Marrakech to Fez: Merzouga Desert 4-Day Tour

Tour Details

Day 1: Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou – Dades Valley

At the indicated time, we'll pick you up at the Marrakech Airport or at your accommodation, whichever you prefer, to begin this 4-day tour of the heart of Morocco. During the journey, which takes approximately 4 hours, we'll cross the Atlas Mountains and pass through the Tizi n'Tichka pass, the highest in the region, at 2,260 m (7,414 ft) above sea level.

We'll continue on our way until we reach Ouarzazate, where we'll turn off towards the outskirts of the city to visit the famous Aït Benhaddou kasbah, a natural setting that has been used for filming movies such as Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. Afterwards, you'll have time to have lunch on your own at a local restaurant.

Feeling refuelled, we'll resume our journey to Ouarzazate, where we'll admire the Taourirt kasbah. We'll continue the day by crossing the Roses and Dades valleys, finally having dinner and staying at a cosy hotel in the Dades Valley, about a 2-hour drive from Ouarzazate.

Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Merzouga

After a delicious breakfast in the Dades Valley, we'll begin a journey of approximately 1.5 hours to the impressive Todra Gorges, where we can admire these monumental gorges that the Berbers have made their home.

Afterwards, we'll head towards Merzouga, making several stops along the way. We'll stop for lunch in Tinjdad or Touroug and, with our energy renewed, we'll continue our journey through the Jorf palm grove, known for its dates, and the small village of Erfoud, famous for its traditional marble workshop and fossil fragments.

We'll resume our journey to the Merzouga desert. There, we'll enjoy a camel ride through the dunes until we reach the haimas camp where we'll spend the night. Once we are settled in, we'll allow the stillness of the night and the silence of the desert to surround us as we enjoy a Moroccan dinner under the starry sky.

Day 3: Merzouga Desert

This day will be special, as we'll wake up early to ride camels again and watch the sunrise in the Merzouga desert. Imagine the dunes tinged with scarlet colours as you enjoy breakfast against this incredible backdrop. Afterwards, if you wish, you can venture into the Erg Chebbi dunes, the highest in Morocco, on an exciting off-roading tour.

After lunch on your own, we'll head to the nearby village of Khamlia, where you'll have free time. At nightfall, we'll return to Merzouga and, this time, we'll stay and have dinner at a riad.

Day 4: Merzouga – Ifrane – Fez

After breakfast at the foot of the Merzouga dunes, we'll set off on our journey to Fez, crossing southern Morocco. Along the way, we'll admire the landscapes of the Ziz Valley, one of the most spectacular in the country thanks to its palm groves and winding river.

Halfway along the route, we'll stop for lunch in Midelt, a town nestled between mountains about 4 hours from Merzouga. After this break, we'll continue our journey through the Middle Atlas until we reach Ifrane, a picturesque town known for its Alpine-style architecture and cool climate. Did you know that it's nicknamed the Moroccan Switzerland?

Finally, we'll arrive in Fez and say goodbye at your hotel or at the airport around 6:30 pm.

Accommodation

On the first night, we'll stay in Dades and the accommodation will be the same for both standard and superior options: Dar Essyaha, Hotel Babylon, Hotel Le Vieux Chateau, Kasbah Tifawen or similar.

The second night will be spent in a haima camp in Merzouga (Azawad Luxury Desert Camp or similar). The standard category haimas can accommodate up to 4 people and have private bathrooms. The superior category haimas can accommodate up to 5 people and also have private bathrooms. 

The standard and superior camps are completely separate, with differences in the food and interior decoration of the haimas. Please also note that not all camps have Wi-Fi and that air conditioning in the luxury camps has an additional cost of € 30 (US$ 34.73)per person.

Additionally, during peak seasons such as Easter or Christmas, standard category accommodation may include campsites with shared bathrooms. 

On the third night, we'll stay in a riad in Merzouga.

• Standard category: Riad Mamouche, Dar Tafouyte or similar
• Superior category: Riad Azawad, Riad Madu, Riad Nezha or similar

Neither hotels nor desert camps offer single rooms. If you book as a single person, a supplement will apply. Under no circumstances will you have to share rooms or haimas with strangers. If you prefer, triple or family rooms and haimas are also available, with the same differences in price depending on the category.

Pickup Info

This tour only includes pickup from Marrakech Airport and from accommodations located outside the Medina of Marrakech. If you're staying inside the Medina, you must make your own way to the meeting point located at KFC Marrakech, in the Medina.

If your accommodation is located outside Marrakech, on the day of the activity you'll have to pay a supplement of between € 10 (US$ 11.57) and € 40 (US$ 46.30) per person.

Schedules & Flights

When booking your flight to Marrakech, please note that pickup is at 7:30 am. Therefore, your arrival flight cannot be later than 5:30 am. 

On the last day of the tour, we'll arrive in Fez at around 6:30 pm. Once there, we can drop you off at the airport or anywhere else within the city. Therefore, if you're flying from Fez Airport on the last day of the tour, you should not book any flights before 9:30 pm.