Our fullest route from Fes to Marrakech — the imperial cities, a proper stretch in the Sahara, and extra time among the kasbahs and valleys most itineraries only pass through.
Tour highlights
- Meknes and Volubilis
- Fes medina
- Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Dades Valley and Todra Gorge
- Skoura's kasbahs and Ait Ben Haddou
Itinerary
Day 1 — Fes
A full day with a local guide in the medina: the tanneries, the Al Qarawiyyin mosque and university, and the souks and schools around them.
Day 2 — Fes to Meknes and Volubilis
A day trip to Meknes, for the Bab Mansour gate and the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis, before returning to Fes for the night.
Day 3 — Fes to Merzouga
We cross the Middle Atlas through Ifrane's cedar forest and the Ziz Valley to Erg Chebbi, riding camels into the dunes for sunset and a night at a desert camp.
Day 4 — Merzouga
A full day in the desert, with time for Khamlia's Gnawa musicians and a second night under the stars.
Day 5 — Merzouga to the Todra Gorge
West through Erfoud to the Todra Gorge, where we stay the night at the foot of its towering limestone walls.
Day 6 — Todra Gorge to Skoura via the Dades Valley
The Dades Valley's rose fields and folded "monkey fingers" rock lead us to the Skoura oasis, with its cluster of historic kasbahs, where we spend the night.
Day 7 — Skoura to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou
We visit Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen kasbah on the old caravan road, then cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech.
Day 8 — Marrakech
A guided day through the medina: the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia and its gardens, and the souks around the Jemaa el-Fna.
