3-Day Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech: Camel Trek & Sahara Camp

Ride a camel into Erg Chebbi at sunset, then sleep under stars in a desert camp.

A 3-day guided tour from Fez to Marrakech crosses Morocco's varied terrain (cedar forests, river gorges, mud-brick kasbahs and sand dunes) with a camel trek through Erg Chebbi and an overnight stay in a Berber tent at a luxury desert camp. The tour includes all transport, two nights' accommodation (one in the desert, one in a hotel), a guide in your language, and pickup from Fez. Groups stay under ten travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Fès to Merzouga Desert Camp

• Cross Ifrane ski resort
• Pass cedar forest and see monkeys
• Arrive at Merzouga kasbah
• Enjoy mint tea
• Camel ride through Erg Chebbi dunes
• Watch sunset on camel back
• Reach desert camp and settle in tent
• Dinner and stargazing in Berber tent

Day 2: Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorges

• Travel route of thousand kasbahs
• Quick visit to Rissani
• Stop for lunch
• Walk in Todra Gorges
• Continue to Ouarzazate

Day 3: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

• Visit Ouarzazate city and Kasbah of Taourirt
• Tour Atlas Studio
• Visit UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive through High Atlas and Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Pass small villages en route to Marrakech

The experience

You leave Fez heading southeast through the Middle Atlas, crossing Ifrane (a French-built ski resort from the 1930s that looks transplanted from the Alps) and cedar forests where monkeys live in the high canopy. By afternoon you reach Merzouga at the foot of Erg Chebbi, the massive sand dunes that define the Sahara's edge. After mint tea at a traditional kasbah, your guide and camels are waiting. You ride for an hour across the dunes, watching the light turn gold and then red as the sun drops toward the horizon, and arrive at a luxury desert camp where you sleep in a private Berber tent with an attached bathroom.

The second day follows the ancient caravan trade route, the "thousand kasbahs" route, through Rissani and into the river valleys of central Morocco. You stop to walk and explore the Todra Gorges, where the river has carved a narrow canyon between high cliffs, then continue to Ouarzazate for the night in an air-conditioned hotel room. On the final day you visit Ouarzazate's Kasbah of Taourirt and the Atlas Studio before heading to the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, the mud-brick fortress that has stood in for ancient Rome, Arabia and countless other places in films like Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia. From there the route climbs through the High Atlas, crossing the Tizi-n-Tichka pass at 2,260 meters through small mountain villages, and descends into Marrakech.

Transport is air-conditioned throughout, and your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French. You choose at booking. The group stays small, never more than nine travelers, so the pace can adjust to the group's interests. Pickup from your Fez hotel is included.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned transport throughout the three days.
• a private Berber tent with attached bathroom at the luxury desert camp on night one.
• a private air-conditioned hotel room in Ouarzazate on night two.
• camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes.
• dinner and breakfast at the desert camp.
• a guide in English, Spanish, Italian or French.
• pickup from your Fez hotel.

Information

Lasts 3d, runs every day at 07:30, from US$ 285 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and ItalianOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Samitrip

Is this one for you?The route involves early starts and a full day of driving on day two, so it suits travelers with energy for a packed itinerary rather than a leisurely pace. The camel ride is moderate, an hour at sunset, and the desert camp is comfortable with modern bathrooms, so you get the Sahara experience without roughing it.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

What is the Todra Gorges and what do you do there?

The Todra Gorges is a narrow canyon carved by the river through high cliffs in central Morocco, one of the country's most dramatic landscapes. On day two you stop to walk and explore the gorge before continuing to Ouarzazate.

Where do you sleep on the first night, and what is it like?

You sleep in a private Berber tent with an attached bathroom at a luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi, after riding camels across the sand dunes at sunset and eating dinner under the stars.

What is the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou?

Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A fortified mud-brick kasbah that has been used as a film location for Gladiator, Babel, Lawrence of Arabia and many others. You visit it on day three on the route to Marrakech.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, though dinner and breakfast are provided at the desert camp and hotel stays. You stop at towns where you can purchase meals.

How many people travel together on this tour?

Groups are kept to a maximum of nine travelers, so the pace and stops can adapt to the group's interests without feeling rushed.