Marrakech to fes desert tour

3 Days Private Desert trip From Marrakech to Fes

OVERVIEW

Take the best 3-day Marrakech to Fes desert tour through Morocco Sahara desert. This tour will introduce you to the best Morocco has to offer for its visitors combining the two imperial cities of Marrakech and Fez. On your way from Marrakech to Fes, visit the famous Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou and Dades Valley. Ride a camel on Erg Chebbi sand dunes while admiring a legendary sunset. Spend a spectacular night at your Merzouga desert camp with Bedouin nomads.
From Merzouga to Fes, stop for a quick watch of the Barbary Apes in the Middle Atlas Mountains.

Here are the highlights of 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 in 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:
- Hotel Panorama
- Hotel Babylon
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:
- Comfortable camp
- Luxury camp
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€

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.

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