Fez to Marrakesh Desert Tour: Camel Trekking in Merzouga

Camel trek across Erg Chebbi, a night under the stars, and the High Atlas in three days

A three-day desert tour from Fez to Marrakesh that crosses the Moroccan landscape from north to south, passing through the Middle Atlas, the Ziz gorges, and ending in the dunes of Merzouga where you trek by camel and camp overnight. The tour includes two nights' accommodation, all transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver, and stops at Todra Gorges, Dades Valley, Ouarzazate, and Ait Benhaddou. Pickup is included. Children from age one are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Merzouga and camel trek

• Depart Fez at 8:00 AM
• Pass through Ifrane and Azrou cedar forest
• Lunch break in Midelt
• Enjoy views of Ziz gorges and Palm oasis
• Arrive Merzouga and have mint tea
• Camel trek across sandy dunes
• Overnight in desert camp

Day 2: Sunrise, travel to Ouarzazate

• Early sunrise camel ride
• Return to hotel for shower and breakfast
• Depart for Ouarzazate via Rissani and Erfoud
• Stop for lunch and walk in Todra Gorges
• Drive through Dadès Valley
• Arrive Ouarzazate for dinner and overnight

Day 3: Visit Ouarzazate and travel to Marrakech

• Visit Kasbah of Taourirt and Atlas Studios
• Lunch break in Ait Ben Haddou
• Explore Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
• Drive through High Atlas and Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Arrive Marrakech in afternoon

The experience

How do you cross Morocco in three days without arranging the transport, the camps, or the timing yourself? You start in Fez at 8:00 in the morning and head south through the Middle Atlas (past the cedar forests of Azrou, the jagged rock faces, and Berber villages) stopping for lunch in Midelt before the road opens onto the Ziz gorges and the palm oasis that announces Merzouga. By late afternoon you're at the desert camp, and after mint tea at a traditional kasbah, you mount a camel for a one-hour trek across the sandy dunes of Erg Chebbi. You sleep in a tent under the starry night, and the next morning you rise early to watch the sunrise before heading back to the hotel to shower and eat.

Day two takes you west through Rissani and Erfoud along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, then south through Todra Gorges (where you walk between the canyon walls), and into Dades Valley, where the landscape shifts to dramatic escarpments and small waterfalls. You reach Ouarzazate by afternoon and spend the night in a hotel. On the final day you visit the Kasbah of Taourirt and the Atlas Studios movie studios in Ouarzazate, then stop in Ait Benhaddou for lunch and a walk through the famous kasbah before climbing through the High Atlas and the Tizi-n-Tichka pass. The drive into Marrakesh takes the afternoon, and the tour ends when you arrive.

The vehicle is air-conditioned and the driver is professional, so the long hours of driving are manageable. Accommodation for two nights is included (a desert camp tent in Merzouga and a hotel in Ouarzazate), and the camel ride is part of the package. Lunches, monument fees, and drinks are not included, so you'll budget for those separately. The tour runs year-round and suits all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health because of the altitude and the physical demands of the camel trek.

What’s included

• Two nights' accommodation (a desert camp tent in Merzouga and a hotel in Ouarzazate).
• camel trekking across Erg Chebbi.
• all transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver.
• and hotel or riad pickup in Fez.

Options for this experience

4 options

Budget (shared tent or room for 4 people)07:30Shared tent or room for up to 4 people maximum: standard desert camp shared tent for up to 4 people with ensuite bathroom, Hotel Zaghro or similar. Free sandboarding available on request from the camel guide before starting the camel trek. Group tour for up to 17 people. Duration: 3 days. Dinner and breakfast. Fez to Merzouga, then Marrakech. Minibus with air conditioning, professional driver. Pickup is included.

Group tour for 17 people, standard tent07:30Tent and hotel (3-star): first night in a Standard Desert Camp, second night in Hotel La Perle du Sud Ouarzazate or Kasbah Didis. Local guide in Ait Ben Haddou. Private tent or room. Duration: 3 days. Dinner and breakfast in Merzouga and in Ouarzazate. The second night will be at Kasbah Didis or Hotel La Perle du Sud or similar. Transport in an air-conditioned minibus with a professional driver for groups of up to 17 people. The professional driver speaks English or French. Pickup is included.

Private option07:30, 08:00 and 08:30Comfortable accommodation: first night in a Luxury Desert Camp (private tent with ensuite bathroom), second night in Ksar Ben Youssef, Hotel Xaluca Dades or similar. One-hour quad ride available. Local guides in Rissani and Ait Ben Haddou. Private tour with a private car, private tent or room. Duration: 3 days. Dinner and breakfast with 2 courses. Comfortable air-conditioned car or air-conditioned minivan/SUV. Professional driver who speaks English, French or Spanish. Pickup is included.

VIP small group tour for 10 people07:30Tent and hotel accommodation: first night in a Deluxe Desert Camp, second night in Ksar Ben Youssef or Ksar Sultan or similar. Local guides in Rissani, Todra Gorges and Ait Ben Haddou. Private tent or room with an ensuite bathroom. Hotel pickup and drop-off is available from your hotel or riad. Duration: 3 days. Dinner and breakfast, with 2-course dinner and breakfast. Transport in an air-conditioned minivan for up to 10 passengers, with a professional driver. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (6 to 80 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years)

GroupUp to 17

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by 3T Travel

Is this one for you?Book the private option if you want to set your own pace and skip the group schedule; choose the small group tour if you prefer company but not a crowd; pick the budget shared option if cost matters more than privacy. The fixed three-day itinerary means the timing holds together without you building it: transport, camps, and the camel trek are all arranged, so you move from the Middle Atlas to the dunes to the High Atlas without negotiating logistics at each stop.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: 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.

What exactly happens during the camel trek on day one?

After arriving in Merzouga in the late afternoon, you ride a camel across the sandy dunes of Erg Chebbi for about one hour, then reach the desert camp where you spend the night in a tent.

Where do I sleep on each night of the tour?

Night one is in a tent at the desert camp in Merzouga. Night two is in a hotel in Ouarzazate, such as Les Jardins des Ouarzazate or a similar property.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes two nights' accommodation, camel trekking, all transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver, and pickup. Lunches, monument entrance fees, and drinks are separate.

What is Ait Benhaddou, and why do we stop there?

Ait Benhaddou is a famous kasbah (a fortified village built of clay and stone) located on the route between Ouarzazate and Marrakesh. You stop there on day three for lunch and a walk through the kasbah before continuing over the High Atlas.

Can I choose between a private tour and a group tour?

Yes. The tour is available as a private option, a small group of up to 10 people, a VIP small group of 10, a budget shared option with 4 people per tent or room, or a standard group tour of up to 17 people in standard tents.