Fes to Marrakech: Sahara Desert Tour, Berber Family & Camel Trek

Summary

From Fes medina to Marrakech desert camps with Berber music and kasbahs

You’ll cross Morocco from Fes to Marrakech with private pickup, winding through cedar forests and palm valleys into deep desert silence. Ride camels across Erg Chebbi dunes, share tea with Berber nomads, join music around a campfire, and wander ancient kasbahs before reaching Marrakech—each day shaped by real encounters and new flavors.

What’s the experience like?

“You can’t rush the desert,” Youssef said as he tapped the steering wheel, eyes on the empty road outside Ifrane. I remember that line because I was still thinking about city noise, and suddenly there were cedar forests and those Barbary monkeys darting around. The air smelled different — like pine and dust at the same time. We stopped for coffee in Ifrane (I’d never seen a Moroccan town so… Swiss?), and then it was all winding roads through the Middle Atlas. My friend tried to feed a monkey a biscuit; it snatched it and ran. Youssef just laughed.

The first night in Merzouga, we stayed at a riad right on the edge of those golden dunes. The silence at sunset felt thick — almost heavy — until some distant drums started up from somewhere in town. Next morning, breakfast was sweet mint tea and warm bread before we headed out to Khamlia. The Gnawa musicians there played rhythms that got under your skin; I tried clapping along but lost the beat halfway through (they didn’t seem to mind). Later, we bounced over sand tracks to visit a nomad family behind Erg Chebbi. Their tent was patched but welcoming, and their tea tasted smoky from the fire. The kids peeked at us shyly while our guide translated bits of conversation about camels and school.

That afternoon, camels waited for us — taller than I expected — and we rode out into the dunes as the sun started dropping. There’s something about that slow swaying walk that makes you feel both silly and peaceful at once. At one point my scarf blew off and our camel guy, Hassan, caught it midair like it was nothing (he grinned like he does that every day). Sandboarding down one of those big dunes? Harder than it looks! Dinner at camp was tagine by lantern-light, then everyone gathered around a fire for drumming under more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life. I tried playing but mostly just made noise; nobody cared.

The next day took us through Rissani’s market (it was Tuesday — goats everywhere), Todra Gorge with its cool shadows, then Dades Gorge where our hotel had pink walls that glowed in the late light. By then we were all a little dusty but happy-tired. Ouarzazate came next — film studios on one side, real kasbahs on the other — and finally Ait Ben Haddou’s mudbrick towers rising out of nowhere. Crossing the High Atlas back toward Marrakech felt like coming full circle: green valleys, stone villages clinging to hillsides, people waving from roadside stalls selling oranges or fossils or who-knows-what.

I still think about that night in the desert sometimes when things get noisy back home. There’s nothing quite like waking up before sunrise with sand stuck to your socks and realizing you’re exactly where you want to be — even if you’re not sure how you got there.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Fes to Merzouga Desert Journey

• Pick up from Fes hotel
• Drive to Ifrane
• Take coffee break in Ifrane
• Visit cedar forest in Azrou
• See Barbary monkeys
• Drive through Midelt and Ziz Valley
• Arrive at Merzouga and check in

Day 2 — Explore Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at riad
• Visit Khamlia village for Gnawa music
• Off-road drive to M'Fis abandoned village
• Meet nomadic Berber family for tea
• Camel ride to desert camp
• Sandboarding and sunset on dunes
• Dinner and campfire with drum session

Day 3 — Merzouga to Dades Gorge

• Sunrise and breakfast at camp
• Drive to Rissani and optional market visit
• Stop for photos and local culture
• Continue to Todra Gorge
• Arrive at Dades Gorge hotel
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 4 — Dades Gorge to Marrakech

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Ouarzazate
• Visit Atlas Studios or photo stop
• Explore Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
• Lunch and drive through High Atlas Mountains
• Stop at Berber villages
• Arrive and drop off in Marrakech

Top questions

How long is the drive from Fes to Merzouga?

It takes most of a day by private vehicle with stops along the way for coffee breaks and sightseeing in towns like Ifrane and Midelt.

Is camel trekking included on this Fes to Marrakech desert tour?

Yes, an afternoon camel ride across Erg Chebbi dunes is included along with sandboarding and overnight camping in the Sahara.

Will we visit any local families or nomads?

Yes, you’ll meet a Berber family living near Erg Chebbi dunes for tea inside their traditional tent during your Merzouga day.

Are meals provided during this 4-day tour?

Dinners are included each night at your accommodations; breakfasts are also provided daily during your journey from Fes to Marrakech.

What kind of accommodation is included?

You’ll stay in comfortable riads or hotels each night—including a luxury desert camp in Merzouga—always with private rooms.

Is hotel pickup available in Fes?

Yes, pickup from your hotel or riad in Fes is included at the start of your tour.

Can travelers with limited mobility join this tour?

This trip isn’t recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health due to long drives and camel trekking.

Do we visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah?

Yes, you’ll explore Ait Ben Haddou—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—on your last day before heading over the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech.

What’s included

Your four days include hotel or riad pickup in Fes, all private transportation between cities and desert stops, overnight stays in handpicked riads or hotels plus one night at a luxury Sahara camp (with dinner), camel trekking across Erg Chebbi dunes, sandboarding fun if you want it, Berber family tea visits near Merzouga, breakfasts every morning—and drop-off right at your accommodation in Marrakech at journey’s end.