3-Day Private Sahara Desert Tour: Fez to Marrakech

Cross the Atlas and sleep under the Sahara, then walk through a fortified clay village on the way back.

A 3-day private desert tour from Fez to Marrakech by 4x4 with an English-speaking driver-guide, camel trekking at Erg Chebbi, and visits to Todra Canyons, Dades Valley, the Rose Valley, and the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou. The route crosses the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass through the Atlas Mountains and includes overnight stays in the desert and in Dades Valley. Pickup from Fez is included. Lunch is at your own cost.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Fez to Erg Chebbi desert

• Stop for walk and coffee at Berber village
• Drive through Cedar forest and see monkeys
• Drive through Middle Atlas and stop for lunch
• Drive through Ziz Valley and take panoramic photos
• Ride camel into Sahara Desert and watch sunset

Day 2: Erg Chebbi desert to Dades Valley

• Drive along road of 1001 Kasbah to Tinghir
• Drive along river to Todra Canyons and leisure time
• Lunch at local café
• Drive to Dades Valley and visit old kasbah
• Check in at guest house or hotel in Dades

Day 3: Dades to Marrakech via Rose Valley and Ait ben Haddou

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit rose growers’ cooperative in Kelaa Mgouna
• Explore Kasbah Ait ben Haddou with guide
• Drive through Tizi-n-Tichka pass in Atlas Mountains
• Arrive in Marrakech late afternoon

The experience

Day one takes you from Fez south through the Middle Atlas cedar forest and Ziz Valley, with stops at a Berber village and a panoramic viewpoint before you reach the Sahara. You'll ride a camel into Erg Chebbi at sunset and spend the night in the desert, watching the dunes shift light as the sun drops. The second day moves east along the Road of 1001 Kasbahs to Todra Canyons, where you walk between cliffs the river has carved, then drive to Dades Valley and a kasbah overnight. On the final day you head west through the Rose Valley to see how rose growers distill their scent, then to the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou (a UNESCO site built entirely of earthen clay) before crossing back over the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass and arriving in Marrakech by late afternoon.

The vehicle is air-conditioned and stays with you the whole way. Your driver speaks English and handles all the route decisions so you don't have to. Camel trekking happens at both sunset and sunrise, and the overnight stays let you move slowly enough to actually talk to people in the villages and valleys instead of passing through them. Children of any age can come, and vegetarian meals are available if you request them when you book.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned 4x4 for all three days.
• professional driver-guide speaking English, Spanish, French or Arabic.
• camel trekking at sunset and sunrise in Erg Chebbi.
• overnight stays in the desert and in Dades Valley.
• visits to Todra Canyons, the Rose Valley cooperative, and the UNESCO Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou.
• pickup from Fez.

Information

Lasts 3d, from US$ 600 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 2 Jul 202712 departing soon ›

GroupPrivate11 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and ArabicOther 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.

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 to 69 years) · Senior (70 to 90 years) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (under 6)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Camel Safaries - Day Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a private 4x4 with a guide for the full journey. You'll move through three landscapes without coordinating transport between stops, and the overnight stays give you time to meet locals in their homes rather than just pass through.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (under 6).

What happens on the first night in the Sahara?

You ride a camel into Erg Chebbi at sunset and spend the night in the desert, experiencing the nomadic lifestyle under the stars before heading out again at sunrise.

Do I have to arrange my own lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, so you'll eat at local cafés along the way and choose what suits you. Your guide will stop at places where food is available.

What is the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou?

A UNESCO-listed fortified village built entirely of earthen clay, where your guide will walk you through the architecture and explain how Moroccan families have lived there for centuries.

How does the camel trekking work?

You ride a camel into the desert at sunset on day one and again at sunrise on day two, giving you two chances to experience the dunes and the nomadic rhythm of the Sahara.