5 Days Desert Tour Marrakech to Fes

Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Benhaddou – Ouarzazate

We start our guided 5-day desert tour early in the morning in Marrakech. We will pick you up from your accommodations and set off in a comfortable and air-conditioned vehicle. Our first destination is a fortified village or ighrem Ait Benhaddou. The drive from Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou provides scenic vistas on the foothills of the majestic High Atlas Mountains. We will make several stops along the way to take in the beauty of these snowcapped peaks and the landscape around Tizi n’Tichka pass, at an elevation of 7,415 ft (2260 m). At Ait Benhaddou we will visit the ancient village, which has one of the most popular kasbahs in Morocco. The fortified, red-earthen settlement provides a glimpse of what ancient Morocco was like. Ait Benhaddou is about 1200 years old and there are still families living in this ancient village. Most of the structures built centuries ago are still intact. Roaming the passageways of this UNESCO World Heritage site is an exciting experience. We will have lunch in the village before leaving for Ouarzazate. On our way the climate becomes more desert-like, paving way for a spectacular landscape. Ouarzazate is admired for its old-world features and it’s one of the reasons why the location has been popular with Hollywood filmmakers. It has been a film set for several blockbusters and the popular TV show Game of Thrones. We will make a quick stop at The Atlas Film Studios for a look before proceeding downtown to see a picturesque view of the kasbahs of Taourirt and Tifoultoute. In the evening our guide will take you to your accommodations for the night.

Day 2: Todra Gorge – Merzouga

After breakfast, we will drive to Todra Gorge. This is a scenic road trip passing several towns such as Boumalne Dades and Kalaat M’Gouna on the way. At Todra Gorge, you will be impressed by the massive canyons about 1,312 ft (400 m) deep. We will walk around the site including oases found alongside the valley. You will have fun hiking the Todra River Gorge on foot. After lunchtime, we will be on our way toward Merzouga. You will get to take one of the best desert camel rides in Morocco, about an hour and thirty minutes to Berber camp. During the ride, we will be climbing the gigantic dunes of Erg Chebbi. In the evening, you will enjoy a beautiful sunset over the dunes. The night will be spent at a Berber nomad camp where local food will be served. You will be entertained by traditional Berber music with dancing around the campfire before going to sleep.

Day 3: Merzouga – Khamlia – Rissani – Merzouga

We will wake up early in the morning to experience the magical view of the sunrise on top of the dunes in the Sahara desert. It is one of the few places in Morocco where you can see the Sahara. A camel ride will take you back to Merzouga where our driver will be waiting to take us on a more immersing trip into the desert. We will freshen up and a 4×4 off-road vehicle is ours to head towards Hassilabied and Khamlia villages. On the way, we will come across nomads living in the desert and listen to live Gnawa music by the local tribes. We will drive deeper into the desert to Lake Dayte Sarje, an oasis at the dunes, and a visit to see black volcanic rocks. The rest of the afternoon will be spent at Rissani, an important commercial town, where we will visit its famous souks. In the evening, we will drive back to Merzouga.

Day 4: City of Midelt

On the 4th day of our Moroccan desert tour, we will take a longer road trip from Merzouga to Fes. On our route are major towns such as Erfoud, Aoufous, and Errachidia. We will also pass the Ziz Valley along the way. With a few quick stops on the way, we will get to take in the scenery and interact with locals, including the Berbers. The oasis of Aoufous is a must-see place on your way to Midelt. By lunchtime, we should have arrived at Midelt, where we will have something from the local cuisine for lunch. We will spend the remaining part of the day exploring Midelt. Although it is a small town, Midelt has some fascinating attractions to offer. Some of the major sites that we will visit include Aguelmous, Eglise de Midelt, Notre Dame de l’Atlas monastery, and the spectacular Gorges d’Aouli. In the evening we will enjoy the breathtaking view of the sunset. You need a camera to capture the moment. Our guide will take you back to your accommodations for the night.

Day 5: Azrou – Ifrane – Fes

We’ll have breakfast and then set out on our final day. We will pass through the beautiful towns of Zaida and Timahdite before arriving at a known and well-liked cedar forest near Azrou. This forest is popular because of its affable Barbary macaque monkeys. From Azrou we head on to Ifrane. Known as ‘Moroccan Switzerland’, Ifrane is considered to be one of the cleanest cities in the world. You will detect the change in the environment immediately after entering the city. The current city was established in 1928 by the French, although the first permanent settlement of the area dates from the 16th century. That first community was 4 miles (7 km) from the present Ifrane and was made up of cave dwellings. Only in the last decades have people built houses above ground, so Ifrane is a contemporary city that looks like belonging more to a European continent than Africa. You will feel the striking contrast between architecture and urban structure. Its climate is rather cool, with snowy winters and moderate summers. A tour of Ifrane is not complete without visiting the stone lion monument – a sculpture of a lion dating from around 1936. In the evening we will drive to Fes, which concludes our 5-day tour. Our guide will drop you off at your hotel in Fes.