3-Day Fez to Marrakech Tour via Merzouga: Camel Safari

Cross the Sahara on camel, then climb the Atlas to reach Marrakech

A 3-day guided tour from Fez to Marrakech that passes through Merzouga's Sahara Desert, the Toudgha Gorges, and the kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou. The itinerary includes camel rides at sunrise and sunset, two nights in traditional desert and valley accommodations, an air-conditioned vehicle with a live guide, and drop-off in Marrakech. You choose between a small group (max 8–9 people) or a shared tour at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Fez to Merzouga via Atlas Mountains

• Depart from Fez
• Short tour of Fez city
• Visit cedar forest in Azrou
• Feed barbarian monkeys
• Cross Middle Atlas mountains
• Photograph Ziz valley palm grove
• Stop for lunch at local restaurant
• Continue to Merzouga dunes
• Check in at hotel and drink mint tea
• Camel ride into desert
• Overnight in desert camp

Day 2: Merzouga to Tinghir or Ouarzazate

• Early sunrise camel ride
• Drive towards Toudgha gorges
• Guided tour of Toudgha gorges
• Head to Tinghir or Ouarzazate
• Overnight at hotel in Tinghir or Ouarzazate

Day 3: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

• Drive to Ouarzazate city
• Visit Taourirt kasbah
• Visit cinema museum and film studios
• Visit Ait Ben Haddou kasbah
• Cross High Atlas Mountains
• Optional lunch at Tichka pass or Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive to Marrakech and drop off

The experience

The route leaves Fez early and moves south through the cedar forests of Azrou and the Middle Atlas range, where the landscape shifts from green to arid as you descend into the Ziz valley. You'll stop to photograph the second-largest palm grove in Morocco before reaching Merzouga in the late afternoon. After checking into a standard desert camp and changing clothes, you ride a camel across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, then spend the night in the camp.

Day two starts with a sunrise camel ride before the vehicle takes you toward the Toudgha Gorges, where a local guide leads a walk through the canyon. You continue to either Tinghir or Ouarzazate for the night, depending on hotel availability. The third day moves through Ouarzazate (stopping at the Taourirt kasbah and the film studios where Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia were shot), then turns toward Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed kasbah village. From there, the route crosses the High Atlas Mountains and descends into Berber villages before reaching Marrakech by evening.

An air-conditioned vehicle and a guide in English, Spanish or French are included throughout. Fuel, sandboarding in the dunes, and both camel rides are covered. Lunch for the three days, drinks, and tips are separate. The tour suits all fitness levels, and infants can travel in a pram or car seat.

What’s included

• Pick-up from your Fez hotel and drop-off in Marrakech.
• air-conditioned vehicle for all three days.
• a live guide in English, Spanish or French.
• two nights in traditional accommodations (one in a desert camp, one in a valley hotel).
• camel rides at sunset and sunrise.
• sandboarding in the dunes.
• and all fuel costs.

Options for this experience

2 options

Shared tourUp to 15 people · Guide in English, Spanish or French · 07:00Shared vehicle for a maximum of 18 people per group; minimum of 2 people in your group

Small group tour for a maximum of 8 or 9 peopleUp to 10 people · Guide in English, Spanish or French · 07:00Option for a small group

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

Before you book

Lasts 3d, runs every day at 07:00, from US$ 217 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 30

Live 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.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Morocco Global Adventures

Is this one for you?Choose the small group option if you prefer fewer people and a more intimate pace through the desert and mountains. The shared tour works well if you're open to meeting other travelers and want the same route at a lower price. Either way, the fixed itinerary and included transport mean the three days hold together without you building the stops or managing the timing.

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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 (13 to 17 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4).

What's the difference between the small group and shared tour options on this 3-day route?

The small group tour runs with a maximum of 8–9 people, while the shared tour mixes larger groups. Both follow the same itinerary from Fez through Merzouga and the Toudgha Gorges to Marrakech, with the same guide, vehicle, camel rides and accommodations. You choose which at checkout.

Do I ride a camel on both days in the desert, or just one?

You ride at both sunset on the first day and sunrise on the second day: one camel per ride. The rides cross the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga, and you spend the night in a desert camp between them.

What happens on the drive from Merzouga to Marrakech on day three?

After a sunrise camel ride on day two, the vehicle heads toward the Toudgha Gorges for a guided walk, then continues to Tinghir or Ouarzazate for the night. On day three, you visit Ouarzazate's film studios and the Taourirt kasbah, then stop at the kasbah village of Ait Ben Haddou before crossing the High Atlas Mountains and arriving in Marrakech by evening.

Are meals included in the tour price?

Lunch for all three days, drinks, and tips are not included. Breakfast is part of your accommodation at the desert camp and hotels, but you'll arrange and pay for lunch separately at local restaurants along the route.

What kind of accommodation will I have in the desert?

You stay one night in a standard desert camp in Merzouga after your sunset camel ride. On day two, you move to a standard hotel in either Tinghir or Ouarzazate, depending on availability. Both are traditional and comfortable, suited to the region.

Does the tour include a visit inside Ait Ben Haddou kasbah?

The tour stops at Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed kasbah village, for a visit on day three. Entry to the kasbah itself is not included in the tour price and is optional if you wish to go inside.