Private one-way desert transfer
3 Days From Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga Desert
A private one-way journey from Marrakech to Fes with the Sahara in the middle. Cross the High Atlas, walk Aït Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorge, sleep in a desert camp at Erg Chebbi, then climb north through the Ziz Valley, the Middle Atlas cedar forests and the Barbary macaques at Ifrane, arriving in Fes on the evening of day three.
- Duration
- 3 days / 2 nights
- From
- €375 per vehicle
- Starts
- Marrakech
- 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. One-way, so you are not paying for a return leg you would not use.
If Marrakech and Fes are both on your itinerary, this is the trip that makes the transfer between them worth something. A direct drive is around eight hours of motorway; the same journey routed through Merzouga takes three days, costs less than most people expect, and replaces a wasted day with the best scenery in the country.
Your luggage stays with the vehicle throughout. You are dropped at your riad in Fes.
Trip highlights
- One-way: no backtracking, no repeated scenery
- Aït Ben Haddou and the Ouarzazate kasbah road
- Todra Gorge between 300-metre walls
- A night in a desert camp at Erg Chebbi with camel trek
- The Ziz Valley palm oasis from the escarpment viewpoint
- Cedar forest and Barbary macaques at Azrou, and Alpine Ifrane
Day by day
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Day 1
Marrakech → Aït Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate → Dades Valley
Collected from your Marrakech riad at 8am with your luggage. Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, down to Aït Ben Haddou for a walk through the ksar and lunch, then Ouarzazate and the road east past the Skoura palmeraie and the Valley of Roses. Overnight in the Dades Valley beneath the rock formations.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner Night: Hotel in Dades Valley
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Day 2
Dades → Todra Gorge → Merzouga → Erg Chebbi camp
The Todra Gorge in the morning, on foot along the riverbed. East through Tinejdad and Erfoud to the edge of the sand at Merzouga, arriving in time to ride camels into Erg Chebbi for sunset. Dinner at camp, drums, and a night under the stars.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Night: Desert camp at Erg Chebbi
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Day 3
Erg Chebbi → Ziz Valley → Midelt → Azrou → Fes
Sunrise over the dunes and breakfast at the auberge, then north. The road climbs out of the desert through the Ziz gorges — stop at the escarpment for the view down onto twenty kilometres of unbroken palm — then over the Middle Atlas past Midelt, the apple country of Azrou and its cedar forest, where Barbary macaques come to the roadside. A last stop at Ifrane, built by the French to look like a Swiss village, before descending into Fes in the evening. Dropped at your riad.
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 (Dades Valley), half board
- 1 night in a desert camp at Erg Chebbi, half board
- Camel trek at sunset and sunrise
- Pick-up in Marrakech 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
Can we run this in the opposite direction, Fes to Marrakech?
Yes — that is the same route reversed and we run it just as often. See our Fes to Marrakech crossing, or simply tell us your direction when you enquire.
What happens to our luggage?
It stays in the vehicle for the whole trip. For the desert camp you take a small overnight bag with you on the camel; the rest stays locked at the auberge at the edge of the dunes.
Is day three too long?
It is the longest day of the three at around eight hours with stops, but it is also the most varied — desert, gorge, mountain, cedar forest — and the stops break it naturally. We can also add a fourth day with a night in Midelt or Ifrane if you would rather take it slowly.
Do you drop us at our riad inside the Fes medina?
As close as vehicles are allowed. The Fes medina is car-free, so we drop at the nearest gate to your riad and a porter can meet you there — tell us your riad name and we will arrange it.
Is it cheaper to just take the bus or fly?
A bus is cheaper and a flight is faster, but neither shows you the Sahara. This tour is priced as a three-day trip that happens to end where you were going anyway, which is why most guests find it good value rather than an extra cost.
Worth reading before you go
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How Far Is Merzouga From Marrakech?
Merzouga is 560 kilometres from Marrakech and about nine hours of driving without stops. Nobody sensible does it…
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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…
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.
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