3-Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour: Camel Ride & Berber Camp

Cross the Atlas, ride camels at sunset, and wake in the Sahara

A 3-day guided tour from Marrakech to Fes that crosses the high Atlas Mountains, stops at the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, descends into Todra Gorge, and ends with a camel ride across Erg Chebbi sand dunes and an overnight stay in a Berber desert camp. The tour includes two nights' accommodation with meals, an air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off, and a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian or French. Lunches are not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Dades Valley

• Depart Marrakech at 7:30 am
• Drive through Tizi-n-Tichka Pass
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Visit Sabah Taourirte in Ouarzazate
• Have leisurely lunch
• Travel through Valley of Roses
• Arrive at guest house in Dades Valley
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 2 — Dades Gorge to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at guest house
• Travel to Tinghir Oasis via road 1001 Kasbahs
• Visit Todgha Gorge
• Lunch at café
• Visit Rissani town
• Travel to Merzouga desert
• Camel ride over Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
• Arrive at Berber desert camp
• Dinner under the stars with drum entertainment

Day 3 — Merzouga Desert to Fes

• Camel trek to watch sunrise
• Breakfast at Merzouga lodge
• Freshen up and farewell group
• Drive to Fes via Ziz Valley and Errachidia
• Lunch during journey
• Travel through Middle Atlas Mountains
• Pass Cedar forests of Imouzzar and Ifran
• Arrive and drop off in Fes around 7:00 pm

The Experience

The tour starts at 7:30 am from your hotel or riad in Marrakech. You'll drive through the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass and the high Atlas Mountains, making several stops along the way. The first major stop is Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified kasbah that has served as the backdrop for Hollywood films and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. After that comes Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate, then a leisurely lunch before you continue through the Valley of Roses toward Boumalne Dades. By evening you'll arrive at a boutique guesthouse in Dades Valley for dinner and your first night's stay.

Day two takes you from Dades Gorge to Merzouga. After breakfast, you travel via the Road of 1001 Kasbahs to Tinghir Oasis, where you'll walk down to the stream and follow it to Todra Gorge—a dramatic canyon carved through the mountains. You'll pass through Rissani, the holiest town in Morocco and the historic starting point for trading caravans heading across the Sahara. The terrain becomes rockier as you approach Merzouga, where you meet your camel caravan. You'll ride across the Erg Chebbi sand dunes at sunset, then return to a Berber desert camp nestled in the dunes. Dinner is served under the stars, accompanied by traditional drum music from your hosts.

On the final morning, you'll trek by camel to watch the sunrise over the dunes, then return for breakfast at the lodge. After time to freshen up, you'll join a small group (maximum six travelers) for the long drive to Fes. The route takes you through Ziz Valley and Errachidia, across the Middle Atlas Mountains, through Berber towns, and past the Cedar Forests of Imouzzar and Ifrane. You'll arrive in Fes around 7:00 pm.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with driver and live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian or French.
• hotel or riad pickup in Marrakech and drop-off in Fes.
• two nights' accommodation with half-board meals (breakfast and dinner).
• 1 hour 30 minutes of camel riding split across sunset and sunrise on the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• overnight stay in a Berber desert camp with traditional entertainment.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Maroc Adventure

Is this one for you?The early 7:30 am start and full three days of driving mean this tour moves at a steady pace with long hours in the vehicle, which is what fits the distance from Marrakech to Fes and allows the camel ride, the Berber camp night, and the major stops—Ait Ben Haddou, Todra Gorge, and the Atlas crossings—into a single journey.

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Top questions

What is Ait Ben Haddou and why is it on this tour?

Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah—a fortified clay village—that has been the filming location for many Hollywood blockbuster movies. It's the first major stop on day one, visited after you pass through the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the high Atlas Mountains.

How long is the camel ride in Merzouga?

The camel ride lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes total across the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. You'll ride at sunset on day two and trek again at sunrise on day three to watch the sun come up over the desert.

What is the Berber camp like, and where do you sleep?

The Berber camp is a nomadic settlement nestled in the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert near Merzouga. You'll sleep overnight under the stars, and dinner is served with traditional drum entertainment from your hosts. The camp provides accommodation as part of the half-board arrangement.

What happens on the drive from Merzouga to Fes?

On day three, after the sunrise camel trek and breakfast, you'll travel through Ziz Valley, the Middle Atlas Mountains, Berber towns, and the Cedar Forests of Imouzzar and Ifrane before arriving in Fes around 7:00 pm. The group is kept small—a maximum of six travelers—for the journey.

What meals are included, and what do I need to arrange?

Your accommodation includes half-board meals: breakfast and dinner on both nights in the guesthouse and Berber camp. Lunches are not included, so you'll arrange those at cafés and restaurants along the route, such as the stop in Tinghir Oasis and the lunch break before Merzouga.

Is this tour suitable for children or people with limited mobility?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller during the vehicle portions, and specialized infant seats are available. The camel rides and walking sections (such as the descent to Todra Gorge) require some mobility, so consider your comfort level with those activities.