3-Day Fes to Merzouga Desert Tour
A private three-day journey from Fes through the Middle Atlas cedar forests and the Ziz Valley to the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi — camel trek, desert camp night and sunrise over the Sahara included.
- Duration3 days / 2 nights
- StartFes (hotel or airport)
- EndFes
- Tour typePrivate, 4×4 or minibus
- Meals2 breakfasts, 2 dinners
Tour Overview
From the Imperial City to the Sahara in Three Days
This private desert tour from Fes is designed for travellers who want the real Sahara experience without a long road trip. You leave Fes in the morning and cross the Middle Atlas, stopping in Ifrane — the alpine-style town known as the "Switzerland of Morocco" — and in the cedar forest where wild Barbary macaques live.
After lunch in Midelt, the road winds over the Tizi n'Talghemt pass and down the palm-lined Ziz Valley to Merzouga. There you swap the car for a camel and ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes to watch the sunset before dinner, Berber drums and a night under the stars at a desert camp.
Day two is dedicated to the Merzouga region by 4×4: a nomad family's tent, Gnaoua music in Khamlia village, the palm grove and the seasonal flamingo lake. On the final day you visit the Rissani souk and a fossil workshop in Erfoud before returning to Fes.
Highlights
What Makes This Tour Special
- 01
Camel Trek at Sunset
Ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes and watch the sand turn gold, then red, from the top of a high dune.
- 02
Night in a Desert Camp
Dinner, campfire, Berber drumming and a sky full of stars, far from any city light.
- 03
Sahara Sunrise
Wake before dawn and climb a dune to see the sun rise over the desert in total silence.
- 04
Ifrane & the Cedar Forest
Alpine houses, cool mountain air and wild Barbary macaques among ancient cedar trees.
- 05
Nomads & Gnaoua Music
Share mint tea in a nomad tent and hear Gnaoua rhythms in the village of Khamlia.
- 06
Rissani & Erfoud
The old market town of the Tafilalet and the fossil workshops that made Erfoud famous.
Day by Day
3-Day Itinerary from Fes to Merzouga
Your driver picks you up early from your riad, hotel or Fes airport. The road climbs south through Imouzzer to Ifrane, a mountain town of red-roofed chalets and tidy parks, often covered in snow in winter. A short drive further brings you to the Azrou cedar forest, home to troops of Barbary macaques — time to walk among the trees and see them up close.
Lunch is in Midelt, at the foot of the Ayachi range. In the afternoon you cross the Tizi n'Talghemt pass and follow the Ziz River through gorges and palm groves, with photo stops along the valley. You reach Merzouga in the late afternoon, where camels are waiting to take you into the Erg Chebbi dunes. Stop on a high dune for sunset, then continue to the camp for dinner, Berber drums around the fire and a night under the stars.
Wake up before dawn and climb the dune behind the camp to watch the sunrise over the Sahara. After breakfast, ride your camel back to Merzouga where your driver is waiting with the 4×4.
The day is dedicated to exploring the Merzouga region off-road. Visit an old kohl (eyeliner) mine, then a nomad family in their handwoven tent to share Berber tea and learn about life in the desert. Continue to Khamlia, a village whose people trace their roots to Mali, Sudan and Niger, for a live Gnaoua music and dance performance. After free time for lunch, stroll through the palm grove and finish at Dayet Srji, the seasonal lake where flamingos gather after the rains.
After breakfast at the hotel, leave the dunes for Rissani, the historic capital of the Tafilalet and still a busy trading town. Walk through its souk, liveliest on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, among spices, dates and livestock traders.
Next is Erfoud, known worldwide for its fossils, where you visit a workshop that cuts and polishes fossil-rich marble. The road then follows the Ziz River north, with a stop at the panoramic viewpoint over the Ziz Valley, before crossing the Middle Atlas and Ifrane again. You arrive in Fes in the evening and are dropped off at your accommodation or the airport.
Tour Details
What's Included & Not Included
Included
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Fes hotel, riad or airport
- Private air-conditioned 4×4 or minibus
- Fuel and all transport costs
- English / Spanish-speaking driver
- 1 night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
- 1 night in a hotel in Merzouga
- Camel trek into the dunes
- 4×4 excursion around Merzouga
- 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners
Not Included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments and sites
- Tips for driver and camp staff
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
Tailor-made on request. This itinerary is a suggestion. Every tour is private, so we can adjust the route, add nights, upgrade to a luxury camp or finish in Marrakech instead of Fes. The price depends on group size and accommodation level — send us your dates for an exact quote.
Book This Tour
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Tell us your dates, group size and preferred accommodation. We reply within 24 hours with a personalised itinerary and price — no payment needed to enquire.
- Private tour — only your group in the vehicle
- Free itinerary changes before departure
- Local team based in the south of Morocco
Booking Enquiry
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The distance is about 470 km. With stops in Ifrane, the cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz Valley, the journey takes around 8 to 9 hours, arriving in Merzouga in time for the sunset camel ride.
It is fully private. Only you and your travel companions are in the vehicle, and the timing can be adjusted to suit you.
Camps are set among the dunes of Erg Chebbi with Berber-style tents, beds, blankets and dinner served on site. Standard and luxury camps with private bathrooms are both available — just tell us your preference.
Yes. We can route the last day through the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley and finish in Marrakech, or extend the tour to 4 days to make the drive more relaxed.
Yes, the ride is gentle and led on foot by a camel guide. If you prefer not to ride, we can arrange a 4×4 transfer to the camp instead.
March to May and September to November offer warm days and cool nights. Winter is sunny but desert nights are cold, and summer days are very hot, so the programme is adapted to cooler hours.
Comfortable clothes, a warm layer for the night, sunglasses, sunscreen, a scarf for sun and sand, and a small overnight bag for the camp — your main luggage can stay in the vehicle.
The price depends on the number of travellers and the level of accommodation, since vehicle costs are shared by the group. Send us your dates and group size for an exact quote within 24 hours.
Gallery
Moments from the Journey
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