3 days · 2 nights
Private tours from Marrakech
4-Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour
Travel from Marrakech to Fes through the south, with a night in the dunes of Erg Chebbi and a full day exploring the Merzouga region — nomad families, Gnawa music in Khamlia and the seasonal lake.
- Duration
- 4 days · 3 nights
- Departure
- Marrakech
- Destination
- Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes)
- Ends in
- Fes
Overview
This four-day crossing from Marrakech to Fes adds something most desert tours rush past: a whole day in the Merzouga region after your night in the dunes.
Beyond the camel trek and the camp, you meet a nomad family over Berber tea, listen to Gnawa musicians in Khamlia and explore the oases and seasonal lake around Erg Chebbi. The route out of Marrakech takes in Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate and the Dades and Todra gorges; the final day climbs through the Ziz Valley and the Middle Atlas cedar forests to Fes.
Route
- Marrakech
- Ait Benhaddou
- Ouarzazate
- Dades Valley
- Todra Gorge
- Merzouga
- Khamlia
- Midelt
- Ifrane
- Fes
Highlights
- Ait Benhaddou, Atlas Film Studios and Taourirt Kasbah
- Valley of Roses and the Dades and Todra gorges
- Sunset camel trek and a night in a luxury desert camp
- A full day in the Merzouga region with a nomad family visit
- Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia
- Merzouga's seasonal lake, known for flamingos
- Ziz Valley, the cedar forest and Ifrane on the way to Fes
Photo gallery
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Marrakech – High Atlas – Ait Benhaddou – Ouarzazate – Valley of Roses – Boumalne Dades
Early pick-up from your accommodation or the airport in Marrakech. We cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass and visit the ksar of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and well-known film location. In Ouarzazate, the "gate of the desert", we visit the Atlas Film Studios and the Taourirt Kasbah, then continue through the Valley of Roses, famous for its May rose festival, to Boumalne Dades for dinner and the night.
- Overnight:
- Hotel or riad in Boumalne Dades
Day 2
Dades Gorge – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga
After breakfast, enjoy the landscapes of the Dades Gorge before continuing to the Todra Gorge, where the river has carved a canyon of high red cliffs. Time for lunch and a walk in the gorge. In the afternoon we reach Merzouga, where you switch to camels to cross the dunes and stop on a high dune for sunset. At the luxury camp, Berber drums play around the campfire before dinner and a night beneath the stars.
- Overnight:
- Luxury desert camp, Erg Chebbi
Day 3
Exploring the Merzouga region – nomads, Khamlia and the lake
Sunrise over the dunes is not to be missed. After breakfast, ride back by camel to meet your driver for a day exploring the region by 4×4. We visit an old kohl (eyeliner) mine, share Berber tea with a nomad family in their woven tent and continue to Khamlia, a village whose Gnawa community has roots in sub-Saharan Africa, to hear their music. After lunch we walk in a palm grove and drive to Merzouga's seasonal lake, known for flamingos when there is water. Dinner and night at a hotel.
- Overnight:
- Hotel in Merzouga
Day 4
Merzouga – Rissani – Erfoud – Midelt – Ifrane – Fes
We leave the desert for Rissani, the historic capital of the Tafilalet, whose market is liveliest on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and visit a fossil-marble workshop in Erfoud. Following the Ziz river, we stop for views over the Ziz Valley and for lunch in Midelt, then cross the cedar forest, home to Barbary macaques, and pass through Ifrane before arriving at your accommodation or the airport in Fes.
What's included
- Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation or the airport
- Private transport in an air-conditioned 4×4, including fuel
- English-speaking driver
- 2 nights in hotels or riads
- 1 night in a luxury desert camp with private bathrooms
- Camel ride (one camel per person)
- Sandboards available at the camp
- Breakfasts and dinners
- Stops at points of interest along the route
- Berber drumming evening at the camp
What's not included
- Flights
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Tips
Accommodation
- Night 1: hotel or riad in Boumalne Dades
- Night 2: luxury desert camp with private bathrooms
- Night 3: hotel in Merzouga
Practical information
- Tour type
- Private, one-way tour: starts in Marrakech and ends in Fes
- Pick-up
- Your accommodation or the airport in Marrakech
- Drop-off
- Your accommodation or the airport in Fes
- Good to know
- Merzouga's lake is seasonal; flamingos are only present when it holds water.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a private tour?
Yes. Our tours are private: you travel only with your own group, with a dedicated driver and vehicle. You will not be joined by other travellers.
Where does the tour start and finish?
The tour starts in Marrakech, with pick-up from your accommodation or the airport, and finishes in Fes. If you would like to start or finish somewhere else, let us know — the starting and end points can be adapted.
How much does this tour cost?
The price depends on the number of travellers, your travel dates and your choice of accommodation. Send us your dates and group size by WhatsApp or email and we will reply with a personal quote.
Can the itinerary be changed?
Yes. Every itinerary can be adapted to your pace, interests and budget — you can add nights, skip stops or combine routes. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.
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Ready to plan your Morocco journey?
Tell us when you would like to travel and who is coming. We will reply personally with ideas, availability and a quote.
WhatsApp +212 633 136 786 · greatmoroccoexperience@gmail.com