Fes to Marrakech: Desert Camp, Camel Ride & Atlas Mountains

Summary

Desert nights camel rides & kasbahs from Fes to Marrakech

You’ll cross Morocco from Fez to Marrakech by minivan with local guides, ride camels into Erg Chebbi at sunset, sleep under Saharan stars in a Berber camp, walk through Todra Gorge’s cool stone walls, and roll over Tizi-n-Tichka Pass past kasbahs and villages. Expect laughter, mint tea breaks, and moments you’ll remember long after you brush off the last grains of sand.

What’s the experience like?

We’d barely left the Medina of Fez when our driver, Youssef, grinned in the rearview and asked if we wanted music. I just nodded — still half-awake — and suddenly we’re winding through Ifrane, which looks weirdly Swiss for Morocco (I didn’t expect that). The air got sharper as we climbed into the Middle Atlas. Somewhere near Azrou, Youssef pulled over and pointed: wild monkeys darting through cedar trees, stealing snacks from a French couple’s picnic. Their laughter echoed down the road as we moved on. The van smelled faintly of mint tea and dust.

Lunch in Midelt was simple — tagine and bread, nothing fancy but honestly perfect after all those mountain curves. By late afternoon, we rolled down into Merzouga. That first breath stepping out: warm sand, dry wind, something sweet in the air (dates maybe?). Our camels were waiting — mine was called Bob Marley, no joke — and our Berber guide Hassan handed us scarves with a wink (“for the sun… or style”). Riding into Erg Chebbi at sunset felt surreal; orange light everywhere, dunes swallowing sound. I tried to take a photo but gave up — you just can’t catch it.

The desert camp was more comfortable than I’d guessed. We sat around eating couscous under a sky so full of stars it almost looked fake. Someone played drums (badly), but nobody cared. I lay awake longer than I meant to, listening to the wind outside the tent flap. Next morning: sand still stuck between my toes as we bumped along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs toward Ouarzazate. Todra Gorge was cool and echoey; locals waved from market stalls selling figs and little carved camels.

The last stretch over Tizi-n-Tichka Pass was wild — hairpin turns and sudden bursts of color in every village. We stopped for lunch near Ait Ben Haddou (Hassan said “Gladiator” filmed here but I only half-believe him). By dusk we were back in city chaos: Marrakech’s honking scooters felt like another planet after all that desert silence. I still think about that first night under the stars sometimes — you know?

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel from Fes to Merzouga Desert

• Pick up from hotel in Fes Medina
• Pass through Ifrane ski resort
• See monkeys in Azrou cedar forest
• Drive across Middle Atlas Mountains
• Stop for lunch in Midelt town
• View palm tree oasis
• Arrive in Merzouga and have mint tea
• Camel ride into Erg Chebbi dunes
• Enjoy sunset on camel ride
• Reach desert camp and have dinner
• Watch stars at desert camp

Day 2 — Merzouga to Gorges or Ouarzazate

• Have breakfast at desert camp
• Depart for Ouarzazate via Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
• Stop for lunch near Todra Gorge
• Walk into Todra Gorge
• Travel through Dades Valley
• Have late dinner at hotel in Gorges or Ouarzazate

Day 3 — Ouarzazate to Marrakech

• Enjoy breakfast at hotel
• Visit Kasbah of Taourirt
• Visit Atlas Studios movie studios
• Stop for lunch in Ait Ben Haddou
• Visit UNESCO Kasbah in Ait Ben Haddou
• Pass through High Atlas and Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Return to hotel or riad in Marrakech

Top questions

Is hotel pickup included for this Fes to Marrakech desert tour?

Yes, hotel pickup is included from your accommodation in Fez.

How many nights do you spend in the desert camp?

You spend one night in a Berber tent camp at Erg Chebbi near Merzouga.

Are meals provided during the trip?

Breakfasts and dinners are included throughout the tour.

What is the group size for this tour?

The group is small, with no more than 8 travelers per tour.

Is camel riding part of this day trip from Fes to Marrakech?

Yes, a camel ride across Erg Chebbi dunes is included at sunset.

Do you visit Ait Ben Haddou or Ouarzazate studios?

You stop at both Ait Ben Haddou and can visit Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate (entry fee extra).

What kind of accommodation is provided?

You stay one night in a desert camp and one night in a local hotel (e.g., Hotel Les Jardins de Ouarzazate).

Is this tour suitable for vegetarians?

Vegetarian options are available if requested when booking.

What’s included

Your journey includes hotel pickup in Fez by air-conditioned minivan with a professional driver, one night sleeping under canvas at an Erg Chebbi desert camp plus another night at a comfortable hotel near Ouarzazate or Dades Gorge; breakfasts and dinners throughout; sunset camel ride across golden dunes; sandboarding; plenty of mint tea; all major stops along the route; plus drop-off at your Marrakech hotel or riad at journey’s end.