3-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech

Sleep in a Sahara tent, ride dunes at sunrise, cross the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs.

A 3-day guided tour departing from Fez that crosses the Middle Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert to end in Marrakech, with overnight stays in a luxury desert tent and a kasbah overlooking the Valley. The itinerary includes camel trekking at sunset in Erg Chebbi, sandboarding at sunrise, exploration of the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley, the UNESCO site of Aït Benhaddou, and a stop at the Tizi n'Tichka Pass. Pickup from Fez accommodation or airport is included, as is an air-conditioned vehicle, all entrance fees, daily meals, and a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Over the mountains and into the desert

• Travel south toward Merzouga
• Climb Col du Zad pass via Ifrane and cedar forests
• See Barbary macaque monkeys
• Stop for lunch in Midelt
• Continue over Tizi n'Talremt pass into Ziz Valley
• See fortified ksars along the road
• Visit Erfoud and local artisan collective
• Arrive at Erg Chebbi sand dunes
• Camel ride to watch sunset
• Dinner and live music at luxury camp
• Overnight in luxury nomadic tent

Day 2: Desert towns and scenic kasbahs

• Climb sand dune for sunrise
• Try sandboarding
• Visit Khamlia village and enjoy Gnaoua music
• Pass through Rissani market town
• Travel to Tinerhir and explore Todra Gorge
• Drive through Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs
• See Berber villages and Monkey fingers rock formations
• Dinner overlooking Dades Valley
• Overnight at kasbah in Dades Valley

Day 3: Kasbahs and High Atlas to Marrakech

• Breakfast overlooking Dades Valley
• Visit Kelâat M'Gouna rose farms
• Tour Taourirt Kasbah and film studios in Ouarzazate
• Explore Aït Benhaddou kasbah
• Travel over High Atlas Mountains
• Stop at Tizi n'Tichka Pass viewpoint
• Visit Argan Oil Cooperative in Taddert
• Arrive in Marrakech and settle into hotel
• Explore Jemaa el-Fna square
• Visit Koutoubia Mosque and gardens

The experience

The tour leaves Fez heading south through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, climbing over the Col du Zad pass at 7,146 feet to reach Midelt before dropping into the Ziz Valley with its hidden oases and palm clusters. You'll pass fortified houses called ksars (built centuries ago to guard gold, salt and spices), and stop in Erfoud to visit a local collective where artisans show how fossils are mined. By evening you reach Erg Chebbi, a sea of sand dunes covering 13.5 square miles, where you mount a camel for the ride to a luxury nomadic-style tent in the heart of the desert. Dinner is cooked over an open fire with live music and dancing under the stars.

Day two starts before sunrise: you climb a nearby dune to watch the light come up, then try sandboarding on the sand. After breakfast you head west through the Black Desert to Khamlia, a traditional Saharan village where you experience Gnaoua music from people originally from Mali. The route then passes through Rissani (a market town with a livestock auction and a "donkey parking lot" worth seeing), and reaches the Todra Gorge, where you can wade in the cool shallow river. The afternoon takes you through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, past the strange rocky formations called "the Monkey Fingers" that look like nature's maze, and into the Dades Valley. You spend the night in one of the kasbahs overlooking the valley, with dinner served while you watch the sunset paint the orange-shaded fortress profiles.

On the final day you drive west to Kelâat M'Gouna, known for its rose festival and farmland bordered with fragrant bushes, then to Ouarzazate. A gateway to the Sahara made famous by the film industry. Here you visit the 19th-century Taourirt Kasbah and tour a studio to see how desert landscapes have appeared in major films. Next is Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating from the 11th century when it was a crucial stop on trans-Saharan trade routes. You explore its narrow streets and mud-brick passages. The drive then winds up the High Atlas Mountains, stopping near the top of the Tizi n'Tichka Pass at 7,415 feet to take in the view, and at an Argan Oil Cooperative in Taddert to learn how the oil is processed. You descend into Marrakech and check into your hotel or riad for the evening, with time to wander Jemaa el-Fna square and watch the musicians, performers and snake charmers, or visit the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque with its 253-foot minaret and gardens of fountains and palms.

What’s included

• Pickup from your Fez accommodation, airport or train station and drop-off in Marrakech.
• air-conditioned vehicle with a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language.
• entrance fees to all historic monuments and attractions.
• two nights' accommodation: one in a luxury nomadic-style tent in the Sahara Desert and one in a kasbah overlooking the Dades Valley.
• camel trekking with experienced guides at sunset on day one.
• sandboarding experience at sunrise on day two.
• daily meals (lunch included depending on your package choice).
• mineral water and Moroccan mint or spicy tea each day.
• luggage handling.
• and WiFi on board.

Options for this experience

3 options

Budget Package 3*Guide in 5 languages · No fixed timeBudget 3-star accommodation, pickup is included

Standard Package 4*Guide in 5 languages · No fixed timeStandard 4-star accommodation, includes pickup

Luxury Package 5*Guide in 5 languages · No fixed timeLuxury 5-star accommodation, 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 with no fixed time, from US$ 500 per person and with live guides in 5 languages.

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 163 private ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and ItalianOther languages ›

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.

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (4 to 13 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

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

Operated by Morocco Culture Travel

Is this one for you?Choose the Standard or Luxury package if daily lunch matters to you. The Budget option does not include it. The tour suits anyone who wants to see Morocco's full range in one trip without arranging transport, guides or accommodation changes themselves. All logistics, entry fees and meals are handled, so you move through the itinerary without stopping to plan.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

What's included in the 3-day tour from Fez to Marrakech?

The tour includes pickup from your Fez accommodation, airport or train station; an air-conditioned vehicle with a live guide; entrance fees to all historic monuments; two nights' accommodation (one in a luxury desert tent in Erg Chebbi, one in a kasbah in the Dades Valley); camel trekking at sunset; sandboarding at sunrise; daily meals; mineral water and Moroccan mint tea each day; luggage handling; and drop-off in Marrakech at your hotel, riad, airport or train station. Lunch is included depending on which package you choose at checkout.

What happens on the first day of the tour?

Day one starts in Fez and heads south through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, climbing over the Col du Zad pass and passing through the small town of Ifrane where you may spot Barbary macaque monkeys. You stop for lunch in Midelt on the Moulouya River, continue over the Tizi n'Talremt pass into the Ziz Valley with its oases and palm clusters, and pass fortified ksars along the way. You reach Erfoud to visit a fossil-mining collective, then arrive at Erg Chebbi, a 13.5-square-mile sea of sand dunes, where you take a camel ride to watch the sunset before returning to your luxury tent for dinner, live music and dancing under the stars.

Can I sandboard in the Sahara on this tour?

Yes, sandboarding is included on day two. You climb a nearby dune at sunrise to watch the light come up, then try sandboarding on the sand before breakfast.

What is the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs?

The Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs is a region you pass through on day two where ancient fortified houses called kasbahs, some dating back centuries, dot the landscape. Many are now in disrepair, but local families still live in some of them, and you may see nomads herding animals. The valley is known for its strange rocky formations called "the Monkey Fingers" that resemble a natural maze of layered rock.

What is Aït Benhaddou and why do we visit it?

Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site dating from the 11th century when it was an important stop on trans-Saharan trade routes. It is a traditional mud-brick city with narrow streets and passageways built into a hillside. You explore it on day three as part of the drive from the desert toward Marrakech, and it is one of Morocco's most famous kasbahs.

Do we stop at the Tizi n'Tichka Pass?

Yes, on day three you stop near the top of the Tizi n'Tichka Pass at 7,415 feet in the High Atlas Mountains to admire the view over the mountain range. You also stop at an Argan Oil Cooperative in Taddert to learn how argan oil is processed before descending toward Marrakech.