2-Day Marrakech to Fez Desert Tour: Camel Ride & Erg Chebbi Camp

Dunes at sunrise, a night under stars in a Berber tent, the Atlas Mountains on the drive back

A 2-day tour from Marrakech to Fez via the Erg Chebbi desert, with overnight in a desert camp tent, camel ride across the dunes, sandboarding, and a return through the Ziz Oasis and Berber villages. The route climbs through the High Atlas (Tizi-n-Tichka pass at 2,260 meters), passes the Valley of Roses and Dades valley, and includes an optional stop at the UNESCO site Ait Ben Haddou on day one. A live guide in English or French leads the tour. Hotel pickup in Marrakech is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Erg Chebbi Desert

• Meet at hotel in Marrakech
• Drive through Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Pass small villages and waterfalls
• Drive through Ouarzazate and Valley of Roses
• Arrive at Kasbah near Erg Chebbi dunes
• Rest and drink mint tea
• Camel ride across Erg Chebbi dunes
• Reach desert camp and settle in tent
• Enjoy dinner and campfire with Berber music

Day 2: Merzouga to Fez via Atlas Mountains

• Early morning walk on sand dunes
• Watch sunrise near Algerian border
• Camel ride back to hotel
• Breakfast and shower
• Drive through Ziz Valley and Berber villages
• Pass Middle Atlas Mountains
• Arrive in Fez in the afternoon

The experience

Day one is a long drive south from Marrakech through the High Atlas, climbing through small villages and changing mountain colors to reach Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses. The road crests at Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2,260 meters above sea level) before descending toward the desert. You can add a stop at Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed kasbah, depending on which option you book. By late afternoon you arrive at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes, where camels and a guide are waiting. A one-hour camel ride carries you across the sandy dunes to the desert camp, where you'll spend the night in a Berber tent with a private bathroom (standard or luxury depending on your option).

The camp serves mint tea on arrival, then dinner and an evening around the campfire with Berber musicians and drums. In the morning you can wake early to watch the sunrise from the dunes near the Algerian border, about 50 kilometers away, before riding the camels back to the camp for breakfast and a shower. Sandboarding is available if you request it.

Day two retraces north through the Ziz valley, Berber villages, and the Middle Atlas cedar forest, arriving in Fez by afternoon. Transport is by comfortable minibus or minivan with a professional driver. All meals except lunch are included, along with taxes and applications fees. Children from age one are welcome when accompanied by an adult.

What’s included

• Transport by comfortable minibus or minivan with a professional driver.
• hotel pickup in Marrakech.
• overnight in a Berber tent with private bathroom.
• camel ride across the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• dinner and breakfast.
• mint tea and campfire with Berber music on the first night.
• sandboarding on request.
• a live guide in English or French.
• all taxes and application fees.

Options for this experience

4 options

Shared 4-person tent: budget tripGuide in English or French · 05:00 and 06:00Shared tent with bathroom: shared tent with en-suite bathroom (maximum 4 people). Sand boarding is available: free sandboarding available on request upon arrival at the camp. Shared tour, 2 days, dinner and breakfast. Marrakech, then the desert, then Fez: we travel from Marrakech to the desert (Merzouga, Erg Chebbi), spend the night there, and the next day travel on to Fez. Minibus or minivan, professional driver, pickup is included

Private tent: standard tripGuide in English or French · 05:00Private standard tent: private standard tent with en-suite bathroom. Free sand boarding: free sand boarding available on request at the camp. Quad biking is available at an extra cost. Shared tour in a private tent, 2 days, 1 dinner plus 1 breakfast. Marrakech to Merzouga, then Fez: we travel from Marrakech to the desert (Merzouga, Erg Chebbi), stay the night, and the next day travel on to Fez. Minibus or minivan with comfortable air conditioning, professional driver, pickup is included

Luxury tent: comfortable tripGuide in English or French · 05:00Private luxury tent: private luxury tent with en-suite bathroom. Free sand boarding: sand boarding is available on request upon arrival at the camp. Shared trip in a private luxury tent, 2 days, 1 dinner and 1 breakfast. Marrakech to the desert, then Fez. Minibus or minivan with comfortable air-conditioned car, professional driver, pickup is included

Private tour: premium tripGuide in English or French · 06:00 and 07:00Private luxury tour: private luxury tent with a private en-suite bathroom, sand boarding, private tour, 2 days, dinner and breakfast, Marrakech to the desert, then Fez. Minivan or SUV with comfortable private air conditioning, professional driver, pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 05:00, 06:00 and 07:00, from US$ 120 per person, with a live guide in English and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 05:00, 06:00 and 07:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 171 private ›

Live guideEnglish and FrenchOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Physically demandingInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Marrakech desert tour

Is this one for you?Choose the private tent option if you want the desert to yourself and your group. The shared tent keeps costs lower when you're traveling alone or in a pair. Either way, the overnight camp and camel ride are the core of the trip: the long drive on day one and the return through the Ziz valley on day two are what frame them and make the full route possible.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the camel ride like on this 2-day desert tour from Marrakech?

The camel ride lasts about one hour and carries you across the Erg Chebbi dunes from the base to the desert camp where you spend the night. A guide and camels are waiting for you after you arrive at the foot of the dunes in late afternoon.

Can I visit Ait Ben Haddou on the way from Marrakech to the desert?

Ait Ben Haddou is an optional stop on day one, depending on which tour option you choose at checkout. It's a UNESCO-listed kasbah along the route toward Ouarzazate and the Erg Chebbi dunes.

What happens on the second day of this Marrakech-to-Fez tour?

Day two is the return journey north through the Ziz valley, Berber villages, and the Middle Atlas cedar forest. You'll pass through gorges and mountain scenery before arriving in Fez in the afternoon.

Is the sunrise walk in the desert included in this 2-day tour?

You can get up early on day two and walk over the sand dunes to watch the sunrise from behind the Algerian border, about 50 kilometers from Merzouga. This is optional and happens before breakfast and the camel ride back to camp.

What's included in the overnight desert camp stay?

The desert camp includes a Berber tent with a private bathroom (standard or luxury depending on your option), dinner, mint tea on arrival, a campfire with Berber music and drums, and breakfast the next morning.

Does this tour include hotel pickup in Marrakech?

Yes, hotel pickup in Marrakech is included. The tour starts early in the morning after meeting you at your hotel, then heads toward the High Atlas and the desert route.