2-Day Fez to Merzouga Desert Tour: Camel Trek & Sahara Camp

Wake before sunrise in the dunes, then ride camels across Erg Chebbi like a nomad.

A 2-day tour from Fez to Merzouga in the Sahara, with hotel pickup and return, passing through Azrou and the Ziz Valley. Day one covers the mountain drive and a camel trek to the dunes at sunset. You sleep in a traditional nomad tent. Day two starts with sunrise over the sand, followed by more camel riding before the drive back to Fez by afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Merzouga and desert night

• Pick up from hotel in Fes
• Drive through Azrou and cedar forests
• Stop for lunch in Midelt
• Drive to Erfoud and desert
• Camel trek into Erg Chebbi dunes
• Dinner and overnight in desert camp

Day 2: Sunrise and return to Fes

• Wake up early for sunrise
• Breakfast at camp
• Camel ride in desert
• Shower at camp
• Drive back to Fes via Erfoud and Errisani
• Drop off at hotel in Fes

The experience

You're picked up from your Fez hotel or riad around 8 a.m. and driven south through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, stopping in Azrou (a handicraft center known for cedar wood carving) before reaching Midelt for lunch. The afternoon push takes you into the desert proper: through Erfoud and into the Ziz Valley, where the landscape flattens and the dunes begin. By late afternoon you're at Merzouga, where you mount a camel for the trek across Erg Chebbi's golden slopes. You reach the bivouac as the sun sets, change into a turban for the evening, and eat a Berber dinner under the open sky before sleeping in a traditional camel-hair tent.

Day two starts early so you catch the sunrise between the dunes: the sun rises like a fireball over the sand. After breakfast you're back on a camel, riding deeper into the dunes and feeling what travel was before modern transport. You return to camp for a quick shower, then the drive back begins: through Errisani and Erfoud, retracing the mountain route through the cedar forests. You're back in Fez by afternoon, dropped at the same hotel or riad where you started. The tour includes a 4×4 vehicle with air conditioning, a driver-guide, all fuel, breakfast and dinner both days, camel trekking, a turban for the desert, and sand boarding in the dunes if you want it.

Two options are available at checkout: a private tour for your group, or a group departure that mixes travelers. Both follow the same route and itinerary. The difference is who you travel with and the vehicle size. Lunch is not included either day, so you'll buy it along the route: Midelt has restaurants, and the return journey passes through towns where you can stop. Bring water and sun protection. The desert sun is intense even in winter.

What’s included

• Hotel or riad pickup and return drop-off in Fez.
• 4×4 vehicle with air conditioning and a driver-guide.
• breakfast and dinner both days.
• camel trekking across Erg Chebbi dunes.
• overnight accommodation in a traditional nomad tent.
• turban for the desert trek.
• sand boarding in the dunes.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group tour lasting 2 days from FesGuide in 4 languages · 08:00Camel Trips luxury camp: one night in a private deluxe tent with bathroom and toilet. Guide speaking English or French. Duration: 2 days, with 1 breakfast and 1 dinner. Shared minibus, van or 4x4. Pickup is included.

Private two-day Fes desert tourGuide in 4 languages · 08:00Two-day Camel Trips luxury camp or similar, with luxury service. Duration: 2 days. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to10h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Marrakech Camel Trips - Day Trips

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you're traveling as a family or group and want the vehicle and guide to yourself. Choose the group departure if you're solo or a pair and want to share costs and meet other travelers. Both follow the same route and sleep in the same camps. The difference is the company and the vehicle size.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

What is Erg Chebbi and why does the camel trek go there?

Erg Chebbi is the major sand dune field near Merzouga, a sea of golden dunes that rises and falls across the desert floor. The trek takes you across these dunes at sunset and again at sunrise, which is when the light and the scale of the landscape are most striking. It's the reason Merzouga is the destination: the dunes are what make the overnight camp worthwhile.

Do I need experience riding camels?

No. The camel trekking is designed for first-timers. You're given a turban and treated as a nomad for the evening and morning, but the pace is slow and the camels are accustomed to tourists. The ride is part of the experience, not a test of skill.

What is the bivouac like, and will I be comfortable sleeping there?

The bivouac is a traditional nomad camp with a camel-hair tent where you sleep on the ground. It's basic but intentional. The point is to spend a night in the desert as travelers have for centuries. You get a Berber dinner and can listen to Tuareg music in the evening. It's not a hotel, but it's the heart of the tour.

How much driving is there, and what are the main stops?

The first day is roughly six to seven hours of driving, with stops in Azrou (cedar forest and handicraft shops) and Midelt (lunch). The second day is the return journey, also six to seven hours, passing through Errisani and Erfoud before the climb back through the mountains to Fez. The driving is the frame. The camel trekking and the overnight are the core.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

Included are the 4×4 transport, driver-guide, all fuel, hotel pickup and drop-off, breakfast and dinner both days, camel trekking, the turban, and sand boarding. Lunch both days is not included, so you'll buy it in towns along the route. Drinks are also separate. Flights to Fez are not included.