4 Days Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour
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This is the classic one-way crossing: a Fes to Marrakech desert tour over 4 days, private, with your own driver and an air-conditioned vehicle. You start in the north, cross the Middle Atlas cedar country, sleep by the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, and finish over the High Atlas into Marrakech. It saves you doubling back and packs the best of the south into four days.
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: Fes to Midelt
We pick you up in Fes and climb into the Middle Atlas, stopping at Ifrane with its alpine look and Azrou, where Barbary macaques live in the cedar forest. The road runs on through high pastures to Midelt, a quiet town between the Middle and High Atlas known for its apples and its old mines.
Route: Fes, Ifrane, Azrou cedar forest, Midelt. Night in a Midelt hotel.
Day 2: Ziz Valley to Merzouga
The drive south follows the Ziz gorges and the long palm oasis of the Ziz valley, with a viewpoint or two over the river. Past Erfoud and Rissani the land flattens and the first dunes appear at Merzouga. A camel takes you into Erg Chebbi for the sunset and dinner is at the camp.
Route: Midelt, Ziz valley, Erfoud, Rissani, Merzouga. Sunset camel ride, night in a desert camp.
Day 3: Merzouga to the Dades Valley
After sunrise and breakfast a camel brings you back to the vehicle. We head west along the road of a thousand kasbahs, stopping at the Todra gorge where climbers work the tall walls, then follow the valley to the Dades and its twisting switchbacks.
Route: Merzouga, Todra gorge, Tinghir, Dades Valley. Night in a Dades guesthouse.
Day 4: Dades to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou
The last day runs through the Valley of Roses and the Skoura palm groves to Ouarzazate, then out to Ait Ben Haddou for a walk up through the old kasbah. From there it’s the Tizi n’Tichka pass over the Atlas and down into Marrakech, where we drop you at your accommodation.
Route: Dades, Valley of Roses, Skoura, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, Tizi n’Tichka, Marrakech.
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver
- Pick-up in Fes and drop-off at your Marrakech accommodation
- Camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
- Three nights: Midelt, desert camp and Dades
- Breakfasts and dinners along the way
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; 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.