3 days desert tour from Fes to Marrakech

Your 3-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech starts bright and early in the morning from the imperial city of Fes. Your driver will pick you up from your hotel or riad and take you all the way down to Merzouga in the Sahara Desert. Along the way, you will pass through several small Berber villages, where you can observe the traditional way of life of the local people.

Travel south through the Middle Atlas Mountains, known for its Alpine weather. Along the way, you’ll make a short stop in Ifrane, lovingly referred to as “Little Switzerland.” Go for a walk through the pleasant green streets, or enjoy some coffee and pastries at one of the French-style coffee shops. 

From there, you’ll head off to Michlifen, home to Morocco’s famous ski resorts, and you’ll explore the beautiful cedar forest in Azrou, home to the Barbary apes. You can even feed the monkeys if you fancy!

After your time with your new forest friends, your journey will continue through the small mountain towns of Timahdite and Zaida – a major watering hole connecting local bus travelers coming from every corner across the country. A destination well-known amongst Moroccans for some of the best meat restaurants on offer, as well as a great stop for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

For those of you who love apples, the next stop is for you. Midelt is a famous agricultural hinterland producing all kinds of delicious fruits and vegetables, but is most commonly referred to as the national apple capital as 90% of the countries apples are produced here. 

Savor a tasty lunch in er-Rich before a scenic drive through the Ziz Valley and oasis, dotted with the seemingly endless palm groves of Ouled Chaker and small Berber villages. This location is one of the principle resource areas for the production of dates – an essential element of the Moroccan way of life – and are of the very best quality.

In the evening you’ll arrive to Merzouga where you’ll hop on a camel and trek your way into the mesmerizing Sahara Desert for a spectacular sunset, followed by a night spent in a desert camp. You’ll be greeted by some delicious tea and local snacks as you settle into your desert haven before being swept away by the beauty of the night sky and berber music around the campfire, making for a truly memorable lifetime experience. Dinner is included.

On the second day of your 3-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech, you’ll start off in Rissani for a visit to its vibrant souk. Rissani is known for its traditional market and fortified villiage Ksars, as well as being the origin city for the current royal family.

This will be followed by a trip to Erfoud for a fossil workshop to learn about the 380 million year old pre-historic ocean that used to exist in this region, before heading off for the Toudgha Gorges, known for its mountains and cliffs. A real heaven for climbers and those obsessed with mountains and rocks!

Afterward, you will continue to the Dades Gorges, where you will enjoy a delicious dinner and spend the night amongst the backdrop of the peacefully valley atmosphere. 

On the final day of your 3 days desert tour from Fes to Marrakech, you will leave the Dades Gorge and head towards Marrakech. 

Your first stop will be in the Valley of Roses, named after its thousands of rose bushes. The region is home to the production of roses for various uses, ranging anywhere from beauty products to cooking products. While the industry exists year-round, a Rose Festival is held once a year in mid-May to celebrate the end of the rose season. 

You will pass by Skoura, known for its Kasbahs and palm groves, as well as Ouarzazate, the little Hollywood of Africa, where you can visit the famous Atlas Studios.

Speaking of world-famous, you will then continue to the Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and filming location for several major Hollywood movies, including Academy Award winners The Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia, and blockbuster hits, such as The Mummy.

Your journey will then continue through the High Atlas Mountains where you can enjoy stunning views of its diverse scenery and landscapes. Once you reach Marrakech, we will take you to your accommodation where your 3 days desert tour from Marrakech will come to an end.