Marrakech to Fes Desert Tours

Best Itineraries (3, 4, or 5 Days)

3 Days Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour

Our 3 days Marrakech to Fes desert tour packs the highlights into an action-filled itinerary, perfect for travelers with limited time who still want the full Sahara experience.

Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Dades Valley Depart Marrakech early and climb through the Tizi n’Tichka pass in the High Atlas Mountains. Stop at the famous Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, a fortress city that’s appeared in countless films. Continue through Ouarzazate, known as Morocco’s Hollywood, and wind through the Dades Valley with its dramatic rock formations. Overnight in a traditional guesthouse overlooking the valley.

Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Merzouga – Desert Camp Drive through the Todra Gorge, where limestone cliffs tower 300 meters overhead. The gorge narrows to just 10 meters wide in places, creating a spectacular natural corridor. Continue to Merzouga, where you’ll meet your camel caravan. Trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset, then reach your luxury desert camp for dinner, traditional music, and a night under the stars.

Day 3: Merzouga – Ziz Valley – Ifrane – Fes Wake before dawn to watch the sunrise transform the dunes from grey to pink to blazing orange. After breakfast, ride camels back to Merzouga and begin the drive to Fes. Pass through the Ziz Valley’s palm groves, cross the Middle Atlas Mountains, and stop in Ifrane, a charming alpine-style town. Arrive in Fes by evening.

4 Days Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour

The 4 days Marrakech to Fes desert tour offers a more relaxed pace with extra time to explore each destination and enjoy optional activities.

Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley Journey through the High Atlas Mountains with photo stops at scenic viewpoints. Spend quality time exploring Ait Ben Haddou, walking through its narrow alleyways and climbing to the top for panoramic views. Visit the Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate if you’re interested in movie history. Arrive in Dades Valley with time to walk through the valley before sunset. Overnight in a traditional riad with valley views.

Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga Take a morning walk in Dades Valley to see the famous “monkey fingers” rock formations. Drive through the Todra Gorge and have time for a leisurely walk through the canyon. Stop in Erfoud, known for its fossil workshops, before reaching Merzouga in the late afternoon. Settle into your hotel, then take a 4×4 excursion into the dunes for sunset. This extra time allows you to explore the desert’s edges and visit a nomad family. Overnight in a hotel near the dunes.

Day 3: Full Day Merzouga Desert Experience This is what sets the 4-day tour apart. Spend the entire day exploring the Merzouga region. Options include visiting Khamlia village to hear Gnawa music, meeting nomadic families, exploring old mining sites, or taking a 4×4 tour around the dunes. In the afternoon, begin your camel trek deep into Erg Chebbi. Your guides will take you to a more remote area where you’ll have the dunes nearly to yourself. Arrive at your luxury desert camp for sunset, enjoy a traditional Berber dinner, and gather around the campfire for music under incredible starry skies.

Day 4: Merzouga – Middle Atlas – Cedar Forest – Fes Rise early for sunrise over the dunes, then enjoy breakfast at the camp before your camel ride back. Depart Merzouga and drive through the Ziz Valley, stopping for photos of the dramatic gorge and palm oases. Cross the Middle Atlas Mountains and visit the cedar forests of Azrou, where wild Barbary macaques roam. Stop in Ifrane, nicknamed “Little Switzerland” for its European architecture. Arrive in Fes by late afternoon.

5 Days Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour

Our 5 days Marrakech to Fes desert tour is the ultimate luxury experience, allowing time to truly absorb each location without rushing.

This extended itinerary follows the 4-day route but adds a full extra day in the Dades Valley region to explore the Roses Valley and traditional Berber villages. You’ll have time for optional hiking, visits to local cooperatives, and more opportunities to interact with locals. The luxury desert experience includes upgraded camps with private tents, en-suite facilities, and gourmet meals that showcase Moroccan cuisine at its finest.

The 5-day option is ideal for photography enthusiasts, couples seeking romance, or anyone who prefers to travel slowly and soak in the atmosphere of each place. Your private guide can customize activities based on your interests, whether that’s birdwatching in the Todra oasis, learning to prepare tagine with a local family, or simply having more time to relax and enjoy Morocco’s legendary hospitality.

Highlights of the Journey

Ait Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate

Ait Ben Haddou stands as one of Morocco’s most striking landmarks. This fortified village, built from sun-dried clay bricks, has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Its dramatic location and well-preserved architecture have made it a favorite filming location for movies like Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and Lawrence of Arabia.

Walk through the narrow passages between tall kasbahs, climb to the hilltop granary for sweeping views of the surrounding valleys, and learn about the lives of the few families who still call this ancient fortress home. The golden-red walls glow beautifully in the morning and late afternoon light, creating spectacular photo opportunities.

Nearby Ouarzazate, once an important stop on the caravan routes between Marrakech and the Sahara, now serves as Morocco’s film capital. The massive Atlas Film Studios here have hosted productions from around the world, and you can tour the outdoor sets to see remnants of ancient Egypt, Rome, and Tibet.

Todra Gorge & Dades Valley

The Todra Gorge is nature’s masterpiece—a narrow canyon carved through limestone cliffs that rise vertically for 300 meters. In some sections, the gorge narrows to just 10 meters wide, creating a dramatic corridor where the morning sun barely penetrates. A crystal-clear river flows through the gorge bottom, creating a cool oasis that’s popular with rock climbers and hikers.

The Dades Valley, often called the “Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs,” showcases Morocco’s most photogenic scenery. Red and brown kasbahs dot the hillsides, many of them abandoned but still standing proud against the desert backdrop. The valley floor is surprisingly green, with fig trees, almond groves, and gardens irrigated by traditional water channels.

The famous “monkey fingers” rock formations—bizarre wind-eroded pillars that resemble primate digits reaching toward the sky—provide one of Morocco’s most unusual photo stops.

Camel Trekking in Merzouga

Camel trekking in Merzouga ranks among Morocco’s most memorable experiences. As the sun begins its descent, you’ll mount your camel and set off into the Erg Chebbi dunes in a traditional caravan. The gentle swaying motion of the camel, the silence of the desert broken only by soft footfalls in sand, and the changing colors of the dunes create a deeply peaceful experience.

Your camel drivers, often born and raised in the desert, lead the caravan with expert knowledge. They know which routes to take, where the sand is firmest, and which dune offers the best sunset views. The trek typically lasts 1-2 hours each way, giving you plenty of time to adjust to the rhythm and enjoy the landscape.

For those concerned about mobility or comfort, 4×4 transfers to the desert camp are always available. However, most travelers find the camel trek to be the perfect way to slow down and transition from the modern world to the timeless desert.

Overnight in Luxury Desert Camp

Your luxury desert camp in Merzouga offers comfort in one of Earth’s most remote settings. Unlike the basic Bedouin tents of generations past, these camps feature spacious tents with real beds, quality linens, private en-suite bathrooms, and stylish Berber decor.

The experience goes far beyond accommodation. As dusk falls, you’ll gather on carpets and cushions to watch the stars emerge. The Sahara’s lack of light pollution creates one of the world’s best stargazing locations—the Milky Way stretches overhead in a brilliant arc, and shooting stars are common.

Dinner is served in a communal tent, featuring traditional dishes like tagine, couscous, and Berber pizza, all prepared fresh by camp cooks. After the meal, your guides and camp staff gather around the fire for traditional Berber music. The rhythmic drumming and melodic singing, passed down through generations of desert nomads, creates a powerful connection to this ancient culture.

Sunrise Over Erg Chebbi

Waking before dawn might seem challenging, but watching sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes is worth every second of lost sleep. As the first light touches the horizon, the dunes begin to reveal their forms—the deep shadows between ridges, the wind-carved patterns on each face, the footprints of desert foxes and beetles that came out during the cool night.

The light changes rapidly. What starts as a subtle grey quickly shifts to pink, then peach, then brilliant orange as the sun finally breaks free of the horizon. The dunes seem to ignite from within, glowing against the still-cool sky. The temperature shift is equally dramatic—within an hour, the cold desert night transforms into pleasant warmth.

This is the moment when photographers rush to capture the perfect shot, couples embrace in the surreal landscape, and even seasoned travelers fall silent at nature’s daily masterpiece. After sunrise, a traditional breakfast at the camp provides the energy you’ll need for the camel ride back to Merzouga and the journey ahead.

Private & Luxury Desert Tour Options

Our private Marrakech to Fes desert tours elevate your Sahara experience with personalized service, flexibility, and premium comfort throughout your journey.

Private 4×4 Vehicles & Expert Guides Travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned 4×4 vehicle with just your group. Your private driver-guide speaks fluent English and has deep knowledge of Morocco’s history, culture, and geography. Unlike group tours that follow rigid schedules, private tours allow you to stop whenever something catches your eye—a scenic viewpoint, a roadside argan oil cooperative, or a particularly photogenic kasbah.

Luxury Desert Camps Our luxury camps take desert camping to new heights. Each tent features proper beds with premium mattresses and linens, private en-suite bathrooms with running water and flush toilets, electricity for charging devices, and traditional Moroccan furnishings. Some camps offer hot showers, something almost unheard of in the desert just a few years ago.

The camps are designed to blend with the environment while providing modern conveniences. Thick carpets cover the sand floors, lanterns provide atmospheric lighting, and the tents are spacious enough to stand and move comfortably. Yet you still fall asleep to the absolute silence of the Sahara and wake to views of endless dunes.

Gourmet Meals & Cultural Experiences Luxury doesn’t mean sacrificing authenticity. Your meals feature the best of Moroccan cuisine prepared by skilled cooks. Breakfast includes fresh bread, local honey, olive oil, jams, and mint tea. Dinners showcase tagines with tender meat and vegetables, couscous loaded with seasonal produce, traditional salads, and fresh fruit for dessert.

Between meals, your guides arrange cultural experiences based on your interests. Visit a nomad family to learn about desert life, stop at a women’s carpet cooperative to see traditional weaving techniques, or take a cooking class to master the art of tagine preparation. These interactions provide genuine insights into Moroccan culture that standard tours simply can’t offer.

Flexible Itineraries Private tours mean complete flexibility. Want to spend extra time exploring Ait Ben Haddou? Prefer to skip a particular stop in favor of more desert time? Interested in photographing the landscape during golden hour? Your guide adjusts the schedule to match your pace and priorities. This flexibility transforms a good trip into a great one, especially for families with children, older travelers, or anyone with specific interests.

Premium Accommodation Along the route, we book you into the finest riads, kasbahs, and boutique hotels. These aren’t generic tourist lodgings but carefully selected properties that offer character, comfort, and excellent service. Many feature rooftop terraces with mountain or valley views, traditional architecture beautifully restored, and staff who treat you like honored guests rather than just another booking.

Practical Information

Duration Options

3-Day Tour: Fast-paced but comprehensive, covering all major highlights. Best for travelers with limited time who want to experience the Sahara.

4-Day Tour: Our most popular option, offering a balanced pace with time to explore each location properly and a full day in the desert.

5-Day Tour: The luxury option with the most relaxed pace, extra exploration time, and the highest level of comfort throughout.

Pick-up and Drop-off Points

All tours begin with pick-up from your accommodation in Marrakech. We collect you directly from your riad, hotel, or apartment at your preferred departure time (usually 7:30-8:00 AM for optimal travel timing).

Tours conclude with drop-off at your accommodation in Fes. If you’re arriving in Fes without accommodation booked, we can recommend excellent options in the medina and help with reservations.

Alternative Arrangements: Need to start from Casablanca airport? Prefer to end in Merzouga and fly back from Errachidia? Want to continue from Fes to Chefchaouen? We can customize pick-up and drop-off points to match your Morocco itinerary.

What’s Included

Transportation: Private 4×4 vehicle or minivan with air conditioning, fuel, and experienced driver-guide for the entire tour.

Accommodation: Hotels, riads, or traditional guesthouses for all nights except the desert night. Luxury desert camp with private tent and en-suite facilities for the Sahara night.

Meals: Breakfasts at all accommodations, dinner at the desert camp. Other meals are at your own expense, giving you flexibility to choose restaurants based on your preferences and budget.

Activities: Camel trek into Erg Chebbi dunes (sunset and sunrise), guided visits to main attractions, stops at viewpoints and photo locations.

Expert Guide: English-speaking driver-guide with deep knowledge of Morocco’s culture, history, and geography.

What’s Not Included

Lunches and Dinners: Except for the desert camp dinner, meals are not included. This allows you to choose from local restaurants that match your taste and budget. Your guide recommends excellent options at each stop.

Entrance Fees: Some sites charge entrance fees (Ait Ben Haddou costs about 10 MAD, some museums in Ouarzazate charge 20-30 MAD). Total entrance fees rarely exceed 100 MAD per person.

Drinks: Bottled water, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages are not included. Your guide stops regularly at shops where you can purchase drinks.

Tips: Gratuities for your driver-guide and camp staff are not included but appreciated if you’re happy with the service.

What to Bring

Clothing: Pack layers, as temperatures vary dramatically. Cool mornings and evenings require a jacket or fleece, while midday can be very warm. Long, loose clothing works best for cultural respect and sun protection. Bring a scarf or shawl for the desert—it protects against sun and blowing sand.

Footwear: Comfortable walking shoes for kasbah and gorge visits. Sandals or shoes you don’t mind getting sandy for the desert. The sand gets hot, so flip-flops aren’t ideal for walking on dunes.

Sun Protection: Sunscreen with high SPF, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat. The Sahara sun is intense even in winter.

Camera & Batteries: The scenery is spectacular throughout this route. Bring extra batteries or a power bank, as charging opportunities may be limited. Your luxury desert camp has electricity, but it’s wise to have backup power.

Small Backpack: For carrying water, snacks, camera, and sun protection during stops and walks.

Cash: Small bills in Moroccan Dirhams for drinks, snacks, souvenirs, and tips. ATMs are available in larger towns but rare in small villages.

Personal Medications: Bring any prescription medications plus basics like pain relievers and motion sickness tablets if you’re sensitive to winding mountain roads.

Best Time to Visit

Spring (March-May): Ideal weather with warm days, cool nights, and wildflowers blooming in valleys. This is peak season with higher prices but excellent conditions.

Fall (September-November): Another perfect window with comfortable temperatures and clear skies. October and November offer beautiful light for photography.

Winter (December-February): Cool to cold, especially at night in the desert (can drop near freezing). Days are pleasant, crowds are minimal, and prices are lower. Perfect if you don’t mind cold nights and want a quieter experience.

Summer (June-August): Very hot, particularly in the desert where midday temperatures exceed 40°C (104°F). Not recommended unless you’re highly heat-tolerant. Some travelers visit in early June or late August when it’s more bearable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour?

The Marrakech to Fes desert tour takes 3, 4, or 5 days depending on which itinerary you choose. The 3-day tour covers approximately 700 kilometers with essential highlights and one night in the Sahara. The 4-day tour follows a similar route but with a more relaxed pace and two nights near the desert. The 5-day tour adds extra time in the Dades Valley and provides the most comprehensive experience with luxury accommodations throughout.

What is the best time to visit the Sahara Desert?

The best time for a Sahara desert tour from Marrakech to Fes is during spring (March-May) or fall (September-November) when temperatures are comfortable—warm days around 25-30°C and cool nights around 10-15°C. Winter (December-February) is also good if you don’t mind cold desert nights, which can drop near freezing. Summer (June-August) is extremely hot with midday temperatures exceeding 40°C, making it challenging for most travelers.