4 Days Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour

Day 1: Marrakech – High Atlas – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley [321 km]

Your driver picks you up early from your hotel or riad in Marrakech and heads east toward the High Atlas Mountains. The route climbs over the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 meters, with stops along the way for photos of the Berber villages and valleys below.

By late morning you reach Ait Benhaddou, a fortified ksar built from clay and straw that has appeared in films such as Gladiator and in the series Game of Thrones. After lunch, the drive continues to Ouarzazate, known locally as the gateway to the desert, where you can see the Atlas Film Studios and the Taourirt Kasbah, once home to the Glaoui family.

From Ouarzazate, the road runs through the Skoura palm grove and the Valley of Roses before reaching Boumalne Dades. You spend the night at a hotel or riad here, with dinner included, ready for the gorges the next morning.

Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Merzouga Desert [249 km]

After breakfast, you continue into the Dades Gorge, where the road winds beneath rock formations known locally as the Monkey Fingers. From there, the route leads to the Todra Gorge, a canyon with cliffs rising close to 300 meters on either side. There’s free time to walk along the riverbed before lunch.

The drive continues south through Tinghir and Erfoud toward Merzouga, on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. In the late afternoon, you switch from your vehicle to a camel for the ride into the dunes, timed to reach a high point for sunset over the desert.

At the camp, you’re welcomed with mint tea before a Moroccan dinner. In the evening, Berber musicians play drums around the fire, and the desert sky fills with stars once the camp lights are turned down.

Day 3: Explore Merzouga Desert

There’s an early start this morning to catch sunrise over the dunes before breakfast. Once you’ve eaten, you head to Khamlia, a village settled by families with roots in Mali, Sudan, and Niger. The community is known for Gnaoua music, and you’ll take in a short performance that gives some insight into their history in this part of the Sahara.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you return to Merzouga for the rest of the afternoon. This day is built into the itinerary as a slower pace after two days of driving, so it’s a good time to rest at your hotel, walk around town, or simply enjoy the desert setting before dinner.

Day 4: Merzouga Desert – Ziz Valley – Midelt – Azrou – Ifrane – Fes [468 km]

On your last day, you leave the desert and drive north through Erfoud before joining the road that follows the Ziz Valley, where thousands of date palms line the river on either side. There’s a stop for photos of the valley from one of the viewpoints along the way.

The road continues to Midelt, a town known for its apple orchards, where you’ll have time for lunch. From there, the route climbs into the Middle Atlas Mountains and the cedar forests around Azrou, home to wild Barbary macaques that often come close to the road.

The final stretch takes you to Ifrane, sometimes called the Switzerland of Morocco for its alpine-style buildings and cooler climate. From Ifrane, it’s a short drive to Fes, where you’re dropped off at your hotel or riad, marking the end of the 4 days Marrakech to Fes desert tour.