4 Days from Marrakech to Fes via the Sahara Desert
Booking direct with us supports local Agafay families. Read our social mission →
Our 4 days from Marrakech to Fes via Sahara Desert is the one-way run that finishes in Fes instead of turning back. You travel privately with your own driver in an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan, so you decide when to stop for photos or a glass of mint tea. Four days is enough to cross the Atlas, spend a night on the dunes at Merzouga, and end up in the old medina of 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 over the Atlas to Skoura
We collect you after breakfast and climb the Tizi n’Tichka pass across the High Atlas. We stop at Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen kasbah you’ve seen in films, and again at Ouarzazate before reaching the palm groves of Skoura.
Route: Marrakech, High Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Skoura. Night in a Skoura guesthouse.
Day 2: Through the gorges to Merzouga
The morning runs through the Valley of Roses and the Dades, then the Todra gorge, where the walls close in overhead. Late in the day we reach Merzouga, and a camel takes you over the sand to camp for sunset.
Route: Skoura, Valley of Roses, Dades, Todra gorge, Merzouga. Sunset camel ride, night in a desert camp.
Day 3: A day in the Erg Chebbi desert
After sunrise there’s time to see more of the desert: the village of Khamlia and its Gnaoua music, the old caravan town of Rissani, and the fossil workshops around Erfoud. You spend a second night out here, close to the dunes.
Route: Merzouga, Khamlia, Rissani, Erfoud. Night in a desert camp or kasbah near Merzouga.
Day 4: Merzouga to Fes
One last sunrise, then we head north through Erfoud and Midelt and cross the Middle Atlas past Ifrane and its cedar forests. We reach Fes in the evening, where the trip ends and you can settle into the old city.
Route: Merzouga, Erfoud, Midelt, Ifrane, Fes. Drop-off at your Fes accommodation.
Included
- Private 4×4 or minivan with air-conditioning and an experienced driver
- Pick-up at your Marrakech accommodation and drop-off in Fes
- Camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga
- Three nights: Skoura, and two around Merzouga including a desert camp
- Breakfasts, plus dinner at the desert 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; 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.