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Family City & Desert Tours

10-Day Morocco Family Tour: Marrakech to Chefchaouen

Start in Marrakech, cross the Atlas in stages and spend a full day near the Merzouga dunes before Fes and Chefchaouen. See the suggested 10-day route.

  • 10 days · suggested route
  • Marrakech to Chefchaouen area
  • Rest days between transfers
Aït Benhaddou · Places along the route and photos from Morocco Travel Experts
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Route and driving days

School-age children get a day in the dunes and a day in Fes between transfers. With toddlers, consider dropping Chefchaouen and using that night to break up the drive from Merzouga to Fes.

Marrakech → Aït Benhaddou → Dades Valley → Merzouga → Fes → Chefchaouen

This is a proposed route based on the operator’s ten day family trip. Ask for the final overnight sequence, departure transfer and inclusions in your quote.

Stops along the route

Day-by-day itinerary

Planning example based on the operator’s published family-tour overview and driving guide. The operator’s current ten-day product summary does not publish this exact day order or a full inclusion list.

DayRoutePlan
1Arrive in Marrakech

Transfer to your accommodation, settle in and keep the first evening open.

2Marrakech at family pace

Pick a short medina walk or a morning in a garden. Keep the afternoon free for the riad or book a craft activity if the children are keen.

3Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou

Cross the High Atlas and visit Aït Benhaddou before an overnight in the kasbah region.

The operator’s guide estimates about 185 km and 3.5 hours to Aït Benhaddou, before stops.

4Kasbah country to the Dades Valley

Continue through Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses, with time for a short stop rather than a full list of visits.

5Dades Valley to Merzouga

Travel through the Todra area toward the dunes. Ask the operator to confirm the route, stops and expected arrival time.

A long transfer day. The family planning guide estimates about 360 km and 6 hours from Aït Benhaddou to Merzouga via the Dades or Todra route.

6A Sahara morning and evening

Enjoy a slower day around the dunes, with a camel ride or other activity only if it suits the family and is confirmed in the quote.

7Merzouga to Fes

Head north through the Ziz Valley and Middle Atlas. Keep the evening free after arrival.

The operator’s guide estimates 460 km and 7–8 hours before child-friendly breaks. Ask about an intermediate overnight if that is too long.

8Explore Fes

Take a guided medina walk and choose one or two craft or heritage stops.

9Fes to Chefchaouen

Travel through the Rif region and arrive with time for a gentle walk through the blue medina.

The operator’s guide estimates about 210 km and 4 hours, before breaks.

10Depart from the north

Depart from a city that fits the confirmed flight plan, or ask the operator to adjust the route to return to Marrakech.

Driving estimates and where to take breaks
  • The operator’s guide estimates Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou at about 185 km / 3.5 hours.
  • Aït Benhaddou to Merzouga is estimated at about 360 km / 6 hours via the Dades or Todra route.
  • Merzouga to Fes is estimated at about 460 km / 7–8 hours; consider an overnight stop if your children need a shorter day.
  • These are operator-published planning estimates, not live traffic times. Confirm the exact route and planned breaks.

See the operator’s Morocco driving guide

Stays and what to budget for

What the operator lists

  • The operator’s public ten-day family-tour summary identifies a private, flexible journey and lists English, French or Spanish guide languages.
  • The public summary does not provide a complete service-by-service inclusion list for this exact route.
  • Request written confirmation of vehicle, driver, guide days, accommodation, room types, meals, child seats and any included activities.

Extras and items to confirm

  • International flights are not described as included in the public summary.
  • Ask whether lunches, drinks, entry tickets, tips, insurance and optional activities are excluded or included in your proposal.
  • Do not rely on a third-party package’s terms unless they are repeated in the direct booking documents.

Hotels, riads and family rooms

  • MTE’s partner page lists La Sultana Marrakech, Riad Fès, Dar Ahlam in Skoura and Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp.
  • These named properties are examples of the operator’s listed partners, not guaranteed inclusions or family-room commitments.
  • Ask for the exact hotel names, room setup, bathroom arrangements and camp access in the written quote.

See the operator’s hotel partners and use the family trip cost worksheet to compare rooms and inclusions.

Questions families ask

Is this an exact published itinerary?

No. It is a family planning outline. The operator lists a ten-day family tour from Casablanca to the Sahara, but the public summary does not show a full day-by-day schedule. Ask for the current route before booking.

Can we skip Chefchaouen?

Yes, ask the operator to tailor the route around your flights. Removing the far north can create more time for Marrakech, the Atlas or the Sahara.

What is included?

The public ten-day family summary does not show every inclusion. Your written proposal should name the vehicle, hotels, room arrangement, meals, guide days, activities and exclusions.

Is the Merzouga to Fes drive suitable for toddlers?

It is a long drive. The operator’s family guide estimates 7–8 hours before breaks. Ask for an intermediate overnight or choose a shorter route if that is not right for your child.

Route references

Payment methods
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More photos from Morocco

From the Morocco Travel Experts collection.

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01Culture and craft
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02The journey between stops
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03Nature in Morocco
A Moroccan hotel, riad or lodge
04Riads and stays
Beach on Morocco's Atlantic coast
05Atlantic coast
A Morocco guide with travel guests
06Local guides and guests