Fez to Marrakech: 3-Day Desert Safari with Camel Ride & Ait Ben Haddou

Three Days Crossing Morocco: From Fez's Medina to the Sahara and Back

You travel from Fez to Marrakech over three days with an English-speaking driver handling all logistics. You ride camels at sunset across Erg Chebbi, sleep in a private tent under the stars, and visit Todra Gorge and the UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. Two nights' accommodation and all transport in an air-conditioned minivan are included, so you show up at your hotel in Fez and arrive in Marrakech with the desert behind you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: From Fes to Merzouga

• Pick up from Fes Medina hotel
• Drive through Ifrane ski resort
• Visit cedar forest in Azrou
• Cross Middle Atlas Mountains
• Lunch break in Midelt town
• View palm oasis panorama
• Arrive in Merzouga and have mint tea
• Camel ride to desert camp
• Dinner and stargazing in Berber tent

Day 2: From Merzouga to Oarzazate

• Watch sunrise in desert
• Breakfast at desert camp
• Drive Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
• Stop for lunch
• Visit Todra Gorge
• Drive through Dades Gorge
• Pass capital of roses town
• Relax at Ouarzazate hotel
• Dinner at hotel

Day 3: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Tizi n Tichka

• Breakfast at hotel
• Explore Kasbah of Taourirt
• Visit Atlas Studios
• Lunch at Ait Ben Haddou
• Tour UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive High Atlas via Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Pass villages and waterfalls
• Arrive in Marrakech hotel or riad

The experience

The road out of Fez doesn't look like much at first (just asphalt climbing away from the Medina), but then you're past Ifrane, the French ski resort that somehow ended up in Morocco, and the landscape starts to shift. Your driver picks you up from your hotel in Fez and the minivan heads southeast through cedar forests where monkeys actually live, and you realize this isn't a day trip, it's a three-day crossing. The first day is mostly driving (through Azrou, across the Middle Atlas Mountains, lunch in Midelt), but it's the kind of driving where every hour looks different. By afternoon you're descending toward the Sahara, and then you see Merzouga spread out below, all palms and dust, and the dunes start.

The camel ride happens at sunset, which is the only time anyone should do it. An hour across Erg Chebbi with the light going orange and the sand still warm under the animal's feet, and then you're at the camp: a private tent in the desert, not a hotel, not a resort. Mint tea arrives, dinner happens, and at night the stars are so thick you stop trying to count them. You sleep there, actually sleep, and wake early enough to catch the sunrise if you want it. Most people do.

Day two is the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, which is not an exaggeration. These aren't ruins. They're actual fortified villages, mud-brick and turrets, strung along what used to be the caravan route. The region has been used for Hollywood films (The Last Temptation of Christ, Jewel of the Nile, and others), so you're driving through landscapes that have already been on screen. You stop at Todra Gorge, where the canyon walls rise sheer and narrow, and then push through Dades Gorge before reaching Ouarzazate. The hotel there has a pool, and you'll want it after two days of travel. Dinner is included.

The final push to Marrakech goes through Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO site that's been in Gladiator, Babel, and Lawrence of Arabia. You have time to walk the Kasbah (it's an actual village, not a museum), and then the drive climbs over Tizi-n-Tichka pass at 2,260 meters, dropping you back into Marrakech by evening. The whole thing is three days, two nights in accommodation (one in a desert tent, one in a hotel with a pool), and a driver who speaks English the whole way. You don't arrange transport between cities, you don't negotiate with camel handlers, you don't figure out where to sleep in the desert. It's all there.

What’s included

• Your three days include hotel pickup in Fez and drop-off in Marrakech, air-conditioned minivan transport throughout, one night in a private tent at the desert camp in Merzouga with dinner and breakfast, one night in a hotel in Ouarzazate with pool access and dinner, a sunset camel ride across Erg Chebbi, visits to Todra Gorge and Ait Ben Haddou, and an English-speaking driver for the entire journey. Meals on days one and two are provided.
• day three includes breakfast before departure.

Options for this experience

4 options

Guide in English, Spanish or French07:30

Guide in English, Spanish or French07:30

Guide in English, Spanish or French07:30

Guide in English, Spanish or French07:30

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Child (6 to 17 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years)

GroupUp to 17

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish and French

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.

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 today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Desert Smile Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers with three days between Fez and Marrakech who want the Sahara without arranging their own transport, camel handlers, or desert camp: the fixed itinerary and included driver mean you move through the landscape without stopping to negotiate. Expect a full day of driving on day one and day three, and plan for an early start on day two if you want to catch the sunrise.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 17 years); Infant (1 to 5 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. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the drive from Fez to Merzouga on day one?

Most of the first day is spent driving through the Atlas Mountains and cedar forests, with a lunch break in Midelt. You arrive in Merzouga in the afternoon, then ride camels at sunset.

What kind of tent do you sleep in at Erg Chebbi?

A private tent at the desert camp in Merzouga. It's described as a luxury Berber tent, and mint tea and dinner are served. You sleep under the stars.

Is the camel ride included?

Yes. The sunset camel ride across Erg Chebbi on day one and the transport to the desert camp are both included.

What's the accommodation on night two?

A hotel in Ouarzazate (Rose Valley Hôtel or similar) with a swimming pool. Breakfast and dinner are included.

Do you visit Ait Ben Haddou?

Yes, on day three. You have time to explore the Kasbah, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site featured in films like Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia.

What's included in the price?

Air-conditioned minivan transport, two nights' accommodation (one tent, one hotel), camel ride, sunset and sunrise views at Erg Chebbi, and meals as noted. Breakfast and dinner are provided on days one and two.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

The minivan and hotel are wheelchair accessible. However, the camel ride and desert tent may not be suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, and the tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health.

Can you choose not to ride the camel?

The camel ride is part of the itinerary. If you have concerns about your ability to participate, contact the operator before booking.

What happens if you don't want to wake up for sunrise?

Sunrise viewing is optional. You can sleep in and join the group for breakfast before the drive to Ouarzazate begins.