playing the soulful African drums, as entertainment in the evenings.  It has always been Hamid’s dream to ... Read All

Hamid was raised as a nomad. His family lived a nomadic life until he was about 6 years old.  Hamid’s family of 10 then settled in a remote desert village.  Family is everything to him.  Hamid is from the Amazigh tribe. “Amazigh” means free people.  He speaks five different languages:  Berber, Arabic, English, Spanish and French.  Hamid is a great people person – with a good sense of humour.  He is very in tune with nature and he enjoys showing his country to travellers. He worked as a cameleer when he left school, taking visitors on camel treks into the Saharan sand dunes. There, he mastered the art of playing the soulful African drums, as entertainment in the evenings.  It has always been Hamid’s dream to have his own tour company and show people around his country, so he left his life in the desert to follow this dream. He is passionate about showing visitors the authentic Morocco and its vibrant and rich culture.

Gilly was born and raised in Zimbabwe. She has a passion for travel and Africa is in her blood, so when she got the chance to visit Morocco, she took it and immediately fell under its spell. She has visited countless times and there is always something new to see and experience. The Sahara Desert is one of her favourite places in Morocco,  along with the mountains, the Atlantic coast, The Blue City, Fes, Volubilis and the enchanting chaos of Marrakech! She loves the vibrant culture and the people who are as warm as their sunsets. On Gilly’s first adventure in Morocco, she met Hamid who regaled her with stories of life in Morocco. They both share a passion for authentic experiences and for nature and so the partnership for their tour company was born.

We aim to include all the elements of an unforgettable, awe-inspiring experience in our tours and excursions.  Hamid has extremely strong family values and this is extended to our guests, who are cared for as if they were family.

At the end of your time with us, we want you to return home with Morocco firmly in your hearts. We will explore the off the beaten track secrets of Morocco and discover its hidden treasures.  Authenticity is important to us and we want to show you the real Morocco.

Whether it is camel trekking the evocative Sahara Desert and spending a night under a breath-taking sky full of stars, spending a day in the life of a nomad family, indulging all your senses in the vibrant atmosphere of Marrakech, wandering the enchanting and artistic blue streets of Chefchaouen, taking an authentic Moroccan cooking class and creating a delicious tagine, marvelling at the stunning, mystical architecture and beautiful mosques, exploring snow-capped mountains, ancient Roman Ruins, visiting women’s argan cooperatives, towering mountain waterfalls,  enjoying sand, sea and surf on our North African beaches, we will ensure you have the best time and a wonderfully memorable experience.

As a result of the hardships Hamid endured in his nomadic childhood in Morocco empowering local communities and preserving their culture is very important to him. Our tours are created to give back to the local communities, to help ensure food and water security, employment, education and self-sufficiency.

Hamid and Gilly image

Location

The tour will depart from Marrakech and end in Tangier.

Specific pick up and drop off points will be organised on a case by case basis.

Tours generally depart between 8am and 9am.

What our travellers are saying...

We had a wonderful 5 days discovery tour of Morocco with Hamid. It was a relaxing as well as efficient way to get a glimpse of this beautiful country, starting in Marrakesh and ending up in Tangier, with Fes and the desert in between. The minibus was comfortable and well driven, and the hotels carefully chosen. Hamid was also flexible and responsive to our special requests.

Maude Plantenga-Wehry

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