3 Days Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour

Day 1: Fes – Ifrane – Cedar Forest – Ziz Valley – Merzouga Desert [465 km]

Your desert tour begins with an early pickup in Fes, heading south through the Middle Atlas Mountains toward the Sahara. The first stop is Ifrane, a small alpine-style town known locally as “the Switzerland of Morocco” for its stone chalets and cool mountain air. From there, you’ll drive into the Cedar Forest of Azrou, where troops of wild Barbary macaques often come right up to the roadside.

Continuing south, you’ll pass through Midelt, an apple-growing town tucked below the Atlas peaks, with a stop for lunch. The road then drops into the Ziz Valley, one of Morocco’s most dramatic palm oases, lined with kasbahs and terraced farmland. By late afternoon you’ll reach Merzouga, the small desert town that marks the edge of the Sahara.

Here begins the part most travelers book this tour for, a camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes as the sun sets over the sand. After the ride, settle into your private tent at a luxury desert camp for a Berber dinner, live music around the fire.

Day 2: Merzouga Desert – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley [302 km]

Wake before dawn to catch sunrise over the dunes one of the most photographed moments of the whole trip then head back to Merzouga for breakfast. If you have time before departing, the things to do in Merzouga go well beyond the camel ride, from quad biking to visiting a nomadic family.

From Merzouga, the route passes through Rissani, once a trading hub for caravans crossing the Sahara, known today for its lively souk. You’ll then reach the Todgha Gorges, where a river has cut a narrow canyon through 300-metre limestone cliffs a highlight for hikers and photographers alike.

After lunch nearby, continue to the Dades Valley, where the road winds between rock formations locals call the “Monkey Fingers.” You’ll spend the night at a hotel in the valley, with dinner and views over the gorge.

Day 3: Dades Valley – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech [330 km]

On your final day, the route runs through the Valley of Roses and the kasbahs of Skoura before reaching Ouarzazate, nicknamed the “Hollywood of Africa” for its film studios, where major productions have been shot for decades.

From Ouarzazate, you’ll visit Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage ksar built from red earth and famous for its role in film and television. Wandering its narrow lanes and towers gives a real sense of pre-Saharan architecture.

The tour then climbs into the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, Morocco’s highest year-round road, with sweeping views over the range before the final descent into Marrakech where your desert crossing comes to an end.

Related route: if you’re planning the trip in the other direction, see the 3 Days Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga Desert.