2 Days Fes to Merzouga Desert Tour
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Our 2 days Fes to Merzouga desert tour is a private run down to the big dunes of the Sahara, done with your own driver and an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan. Two days is the shortest sensible way to get from Fes to the sand, ride a camel out to camp for the sunset, and be up on the dunes again for the sunrise before we drive you back. You decide when to stop along the way, for photos, lunch or a look at the Barbary macaques in the cedars. It’s a long day of driving each way, but the road itself is part of the trip, and the change from cedar forest to bare desert happens in a single afternoon.
Trip highlights
- Private trip with your own driver and an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan
- Ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset and sleep in a desert camp
- Sunrise over the big dunes at Merzouga
- Get lost in the old medina of Fes
- Taste dates and browse the souk at Rissani
Day 1: Fes to the Erg Chebbi dunes
We collect you from your riad or hotel after breakfast and head south into the Middle Atlas, past the alpine-looking town of Ifrane and the cedar forest near Azrou, where you often see the Barbary macaques by the road. The route climbs over the passes, drops down through Midelt at the foot of the High Atlas, and follows the Ziz valley, a long green line of palms between bare hills, down to Erfoud and Rissani. By late afternoon you reach Merzouga and the edge of Erg Chebbi, and a camel carries you over the first dunes to camp. Climb a little higher on foot for the sunset before dinner.
Route: Fes, Ifrane, Azrou cedar forest, Midelt, Ziz valley, Erfoud, Rissani, Merzouga. Sunset camel ride, night in a desert camp.
Day 2: Sunrise, then back to Fes
Wake early for the sunrise over Erg Chebbi; the sand turns orange as the sun comes up, and it’s the part everyone remembers. A camel brings you back to the vehicle after breakfast, and we retrace the road north through Rissani and the Ziz valley up to Midelt. From there we cross the passes of the Middle Atlas again, past the cedars at Azrou and the town of Ifrane, with time for lunch and a few photos, and reach Fes in the evening. We drop you back at your accommodation.
Route: Merzouga, Rissani, Ziz valley, Midelt, Azrou, Ifrane, Fes.
Included
- Private 4×4 or minivan with air-conditioning and an experienced driver
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Fes accommodation
- Camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes, evening and morning
- One night in a desert camp at Merzouga
- Breakfast and dinner at the camp
Not included
- International flights and airport taxes
- Lunches and drinks
- Monument and site entrance fees
- Tips for the driver and guides
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
- Anything not listed under “Included”
Hotels, standing and route match our operated tour; the exact accommodation and the full list of what’s included are confirmed when you book.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a private tour?
Yes. You travel with just your own group, your own driver and vehicle. Nobody else joins, so the stops and the pace are yours to set.
Where do we sleep along the way?
You spend a night in a desert camp in the dunes, reached by camel, plus nights in kasbah hotels or guesthouses on the road. The standing is the same as our operated tour, and we confirm the exact places when you book.
When is the best time to go?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable. Summer days get very hot and winter nights in the desert are cold, so bring layers whatever the season.
Can we change the itinerary or the pick-up point?
Yes. Because it is private, we can add nights, swap stops, or start from a different city or airport. Tell us what you have in mind and we will adjust the plan.
Book the trip
Price on request. Send us a message on WhatsApp for dates and a quote, or hold your spot online with a deposit.