5 Days Semester at Sea Morocco Trip from Tangier

This 5-day trip is made for Semester at Sea students who want to see the real Morocco during the Spring 2027 stop in Tangier. We meet you at the port, cross the country from the blue lanes of Chefchaouen to the medina of Fes, spend two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga, drive past the kasbahs of the south to Ait Benhaddou and finish in Marrakech, where you take the train back to Tangier in time to reboard the ship.

Planned around the SAS port call in Tangier

Our departures follow the Spring 2027 port days in Tangier, from 31 March to 5 April 2027, and we know field classes are not on the same day for everyone. The trip therefore runs in two versions: the full 5-day route described below, from 31 March to 4 April, and a shorter 4-day version that leaves on 1 or 2 April for students with a class on arrival day. Both leave a safety margin for the return to the ship, and our team stays reachable on WhatsApp until you are back on board.

Chefchaouen and Fes on the way south

On the first day we drive about two hours into the Rif mountains to Chefchaouen, where a local guide walks you through the blue alleys, the main square and the best viewpoints before some free time for photos and lunch. In the afternoon we continue to Fes for the night. The next morning starts with a guided visit of the old city: the golden gates of the Royal Palace, the Mellah, the Bab Bou Jeloud gate and the lanes of Fes el-Bali.

Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes

From Fes the road climbs into the Middle Atlas, with a stop in Ifrane and in the cedar forest where Barbary macaques live, then drops through Midelt and the Ziz Valley to Merzouga. You arrive in time for a sunset camel trek to our camp in Erg Chebbi. Instead of rushing back the next morning, you stay a second night: a full day for a 4x4 tour of the dunes, mint tea with a nomad family, Gnawa music in Khamlia, sandboarding and, for those who want more speed, an optional quad or buggy ride. Both evenings end with dinner, Berber drums and a fire under the stars.

Kasbahs, Ait Benhaddou and Marrakech

Day four is the longest drive of the trip, about ten to eleven hours with stops, and also one of the most beautiful: the Todra Gorge, the road of a thousand kasbahs through the Dades Valley and Skoura, Ouarzazate and the UNESCO-listed ksar of Ait Benhaddou, seen in Gladiator and Game of Thrones. We cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass and reach Marrakech in the evening. On the last morning you can fly over the palm grove in a hot-air balloon at sunrise or explore the souks, the Koutoubia and Jemaa el-Fna before we drop you at the station for the train to Tangier.

The 4-day version

If you have a field class on 31 March, choose the 4-day trip from 1 to 4 April or from 2 to 5 April. It follows the same route without the night in Fes: Chefchaouen and a night in the Middle Atlas on the first day, a full day in the Sahara with the 4x4 tour, the sunset camel trek, sandboarding and the desert party, an optional sunrise quad ride before the drive to Marrakech, and the balloon or free time in Marrakech before the train back to Tangier.

Booking, payment and changes

You can book alone or with friends: tell us their names and we keep your group together in the same vehicle and tents. A deposit of €100 per person holds your place, and the rest is paid during the trip in cash (euros, dollars or dirhams) or by card. If SAS changes the port dates, we move your trip to the new dates at no cost, and if the ship does not stop in Morocco, the deposit is refunded in full. The train ticket from Marrakech to Tangier is bought at the station on the day; trains leave regularly and we help you choose the right one.

Morocco Zaino is an independent local tour operator and is not affiliated with Semester at Sea.

Questions SAS students ask

Will I be back in time for the ship?

Yes. The return is planned with a safety margin: the train from Marrakech reaches Tangier the same day, and our team follows you on WhatsApp until you are on board.

Is the desert camp comfortable?

Our Erg Chebbi camp has tents with proper beds and blankets, bathrooms with showers and a place to charge your phone. Bring a warm layer: nights in the Sahara are cool in early April.

Can I pay by card?

Yes, the balance can be paid by card or in cash. Carry some dirhams for lunches, the souks and small purchases, since many local shops only take cash.

What should I pack?

Comfortable clothes, closed shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, a scarf for the wind in the dunes, a warm jacket for the desert nights and your passport, which you need at the hotels.

Travelling in Morocco after the voyage or with more time? Take a look at our 6 days desert tour from Tangier.