Fes to Marrakech Across the Sahara: 3-Day One-Way Desert Tour

About the Fes to Marrakech desert crossing

The most efficient way to travel between Fes and Marrakech is not the motorway: it is three days across the Middle Atlas, the Sahara and the High Atlas. This one-way private desert tour picks you up at your riad in Fes and drops you at your hotel in Marrakech, with a camel trek and a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes in the middle.

On the way you see a Morocco most visitors miss: the alpine town of Ifrane, Barbary macaques in the cedar forest of Azrou, the apple orchards of Midelt and the spectacular palm-filled canyon of the Ziz Valley. Then come the dunes, the Todra and Dades gorges and the kasbah of Aït Benhaddou.

It works perfectly for a classic Morocco itinerary: fly into Fes, explore the medina, take this tour and continue your holiday in Marrakech without backtracking.

Highlights

• One-way, from Fes to Marrakech without backtracking
• Cedar forest of Azrou with Barbary macaques
• Ziz Valley gorges and palm groves
• Sunset camel trek and night in the Erg Chebbi dunes
• Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
• Aït Benhaddou on the last day

Route map of the Fes to Marrakech desert crossing

The golden dunes of Erg Chebbi: camel treks at sunset, nights under the stars and Berber music by the fire. All tours in Merzouga

Day-by-day itinerary: 3 days

1. Day 1 Fes – Ifrane – Midelt – Ziz Valley – Merzouga

   ≈ 470 km · 8 h with stops Desert camp in Erg Chebbi

   Pick-up in Fes at 08:00. Coffee in Ifrane, a mountain town with sloping roofs nicknamed “the Switzerland of Morocco”, then a stop in the cedar forest near Azrou to see Barbary macaques. Lunch in Midelt below the Jbel Ayachi, then the Ziz gorges and the immense palm grove of the Tafilalet. In Merzouga a camel takes you into the dunes for sunset and the night at camp.

2. Day 2 Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley

   ≈ 270 km · 6 h with stops Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley

   Sunrise on the dunes and breakfast. Drive through Rissani with its traditional market, then west along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Tinghir. Walk with your guide in the narrow Todra Gorge and through the oasis gardens. Afternoon arrival in the Dades Valley, with time for a short hike among the red rock formations before dinner.

3. Day 3 Dades – Skoura – Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou – Marrakech

   ≈ 320 km · 7 h with stops End of the tour

   Drive through the Valley of Roses and the palm grove of Skoura to Ouarzazate. Visit the ksar of Aït Benhaddou late in the morning, then climb the Tizi n’Tichka pass and descend into Marrakech for drop-off at your riad or hotel around 18:30.

Times and driving durations are approximate and can be adapted. It is a private tour, so you can change stops with your driver-guide.

Prices for the Fes to Marrakech desert crossing

Your private tour, with prices per group size. All prices are in euros and include everything listed under “What’s included”.

The more you are, the less you pay per person. Children count as travellers when they need a bed.

Where you sleep

• Night 1Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
• Night 2Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley

What's included