3-day desert tour from Fez to Marrakech: Erg Chebbi camel ride

A night under the stars in a Sahara desert camp, not a hotel.

A 3-day guided tour from Fez to Marrakech crossing the Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert, with a night in a traditional Berber tent at Erg Chebbi and a second night in Ouarzazate. The itinerary includes camel rides over the dunes, visits to Todra Gorge and the UNESCO site Ait Ben Haddou, hotel pickup from Fez, meals, park entry, and an English-speaking driver. Groups stay under 15 travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Fes to Merzouga Desert Experience

• Depart from Fes at 8:00
• Visit Ifrane, Morocco’s Little Switzerland
• Stop at Azrou cedar forests
• Lunch in Midelt, the Apple Capital
• Travel to Merzouga Erg Chebbi dunes
• Relax at traditional Kasbah with mint tea
• Camel ride over Erg Chebbi dunes
• Enjoy Sahara sunset
• Overnight in desert camp under stars

Day 2: Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge

• Sunrise and shower in Merzouga
• Depart Merzouga through Middle Atlas Mountains
• Visit Todra Gorge canyon
• Stop at El Kelaa M'gouna Valley of Roses
• Arrive in Ouarzazate

Day 3: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Atlas Mountains

• Explore Ouarzazate kasbahs and film studios
• Visit Ait Ben Haddou UNESCO site
• Drive through Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
• Arrive in Marrakech

The experience

The tour departs Fez at 8 a.m. and heads south through Ifrane, known for its alpine-style architecture in the Middle Atlas, and Azrou's cedar forests where Barbary Apes live among the trees. After lunch in Midelt, the landscape opens into the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga, where you ride a camel at sunset across the golden sand and sleep in a private tent at a traditional desert camp. The next morning you shower at the kasbah, then travel toward Ouarzazate through Todra Gorge, a canyon with 300-meter cliffs, and the rose fields of El Kelaa M'gouna, spending your second night in a private room in Ouarzazate. On day three, the route climbs through the Tizi n'Tichka Pass in the High Atlas, stops at Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen fortified village that has stood as a film backdrop for decades, and arrives in Marrakech by afternoon.

The vehicle is air-conditioned and the driver speaks English. Your group will not exceed 15 people. Entry to Azrou Cedar Forest, Merzouga Desert, Todra Gorge, Dades Gorges and Tizi n'Tichka Pass is included, as are two dinners and two breakfasts. A baby crib is available on request. The tour depends on good weather. If conditions turn bad, you can reschedule or receive a full refund.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Fez.
• air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver.
• entry to Azrou Cedar Forest, Merzouga Desert, Todra Gorge, Dades Gorges and Tizi n'Tichka Pass.
• one night in a private tent at a desert camp in Merzouga with a camel ride and sunset over the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• one night in a private room in Ouarzazate.
• two dinners and two breakfasts.
• a baby crib on request.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 17

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Morocco Explorer Travel

Is this one for you?Three days is short enough to fit a tight holiday but long enough to reach the Sahara and back: the route trades a rushed pace for the desert camp night and the mountain pass, so you see both the dunes and the high peaks without an overnight drive.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Erg Chebbi and what do you do there?

Erg Chebbi is a vast expanse of golden sand dunes near Merzouga in the Sahara. You ride a camel across the dunes at sunset, then spend the night in a private tent at a traditional Berber camp in the desert.

How many nights do you sleep in the desert versus in a town?

You spend one night in a private tent at the desert camp in Merzouga and one night in a private room in Ouarzazate, a town at the edge of the Sahara. The tour ends in Marrakech on the afternoon of day three.

What is Ait Ben Haddou and why is it on this route?

Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site: a fortified village built of earthen clay that showcases traditional Moroccan architecture. It sits on the route between Ouarzazate and Marrakech and has served as the backdrop for many famous films.

What meals are included in the 3 days?

Two dinners and two breakfasts are included. Lunch is not covered, so you'll eat at stops along the way or in towns where the group pauses.

What happens if the weather is bad during the tour?

The tour depends on good weather conditions. If weather forces a cancellation, you can reschedule for a different date or receive a full refund.