4-Day Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech

Day 1: Fes, Ifrane, the Cedar Forest, Midelt and the Merzouga Desert Camp

Your driver meets you at your riad or hotel in Fes. First, you pass Ifrane, often called “the Switzerland of Morocco” for its alpine houses and cool climate. Next, you stop in the cedar forest of Azrou to watch wild Barbary macaques, without feeding them. After lunch in Midelt, you cross the Tizi n’Talghemt pass at 1,907 meters and follow the Ziz Valley. In the late afternoon, you ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset. Dinner and Berber drums at the camp end the day. About 7.5 hours of driving.

Day 2: A Full Desert Day with Nomads and Khamlia

Wake early for sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast, you return to Merzouga by camel or 4×4. Then, your driver takes you off-road across the rocky plains to a former mine in the hills. From there, you visit a nomad family in their tent and share a cup of Berber tea. Next, you reach Khamlia, a village known for Gnaoua music. After lunch, you stroll through a palm grove and see Merzouga’s seasonal lake, which holds water only after rain. In the evening, you check in to a hotel facing the dunes for dinner. About 2 to 3 hours of off-road driving.

Day 3: Rissani, Erfoud, Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley

After breakfast, you visit Rissani, whose souk runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Next, you stop at a fossil workshop in Erfoud. Then, you walk along the river in Todra Gorge, between towering limestone cliffs. In the afternoon, you see the “monkey fingers” rocks of the Dades Valley before checking in to your hotel for dinner. About 4.5 hours of driving.

Day 4: Rose Valley, Skoura, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou and Marrakech

After breakfast, you drive through Kalaat M’Gouna, the Rose Valley, where roses bloom in spring. Next, you pass the Skoura palm grove and Ouarzazate, home to famous film studios. Then, you explore the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Finally, you cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 meters and reach Marrakech by early evening. About 7 hours of driving.