Erg Chebbi, Merzouga
The highest dunes in Morocco and your camp for the first night.
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3 Days • Private Desert Morocco Tour
The 3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech picks you up in Fes, takes you over the Middle Atlas to a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes, and finishes in Marrakech after the gorges and kasbahs of the south.
Duration
3 Days / 2 Nights
Departure
Fes
Tour Type
Private one-way tour
Destination
Fes → Merzouga → Dades Valley → Marrakech
Transport
Private 4x4 or air-conditioned minivan
Availability
Daily, flexible start time
Overview
Our 3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech is a one-way crossing for travelers who are heading from the north of Morocco to the south and want to see the Sahara on the way. The first day is the longest, crossing cedar forests and the Ziz Valley before a sunset camel ride into the dunes and a night in a desert camp. Day two is gentler, with the Rissani market, a walk in Todra Gorge and a hotel in the Dades Valley. On the last day you follow the kasbah road to Aït Ben Haddou and climb over the High Atlas into Marrakech. It suits couples, families and small groups with limited time.
Cross Morocco from north to south with a night in the Sahara and no backtracking.
What to expect
Spot Barbary macaques in the Azrou cedar forest
Ride a camel into Erg Chebbi at sunset
Walk between the tall walls of Todra Gorge
Explore the earthen ksar of Aït Ben Haddou
Climb the High Atlas over Tizi n'Tichka
Day by day
1
Fes → Midelt → Merzouga
Approx. distance: 470 km
Your driver collects you from your Fes riad or hotel around 8 am. The road climbs into the Middle Atlas to Ifrane, a tidy mountain town with sloping roofs, then through the cedar forest near Azrou where Barbary macaques often wait by the roadside.
After a lunch stop in Midelt (not included), the landscape opens up. You follow the Ziz Valley, a long ribbon of date palms below rocky cliffs, and reach Merzouga in the late afternoon.
A camel caravan carries you into the dunes for sunset. Dinner is served at the camp, often followed by drumming around the fire, and you sleep in a tent in Erg Chebbi.
KEY STOPS: Ifrane, Azrou cedar forest, Midelt, Ziz Valley
STAY: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
MEALS: Dinner
2
Merzouga → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley
Approx. distance: 290 km
Wake early to watch the sun rise over the sand, then ride back to the edge of the dunes for breakfast. The drive west passes through Rissani, the old caravan town, where you can stroll through the market and see piles of dates and spices.
In the afternoon you reach Tinghir and its long palm oasis. The road then narrows into Todra Gorge, where you walk on the valley floor between rock walls close to 300 metres high. A short drive brings you to the Dades Valley for dinner and the night in a hotel.
KEY STOPS: Rissani, Tinghir, Todra Gorge
STAY: Hotel in the Dades Valley
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
3
Dades Valley → Aït Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Approx. distance: 330 km
After breakfast you follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through Kelaat M'Gouna, known for its rose products, and the palm groves of Skoura. You pass Ouarzazate, home of the film studios, before reaching Aït Ben Haddou.
Take time to climb through the ksar to its old granary for the view. The last stretch crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass at about 2,260 metres, with Berber villages along the bends. You arrive in Marrakech in the early evening and are dropped at your accommodation.
KEY STOPS: Kelaat M'Gouna, Skoura, Ouarzazate, Aït Ben Haddou, Tizi n'Tichka
STAY: Drop-off at your Marrakech riad or hotel
MEALS: Breakfast
The route
The highest dunes in Morocco and your camp for the first night.
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A short walk between sheer limestone walls on day two.
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Kasbahs, green fields and red rock where you spend the second night.
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A UNESCO listed fortified village on the old caravan road to Marrakech.
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Photography
Practical details
Pickup in Fes and drop-off in Marrakech
Private vehicle, fuel and English-speaking driver
1 night in a desert camp and 1 night in a Dades hotel
2 breakfasts and 2 dinners
Sunset camel ride in Erg Chebbi
Lunches and drinks
Local guides and entry fees at Aït Ben Haddou
Tips and personal expenses
Enquiry
Send us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability quickly. We can also adjust the camp level, start time or stops to suit you.
Good to know
How long are the drives each day?
Day one is the longest at about 8 hours with stops. The second day is around 5 hours and the last day about 6 to 7 hours, including the mountain pass.
What does the 3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech include?
Private transport with an English-speaking driver, one night in a desert camp, one night in a Dades Valley hotel, two breakfasts, two dinners and the camel ride.
Is the trip private?
Yes. The vehicle and driver are only for you and your travel companions, and the start time is flexible.
What is the desert camp like?
You can choose a standard camp with shared bathrooms or a luxury camp with private tents, beds and en-suite showers.
Can we finish back in Fes instead of Marrakech?
Yes. We also run a three-day loop that spends two nights near Merzouga and returns to Fes through the Middle Atlas.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Families travel with us often. The first day is long, so we plan extra breaks, and the camel ride can be shortened for young children.
What should I pack?
Bring warm layers for the desert night, a scarf for sun and sand, sunscreen, sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes for the gorge and the ksar.
More journeys
Tell us when you plan to travel and we will shape the route around you. A real person replies, usually within a few hours.