4-day Sahara desert tour from Fez to Marrakech: Erg Chebbi

Wake on a dune at sunrise, then ride a camel into the Sahara's heart.

This 4-day tour departs Fez and crosses the Middle Atlas cedar forests to Merzouga, where you explore Erg Chebbi's golden dunes by 4x4, visit Khamlia's Gnawa musicians, and spend a night in a Berber tent after a camel ride. Day three takes you through Todgha Gorge and the Dades Valley to Ouarzazate. Day four ends in Marrakech after a stop at the fortified Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Fez to Merzouga via Middle Atlas

• Pick up from hotel in Fez
• Drive through Ifrane and Azrou
• Cross Ziz valley to Midelt and Erfoud
• Take dirt road to Merzouga
• Overnight at hotel near dunes

Day 2: Explore Erg Chebbi dunes

• Tour dunes in 4x4
• Visit nomadic villages and oases
• Walk through Erg Chebbi dunes
• Visit Khamlia village and Gnawa community
• Return to hotel
• Camel ride to Berber tent
• Overnight in desert camp

Day 3: Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Todgha Gorge

• Sunrise on dune
• Camel ride back to Merzouga
• Breakfast and shower
• Drive through Rissani and Tafilalet
• Visit Todgha Gorge
• Travel the thousand Kasbahs route
• Arrive and overnight in Ouarzazate

Day 4: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Ait-Ben-Haddou

• Breakfast in Ouarzazate
• Visit Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
• Drive through almond valley and Berber villages
• Cross Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
• Lunch in Tadart
• Drive to Marrakech

The experience

How do you get from Fez to the Sahara without spending days on the road? This 4-day route threads through Morocco's geography in a way that lets you see the country change, from the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, where Berber apes live, through the ski-resort town of Ifrane and the Berber city of Azrou, down into the desert itself. Your driver picks you up from your hotel and handles the route. You watch the landscape shift from green to gold.

Day two is built around Erg Chebbi, the dunes most visitors come to see. You spend the morning and afternoon in a 4x4, touring the golden dunes, stopping at nomadic villages and oases, and visiting Khamlia, where the Gnawa, descendants of Central African slaves, play the folk music that blends Islamic Sufism with their own traditions. At night, camels carry you out into the dunes to a Berber tent, where you sleep under the open sky. You wake before dawn on day three to climb a dune and watch the sunrise, then ride a camel back to Merzouga for breakfast and a shower before the drive onward.

The route back west passes through the Tafilalet region, birthplace of Morocco's Alawite dynasty, and the Todgha Gorge in the High Atlas. You travel the thousand Kasbahs route, skirting the Valley of the Roses and the palm groves of Skoura, and spend the night in Ouarzazate. On the final day, you stop at the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, the fortified city that has stood in for ancient worlds in films like Gladiator, before crossing the Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass at 2,260 meters and descending into Marrakech. A traditional Moroccan meal breaks the drive.

What’s included

• Hotel or desert camp accommodation for all four nights.
• hotel or riad pickup in Fez on day one.
• 4x4 transportation throughout the route.
• camel ride into the Berber tent on day two and back to Merzouga on day three.
• a night in a Berber tent in the dunes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 90 years) · Youth (10 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 9 years) · Infant (under 1)

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go 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 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 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Farka Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want three landscapes (desert, gorges, High Atlas) in one continuous loop without deciding your own route between towns.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 17 years); Child (1 to 9 years); Infant (under 1).

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's the Erg Chebbi desert like when you get there?

Erg Chebbi is a sea of golden dunes outside Merzouga where you spend your second day and night. You explore it by 4x4 in the morning and afternoon, visiting nomadic villages and oases, then ride a camel into the dunes at sunset to sleep in a Berber tent.

Do I ride a camel on this tour?

Yes. On the evening of day two, camels carry you from Merzouga out into the heart of the dunes to your Berber tent. On day three, you ride a camel back to town after watching the sunrise from the top of a dune.

What happens in Khamlia?

Khamlia is a small town near Merzouga where the Gnawa people live. The Gnawa are descendants of Central African slaves and are known worldwide for their folk music, which blends classical Islamic Sufism with their own cultural traditions.

What is the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou?

The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is one of the world's most famous fortified cities, built into a hillside in the Atlas foothills. You explore the ruins of the Kasbah on day four to learn its history. The site has been used as a filming location for movies including Gladiator.