Marrakech to Fez Across the Sahara in 3 Days

Trip overview

Three private days from Marrakech to Fez via the Sahara: Aït Ben Haddou, the Dades, the Todra, a night in Erg Chebbi and the drive north through the Ziz, Midelt and Ifrane.

• Duration3 days / 2 nights
• Starts inMarrakech
• GroupPrivate or shared · 1–16 people
• DifficultyEasy
• LanguageEspañol
• DeparturesDaily departures all year round

Highlights

• Marrakech to Fez without driving any road twice
• Aït Ben Haddou and the Skoura palm grove
• Dades and Todra gorges
• Camel ride and a night in camp in Erg Chebbi
• Sunrise over the dunes
• Canyon and palm groves of the Ziz Valley
• Middle Atlas cedars and Barbary macaques
• Ifrane, the so-called "Switzerland of Morocco"

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1: Marrakech – Aït Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Skoura – Dades Valley

   We pick you up from your accommodation in Marrakech at around 7:00 and cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, stopping at viewpoints. The climb has a lot of bends. On the way down we reach Aït Ben Haddou, the most famous mud-brick ksar in the country, and walk through it to the top of the hill.

   Afterwards we pass through Ouarzazate and the Skoura palm grove with its earthen kasbahs, and continue through the Valley of Roses, where Damask roses are grown for rose water and oils. In the late afternoon we reach the Dades Valley. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in the valley. About 7 hours on the road with stops.

   Hotel in the Dades ValleyDinner

2. 2

   Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Merzouga: camel ride and camp

   After breakfast we drive up the Dades Valley to the stretch of tight hairpins and then come back down towards Boumalne and Tinghir. There we enter the Todra Gorge, a narrow canyon with sheer walls, and take a walk beside the river.

   In the afternoon we pass through Tinejdad, Erfoud with its fossil workshops, and Rissani to Merzouga. At the foot of Erg Chebbi you get on a camel: a little over an hour through the dunes as the sun sets. If you have never ridden before, you will feel it in your legs at the end. At the camp there is mint tea, dinner and Berber music. Night in a tent. About 5 or 6 hours of driving.

   Desert camp in Erg ChebbiBreakfast and dinner

3. 3

   Day 3: Merzouga – Ziz Valley – Midelt – Ifrane – Fez

   We climb a dune to watch the sunrise and ride back to Merzouga by camel or 4x4. After breakfast we head north through Erfoud and Errachidia, where the Ziz Valley begins. The road follows its canyon, with viewpoints over the palm grove, as far as the Legionnaire's Tunnel.

   We cross the Middle Atlas and stop for lunch in Midelt, surrounded by apple orchards. In the afternoon we pass through the cedar forests near Azrou, where Barbary macaques are often seen, and Ifrane with its steep roofs. You reach Fez in the early evening. About 8 hours on the road with stops, and in winter it can snow on this stretch.

   Tour ends in FezBreakfast

What's included

Prices per person

Private

The vehicle and driver are paid per day and shared between the travellers, so the price per person goes down the more of you there are. Accommodation is charged per person per night (2 nights).

• Standard: Comfortable hotels and riads, standard desert camp
• Superior: More characterful accommodation and a superior desert camp
• Children aged 3 to 11: 3% less than an adult.
• Groups of more than 7 people travel in two vehicles. The booking calculator takes this into account.

Small group

Payment and cancellation

You pay a 15% deposit when you book. The rest is paid on the first day of the trip, in cash or by bank transfer. You can also pay it by PayPal or card, with a 5% surcharge.

Private: free up to 48 hours before the start. Group: free up to 10 days before departure. If you cancel in time, we refund the full deposit.

Extras you can add

Chosen when you book and added to the total. You can also ask for them later, subject to availability.

Frequently asked questions

Destinations on this trip