Fez to Merzouga Desert Tour: Camel Trek & Berber Camp Night

Summary

Ride camels from Fez to Merzouga sleep under stars and share tea with Berbers

You’ll travel from Fez through cedar forests and valleys to Merzouga for a real Sahara night—riding camels at sunset, sharing Berber music by firelight, waking early for sunrise on the dunes. Includes pickup, all meals, camel trek with local guides, and one night in a desert camp under more stars than you’ve probably ever seen.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Fez to Merzouga via Atlas Mountains

• Pick up from hotel at 07:30 am
• Stop at Ifrane cedar forests
• Break for lunch in Midelt
• Drive through Ziz Valley
• Stop in Erfoud
• Arrive Merzouga and store luggage
• Camel trek for sunset (45 min)
• Dinner under stars with Berber show
• Overnight in desert camp

Day 2 — Merzouga to Fez via Rissani and Mouzar

• Early wake for Erg Chebbi sunrise
• Camel trek back to hotel/riad
• Breakfast and shower
• Visit Rissani and Zawiya Moulay Ali Ash-Sharif
• Drive through Ziz Valley and Damn Hassan El-Awal
• Break for lunch
• Visit cave family in Immouzar
• Return to Fez and drop off at hotel/riad

Top questions

How long is the drive from Fez to Merzouga?

The drive takes most of the day with stops along the way for tea breaks and lunch.

Is camel trekking included on this Fez desert tour?

Yes, a 45-minute camel trek at sunset is included with guides.

Where do you sleep during this 2-day Sahara tour?

You spend one night in a desert camp near Merzouga with dinner and breakfast provided.

Are meals included during the trip?

Dinner at camp and breakfast are both included in the tour price.

Do they pick up from hotels or riads in Fez?

Yes, pickup and drop-off at your hotel or riad in Fez are included.

What should I pack for this Sahara desert trip?

Bring layers—mornings can be cold in the mountains even if days are warm.

Is there time to visit local villages or meet Berbers?

You’ll meet Berber hosts at camp and visit local families along the route.

What’s included

Your journey includes hotel pickup in Fez, comfortable air-conditioned transport through mountain towns and valleys with an English or French-speaking driver, all meals—dinner under desert stars plus breakfast—plus your sunset camel ride guided by locals and an overnight stay in a traditional Sahara camp before returning to your riad or hotel in Fez.

What’s the experience like?

“Don’t worry about the sand in your shoes — it’s good luck,” our driver Youssef grinned as we clambered out for mint tea somewhere past Ifrane. He’d already pointed out the cedar forests (and the monkeys, which were much bolder than I expected), but honestly, it was the cold air up there that surprised me most. I’d packed for desert heat, not this crisp mountain chill. By Midelt, my hands were wrapped around a steaming glass of tea, watching locals joke with each other in French and Arabic. The drive is long — Fez to Merzouga isn’t a quick hop — but somehow every hour felt different. Ziz Valley was just this sudden burst of green after so much rock and dust. I kept pressing my face to the window like a kid.

By the time we reached Merzouga, late afternoon sun made everything look gold and kind of unreal. We left our bags at a little hotel (I barely remembered what I’d packed by then) and met Hassan, our camel guide. He handed me a blue scarf and tied it for me — apparently my knotting skills are hopeless — before leading us out across the sand. The camel trek was quieter than I expected; you could hear nothing but hooves and wind, maybe someone laughing ahead when their camel sneezed. Sunset over Erg Chebbi actually made me forget to take photos for once. Dinner later was tagine cooked right there at camp, eaten cross-legged while Berber musicians played around the fire. One of them tried teaching us how to clap along in rhythm — I still can’t do it right.

I woke up before dawn because someone’s phone alarm went off (not naming names), but honestly, seeing that first pink light on the dunes was worth it. We rode back by camel while everything was still cool and quiet — there’s something about those early hours that makes you feel like you’re in on a secret. After breakfast and one last round of sweet bread at the hotel, we headed back toward Fez, stopping in Rissani where our guide showed us Moulay Ali Ash-Sharif’s mausoleum (he told us stories about his family visiting here every year). Somewhere near Immouzar we visited a family living in a cave home; their little boy offered us dates with sticky fingers and shy smiles. The road back felt softer somehow — maybe just tiredness or maybe because part of me didn’t want to leave yet.