3-Day Fez to Marrakech Sahara Tour: Camel Trek & Berber Camp

Three days crossing Morocco's mountains, dunes and valleys with a camel trek under the stars

A 3-day guided tour from Fez to Marrakech via Merzouga, traveling through the Middle Atlas Mountains and Sahara with a night in a Berber desert camp and camel trek. The route includes stops at Todra Gorge, Boumalne Dades, and the UNESCO-listed Aït Benhaddou village, with an English or French-speaking driver, hotel pickup in Fez, and accommodation in Ouarzazate on night two. Lunches are not included; breakfast and dinner are provided at camp and hotels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Fez to Merzouga via Middle Atlas

• Pick up from riad-hotel at 7:30 am
• Drive through Middle Atlas Mountains
• Stop at cedar forest and Ifrane
• Visit Azrou and Midelt
• Pass Ziz valley
• Arrive at Merzouga desert camp
• Dinner at desert camp

Day 2 — Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge

• Watch sunrise early morning
• Camel trek back to Merzouga hotel
• Have breakfast and freshen up
• Drive to Todra Gorge
• Explore Todra Gorge and walk
• Lunch at Boumalne Dades
• Visit El Kelâa-M’gouna and Skoura palmery
• Arrive at Ouarzazate hotel/riad
• Dinner at hotel/riad

Day 3 — Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Aït Benhaddou

• Breakfast at hotel/riad
• Visit Atlas Film Studios
• Tour Aït Benhaddou village
• Drive to Telouet and have lunch
• Visit Kasbah of Telouet
• Travel across Tizi-n-Tichka Pass
• Stop for photos and panoramic views
• Arrive in Marrakech and drop off at riad/hotel

The Experience

Pickup happens at 7:30 am from your Fez riad or hotel, then a seven-hour drive south through the Middle Atlas Mountains carries you toward Merzouga. The route crosses the vast cedar forest near Ifrane, passes through Azrou and Midelt, and descends into the Ziz valley before reaching the Erg Chebbi dunes at day's end. You'll spend the night in a standard desert camp with dinner included, settling in under the starry sky.

Day two starts early with a sunrise watch, then a camel trek back to Merzouga for breakfast and a wash before the second leg begins. The drive west toward Ouarzazate takes you through Todra Gorge, where you'll stop to walk among the high rock walls, then through Boumalne Dades and the valley of 1,000 Kasbahs near El Kelâa M'Gouna. You'll reach a 3- or 4-star hotel in Ouarzazate by evening with dinner and accommodation included.

The final day starts with a visit to Atlas Films Studios, then continues to Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site built on a hillside above the Ounila River and famous as a filming location for Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and The Mummy. After lunch and a stop at the Kasbah of Telouet, you'll cross the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters, stopping for photos of the Atlas Mountains and Berber villages, before arriving in Marrakech for drop-off at your hotel or riad.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your Fez and Marrakech hotels.
• air-conditioned vehicle with English or French-speaking driver.
• one night in a standard Berber desert camp in Merzouga with dinner.
• one night in a 3- or 4-star hotel in Ouarzazate with dinner.
• breakfast at camp and hotels.
• camel trek in Merzouga.
• guided stops at Todra Gorge, Boumalne Dades, Aït Benhaddou and the Kasbah of Telouet.
• Atlas Films Studios visit.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Group Morocco Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Fez and want a structured route through Morocco's key landscapes without arranging transport, camp or hotels yourself — the shared group keeps costs down, and the fixed itinerary means the three days hold together without building it piece by piece.

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Top questions

What's the camel trek like on this tour?

The camel trek happens on the morning of day two in Merzouga, after sunrise. You ride back from the desert camp to the hotel for breakfast and freshening up before the drive continues west toward Ouarzazate.

Where do I sleep on the first night?

You stay in a standard desert camp in Merzouga with dinner included. The camp sits near the Erg Chebbi dunes where you'll watch the sunset and sleep under the stars.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunches are not included in the tour price. Breakfast and dinner are provided at the desert camp and hotels, but you'll arrange and pay for lunch stops during the drive.

What's Aït Benhaddou and why is it on the route?

Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage village built on a hillside above the Ounila River on day three. It's famous as a filming location for major films including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and The Mummy, and you'll have time to explore it before continuing to Marrakech.

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

The first day's drive takes seven hours, traveling through the Middle Atlas Mountains and cedar forests, with stops at Azrou, Midelt and the Ziz valley before reaching Merzouga.

Do I need my own transport, or is it included?

Transport is included throughout the tour. A private driver in an air-conditioned vehicle picks you up from your Fez hotel at 7:30 am and handles all driving for the three days, dropping you at your Marrakech hotel at the end.