Two days, three, four or five? What you actually see on each length of desert tour from Marrakech and Fes — and how to choose.
It is the question we are asked most often: how many days do I need to see the Sahara? The honest answer depends on where you start, which desert you want to see and whether you want to return to the same city. Here is how the options compare, based on the routes we run every week.
Where are the dunes?
Morocco’s best-known sand dunes are at Erg Chebbi, near the village of Merzouga in the south-east. This is the classic Sahara of high, golden dunes. Closer to Marrakech, the desert near Zagora at the end of the Draa Valley is more stony, with smaller dunes.
From Marrakech, Merzouga is a long way by road — the drive crosses the High Atlas and takes the best part of two days with stops. From Fes it is closer: our Fes tours reach the dunes on the evening of the first day.
Two days: a taste of the desert from Marrakech
Our 2-day Marrakech to Zagora tour crosses the Tizi n’Tichka pass, visits Ait Benhaddou and follows the Draa Valley to a camp near Zagora for a sunset camel ride and a night in the desert. It is a full first day of driving, and the dunes are smaller than at Merzouga — but if two days is all you have, it is a memorable introduction.
Three days: the classic Sahara trip
Three days is the minimum we recommend for Erg Chebbi. From Marrakech, the 3-day Merzouga tour spends the first night in the Dades Gorge, the second in a luxury desert camp, and returns through the Draa Valley. The 3-day Marrakech to Fes tour covers the same desert but finishes in Fes.
From Fes, three days goes further. The 3-day Fes to Merzouga tour reaches the dunes on day one and spends day two exploring the region — nomad families, Gnawa music in Khamlia, palm groves and the seasonal lake — before returning to Fes.
Four days: time to enjoy it
With four days, driving days become shorter and the desert becomes more than a single night. The 4-day Marrakech to Fes tour and the 4-day Fes to Marrakech tour both include a full day around Merzouga, and the 4-day Marrakech to Merzouga round trip adds Ouarzazate’s film studios and the Draa Valley.
Five days or more: the south at an easy pace
Five days lets you slow down in the kasbah valleys of the south. The 5-day Fes to Marrakech tour adds a night in Ouarzazate, and the 5-day desert loop from Marrakech follows remote tracks through M’harech, Ramlia and Ouzina to reach Erg Chebbi.
Our advice
- If you are flying in and out of Marrakech: three days if time is tight, four if you can.
- If you are travelling between Marrakech and Fes anyway: take a one-way desert tour — you see the Sahara without retracing your steps.
- If you are based in Fes: three days gives you a night in the dunes plus a full day in the region.
Whatever you choose, every tour is private and can be adapted. Tell us your dates and we will help you pick the right route.
