5-Day Morocco Desert Tour from Chefchaouen to Sahara

English / French / Spanish Meet with guide 5 days / 4 nights

Chefchaouen, Morocco (20 Reviews)

5-day tour from Chefchaouen to the Sahara desert in Morocco

Overview

This 5-day private Morocco desert tour from Chefchaouen leads all the way to the Sahara, with a real overnight stay among the Erg Chebbi dunes of Merzouga. Ideal for families and small groups, the route leaves the Chefchaouen blue city for Fes, the Middle Atlas and the great dunes of the Sahara before finishing in Marrakech. Travellers can request a tailor-made quote to add an Atlas trekking day or extra desert night.

Highlights

Chefchaouen Ouazane Fes Excursion in Fes city Fes Ifrane Midelt Merzouga Des Merzouga Desert Todra Dades Go Private driver-guide

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1

Chefchaouen Ouazane Fes

Today your private Morocco tour from Chefchaouen sets off south, with stops at the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the holy hilltop town of Moulay Idriss before reaching Fes in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in a nearby hotel.

Day 2

Excursion in Fes city

Today you take a guided walking tour of Fes's medina with a local guide, exploring the famous souks and historic landmarks such as Al Qaraouine University and the tanneries. Overnight stay in a hotel or riad.

Day 3

Fes Ifrane Midelt Merzouga Desert

We leave Fes and drive south through Ifrane and the cedar forests, on through Midelt, Errachidia and Erfoud to reach Merzouga in the late afternoon. From the edge of the dunes a 90-minute camel trek takes us into the heart of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes to a Berber camp. After dinner we gather around the campfire to listen to traditional Berber drums.

Day 4

Merzouga Desert Todra Dades Gorges

We rise early to watch the Sahara sunrise, then ride the camels back from the dunes for breakfast. After breakfast we drive via Rissani and Tinghir to explore the spectacular Todra Gorges — Morocco's narrowest gorges. After lunch we continue to the Dades Valley and spend the night in a local hotel or kasbah.

Day 5

Dades Gorges Skoura Marrakech

After breakfast we explore the Dades Valley and continue to Kelaat M'Gouna along the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs, stopping in Skoura and at the Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate. We then drive on to Aït Benhaddou, where you visit the UNESCO World Heritage kasbah — one of Morocco's most famous ksour. After lunch we cross the High Atlas Mountains and pass small Berber villages on the way to Marrakech, where the tour ends. Local Morocco Tours will be delighted to craft the ideal private Morocco tour from Chefchaouen for your friends, family or group.

What's included

All hotel pick up transfers with experienced drivers
Comfortable and private travel from Chefchaouen in A/C vehicle
Merzouga camel trek desert
A night in riads/hotels and comfortable desert camp
Dinners and breakfasts

Not included

Lunches , soft drinks
Entrance fees ,Tips

Guide languages

English, Spanish , French. Other language on a request.

Departure

We can leave whenever you choose, although we normally leave at 9 a.m.

Departing from Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen sits at 600m altitude in the Rif Mountains — a cool, cobalt-blue mountain village that could not be more different from the Sahara. A five-day private tour from Chefchaouen to the desert covers this full contrast: from Rif Mountain fog to Saharan sun, from blue-washed medina lanes to rose-red dunes, crossing the agricultural plains of Saiss, the imperial city of Fes, the Middle Atlas cedar forests, and the Ziz Valley on the way.

Your driver-guide collects you from your Chefchaouen riad or hotel on Day 1 and heads south-east to Fes — a two and a half hour drive. After exploring Fes on Day 2, the route descends through the Middle Atlas toward the desert plateau. By Day 4 you reach Merzouga and Erg Chebbi for the sunset camel trek and a night at a private desert camp. Day 5 begins with a dawn walk in the dunes before the return journey or onward travel.

Departing from Chefchaouen means the five days feel genuinely diverse — no two nights are in the same type of landscape. This tour works as a standalone experience or as part of a longer Morocco itinerary starting in Tangier. All accommodation, camel trek, breakfasts, dinners, and private vehicle are included. Request a quote or see our tours from Chefchaouen.

Frequently asked questions

How many days for a Morocco desert tour from Chefchaouen?

Five days, four nights is the comfortable minimum to leave Chefchaouen, take in Fes, sleep in the Sahara at Merzouga and finish in Marrakech without rushing. Six days is a relaxed alternative if you'd like an extra desert night.

Do we sleep in a desert camp on this Chefchaouen Sahara tour?

Yes — one full night is in a Berber camp on the Erg Chebbi dunes after a sunset camel ride. Tents have real beds, en-suite bathrooms, dinner under the stars and breakfast at sunrise.

What's included in this 5-day Morocco desert tour from Chefchaouen?

Hotel pick-up in Chefchaouen, a private air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking driver, fuel, four nights of accommodation including a Sahara camp, all dinners and breakfasts at the camp and kasbah, plus the Merzouga camel trek.

Is this tour family-friendly and suitable for kids?

Yes — the pace is private and relaxed, drives are broken into short scenic legs, the camel ride is short and gentle, and Marrakech makes a fun final base. Booster seats can be added free of charge.

Mohamed Chajia

✓ Licensed guide · MA76175

Hi, I’m a legally certified tour guide in Morocco. I organise all kinds of holidays across the country — High Atlas trekking, desert and coastal treks, cycling tours, imperial-city tours, plus hand-picked hotels, camps and guest houses. I’ll build this trip around your pace and the things you actually care about.

Private guide in MarrakechAlso guides Fez, Merzouga, Ouarzazate, Chefchaouen, Agadir, Essaouira, Casablanca, Rabat, AtlasLanguages: Arabic · English · French · Spanish