Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Marrakech, the Sahara and Fes
8 days from Marrakech to Fes: over the High Atlas to Ait Benhaddou, a walk in the Todra Gorge, two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes and two in the Fes medina.
8 days · Marrakech to Fes · up to 12 guests
The ksar of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ksar_A%C3%AFt_Benhaddou,_Marocco_(%D8%A3%D9%8A%D8%AA_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%8C_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8,_%E2%B4%B0%E2%B5%A2%E2%B5%9C_%E2%B5%83%E2%B4%B0%E2%B4%B7%E2%B4%B7%E2%B5%93).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Marrakech to Fes
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
You are happy with walks of 2 to 3 hours on uneven ground, a climb on soft sand at sunrise and a camel ride of about an hour, plus three long days in the van.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 335
- Season
- Spring and autumn
Highlights
Why this trip
- Djemaa el-Fna at dusk on your first evening
- Ait Benhaddou at dusk and again at sunrise, before the day groups arrive
- A guided walk through the Todra Gorge, included
- Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes, with a sunset ride in and a sunrise walk
- The Chouara tannery in the soft morning light, and two nights in the Fes medina
- A tagine cooking class in Fes, included
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 335.
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Marrakech
Marrakech Menara Airport to the medina
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Marrakech
- Drive about 30 min
We meet you at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), about 6 km from the old city, and drive you to your riad in the medina, a traditional house built around a courtyard.
Evening
We collect you whatever time you land; arrive by mid-afternoon if you can, to rest before the group meets in the early evening. Your guide then walks you to Djemaa el-Fna at dusk, the best hour for it: the food stalls light up, smoke rises from the grills, and storytellers, musicians and henna artists gather around the square UNESCO recognised in 2001 for its living oral traditions. The 12th-century minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, about 77 metres tall, glows at blue hour across the square. We finish with a welcome dinner together, a short walk from the riad.
Included
- Pick-up at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)
- Dusk walk to Djemaa el-Fna with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Afternoon free before the group meets
Marrakech, then over the High Atlas
Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou over the Tizi n'Tichka pass
- Breakfast
- Stay in Ait Benhaddou
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
Breakfast, then a morning in the medina with a licensed Marrakech guide. We are at the Bahia Palace when it opens, before the courtyards fill: the grand viziers Si Moussa and his son Ba Ahmed built it in the late 19th century, with painted cedar ceilings, zellij tilework and a vast marble court. Next we walk through the souks to Le Jardin Secret, a restored riad garden opened to the public in 2016.
Afternoon
We leave Marrakech in the late morning, and the van climbs the High Atlas on the N9, a road of long hairpins and Amazigh villages, with lunch on the road and a stop at the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres.
Evening
Down the far side we reach Ait Benhaddou at dusk for a first, quiet look at the ksar; the main visit is at sunrise tomorrow.
Included
- Guided morning in the Marrakech medina with a licensed local guide
- Bahia Palace entry
- Le Jardin Secret entry
- Photo stop at the Tizi n'Tichka pass
- First look at Ait Benhaddou at dusk
Free time: Time for lunch on your own in Marrakech
Ait Benhaddou at sunrise, then the road of a thousand kasbahs
Ait Benhaddou to the Todra Gorge via Ouarzazate, Skoura and Kelaat M'Gouna
- Breakfast
- Stay in Todra Gorge
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
If you are up for it, your guide takes you to the hill facing the ksar about 30 minutes after sunrise, the moment the low light picks out every tower. Ait Benhaddou is a fortified village of earthen houses on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and a film set for Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator; climb to the ruined granary at the top for the view over the Ounila valley. After breakfast we drive east through Ouarzazate and the Skoura palm grove, scattered with old kasbahs, to Kelaat M'Gouna in the Valley of Roses, where the rose harvest is celebrated each May.
Evening
The road follows the Dades valley to Tinghir and its long green oasis, and we stop for the night near the mouth of the Todra Gorge.
Included
- Sunrise at the Ait Benhaddou viewpoint with your guide
- Skoura palm grove
- Kelaat M'Gouna and the Valley of Roses
Easier option: Sleep in and skip the sunrise walk
Free time: Late afternoon free near the gorge
The Todra Gorge on foot, then into the dunes
Todra Gorge to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi camp
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Erg Chebbi
- Drive about 3 h
No early start for most of the year.
Morning
We walk into the Todra Gorge in the late morning, once the sun has climbed high enough to reach the canyon floor, and the narrowest stretch is the reason to come: rock walls up to about 160 metres high stand in places only about 10 metres apart, with a clear stream running between them. A local guide leads a walk of about two hours up out of the gorge and back past terraced fields of the Tinghir oasis.
Afternoon
After lunch we drive about 3 hours east past Tinejdad and Erfoud, known for its fossils, to Merzouga on the edge of Erg Chebbi.
Evening
Leave time for the sunset: camels take you out across the sand in about an hour, or ride in by 4x4 if you prefer, to the camp where you sleep for two nights.
Included
- Guided walk in the Todra Gorge
- Sunset camel ride into Erg Chebbi, or a 4x4 if you prefer
- Dinner at the camp
Your choice: Sunset camel ride to camp, about an hour / 4x4 to camp Included in the price.
Easier option: Walk only the flat floor of the gorge
Activity: The gorge walk is about 2 hours on rocky paths with one steady climb. In March and from late October, when the sun sets at about 5:30 to 6 pm, we start the walk earlier or shorten it so the camels still reach the dunes by sunset.
A whole day in the Sahara
Erg Chebbi, Khamlia and back to camp
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Erg Chebbi
Morning
Your guide wakes you in the dark for sunrise. Rather than climbing the busy dune beside camp, walk along the dune line or go deeper into the sand with the guide, where there are no footprints ahead and the light rolls across ridges that rise up to about 150 metres. Breakfast at camp, then a 4x4 loop around the edge of Erg Chebbi to Khamlia, a village known for Gnawa music, where a family band plays for us over mint tea.
Afternoon
Lunch is back at camp and the hot middle of the day is yours: sleep, read in the shade or try sandboarding. Because you do not pack up today, there is no rush.
Evening
In the late afternoon we walk up a high dune for sunset, then dinner and the stars, far from any town lights.
Included
- Sunrise dune walk with your guide
- 4x4 loop of Erg Chebbi
- Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Sunset from a high dune
Easier option: Watch sunrise from the camp instead of walking out
Free time: Middle of the day free at camp
Activity: Walking on soft sand is hard work; go as far as you like.
Across the Middle Atlas to Fes
Merzouga to Fes via the Ziz valley, Midelt, Ifrane and Azrou
- Breakfast
- Stay in Fes
- Drive about 8 h
This is the longest day of the trip, and we would rather tell you now: about 490 km and 8 hours of driving, 9 to 10 hours door to door with four real stops along the way.
Morning
After breakfast we head north through Erfoud and Errachidia and stop above the Ziz valley, a ribbon of date palms cut into the desert.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Midelt, an apple-growing town at about 1,500 metres between the High and Middle Atlas, at a place we choose for the food, not for a shop. In the afternoon the road climbs into the Atlas cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques often feed by the trees, then passes Ifrane, an alpine-style town of steep roofs that the French founded in 1929.
Evening
We reach your riad in the Fes medina in the evening.
Included
- Ziz valley viewpoint
- Lunch stop in Midelt
- Atlas cedar forest near Azrou
- Ifrane
Free time: Evening free in Fes
Activity: About 8 hours of driving, 9 to 10 hours with four stops.
Fes el Bali
Guided day in the Fes medina
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Fes
We start at 8 am at Bab Boujloud, the blue-tiled gate of 1913, before the day groups arrive, with a licensed Fes guide. Fes el Bali has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, so the day is on foot. The Chouara tannery comes early, when the dyes in its stone vats are fresh and the light over the terraces is still soft. Then the Bou Inania Madrasa, built in the 1350s, and the Al-Attarine Madrasa, both rich with carved cedar and plaster, and a look through the doors of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859.
Afternoon
At midday a tagine class: buy spices at a market stall with the cook, then cook and eat lunch.
Evening
The afternoon is free, and at sunset we drive up to the Marinid Tombs for the view over the old city.
Included
- Guided day in Fes el Bali with a licensed local guide
- Chouara tannery terrace
- Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasa entries
- Tagine cooking class with lunch
- Sunset at the Marinid Tombs
Optional experiences
- A hammam in the medina
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: The medina is steep in places and every lane is on foot.
A slow morning, then home
Fes to Fes-Saïss Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Nothing is scheduled today, so you can fly at any hour without missing anything.
Morning
After breakfast at the riad, take a last walk on your own: Jnan Sbil, the shaded public garden just outside Bab Boujloud, is quiet in the morning, and the brass doors of the Royal Palace stand in Fes el Jdid beside the old Jewish quarter, the Mellah, a short taxi ride from the medina. If your flight is late, there is time for one more mint tea on a rooftop over Fes el Bali. When you are ready, we drive you to Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ), about 15 km south of the city, or to Fes railway station if you are carrying on by train to Rabat, Casablanca or Tangier.
Included
- Drop-off at Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ) or Fes railway station
Free time: Morning free
- Marrakech1 night
- Ait Benhaddou1 night
- Todra Gorge1 night
- Erg Chebbi2 nights
- Fes2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Barbary macaques often feed in the cedar forest near Azrou on day 6. We cannot promise them. Sand blows in the dunes on windy days: bring a cover for your camera.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Walks of 2 to 3 hours
- Early starts for sunrise
- A night under the stars in a proper tent with its own bathroom
- First trips to Morocco
Not for you if you want
- Short drives every day
- Step-free access
- Every evening planned
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Marrakech1 night
- Ait Benhaddou1 night
- Todra Gorge1 night
- Erg Chebbi2 nights
- Fes2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: a riad in the Marrakech medina (1), Ait Benhaddou (1), the Todra Gorge (1), a desert camp in Erg Chebbi with private en-suite tents (2) and a riad in the Fes medina (2)
Transport
- Pick-up at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)
- An air-conditioned van with driver from Marrakech to Fes
- Camel or 4x4 into the Erg Chebbi camp
- 4x4 loop of Erg Chebbi on day 5
- Drop-off at Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ) or Fes railway station
Activities
- Guided morning in the Marrakech medina, with Bahia Palace and Le Jardin Secret entries
- Dusk walk to Djemaa el-Fna
- Ait Benhaddou at dusk and at sunrise
- Guided walk in the Todra Gorge
- Sunrise dune walk and sunset from a high dune
- Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Guided day in Fes el Bali, with the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasa entries
- Tagine cooking class in Fes
- Sunset at the Marinid Tombs
Meals
- 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip
- Licensed local guides in Marrakech, Todra and Fes
Not included
- Flights to Marrakech and from Fes
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Tips for drivers, camp staff and local guides
- Nights before day 1 or after day 8
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 335
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We confirm your departure within 24 hours.
Want your own dates? We can book the same hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your confirmation.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the trip include?
7 nights in riads, small hotels and a desert camp, 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners, the van and driver from Marrakech to Fes, airport transfers at both ends, a See Sight Tours guide throughout with licensed local guides in the medinas, and the Todra walk, the 4x4 loop, the Khamlia music, the tagine class and the entries named in the day plan.
How long are the drives?
About 4 hours on day 2 (Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou), 4 hours on day 3 (to the Todra Gorge), 3 hours on day 4 (to Merzouga) and about 8 hours on day 6 (Merzouga to Fes, 9 to 10 hours with stops), with stops on every leg. Days 1, 5, 7 and 8 have little or no driving.
Why start in Marrakech and end in Fes?
It skips a day in Casablanca, puts the desert in the middle of the trip and lets you finish rested in Fes with two nights and a free last morning. Fly into Marrakech Menara (RAK) and home from Fes-Saïss (FEZ).
What is the desert camp like?
A fixed camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes, where you stay both nights. We only use camps with private tents that have their own shower, toilet and electricity. We name the camp when we confirm your dates.
Are there shopping stops?
No. We do not stop at shops or co-operatives on commission, and lunch stops are places we choose for the food. The Chouara tannery is seen from a viewing terrace, and in Fes most terraces sit above leather shops: you are free to look and leave without buying. The spices at the tagine class are bought at a market stall for the dish you cook. In the souks your guide will help you buy if you ask, never the other way round.
When is the best time to go?
March to May and September to early November. Summer is very hot in the desert and in Fes, and desert nights from December to February are close to freezing.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel on your own on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same route with a driver and the same stays.
How much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 1,790 per person, and a room of your own is from CAD 335 more. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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