Morocco Desert Tour from Marrakech to Fes – 5 days

Marrakech to Fes desert tour in Morocco – 5 days:

Book this 5-day desert tour from Marrakesh to Fes. This journey provides a perfect chance to explore the vast Sahara Desert of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga while traversing key highlights of the southern region, from the snow-capped Atlas Mountains to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasbah of Ait Benhdaou, and the expansive Todgha Gorges.

During this trip, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and traditions of southern Morocco, as well as experience the Berber way of life in the oases. Additionally, you’ll enjoy camel rides and a memorable night in the desert, where the enchanting dunes combine with a stunning blanket of countless stars to create a magical atmosphere.

Desert tour from Marrakech to Fes 5 days – highlights:

• Travel through the wonderful landscapes of the Atlas Mountains and the beautiful Berber villages.
• Explore ancient Kasbah – Kasbah Teleout and, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou.
• Taste delicious traditional local food, stay in an authentic guest house and learn about life in the south and in the oases.
• Refresh yourself as you wander the fertile Dades Valley and hike through the massive Todra gorges and into the mountains.
• Experience camel riding at sunset, try sandboarding, dance to nomad music and explore the region of Merzouga.
• Enjoy dinner under a sky full of stars and spend the night in a private tent in a luxury desert camp in the big dunes.

What is included:

• Transport in a private air-conditioned & comfortable van or 4WD vehicle
• Experienced English-speaking nomad driver-guide
• Pick-up from Marrakech and drop-off at your hotel in Fes
• Meals: breakfast & dinner – with vegetarian and vegan options available
• Accommodation in comfortable hotels with air-conditioned rooms with private bathroom
• One night in a luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi under private & comfortable tents equipped with private bathrooms and shower
• A camel ride for about two hours with a guide in Erg Chebbi and free sand-boarding, if desired
• >Berber drumming & music in the desert camp
• Hiking in beautiful scenery and free time to explore the sites of interest
• Tea/ coffee in the desert camp

What is not included:

• Lunches
• Local guides
• Entrance fees
• Tipping

Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech to Fes – itinerary:

1st day: Marrakech – Ouarzazate

Morning departure from your hotel in Marrakesh at 08:30, heading south on your 3-day desert tour to Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga. You travel across the magnificent Atlas Mountains and via impressive landscapes. From these mountains, the views over the valleys and the Berber villages perched on the mountainsides, sometimes barely distinguishable from the mountains themselves, are spectacular.

After crossing the Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2260 m), the highest peak in North Africa, you take a side road to Kasbah Telouet. This Kasbah was the seat of the El Glaoui family, thus sometimes also called the Palace of Glaoui.

From here, you continue to descend the mountains until you finally reach Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, which you will visit after lunch. This is the most famous kasbah in all of Morocco and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kasbah is also renowned for its use as a filming location for many Hollywood blockbusters including “Alexander the Great,” “The Mummy,” “The Jewel of the Nile,” and “Kingdom of Heaven”.

Just outside of Ouarzazate, you stop to visit the Atlas Studios, a movie wonderland known for keeping its sets and reorganising them to offer a wide range of choices to production studios, but also for letting tourists experience the unique thrill of the movie sets.

You arrive in Ouarzazate by the end of the day to spend the night in a beautiful riad.

2nd day: Ouarzazate – Dades Valley

We depart Ouarzazate in the morning and drive to the Dades Valley. The itinerary continues to the oasis of Skoura where you stop to visit the Kasbah Amridhil. Having been beautifully restored, the Kasbah is an excellent example of adobe architecture in the south and one of Morocco’s most iconic living museums.

From here, you travel through the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs and the refreshing Valley of the Roses as far as Kela’a M’gouna. You can visit one of the local co-operatives producing cosmetic articles from the abundant roses of the valley.

The Dades Gorge is breathtaking with its sheer red rocks and lush oasis. You will spend a part of the afternoon strolling along the Boumalne Dades River. This is a fantastic experience for any nature lover!

You stop in the Dades Gorges in a hotel by the end of the day to spend the night.

3rd day: Dades Valley – Merzouga

After breakfast, there is time to walk by the Boumalne Dades Valley to explore the region and learn about the life of the Berber people in the oases. Then, continue to the Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga.

From here, you drive to the Todra Gorges where we go on a short walk along the canyons of about 300m high and have lunch in one of the restaurants overlooking the gorges. After lunch, you continue your 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga to the desert town of Erfoud, which is known for its figs and fossils.

Just before Erfoud, you will notice strange piles of sand following the road. These are the heads of the “khettarat”, the ingenious underground water channel system designed to minimise evaporation of the water in the desert heat. It is fascinating to climb down to wonder at the ancient engineering involved. In Erfoud itself, you can visit a local workshop and discover how fossil-rich rocks are skilfully transformed into practical and decorative artefacts.

In the afternoon, we continue our trip to the rolling dunes of Merzouga for a camel ride in the Sahara. The sunset from the top of Erg Chebbi is sensational and riding on camel back to camp under the big Saharan night sky is a memory you will cherish forever.

Unforgettable singing and dancing of ancient folklore traditions follow a traditional Moroccan dinner. You will be happy but exhausted and will spend the night in a nomad tent at the foot of the dunes.

4th day: Merzouga

After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to explore the Merzouga region. Initially, you will visit the Gnawa people residing in Khamlia, a village known for their expertise in Gnawa music, originally brought to the region through the sub-Saharan slave trade. They will treat you to a captivating performance of this unique musical style.

Your next destination will be the historic town of Rissani. This town holds historical significance as it was the birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, the current ruling royal family of Morocco. Rissani is encircled by several ksars, which are fortified villages adorned with numerous towers.

The town boasts a bustling souk, an open market that is held three times a week. While there, you will have the opportunity to stroll through the souk, where a variety of items such as spices, vegetables, household items, and handmade crafts are sold. Rissani is situated on the former site of Sijilmassa, a crucial meeting point for the salt caravans originating from Timbuktu in Mali.

In the afternoon, you mount a camel, led by an experienced guide, and traverse the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga. This camel ride will last approximately one hour, allowing you to witness the breathtaking sunset over the desert. Dinner will once again be served in the camp, followed by an evening filled with nomadic music and drumming around a cosy campfire.

5th day: Merzouga – Fes

If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise. The return to the hostel for having a shower is on camel back and, after having breakfast, departure for Rissani and Erfoud.

From there the road leads north to Errachidia along the Ziz Valley and Tafilalte Valley, remarkable for the extent of its palm trees and home to hundreds of fortified fortified kasbahs and beautiful Berber villages. Lunch is in Midelt, which is nicknamed “the apple capital”, in the Middle Atlas Mountains and at the foot of the Ayachi Mountain.

In the afternoon, we cross the Tizi-n-Talremt pass, travelling along a beautiful road bordered by green oaks and cedar trees to reach Azrou, where you can see Barbary apes looking out for tidbits. We reach Fes at the end of the afternoon. Your driver will transfer you to your hotel which marks the end of your desert adventure from Marrakech to Fes.

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