Fes to Marrakech: Sahara Desert Dunes & Atlas Mountains 3-Day Tour

Summary

Cross Morocco’s cedar forests, desert dunes and kasbahs in three days

You’ll cross Morocco from Fes to Marrakech with local guides leading you through cedar forests, camel rides over Erg Chebbi dunes, nights in a nomad camp under Saharan stars, and winding roads past kasbahs and gorges. Expect laughter around campfires, real food stops, and moments when silence feels bigger than anything else.

What’s the experience like?

We rolled out of Fes just after sunrise, still half asleep, the city already humming behind us. Our driver, Youssef, handed out little bottles of water and joked about the monkeys in Azrou stealing snacks—he wasn’t kidding. The air changed as we climbed into the Middle Atlas; pine and cedar mixed with that faint cold you get before snow. I kept staring out the window at these tiny Berber villages tucked into hillsides. We stopped for lunch in Midelt—apple country apparently—and I tried a tagine that tasted like someone’s grandmother had made it. After hours winding through the Ziz Valley (those palm oases really do look surreal), we finally hit Merzouga just as the light started going gold.

I’d never ridden a camel before. Not sure I did it right—my scarf kept slipping off and our guide Ahmed grinned every time I nearly slid sideways. The sand at Erg Chebbi was cooler than I expected, almost silky under my fingers when we stopped to watch the sun drop behind those crazy-high dunes. The quiet out there is something else; you can hear your own breathing and nothing else for miles. That night at the desert camp, someone played a drum by the fire and we all tried to clap along (badly). I woke up once thinking it was raining but it was just wind brushing against the tent.

The next day was a blur of rock and canyon—Todra Gorge is so much taller than photos show, honestly makes you feel tiny. We wandered between cliffs while kids waved from above, then drove on past rose fields near Kelaat Mgouna (they let us smell this thick rosewater at a little shop—my hands smelled sweet for hours). By evening we reached Dades Valley; dinner was simple but tasted perfect after all that driving. I remember falling asleep listening to voices outside our guesthouse window, someone telling a story in Arabic that drifted away before I could catch any words.

The last stretch toward Marrakech twisted through mountain passes—Tizi-n'Tichka is wild if you don’t love heights—and then suddenly there’s Ait Ben Haddou rising up like something from another world. Lunch there felt almost too short; I wanted more time to wander those mudbrick alleys but we had to keep moving. Reaching Marrakech late afternoon felt both like arriving and leaving something behind at the same time, you know? Still think about that first night in the desert sometimes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Fes to Merzouga via Atlas Mountains

• Pick up from Fes Medina hotel
• Drive through Ifrane ski resort
• Stop in Azrou cedar forest
• Lunch in Midelt town
• Drive through Ziz valley palm oasis
• Arrive Merzouga Erg Chebbi dunes
• Camel ride to desert camp at sunset
• Overnight in nomad desert tent

Day 2 — Merzouga to Dades Gorges

• Early breakfast and camel ride to lodge
• Drive to Todra Gorges
• Guided visit to Todra Gorges
• Photography stop in Boumalne Dades
• Continue to Dades Roses Valley
• Drive along Kasbah road to Dades Valley
• Dinner and overnight in Dades or Ouarzazate

Day 3 — Dades Valley to Marrakech via Kasbah

• Breakfast and drive to Kalaa Mgouna
• Visit rosewater cooperative
• Drive past Skoura oasis to Ouarzazate
• Lunch at Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou UNESCO site
• Drive through Atlas Mountains via Tizi Ntichka Pass
• Arrive in Marrakech and transfer to hotel

Top questions

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

Yes, pickup from your hotel or meeting point in Fes is included.

How long does it take to travel from Fes to Merzouga?

The drive from Fes to Merzouga takes about 8 hours with stops along the way.

Do you ride camels during this Sahara desert tour?

Yes, each person gets a camel for trekking into Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga.

Are meals included on this 3-day trip?

Lunch is included on some days and dinner is provided at your overnight stays.

Where do you sleep on this tour?

You spend one night in a nomad tent camp in Merzouga and another night in Dades Valley or Ouarzazate guesthouse.

Is this Fes to Marrakech desert tour suitable for families?

Yes, infants can ride in prams or strollers and specialized infant seats are available.

Are there any wheelchair accessible options?

The tour is wheelchair accessible including vehicles and most areas visited.

What are some main stops between Fes and Marrakech?

Main stops include Azrou cedar forest, Midelt, Ziz Valley palm oasis, Merzouga/Erg Chebbi dunes, Todra Gorge, Dades Valley, Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah.

What’s included

Your journey includes private hotel pickup in Fes, comfortable air-conditioned transport across Morocco’s heartland with your local guide at the wheel, camel trekking into Erg Chebbi dunes (one camel per person), overnight stays—a nomad tent under Saharan stars plus a boutique guesthouse—and traditional meals along the way before drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech.