3-Day Desert Tour Marrakech to Fes: Camel Ride & Sahara Camp

Sunset camel ride across Sahara dunes, then sleep under stars in a nomad tent.

A 3-day guided desert tour from Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga, with hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport through the Atlas Mountains, Dades Gorge, Todra Gorge, and Sahara dunes. The defining moment is a one-hour camel ride at sunset followed by an overnight stay in a Bedouin tent in the desert. The route continues through cedar forests and the Middle Atlas to reach Fez on the third day. A live guide speaks English, Spanish, French or Arabic.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Valley

• Start tour early morning
• Depart Marrakech via Tizi Ntichka pass
• Stop at Tizi-n'Tichka Pass
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive to Boumalne Dades via Valley of the Roses
• Check in at hotel in Dades Valley
• Dinner at hotel

Day 2: Dades Valley to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Todgha Gorges
• Lunch
• Drive to Merzouga dunes
• One-hour camel ride at sunset
• Dinner with Berber rhythms
• Overnight in nomad desert tent

Day 3: Merzouga to Fes

• Early breakfast
• Camel ride back to main road
• Drive to Errachidia via Erfoud and Ziz valley
• Stop at Aoufous oasis
• Continue to Midelt and have lunch
• Drive through cedar forest near Azrou
• Stop in Ifrane
• Arrive in Fes and end tour

The experience

The tour departs Marrakech at 7:30 AM on day one, climbing through the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass and the High Atlas Mountains with stops along the way. You visit the UNESCO-listed Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou (a fortified clay city that has doubled as a film set for major Hollywood productions) before heading to Dades Valley. The overnight accommodation is Hotel Le Vieux Chateau de Dades or similar, positioned in the gorge itself.

Day two takes you from Dades Valley to the Todra Gorge, where limestone cliffs rise hundreds of meters above a narrow riverbed carved over millennia. After lunch, the journey continues to Merzouga, a village marking the edge of the Sahara. Here the vehicle stops and you switch to camels for a one-hour ride across the dunes, timed to catch the sunset. A traditional Berber dinner follows, and you sleep in a nomad tent pitched in the middle of the desert: no hotel walls, just the open sky.

On day three, an early camel ride returns you to the main road where your driver and vehicle are waiting. The route then crosses the Ziz Valley oasis region, passes through Midelt, and enters the cedar forest near Azrou in the Middle Atlas mountains: a stretch where Berber apes sometimes appear. A stop in Ifrane is possible before the final drive into Fez, arriving around 8 PM. The air-conditioned vehicle accommodates a maximum of 15 travelers, and the tour suits all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for children under six.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout the three days.
• one-hour camel ride at sunset in Merzouga.
• overnight stay in a nomad tent in the Sahara.
• traditional Berber dinner.
• breakfast on days two and three.
• a live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, French or Arabic.

Options for this experience

3 options

Standard overnightGuide in 4 languages · 07:30Standard overnight option: on the first night, hotel stay in the charming town of Tinghir; on the second night, a standard camp tent with a shared bathroom. For more adventure, you can rent an ATV quad or buggy to explore the desert dunes with the locals (optional), and camel trekking and sandboarding are also available. The trip lasts 3 days and 2 nights, with 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts included. The route passes by the scenic Boumalen Dades Valley. You travel in a comfortable minivan with plenty of luggage space, and pickup is included from your desired location.

Desert luxury tentGuide in 4 languages · 07:30Luxury tent in the desert option: the first night includes a private room at a hotel in Tinghir, and the second night a deluxe camp tent with a private bathroom. Enjoy camel trekking and sandboarding, and rent an ATV quad or buggy to explore the desert dunes with the locals. The trip lasts 3 days, with 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts provided. You travel through the Merzouga Desert in a comfortable minivan with plenty of luggage space, and pickup is included for your convenience.

Private desert travelGuide in 4 languages · 07:30Luxury camp and luxury riad: the first night at Chez Pierre, Dades Paradise or Xaluca Dades, and the second night at the Merzouga Luxury Camp. Enjoy camel trekking and sandboarding, and rent an ATV quad or buggy to explore the desert dunes with the locals. The trip lasts 3 days, with 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts included. Your route covers Dades, Merzouga and Fes, travelled in a private air-conditioned vehicle for comfort and style. Pickup is included.

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

Information

Lasts 3d, runs every day at 07:30, from US$ 344 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30Another time? ›

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and ArabicOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by morocco desert travel

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you're traveling as a couple or small family and want the flexibility to set your own pace at each stop; the standard overnight suits groups comfortable sharing a vehicle with up to 15 travelers; the luxury tent option adds comfort to the desert night without changing the route or the camel ride itself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

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 exactly happens during the camel ride in Merzouga?

The camel ride lasts one hour and crosses the Sahara dunes in Merzouga, timed to coincide with sunset. You watch the light change across the sand before returning to the camp for a traditional Berber dinner and the night under the stars in a nomad tent.

Where do I sleep on each night of the tour?

Night one is in Hotel Le Vieux Chateau de Dades or a similar property in Dades Valley. Night two is in a nomad tent in the desert at Merzouga. The tour ends in Fez on the evening of day three, so no accommodation is included for that night.

What is Todra Gorge like when we get there?

Todra Gorge is a narrow canyon carved by a river through high limestone cliffs that have been hollowed out over millennia. The cliffs rise steeply on both sides, and the site is popular with climbing enthusiasts. You visit after breakfast on day two and have time to explore before lunch.

Does the tour include meals?

Breakfast is included at the hotel on days two and three. The traditional Berber dinner at the desert camp on night two is included. Lunch is not included on any day, though stops are made at towns where you can eat.

Is hotel pickup really included in Marrakech?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for hotels located inside Marrakech. The tour departs at 7:30 AM on day one and returns to Marrakech hotels at the end, though the final night is spent in Fez.