6-Day Fes to Marrakech via Sahara Desert
Six private days across Morocco: the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, two nights in the Sahara with a camel trek and desert camp, the Todra and Dades gorges, the kasbahs of Ouarzazate and Aït Ben Haddou, and a guided day in Marrakech.
- Duration6 days / 5 nights
- StartFes (hotel or airport)
- EndMarrakech
- Tour typePrivate, 4×4 or minibus
- Desert2 nights in Merzouga
Tour Overview
Fes to Marrakech at an Easy Pace, via the Sahara
This private six-day tour crosses Morocco from the imperial city of Fes to Marrakech by way of the Sahara, the gorges and the kasbah country of the south. With two nights in the desert and a final day in Marrakech with a local guide, it has time built in to enjoy each place rather than just drive past it.
You leave Fes over the Middle Atlas — Ifrane's alpine chalets and the cedar forest of the Barbary macaques — and descend the Ziz Valley to Merzouga. A first night at a kasbah hotel by the dunes gives you a full day to explore the region by 4×4: nomad families, Gnaoua music in Khamlia and the flamingo lake. In the late afternoon, a camel trek takes you into Erg Chebbi for sunset and a night at a desert camp.
From the dunes, the road leads west to the Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley, then along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the Valley of Roses and Skoura to Ouarzazate and Aït Ben Haddou. The fifth day crosses the High Atlas via Telouet and the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech, and the tour ends with a guided walk through the Red City.
Highlights
What Makes This Tour Special
- 01
Two Days in the Sahara
A night by the dunes and a night in camp, with a full day to explore Merzouga at an easy pace.
- 02
Camel Trek & Desert Camp
Ride into Erg Chebbi for sunset, then dinner, Berber drums and a sky full of stars.
- 03
Todra & Dades Gorges
Walk between 300-metre canyon walls and see the "Monkey Fingers" rocks of the Dades.
- 04
Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
The Valley of Roses, Skoura's palm oasis, Ouarzazate's film studios and Taourirt Kasbah.
- 05
Aït Ben Haddou & Telouet
Sunset at the UNESCO-listed ksar, then the painted halls of the Glaoui kasbah at Telouet.
- 06
Guided Day in Marrakech
Bahia Palace, the Koutoubia, the souks and Jemaa el-Fna with a licensed local guide.
Day by Day
6-Day Itinerary from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara
Your driver collects you in the morning from your riad, hotel or Fes airport. The road climbs into the Middle Atlas to Ifrane, the tidy mountain town of red-roofed chalets known as the "Switzerland of Morocco", then continues to the cedar forest near Azrou, home to wild Barbary macaques.
After lunch in Midelt, at the foot of Jbel Ayachi, you cross the Tizi n'Talghemt pass and follow the Ziz River through gorges and palm groves, with a stop at the Ziz Valley viewpoint. You reach Merzouga in the early evening and check in to a kasbah hotel at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes — close enough to walk up a dune for the last light of the day.
A relaxed morning, then a 4×4 tour around the dunes. Visit a nomad family in their woven tent for mint tea, listen to Gnaoua musicians in the village of Khamlia, walk through the palm grove and stop at Dayet Srji, the seasonal lake where flamingos gather after the rains. You can also try sandboarding on the dunes.
Back at the hotel in the late afternoon, leave your main luggage in the car and meet your camels. The ride into Erg Chebbi takes about an hour and a half, timed so you watch the sunset from the top of a high dune. At the camp, enjoy dinner, Berber drums around the fire and a night under the stars.
Wake early to watch the sunrise over the dunes, then ride back to Merzouga for breakfast and a shower. Drive to Rissani, the historic capital of the Tafilalet, for a walk through its souk, then west past Alnif and the palm groves of Tinjdad, with its old khettara irrigation channels.
In the afternoon, walk through the narrowest part of the Todra Gorge, where the walls rise up to 300 metres on either side of a clear stream. Continue along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Boumalne and up the Dades Valley, past the "Monkey Fingers" rock formations to a viewpoint over its famous winding road.
Drive down the valley to Kelaat M'Gouna in the Valley of Roses, known for its rose water and the rose festival held each May, then through the palm groves of Skoura to visit Kasbah Amridil, one of the best-preserved kasbahs in the south.
In Ouarzazate, visit the film studios and the Taourirt Kasbah, former residence of the Glaoui family. Continue to Aït Ben Haddou and, in the late afternoon, climb through the lanes of the UNESCO-listed ksar to the old granary at the top for sunset views over the valley. Overnight in a kasbah hotel beside the village.
Follow the quiet Ounila Valley, lined with red-earth villages and terraced fields, to the Kasbah of Telouet. Once the seat of the powerful Glaoui family, its crumbling walls hide rooms of carved cedar, painted ceilings and fine zellige tilework.
Rejoin the main road and climb to the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at 2,260 metres the highest road pass in the High Atlas, before descending through Berber villages and walnut groves to Marrakech. Check in to your riad in the medina in the afternoon, with the evening free to discover Jemaa el-Fna square.
After breakfast, meet your licensed local guide for a half-day walk through the Red City: the Koutoubia Mosque and its gardens, the carved ceilings of the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the old Jewish quarter of the Mellah, before losing yourself in the souks of the medina.
The afternoon is free for shopping, a hammam or the Majorelle Garden. Your tour ends here — we can arrange a transfer to Marrakech airport or your next accommodation at any time.
Tour Details
What's Included & Not Included
Included
- Pick-up in Fes and drop-off in Marrakech (hotel, riad or airport)
- Private air-conditioned 4×4 or minibus with fuel
- English / Spanish-speaking driver
- 1 night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
- 4 nights in kasbah hotels and a Marrakech riad
- Camel trek into the dunes
- 4×4 excursion around Merzouga
- Half-day guided tour of Marrakech with a licensed guide
- 5 breakfasts and 4 dinners
Not Included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments, kasbahs and film studios
- Tips for driver, guides and camp staff
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
Tailor-made on request. This itinerary is a suggestion. Every tour is private, so we can add a guided day in Fes, spend both Merzouga nights at the camp, upgrade to a luxury camp or run the route in reverse from Marrakech. The price depends on group size and accommodation — send us your dates for an exact quote.
Book This Tour
Request Your Private 6-Day Tour
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 route covers roughly 1,150 km. The longest day is the first, Fes to Merzouga (about 470 km, 8 hours with stops). Day two stays in the desert, the last day is spent in Marrakech, and the other days have 3 to 6 hours of driving with plenty of stops.
It is fully private. Only you and your travel companions are in the vehicle, and the pace and stops can be adjusted to suit you.
The first night in a kasbah hotel by the dunes means you arrive rested and have a full day to explore the desert before the camel trek and camp night, instead of rushing everything into one afternoon.
Tents in the Erg Chebbi dunes have proper beds and blankets, with dinner served at the camp. Standard and luxury camps are available; luxury tents have an en-suite bathroom with shower.
Yes. The same route works in the opposite direction, starting with the guided day in Marrakech and ending with a drop-off in Fes.
Yes, camels are led on foot by a guide at a slow pace. If you prefer not to ride, a 4×4 transfer to the camp can be arranged.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal. Winter days are sunny but desert and mountain nights are cold, and the Tichka pass can see snow; summer days in the desert are very hot.
Comfortable layers, a warm jacket for the evenings, closed shoes for the gorge walks, sunglasses, sunscreen, a scarf for sun and sand, and a small overnight bag for the camp.
The price depends on the number of travellers, the season and the accommodation level, 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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