3 Days from Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga Desert

We pick you up in Marrakech and drive one way across the country, so you finish in Fes instead of doubling back. This Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga tour is private, with your own driver and an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan. Three days is enough to cross the High Atlas, sleep out at the Erg Chebbi dunes, ride a camel at sunset and again at sunrise, then climb north through the cedar forests into Fes.

Trip highlights

• Private trip with your own driver and an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan
• Explore the UNESCO kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, the mud-brick ksar from the films
• Walk into the Todra gorge, where the cliffs rise close to 300 metres
• Drive the twisting Dades valley past its old kasbahs
• Ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset and sleep in a desert camp
• Sunrise over the big dunes at Merzouga

Day 1: Marrakech to the Dades valley

Up and over the Tizi n’Tichka, with a stop at Ait Ben Haddou to walk through the old kasbah above the river. Ouarzazate, the road of a thousand kasbahs past Skoura, and a first night in the Dades valley under the cliffs.

Route: Marrakech, Tizi n’Tichka pass, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Skoura, Dades. Night in a Dades kasbah hotel.

Day 2: Dades to Merzouga

Morning in the Dades gorge, then the Todra gorge with its high, narrow walls. Through Tinghir and Erfoud, reaching Merzouga in the afternoon. A camel takes you over the dunes to camp for sunset and dinner, and it’s worth walking up a ridge for the last light.

Route: Dades, Todra gorge, Tinghir, Erfoud, Merzouga. Camel ride, night in a desert camp.

Day 3: Merzouga to Fes

Sunrise, then a camel back to the car and the long haul north. We follow the Ziz valley and its palms up through Errachidia and Midelt, cross the Middle Atlas to the cedar forest at Azrou, where Barbary macaques hang around the road, and drop through Ifrane into Fes in the evening. We leave you at your riad.

Route: Merzouga, Erfoud, Ziz valley, Errachidia, Midelt, Azrou, Ifrane, Fes.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan with an experienced driver
• Pick-up in Marrakech and drop-off in Fes
• Camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, evening and morning
• One night in Dades and one night in a desert camp
• Breakfasts and dinners as per the itinerary

The hotels, the standing and the route are the same ones we run on our operated tour. We’ll confirm the exact places and the full list of what’s included 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.