Private desert tour
3 Days Tour From Fes to Merzouga Desert
A private round trip from Fes to the Sahara. South through Ifrane and the cedar forests of Azrou, over the Middle Atlas and down the Ziz Valley to Erg Chebbi, with a camel trek and a night in a desert camp, returning to Fes on the evening of day three.
- Duration
- 3 days / 2 nights
- From
- €375 per vehicle
- Starts
- Fes
- Ends
- Fes
A starting price for one comfortable 4x4 carrying up to 4 people — not per person. What you finally pay depends on your dates, the accommodation you choose and any changes you make to the route. Fes is closer to the dunes than Marrakech, but this is a round trip.
Fes is the shorter approach to Merzouga — around 470 kilometres against Marrakech's 560 — and a completely different drive. Where the Marrakech route crosses bare High Atlas passes and kasbah country, this one runs through cedar forest, apple orchards and the extraordinary Ziz gorges, and it is greener than anyone expects right up until the moment the desert begins.
If you are travelling on to Marrakech afterwards, take the one-way crossing instead and save yourself a repeated day.
Trip highlights
- Ifrane, the Alpine-looking town the French built in the Middle Atlas
- Barbary macaques in the cedar forest at Azrou
- The Ziz Valley escarpment view over an unbroken palm oasis
- Camel trek into Erg Chebbi at sunset
- Night in a desert camp with dinner and Berber drumming
- Sunrise over the dunes before the road north
Day by day
-
Day 1
Fes → Ifrane → Azrou → Midelt → Ziz Valley → Erfoud
Pick-up from your riad in Fes at 8am. The road climbs quickly into the Middle Atlas — first Ifrane with its pitched roofs and clipped parks, then the cedar forest above Azrou where Barbary macaques come down to the roadside. Lunch at Midelt, the halfway town between the ranges, then the descent through the Ziz gorges: a tunnel through rock and then, suddenly, twenty kilometres of palm oasis below the road. Overnight at Erfoud or Rissani on the edge of the desert.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner Night: Hotel in Erfoud or Rissani
-
Day 2
Erfoud → Merzouga → camel trek → Erg Chebbi camp
A short drive and a full day at the dunes rather than a rushed arrival. Morning at the fossil workshops of Erfoud, the dry lake at Dayet Srji, and the Gnaoua village of Khamlia for tea and music. In the late afternoon you meet your camels at the edge of Erg Chebbi and ride into the sand for sunset from the crest of a dune. Dinner at camp, drums around the fire, and as clear a night sky as you will find anywhere.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Night: Desert camp at Erg Chebbi
-
Day 3
Erg Chebbi → Ziz Valley → Azrou → Fes
Up before dawn for sunrise over the dunes, camels back to the auberge, then breakfast and a shower. The return climbs back through the Ziz Valley and over the Middle Atlas, with stops at the escarpment viewpoint and in the cedar forest, arriving in Fes in the evening. Dropped at your accommodation.
Meals: Breakfast
What is and is not included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle, fuel and tolls
- English- or French-speaking driver-guide
- 1 night in a hotel near the desert, half board
- 1 night in a desert camp at Erg Chebbi, half board
- Camel trek at sunset and sunrise
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Fes accommodation
Not included
- Lunches (except day 1) and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Tips and personal expenses
Good to know
Is Merzouga closer to Fes or to Marrakech?
Fes, by about 90 kilometres and roughly an hour of driving. From Fes it is around 470 km; from Marrakech around 560 km. The Fes road is also less mountainous, so it feels shorter than the difference suggests.
Will we see the macaques?
Almost always — the troop near Azrou is habituated and sits by the road. Please do not feed them; it makes them aggressive and unwell, and our guides will ask you not to.
Why is day two so short on driving?
Deliberately. Most operators drive straight to the camels; we use the morning for the fossil beds, the lake and Khamlia, which is where the region's actual life is. It costs nothing extra and it is the difference between seeing dunes and seeing the desert.
Can we end this tour in Marrakech instead of returning to Fes?
Yes — that is our Fes to Marrakech crossing, same first two days with a different third. It is usually the better choice if Marrakech is on your itinerary anyway.
Is winter too cold for this route?
The Middle Atlas genuinely gets snow in January and February, which is beautiful but can slow the passes. The desert stays clear and cold at night. We run this year-round and adjust departure times in winter.
Worth reading before you go
-
The Best Time to Visit the Moroccan Sahara
The short answer is October and April. The longer answer depends on whether you mind heat more than you mind cold, and…
-
What to Pack for a Sahara Desert Tour
Your main luggage stays in the vehicle. What matters is the small bag that goes with you on the camel — and that is…
Ready to see the Sahara?
Send us your dates and we will tailor this 3 days / 2 nights tour to you — no obligation, and a real reply from a local team.
Other tours you might like
Fes
3 Days Fes to Marrakech via the Desert
The Fes-to-Marrakech transfer done properly: cedar forest, the Sahara, the gorges and the kasbah road.
From €375 per vehicle, up to 4 people
Marrakech
3 Days Marrakech to Fes via the Desert
One-way desert crossing ending in Fes — the sensible way to travel between the two cities.
From €375 per vehicle, up to 4 people
Marrakech
4 Days From Marrakech to Merzouga Desert
The 3-day route with the driving unpacked: more time at the kasbahs, gorges and dunes, and a gentler road home.
From €500 per vehicle, up to 4 people