Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Women-only Morocco: Marrakech, the Sahara and the crafts of Fes
9 days for women only with a woman See Sight Tours guide: three nights in Marrakech with a women's co-operative, a hammam and a family cooking class, Ait Benhaddou, two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes and the weavers and potters of Fes.
9 days · Marrakech to Fes · up to 12 guests
The gate into the ksar of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo: xiquinhosilva from Cacau, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:31616-Ait_Ben_Haddou_(12291651433).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Marrakech to Fes
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
You are happy with medina walks of 2 to 3 hours on uneven, sometimes steep lanes, a climb of about 15 minutes to the top of Ait Benhaddou, a walk on soft sand at sunrise and a camel ride of about an hour. Two days have 7 to 8 hours in the van with stops every 60 to 90 minutes. Every sunrise is optional, you can watch the camel ride from the camp, and you can sit out any walk or workshop.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 370 (estimated price)
- Season
- Autumn, winter and spring
Highlights
Why this trip
- A gentle first evening: introductions and an honest briefing on the riad roof, then a welcome dinner
- Cooking dinner at home with a family in the Marrakech medina
- A morning with a women's co-operative in the Ourika valley, then a women-only hammam
- Ait Benhaddou in the late afternoon and again at sunrise from the hill
- Two nights in the same Erg Chebbi camp, with Gnawa music in Khamlia and a sunset camel ride
- A weaving workshop in the Fes medina and lunch at a cafe run by women
- A last morning with the potters of Ain Nokbi before your flight
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 370 (estimated price).
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, gently
Marrakech Menara Airport to the medina
- 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. We collect you whatever time you land, and there is nothing to rush for: rest, have tea in the courtyard or sit on the roof. At about 6:30 pm the group meets on the riad roof with your guide for introductions and an honest briefing on dress, the souks, tipping, photos and how to say no politely.
Evening
Dinner is at about 7:30 pm, a short walk away, so your first walk in the medina is with the whole group. Afterwards, anyone who wants it can walk on with the guide to Djemaa el-Fna, the square UNESCO recognised in 2001 for its storytellers and musicians, at its liveliest after dark.
Included
- Pick-up at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)
- Welcome and briefing on the riad roof
- Welcome dinner
- Optional evening walk to Djemaa el-Fna with your guide
Easier option: Go straight back to the riad after dinner
Free time: Afternoon free to rest before the group meets
The Marrakech medina, and dinner with a family
Guided morning in the medina, cooking class in the evening
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Marrakech
We start at the Bahia Palace when it opens, at about 9 am, 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. A licensed Marrakech guide, a woman where one is available, then walks the group through the souks of the dyers, metalworkers and leather workers to Le Jardin Secret, a riad garden restored and opened to the public in 2016. There are no shop stops; if you want to buy, your guide shows you how to bargain.
Afternoon
Lunch is yours, and the afternoon is free to rest at the riad or wander. At about 5 pm we walk to the home of a family in the medina, who show us how to make a tagine and bread, and we eat what we cook together.
Included
- Guided morning in the Marrakech medina with a licensed local guide
- Bahia Palace entry
- Le Jardin Secret entry
- Cooking class and dinner at home with a family in the medina
Easier option: Return to the riad after the Bahia Palace
Free time: Lunch and early afternoon free
Activity: About 2 to 3 hours on foot in the morning, on flat but crowded lanes.
A women's co-operative and a hammam
Marrakech to the Ourika valley and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Marrakech
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive about an hour south into the foothills of the High Atlas, where the Ourika valley runs up between red earth villages and walnut trees. Here we spend the morning with a women's co-operative: the members show how they crack, roast and grind argan kernels by hand, or roll couscous, and talk with the group about how the co-operative works, with your guide translating. It is a visit, not a sales stop; buy something only if you want to.
Afternoon
Lunch is with a family-run place in the valley, by the river when the weather allows. We are back in Marrakech by about 3 pm for a women-only session at a hammam in the medina: steam, a scrub with black soap and a rough glove, then rest with mint tea.
Evening
The evening is yours, and your guide can suggest a roof terrace for dinner.
Included
- Visit to a women's co-operative in the Ourika valley
- Lunch in the valley
- Women-only hammam session in the Marrakech medina
Optional experiences
- A massage after the hammam
Easier option: Skip the hammam and rest at the riad
More active option: A short walk up the valley with your guide before lunch
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About an hour each way in the van, with little walking.
Over the High Atlas to Ait Benhaddou
Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou over the Tizi n'Tichka pass
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Ait Benhaddou
- Drive about 4 h
We leave Marrakech at about 9 am and the van climbs the High Atlas on the N9, a road of long hairpins, walnut terraces and earth-built Amazigh villages, with snow on the peaks in the winter months.
Afternoon
We stop for photos and tea at the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at 2,260 metres, and for lunch on the far side at a place we choose for the food. By about 3 pm we reach Ait Benhaddou, 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 set for Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. A local guide walks us through the lanes in the late afternoon light, up to the ruined granary at the top for the view over the Ounila valley.
Evening
Dinner is at the guesthouse, so nobody has to find a meal alone in a small village.
Included
- Photo stop at the Tizi n'Tichka pass
- Guided late-afternoon walk in the Ait Benhaddou ksar with a local guide
- Dinner at the guesthouse
Easier option: Stay at the foot of the ksar and skip the climb to the granary
Free time: Early evening free
Activity: The climb to the granary is about 15 minutes on uneven steps.
The long road to the dunes
Ait Benhaddou to Merzouga via Ouarzazate, Skoura, the Todra Gorge and Erfoud
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Erg Chebbi
- Drive about 7 h
This is one of two long days, and we would rather tell you now: about 420 km and 7 hours of driving, 9 to 9.5 hours door to door.
Evening
It is long because the trip gives Marrakech three nights and the dunes two within nine days, which leaves one night between them. If you are up for it, watch sunrise over the ksar from the hill first. We leave at about 8:30 am and drive east past Ouarzazate and the Skoura palm grove, scattered with old kasbahs, with a tea stop in the Dades valley. Lunch is included in Tinghir, then a short walk into the mouth of the Todra Gorge, where the rock walls close in over a clear stream. From Merzouga a 4x4 takes us across the sand to the camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes, where you sleep two nights and dinner is waiting.
Included
- Sunrise over Ait Benhaddou from the hill
- Skoura palm grove
- Lunch in Tinghir
- Short walk into the mouth of the Todra Gorge
- 4x4 into the Erg Chebbi camp
- Dinner at the camp
Easier option: Sleep in and skip the sunrise walk
Activity: About 7 hours of driving, with a stop every 60 to 90 minutes. The camel ride is tomorrow at sunset, because in winter the sun sets before we can reach the dunes today.
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 middle of the day is yours: sleep, read in the sun, or try sandboarding. Because you do not pack up today, there is no rush.
Evening
In the late afternoon the camels take us out across the dunes for about an hour to watch the sunset, then back to camp for 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 camel ride, about an hour
Easier option: Watch sunrise and sunset from the camp instead of walking or riding
More active option: Climb a high dune for the sunset after the camel ride
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, Azrou and Ifrane
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Fes
- Drive about 8 h
The second long day: about 490 km and 8 hours of driving, 9 to 10 hours door to door with four real stops.
Evening
There is no shorter way from the dunes to Fes, and a night on the way would cost a night in the desert or in Fes. After breakfast we head north through Erfoud and Errachidia and stop above the Ziz valley, a ribbon of date palms cut into the desert. Lunch, included, is in Midelt, an apple-growing town at about 1,500 metres between the High and Middle Atlas. 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 founded by the French in 1929. We reach your riad in the Fes medina in the early evening, and the guide points out a few places for a light dinner nearby.
Included
- Ziz valley viewpoint
- Lunch 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 and the weavers
Guided day in the Fes medina
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Fes
We start at 8:30 am at Bab Boujloud, the blue-tiled gate of 1913, before the day groups arrive, with a licensed Fes guide, a woman where one is available. Fes el Bali has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and its lanes are car-free, so the day is on foot. The Chouara tannery comes first, while the light over the dye vats is still soft, seen from a terrace we can leave without buying. Then the Bou Inania Madrasa, built in the 1350s, the Al-Attarine Madrasa with its carved cedar and plaster, and a look through the doors of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a cafe run by women in the medina. In the afternoon we visit a weaving workshop, where you watch the handlooms and try a few rows yourself.
Evening
The late afternoon is free; at sunset we drive up to the Marinid Tombs for the view over the old city.
Included
- Guided morning in Fes el Bali with a licensed local guide
- Chouara tannery terrace
- Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasa entries
- Lunch at a women-run cafe
- Weaving workshop with a try at the loom
- Sunset at the Marinid Tombs
Easier option: Return to the riad after lunch
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: The medina is steep in places and every lane is on foot; about 3 hours of walking in all.
The potters of Fes, then home
Fes to the Ain Nokbi potters' quarter, then Fes-Saïss Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Evening
After breakfast at the riad, those with an afternoon or evening flight drive a few minutes to Ain Nokbi, outside Bab Ftouh, where the potters of Fes moved their kilns out of the old city. From about 9 am to 11:30 am we watch the work in order: clay shaped on the wheel, pieces painted by hand in the blue and white Fes style, and the slow cutting of zellij tiles into small shapes for mosaics. You can try painting a plate or bowl, and there is no obligation to buy. We drop the group back at the riad for lunch on your own, then drive you to Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ), about 15 km south of the city, or to Fes railway station if you carry on by train to Rabat, Casablanca or Tangier. If your flight is early, we take you to the airport in time and you miss only the pottery.
Included
- Ceramics morning at the Ain Nokbi potters' quarter
- Drop-off at Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ) or Fes railway station
Easier option: Spend the morning at the riad instead
Free time: Time for lunch on your own before your transfer
Activity: Book a flight after about 2 pm to join the pottery morning.
- Marrakech3 nights
- Ait Benhaddou1 night
- Erg Chebbi2 nights
- Fes2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October and April are warm by day; December to February bring cold desert nights, cool riad rooms and the chance of snow on the High Atlas, which is lovely on the drive. Barbary macaques often feed in the cedar forest near Azrou on day 7. We cannot promise them.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Women travelling alone who want company and a woman leading
- Friends, sisters, mothers and adult daughters travelling together
- Travellers who want time with Moroccan women at work, not only the sights
- A winter escape in mild sun, with warm layers for the desert nights
- First trips to Morocco
Not for you if you want
- Mixed groups, partners or men: ask for the private version
- Short drives every day: days 5 and 7 are 7 and 8 hours
- Step-free access
- Nightlife
Minimum age: 18
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Marrakech3 nights
- Ait Benhaddou1 night
- Erg Chebbi2 nights
- Fes2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: a riad in the Marrakech medina (3), a guesthouse at Ait Benhaddou (1), a desert camp in Erg Chebbi with private en-suite tents (2) and a riad in the Fes medina (2)
- A room or tent of your own on request, for the single supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)
- An air-conditioned van with driver from Marrakech to Fes, including the Ourika valley day
- 4x4 into the Erg Chebbi camp and back, and the 4x4 loop on day 6
- Camel ride at sunset on day 6
- Drop-off at Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ) or Fes railway station
Your guide
- A woman See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip
- Licensed local guides in Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou and Fes; we ask for women guides and confirm them with your dates
Activities
- Welcome and briefing on dress, souks and conduct in Marrakech
- Guided morning in the Marrakech medina, with Bahia Palace and Le Jardin Secret entries
- Cooking class and dinner with a family in the Marrakech medina
- Women's co-operative in the Ourika valley
- Women-only hammam session in Marrakech
- Guided walk in Ait Benhaddou and sunrise from the hill
- Short walk into the Todra Gorge
- Sunrise dune walk, Gnawa music in Khamlia and a sunset camel ride in Erg Chebbi
- Guided morning in Fes el Bali, with the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasa entries
- Weaving workshop in the Fes medina
- Sunset at the Marinid Tombs
- Ceramics morning at Ain Nokbi, Fes
Meals
- 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners
Not included
- Flights to Marrakech and from Fes
- Visa, if your passport needs one
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Tips for drivers, camp staff and local guides
- Optional activities, such as a massage after the hammam
- Personal expenses and souk purchases
- Nights before day 1 or after day 9
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 370 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging 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 quote, before you accept.
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
Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 15% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 1,735 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 1,875. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 2,040.
Who can join a women-only trip to Morocco?
Anyone who identifies as a woman and is 18 or over. The group is women only and is led by a woman See Sight Tours guide. Your driver, camp staff and some local guides will usually be men, as most are in Morocco, and we say so plainly before you book.
What does the price include?
8 nights in riads, a guesthouse and a desert camp, 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners, the van and driver from Marrakech to Fes, airport transfers at both ends, a woman See Sight Tours guide throughout with licensed local guides, and the hammam, cooking class, co-operative, weaving, pottery, camel ride and entries in the day plan.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 women. That fits one air-conditioned van, keeps the medina walks manageable, and is small enough for the whole group to cook together in a family kitchen and sit at one table for dinner.
I am travelling alone. Do I pay a single supplement?
Only if you want a room of your own. Tell us when you request to book and we pair you with another woman in the group at no extra cost. A room and desert tent of your own is from CAD 370 more.
How fit do I need to be?
You should be comfortable walking 2 to 3 hours on uneven, sometimes steep medina lanes, and with two long days of 7 to 8 hours in the van. Every sunrise is optional, you can watch the camel ride from camp, and you can skip any walk or workshop.
How long are the drives?
About 2 hours in all on day 3, 4 hours on day 4 (Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou), 7 hours on day 5 (to Merzouga) and 8 hours on day 7 (Merzouga to Fes), each long day with a proper lunch and a stop every 60 to 90 minutes. Days 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9 have little or no driving.
What should I wear in Morocco as a woman?
Loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, closed shoes for the medinas, warm layers for the desert nights and a light scarf. There is no dress code for visitors, but covering up draws less attention in the souks and villages. In the riads and the camp you can dress as you like.
Is Morocco safe for women travelling in a group?
Yes, for most women it is, though comments and persistent sellers are common in Marrakech and Fes. Your guide briefs the group on the first evening, walks with you in the busy lanes and steps in when needed. Staying with the group and a firm 'no, thank you' handle almost every situation.
Is winter a good time to visit Morocco?
Yes. The trip runs October to April because days are mild and sunny, and the summer heat in the desert and Fes is gone. From December to February, desert nights are close to freezing and riads can be cool, so bring warm layers; the camp provides extra bedding.
Are the co-operative, weaving and pottery visits shopping stops?
No. They are visits to watch and try the work, and we take no commission on anything sold. You are free to buy directly from the women or the craftspeople if you want to, and just as free to leave with nothing.
Do Canadians need a visa for Morocco?
No, Canadians can visit Morocco as tourists for up to 90 days without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival. Other passports have different rules, so we confirm entry requirements for every guest when we confirm the trip.
How do I book, and can I travel on my own dates?
Send your preferred dates as an enquiry. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. For your own dates, or a group with partners or men, ask for the private trip from CAD 3,670. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask from the dates section and we quote the route.
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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