Fez to Merzouga Sahara tour: 2 days with camel trek

Cross the Erg Chebbi dunes on camel, then sleep under the Sahara sky

A two-day Sahara tour from Fez takes you by private vehicle through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Merzouga, where you trek by camel around the Erg Chebbi dunes and spend the night at a Berber camp. The route covers seven hours on day one, passing cedar forests, Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt and the Ziz valley. Day two returns you to Fez by evening after a sunrise camel trek and stops at Rissani and Imouzar Kandar. Pickup from your Fez riad at 7:30 am, dinner, breakfast, and a professional driver are included.

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 Ifrane cedar forest
• Visit Azrou and Midelt
• Pass through Ziz valley
• Arrive Merzouga and camel trek 45 minutes
• Enjoy Berber drumming and starry sky
• Overnight at desert camp

Day 2: Merzouga to Fez return journey

• Wake early for Erg Chebbi sunrise
• Camel trek back to Merzouga hotel
• Have breakfast and freshen up
• Drive visiting Tafilalt and Rissani
• See Zawiya Moulay Ali Sharif
• Pass through Ziz Valley and Imouzar Kandar
• Arrive in Fez early evening
• Drop off at hotel/riad

The experience

How do you get from Fez to the Sahara without renting a car or navigating alone? A private driver picks you up at your riad at 7:30 am and handles the seven-hour drive to Merzouga, crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains and stopping at the cedar forests of Ifrane, the town of Azrou, Midelt, and the Ziz valley. The landscape shifts as you move south, from green highlands to the edge of the desert. By late afternoon you reach Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes, where the camels are waiting.

The camel trek lasts around 45 minutes, moving across the dunes to your camp. Dinner and the night happen at a standard Berber camp, where the sky fills with stars and the drumming carries into the evening. There is no electricity or running water. Just the desert and the quiet. You sleep in a tent on the ground.

Day two starts early to catch the sunrise over the dunes from camel-back. After the trek, you return to a riad in Merzouga for breakfast and to wash up, then begin the drive back to Fez. The return route passes through Tafilalt, Rissani (home to the Alawite dynasty), the Zawiya Moulay Ali Sharif, the dramatic Ziz Valley, and Imouzar Kandar. You arrive back in Fez in the early evening and are dropped at your hotel or riad. The vehicle is air-conditioned and the driver handles all the stops and timing.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your Fez riad.
• seven-hour private vehicle transfer with an air-conditioned car and professional driver.
• camel trekking on both mornings.
• one night at a standard Berber desert camp.
• dinner and breakfast.
• English or French-speaking guide throughout.

Before you book

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 07:30, from US$ 125 per person, with a live guide in English and French, in groups of up to 14 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Group Morocco Travel

Is this one for you?The tour runs on a fixed two-day schedule with a shared group and a professional driver who speaks English or French, so you follow the same route and timing as everyone else on the departure. Book this if you want the Sahara without navigating the drive yourself or coordinating a private vehicle.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

How long is the camel trek each day?

The camel trek lasts around 45 minutes on day one heading to the camp and again on day two at sunrise. Both are short rides across the Erg Chebbi dunes rather than long-distance treks.

What is the Berber camp like at night?

The standard desert camp has tents for sleeping and offers dinner and breakfast. There is no electricity or plumbing, so the experience is basic and close to the land. The appeal is the starry sky and the quiet of the Sahara.

What stops do we make on the drive to Merzouga?

Day one includes the cedar forests of Ifrane, the town of Azrou, Midelt, and the Ziz valley. Day two on the return passes through Tafilalt, Rissani, the Zawiya Moulay Ali Sharif, and Imouzar Kandar before reaching Fez.

Is lunch included in the two days?

Lunch is not included: dinner on day one and breakfast on day two are provided at the camp, but you will need to arrange or purchase lunch during the drive or in Merzouga.

Can children or infants do this tour?

Infants and small children can join. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller during the drive, sit on an adult's lap, or use a specialized infant seat, and they can ride on the camel with an adult. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels.