Marrakech to Fes: 3-Day Desert Tour & Luxury Camp

Three days crossing Morocco: from the Atlas to the Sahara to Fes

You travel from Marrakech through the High Atlas and Dades Valley to Merzouga, where you ride a camel into Erg Chebbi at sunset and sleep in a luxury desert camp. The next morning, after a sunrise trek, you drive north through the Ziz Valley and cedar forests, arriving in Fes by evening. Hotel stays, meals, camel rides, and a professional guide are included. You handle only your own pace and what you want to photograph.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Tinghir via Atlas Mountains

• Drive from Marrakech to High Atlas Mountains
• Stop for coffee and photos at Tizi Ntichka pass
• Visit Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou
• Pass by Ouarzazate to Dades Valley
• Drive through Skoura oasis and Klaa Mgrouna
• Continue to Tinghir via Dades Gorges
• Arrive at hotel and enjoy dinner

Day 2: Tinghir to Merzouga Desert Camp

• Breakfast at hotel in Tinghir
• Visit Tinghir oasis
• Cross Tinghir to Todra Gorges
• Walk along stream and explore Todra Gorges
• Lunch at local cafe
• Drive to Rissani passing small towns and oases
• Arrive in Merzouga and meet camel caravan
• One-hour camel ride and sandboarding at Erg Chebbi
• Continue camel trek to desert camp
• Dinner and entertainment at Bedouin camp

Day 3: Merzouga to Fes via Ziz Valley and Atlas

• Early sunrise camel ride over Erg Chebbi dunes
• Breakfast at camp lodge in Merzouga
• Drive across Ziz Valley with date palms
• Cross Middle Atlas Mountains to Midelt
• Lunch stop at Midelt
• Drive past Azrou cedar forest and spot monkeys
• Continue to Fes and end tour with drop-off

The experience

Most people fly into Marrakech and leave the same way. This tour does the opposite. It takes you out of the medina and doesn't bring you back to the same city. Day one climbs through the High Atlas, stops at Tizi-n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters, and drops you in front of the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO site that's been the backdrop for Game of Thrones and Gladiator. The landscape shifts as you drive past the Dades Valley, through rose plantations and Berber villages, and by evening you're in a hotel in Tinghir with the Dades River running nearby.

Day two is the one people remember. You walk into Todra Gorge with date palms overhead and the Berber farmers still working the same plots their families have worked for generations. The cliffs rise up around you, and then you're back in the van heading toward Merzouga. When you arrive, there's a camel waiting. The ride lasts about an hour, and somewhere in the middle of Erg Chebbi's sand dunes you stop to sandboard down a slope while the sun drops toward the horizon. After that comes dinner at the luxury camp, a private tent, a fire, drums, the sky so full of stars it doesn't look real. You sleep there, under it all.

The third day starts before sunrise with another camel trek across the dunes, then breakfast at the lodge. From there it's a long drive north through the Ziz Valley, past thousands of date palms, across the Middle Atlas Mountains, and through cedar forests where wild monkeys sometimes appear. You reach Fes by late afternoon, dropped at your hotel or the nearest point your driver can access. The whole thing is three days, two nights, one professional guide, and the kind of distance that makes you understand why Morocco feels like several countries at once.

What’s included

• Your three days include hotel pickup from Marrakech, a comfortable hotel stay in Tinghir on night one, a private tent at a luxury desert camp in Merzouga on night two, all meals starting with breakfast on day two through breakfast on day three, a camel ride and sandboarding experience in Erg Chebbi, a professional driver-guide for the entire journey, and drop-off in Fes at your hotel or the nearest accessible point. Entry to Aït Ben Haddou and Todra Gorge are included.
• lunch on day two is at leisure in a local café.

Options for this experience

3 options

Standard and basic camp or hotelGuide in 10 languages · 07:30Shared standard tour: Pick this option to spend the second night at the standard camp in Merzouga Desert, with shared bathroom and toilet facilities. ATV quad and buggy rides are available to rent with the locals. Duration: 3 days, with 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners, in an air-conditioned minibus or minivan. Please note: this tour does not return to Marrakech; the final drop-off is in Fes. Pickup is included.

Recommended: Deluxe Camp TentGuide in 10 languages · 07:30Luxury camp in Merzouga: overnight in a deluxe camp tent in Merzouga, with a private shower and bathroom inside the tent, and the last day's tour from Merzouga to Fes. ATV quad and buggy rides are available to rent with the locals. Superior option. Duration: 3 days, with 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners, in an air-conditioned minibus or minivan. Please note: this tour does not return to Marrakech; the final drop-off is in Fes. Pickup is included.

Premium Desert TourGuide in 10 languages · 08:00Private tour with upgraded riad: first night at Chez Pierre, Dades Paradise or Xaluca Dades; second night at Merzouga Luxury Camp or Madu Luxury Camp. ATV and camel ride with sandboarding: 1 hour ATV quad ride, 1 hour camel ride and sand boarding. Premium option. Duration: 3 days, with 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts. Private air-conditioned vehicle: a private 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado or minivan. Please note: this tour does not return to Marrakech; the final drop-off is in Fes. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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 and 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 200

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Korean and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Morocco Best Tour

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to cross Morocco in three days without arranging transport, camps, or meals separately: the fixed itinerary and included guide handle the logistics, leaving you to focus on the drive, the dunes, and the shift from mountains to desert to another city entirely.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Chinese and Dutch.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How long is the camel ride in Merzouga?

About an hour, followed by sandboarding on the dunes before heading to the camp.

What's included in the price?

Hotel accommodation on night one, desert camp on night two, all meals, camel rides, sandboarding, and a professional driver-guide.

Can I upgrade the desert camp?

Yes, you can upgrade to a VIP camp such as Orient luxury camp or Sahara Sky.

What time do I arrive in Fes?

Around 5 p.m. on day three, with drop-off at your hotel or the nearest accessible point.

Do I need to be fit for the camel rides?

No, the tour is designed for all fitness levels. The camel ride is leisurely, and walking sections are optional.

What happens if I want to return to Marrakech instead of going to Fes?

The tour can be arranged as a round-trip back to Marrakech. Confirm this when booking.

Is the desert camp comfortable?

Yes, you stay in a private tent with meals provided. Upgrades to luxury camps offer more amenities.