What you see and do
- Travel one way: every hour of the route is new ground, and you finish in Fes ready for the next part of your trip.
- Climb the lanes of Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen ksar on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1987.
- Walk the canyon floor of the Todra Gorges and, if time allows, part of the Tinghir palm grove.
- Reach camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes by camel at sunset.
- Follow the palm groves of the Ziz Valley, then climb to the cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques live.
- Stop in Ifrane, a mountain town at about 1,650 m with pitched roofs that looks nothing like the south.
Day-by-day itinerary
3 days, about 1,063 km by road. Tap a day to open it.
Day 1Marrakech to the Dades Valley328 km
Pickup is from your riad or hotel in Marrakech in the morning, at a time agreed with your driver. Within an hour the plain gives way to the High Atlas, and the road winds up to the Tizi n'Tichka pass at about 2,260 m. Snow on the peaks is common from late autumn to spring.
The main stop of the day is Ait Ben Haddou. The village is built of rammed earth and has been used as a set for many films. Allow an hour or more to cross the river, walk up through the ksar and reach the viewpoint at the top. Lunch is nearby, at your own cost.
In the afternoon you pass Ouarzazate, then drive east through the Valley of Roses and Kelaat M'Gouna, a town that holds a rose festival each spring. The day ends in the Dades Valley, where old kasbahs sit beneath eroded red cliffs.
Day 2Dades Valley to the Erg Chebbi dunes272 km
This is the shortest driving day, which leaves room for walking. The first stop is Tinghir, an oasis town where water channels still feed plots of dates, alfalfa and vegetables under the palms. Your driver can take you through part of it on foot if the timing works.
A short drive up the valley brings you to the Todra Gorges. The cliffs close in on both sides of a shallow river, and the walk along the bottom is flat and shaded.
East of Tinghir the landscape opens into gravel plain. You reach Merzouga in the afternoon, swap the vehicle for camels and ride into the dunes so that you arrive at camp around sunset. Dinner is at the camp, with music by the fire afterwards. With almost no artificial light nearby, the night sky is very clear.
Day 3Merzouga to Fes through the Middle Atlas463 km
Sunrise comes first. Most travellers climb a dune near the tents before breakfast, then leave the desert and start north.
The road follows the Ziz Valley, a long ribbon of date palms under dry cliffs, then crosses a high plateau to Midelt, the usual lunch stop. From there it climbs into the Middle Atlas. In the cedar forest around Azrou, Barbary macaques often sit by the roadside.
The last stop is Ifrane, laid out in the French protectorate period with stone houses and steep roofs, and much cooler than the dunes you left in the morning. Fes is a short drive further on. Expect to be dropped at your riad or hotel in the early evening, which is where the tour ends.
Price and what changes it
This 3-day private tour costs €500 to €800 per person. Every trip is tailored, so the final price depends on your group size, hotel and camp level, and what you add.
- Group size. One vehicle and one driver serve your whole party, so the cost per person falls as the group grows. Someone travelling alone pays the most.
- Camp and hotel level. Standard, comfort and luxury options exist for both nights. The difference is clearest at the camp: see desert camps in Merzouga compared.
- Extras. A 4x4 transfer in place of the camel ride, or an added night to turn this into a 4 or 5 day version, changes the quote. See what a Morocco tour costs for how prices are built.
Other lengths are priced on the Morocco tour cost page.
Included and not included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle from Marrakech to Fes
- English- or Spanish-speaking driver
- Pickup at your accommodation in Marrakech and drop-off at your accommodation in Fes
- One night in a hotel or riad in the Dades Valley
- One night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
- Camel ride in the dunes
- Breakfasts and dinners
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Tips
- Flights
Is this the right tour for you?
It suits you if
- Your trip includes both Marrakech and Fes and you need to get from one to the other anyway.
- You are flying into Marrakech and out of Fes, or the reverse, and do not want to double back.
- You want mountains, kasbahs, dunes and cedar forest in one short trip and accept that each gets a brief visit.
Think twice if
- You need to be back in Marrakech. This tour does not return. The 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour uses the same first two days and loops back.
- You want time in the desert in daylight. Here you arrive near sunset and leave after breakfast. The 4-day Fes to Marrakech desert tour has a full day at Merzouga and can be run in either direction: ask us.
- Long days in a vehicle are hard for you or your children. Day three is about 463 km, and the mountain roads on days one and three have many bends.
- You plan to see Fes on arrival. You get in during the early evening, so book at least one full day there afterwards.
Places on the route
What travellers say
★★★★★
“We had a great 8 days trip and everything was very well organized.”
Questions about the 3-day Marrakech to Fes desert tour
How far is Merzouga from Marrakech and from Fes?
Merzouga is about 560 km from Marrakech and about 470 km from Fes by road. On this tour the Marrakech side is split over two days and the Fes side is driven in one.
Why not take the direct road from Marrakech to Fes?
The direct drive is about 530 km, mostly motorway, and takes most of a day with little to see. Going by the desert adds two nights and replaces a transfer day with the High Atlas, the dunes and the Middle Atlas.
What time does the tour arrive in Fes?
Usually in the early evening on day three, depending on how long you spend at each stop. Your driver takes you to the door of your hotel, or to the nearest gate if your riad is inside the car-free medina.
What vehicle is used?
Best Morocco Travel uses air-conditioned vehicles matched to the group: typically a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Mercedes Vito or Ford Tourneo for small groups, and a Mercedes Sprinter minibus for larger ones.
Can I skip the camel ride?
Yes. The camel ride is included but optional. Tell us when you enquire and another way to reach the camp will be arranged.
Can the same route be done in 4 or 5 days?
Yes. Best Morocco Travel also runs 4 and 5 day versions from Marrakech to Fes with more time at each stop. They are not yet listed on this site, so ask us for the route.
