Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour

3 Days Private Desert Trip from Marrakech to Fes

OVERVIEW

Delve deep into the Moroccan Sahara desert on this 3-day Marrakech to Fes desert tour. Ride camels in Erg Chebbi dunes, watch a spectacular sunset and spend a night in a luxury Sahara desert camp. This Morocco desert tour from Marrakech to Fez will introduce you to the best Moroccan Sahara desert has to offer : From High Atlas Mountains to desert canyons, oases and sand dunes. Visit adobe Casbahs and Berber nomads on your way from Marrakech to Fes.

Below are the highlights of the most popular Marrakech to Fes desert tour:

Drive past the High Atlas Mountains and Tizi Ntichka pass
Explore the UNESCO world heritage Casbah of Ait Ben Hadou
Drive along the Valley of the roses and the road of 1001 Kasbahs
Walk in Todgha oasis along the stream to the Gorges of Todra
Enjoy a splendid sunset camel ride in Erg Chebbi dunes
Spend the night at Merzouga desert camp with dinner and entertainment
Stop at cedar forests near Ifran to watch Barbary Apes on the way to Fez

This is the itinerary of the 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Fes:

Day 1 :
Marrakech – Atlas Mountains – Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou – Dades Valley

(7 HOURS DRIVE)

Your Marrakech to Fes Morocco Desert Trip will depart from your hotel or riad at 07h30 AM to Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou through Tizi Ntichka pass and the high Atlas Mountains.
Numerous stops will be made along the way. Visit the UNESCO world heritage Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, which was also served as a set for various Hollywood blockbusters.
We continue to Ouarzazate for lunch ( At leisure ).
In the afternoon, we drive to the oasis of Skoura and visit one of the best-preserved Kasbahs in Morocco: Amridil. From here we continue to Kalaa Mgrouna via the Valley of the Roses before we reach our boutique guest house located in Dades Valley.
Dinner and overnight.

Accomodation details:

Day 2 :
Dades Valley – Tinghir – Merzouga – Sahara Desert

(4 HOURS DRIVE)

After breakfast, today’s journey will start by driving along the road of 1001 Kasbahs to Tinghir oasis.
You will be enjoying the amazing scenery along the way of the remaining of fortified villages that were hosting the caravan roads until early 2Oth century.
Upon arrival at Tinghir, which was a military post during the French occupation, we will deviate into a secondary road to the oasis. Feel free to walk next to the stream and watch the locals farming and herding their cattle. Your walk will end at one of the magnificent scenes of your tour: Todgha Gorges.
After lunch at leisure at one of the local cafés, we continue to Rissani, which is one of the holiest towns in Morocco as the actual dynasty ruling Morocco ‘’ The Alaouites ‘’ is originated here, and its founder is buried locally. Rissani is also famous as a starting point of the ancient caravan roads crossing the Sahara desert all the way to Tomboctou.
Mid afternoon, we will cross some rocky terrain all the way to Merzouga, where our camel caravan will be waiting for you. Enjoy a camel ride over Erg Chebbi dunes to watch an amazing sunset, before we return to our Sahara desert camp.
Enjoy dinner under the stars while entertained by our local nomads hosts playing their drums all night.
Overnight at your Sahara desert camp.

Accomodation details:

Day 3 :
Merzouga – Midelt – Ifran – Fes

(8 HOURS DRIVE)

After an early wake up to enjoy an amazing sunrise camel trek over the dunes of Erg Chebbi, we will reach the camp operator's lodge in Merzouga for breakfast and shower ( If you choose to upgrade to the luxury camp, breakfast will be served at the camp, and showers are available at your tent)
Meet your driver / guide and depart on a scenic drive to Fes crossing the Ziz Vlley through Errachidia which is the capital of Tafilalt region.
We carry on our journey to Midelt where we will have lunch at leisure before we keep driving across the Middle Atlas Mountians with its Cedar Forests and Berber towns of Imouzzar and Ifran, which are both famous as winter ski resorts for Moroccans.
Your driver might spot some Barbary apes on the way and seize the opportunity to take some pictures.
We arrive at Fes late in the afternoon. Your Morocco desert tour from Marrakech to Fes will end with a drop off at your Fez hotel or riad.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

- This tour can be tailored to a 4 days Marrakech to Fes desert tour if you wish
- Driving times above do not include stops for sightseeing, photos, lunch and cafe
- Tour price is per person and it depends on how many passengers in your party
- Pick up from Res can be flexible during spring and summer
- Local guides and entrance fees ( if any ) are not included. You pay for those directly to the suppliers.
- Hat, sunglasses, good walking shoes and wet napping are of good use during this tour

Included

A/C modern 4×4 or van driven by an English speaking river /guide
Pick up from your Marrakaech hotel / Riad
First night at Hotel Panorama or Hotel Babylon (Private A/C ensuite room) with dinner & breakfast
Sunset camel ride in Erg Chebbi
Overnight at a Saharara desert camp in Erg Chebbi ( Private tent ) with shared bathrooms – Showers available in the morning at the camp operator’s lodge – Dinner and breakfast are included.
Upgrade to a deluxe camp with an ensuite tent available upon booking your Marrakech to Fes desert tour ( €70 per person )
Drop off at your Fes hotel or the closest accessible location to your Fes riad if not car accessible.

Not Included

Beverage
Entrance fees if any
local guides if any
lunches on the way

Price per person

Number of Participants	2	3	4	5	6	7	8-10	11-13	14-17
Price per person	365€	285€	235€	195€	185€	175€	165€	155€	145€

	2	3	4	5
	365€	285€	235€	195€

	6	7	8-10	11-13	14-17
	185€	175€	165€	155€	145€

Frequently Asked Questions

The distance between Marrakech and Merzouga / Erg Chebbi is 560 Km

In the comfortable desert camp ( already included in the tour price ), bathrooms are shared. Luxury camp bathrooms are private inside your tent.

Roughly one hour sunset camel ride. and an other hour for sunrise camel trek

If you choose not to upgrade to the luxury desert camp, yes please. Towels and shower condiments in the luxury camp are available in your tent.

Yes you can. A separate 4x4 can take you to the desert camp if you choose to skip the camel ride ( An extra fee of 30 Euros / return transfer will apply ). If you choose to upgrade to the luxury desert camp, not extra fees will apply for a 4x4 return transfer.

Yes you can. Your guide will assist you with that, and you directly pay the supplier in Merzouga. They cost 50 Euros per quad per hour

Yes, in public areas ( Restaurant )

Not in the comfortable desert camp. Showers will be available at the camp operator's lodge in Merzouga the following day before departure to Fes. Only share toilets are available at the comfortable camp. If you choose to upgrade to a luxury desert camp, you will have private shower and toilet inside your deluxe tent.

At the camp operator's lodge in Merzouga, there will be a few sandbars available at leisure to take with you to the camp on your camel back

The distance between Marrakech and Fes is 520 Km via the motorway through Casablanca and Rabat. If you choose to drive via the Middle Atlas Mountains and Beni Mellal , the distance is 570 Km. The drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains is more scenic, but you need to spare a full day to enjoy the itinerary. There is an even longer and more popular way to get to Fes from Marrakech: Through Merzouga and the Moroccan Sahara desert. It is 1030 Km, and it requires a minimum of 3 days.

You mainly need 2 days in Fes Morocco in order to fully explore it. A full day guided tour of the Medina of Fes will introduce you to discover the hidden gems of the ancient Medina, and an extra day to explore the Souks on your own. Now, with the nearby blue city of Chefchaouen becoming more and more popular, you could add an extra day to do a full day trip of Chefchaouen from Fes ( 200 Km each way )

Fes is considered the Athens of Morocco: It is the oldest Medina in Morocco. It is also the intellectual, cultural, craftsmanship and culinary capital of Morocco. Its narrow streets and centuries old Medina is amazing. Fes is a heaven for historians, archaeologists and intellectuals from all over the world. The oldest university in the world ( Al Quaraouiyine) is located in the center of the Medina. Fes used to be the capital of various Moroccan dynasties who ruled North Africa, actual Spain and sub-Saharan Africa all the way to Niger River and Sudan for centuries.

Fes is as safe as any other city in Morocco. It is even safer than most touristy cities in Europe. Police are now patrolling the Medina and they are visible everywhere. You just need to to take the common. precautions like anywhere else in the world: - Avoid empty Medina streets, especially unlit narrow alleyways of Fes at night - Women traveling alone need to dress moderately. The more less attractive you dress, the less attention you get. - Do not carry a lot of cash on you. - Be prepared to be annoyed by touts and fake guides every now and then. Just ignore them, and a firm ''NO'' would keep them away. - A local licensed guide hired by your riad or tour company would be of great efficiency in the Medina of Fes. Not only by explaining a big deal of history, architecture, religion, etc, but also by keeping you safe all the time. - very rare pickpocketing cases were registered recently in Fes. Keep your valuables, passports, and jewelry at your hotel safe. Physical aggression is very rare.

Maria P

AMAZING experience with lots of views Sep 2020

We traveled a few years ago to Morocco and did the Marrakech desert tour from Marrakech to Fez in September 2018. It was incredible. We had a fabulous driver Mohammed for the four of us (2 couples). He war really professional. It was a lot of driving but it was spectacular. Saw a lot of different views and stayed in the luxury tent in the camp in the Sahara. Would love to go back again. Incredible experience

jmaltz

Great way to see the country Feb 2020

My husband and I took the Marrakech to Fez three-day private trip, and we felt it was the perfect amount of time. Our guide Reda was friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating, and we felt very safe with him. In the three days, you get to see and experience quite a bit. The drives are long, but there are also numerous stops so that you can stretch your legs and get close up views of your surroundings. A piece of advice for future travelers: If you tend to be more of the adventurous type, skip the recommended lunch places, which tend to offer pretty bland food. Instead, ask your driver to take you to a place where he would eat and treat him to lunch (it will still be much cheaper than lunch for two at the tourist traps). Our one major disappointment was the luxury camp in the Sahara. We upgraded to the luxury option, which cost an extra 140 euros for the two of us for one night. The one major difference from the standard optionis that the luxury option offers a shower and bathroom inside the tent. Alas, there was only a trickle of water in our "luxury" shower, which made it impossible to shower. Trust us that after an hour-and-a-half ride on a camel in the sand, you will want a good shower. We had asked if we could change our room but only received a positive response (after we had emailed the manager of this company) near 11 at night, when we were already way too tired to move. 140 euros can buy you a lot in Morroco. We felt this was a waste of good money.

mazulo

Marrakech to Fes w/ Sahara Camping Jan 2020

We took the 3-day Marrakech to Fes desert tour. This, of course, stops in the Sahara Desert (Erg Chebbi) for camping on the way to Fes from Marrakech. Yes, it is a lot of driving. But, if you're like me and have the Sahara Desert on your bucket list, the driving isn't really a problem. The scenery changes so drastically along the way that the drive in and of itself is amazing. We stopped at a number of sites along the way, including Ait-Ben-Haddou, Toudgha Gorge, Monkey Fingers and, of course, the Sahara Desert. Things to Know: - Bring your own snacks. There are some very accessible grocery stores in Marrakech that you can visit before you leave. This will save you a lot of money. - Book the luxury camp. Yes, 70 Euros per person is a lot, but the experience is drastically different. We were traveling with family members who opted to stay at the cheaper camp. Let's just say their evening wasn't quite as pleasant. - If you go between November and February, it is COLD. I don't get cold easily, but had trouble staying warm at night, especially at the camp in the Sahara. There are plenty of warm blankets at the camps, but there are no heaters. Plan accordingly. Even bring a knit cap to sleep in. - Don't take the camel ride on the way back from camp in the morning. Take the "vehicle" option. This is essentially a 4x4 excursion through the Sahara dunes on the way back. - Enjoy! This is a rare opportunity!

Brendan Baker

Marrakesh to Fes 4 day tour Sep 2019

We had a pretty incredible tour with our driver Jamal. We were picked up from our riad right on time and took off on an incredible journey through Morocco. The first night staying in a very nice hotel with a beautiful view over Dades valley, the second night we stayed in a hotel right on the Sahara and the final night we took a camal tour to a very cool camp ground in the Sahara desert, taking a sunrise camal tour back the next morning. It’s a long journey but never felt like too much driving (never more than 2 hours straight). The car was very comfortable, Jamal was a very good driver and great companion for the trip. He went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable, stopping whenever we needed and making sure we understood everything as neither of us had been to Morocco before. Couldn’t have asked for a more comfortable and welcoming experience for our first time to Morocco. The company was very responsive in organizing and accommodating to the trip we wanted to take (only offered 3 day tour on the site but had no problem adding things to the tour and making it 4 days as we wanted less driving and more time doing things every day). Highly recommend using them if you are looking to do this type of tour. Overall: Highly recommend Jamal and this tour company.

MOH

3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Fes (food and accommodation review) Apr 2019

Wonderful experience! 4 of us booked a private tour. We got picked up and dropped off at the door of the Riads we lived. I was extremely happy with our living places (probably because my expectation was fairly low according to the information I read online). First night we lived in a recently built hotel called Ksar Sultan Dades. My room has a very comfortable super king size bed and powerful shower. The only downside was that the bathroom was “flooded” after the shower (it was a walk-in shower with no door or anything that could stop the water flowing out), however not every room had this issue. Second night we lived in a luxury tent with a bathroom (2 persons per tent). The room was very spacious (see picture) and again nice shower and comfy bed. I had a shower at midnight and the water was still very hot (little warm in the morning at 7ish due to high demand I guess). Food wise, breakfast and dinner were included in the trip. We just need to pay the lunch. All restaurants/cafe our guide took us to were decent with reasonable price (120 MAD per person in average - 2 courses with drink, sometimes 3 courses with drink). Our guide Abderrahim was a very professional and trustworthy guy. He was local and knew the area very well which certainly helped our journey to go smoothly. I would strongly recommend him.

Rohan J

Fantastic Service with Exceptional People Feb 2019

Truly thankful for such a wonderful trip, organised by this company. The company went above and beyond to accommodate us including pick up from original location in marrakech and drop off at hotel in Fez They also allowed for an additional day in advance, with our guide Momo finding fantastic ways to put even more into the trip. The locations for sightseeing and accomodation (includig tea and meals in particular) were exceptional and made the trip amazing. Our guide was Momo, who cannot be commended enough. He provided a truly memorable trip, with fantastic experiences. His service was utmost professional, and gave a unique insight into the many areas of this country. Most importantly he provided such a service with care and friendliness that made the trip that much more memorable. We are thankful to company and especially Momo for making our holiday amazing. We highly recommend this group to anyone looking to experience the wonders this country has to offer.

Michael Z

Magical Experience In Morocco May 2019

My group of friends did a customized trip from Marrakesh to Fez desert tour and our experience has been nothing short of magical. From the drive through the different cities and our night in the desert, we are enchanted by the beautiful scenery that was before us. This could have only been made possible by our amazing driver Brahim. He treated our group like as if we were his family and his love for the beauty of Morocco is evident from his voice. He brought us to some of the most amazing local food spots (really mindblowning good) and taught us so much about Moroccan culture. On behalf of the group, we really thank you Brahim for such a magical time that you have given to us and any tour group would be blessed to have you as their guide. We will definitely be back again to experience the other wonders that Morocco has to offer, see you soon again brother

Johanna Q

Best desert trip!! Apr 2018

My friend and I did the 3 day two night Marrakech to Fez desert tour with Muhammad. You must request him for your trip! He was the best tour guide and driver, he was patient, kind and made us feel very comfortable! Flexible with the stops, he is super helpful and will protect you from pushy salesman and helps you get the best deals. We stayed at Ksar Sultan Dades which is the cutest boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace and plunge pool overlooking the city. The staff was very attentive. The stops were touristy at times but still nice. For the camel trek and desert camping, we stayed with Sahara Gardens camp which is absolutely perfect and sooo beautiful. The staff was amazing and they had live music it was the best trip we could’ve asked for, I will be back with them 100%!!! They are safe, with reliable cars and drivers!

Alicia y

Highly recommended! Jan 2018

Marrakech Desert Trip was definitely one of the best highlights of our 10 day trip in Morocco. We did the 3 day Marrakech - Fes tour with them and was extremely pleased with our overall trip. The excursions were free & easy, our guide was super chilled, we also managed to cover a lot of places within 3 days. We got the private car which fits max 6pax so you'll be sharing with others. But the car is comfortable and spacious. The accommodation provided in Dades was excellent. Dinner at the hotel was also lovely, with locals performing at the end of the night. I would recommend that you top up and get a private tent in the Sahara Desert, Merzouga. It's probably worth having that privacy. The camel ride is about 1.5 hours, you will arrive in the middle of the desert to watch the sunset and also sunrise. Bring gloves if it's winter because it is cold AF during winter, and wet wipes too. All in all, it was very well organised, good communication and an enjoyable experience. Thank you for making our trips memorable!!

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