3 Days Marrakech To Fes Desert Tour

Your Marrakech to Fesprivate desert tour commences with a pickup from your accommodation in Marrakech. Your knowledgeable local driver/guide welcomes you and leads the way as you cross the High Atlas Mountains toward the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah.

After about an hour, we will reach traditional Berber villages nestled into the mountainside. Here, we will stop to learn about local Berber life and enjoy the spectacular views along the winding roads of the Tichka Pass, which stands at 2,260 meters (7,414 feet). You will also have the chance to visit a local women’s cooperative to see how Argan oil is produced for both food and cosmetics.

After multiple stops in the Atlas Mountains, we will arrive at the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou. Ait Ben Haddou was a historic kasbah or ksar along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Additionally, several movies were filmed here such as Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Indiana Jones and more.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant with a view of the Kasbah or in nearby Ouarzazate. Afterward, we continue to Ouarzazate, known as the "Hollywood of Africa" because of its massive film studios. You may choose to visit Atlas Studios to see where many famous scenes were captured.

Next, we travel along the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs" toward Boumalne Dades. Along the way, we will stop in the Rose Valley in Kalaat M’gouna, home to the famous Rose Festival held every May. You can visit a women’s rose cooperative to learn about traditional distillation techniques and browse local rose products.

Finally, we will arrive at your hotel overlooking the valley in the late afternoon. Relax, unwind, and enjoy a delicious dinner followed by a restful night.

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, we will leave Dades valley and set off on an amazing journey that spans roughly 4 hours. First, we will arrive in the mesmerizing Todra Valley, known for the lush Todra Palmeraie Gorge. Continue along the valley to reach the dramatic Gorges of Todra while making frequent stops for photos, a haven for rock climbers and nature lovers. Your driver/guide will suggest taking a leisurely walk beneath the 300-meter cliffs. Every corner will leave you in awe. If time permits and based on your interests, you will visit a women weaving Berber carpets association.

After a traditional lunch, the drive continues to Merzouga desert via some Berber villages and a Palmeraie oasis of Tafilalt. An optional stop will be made in a Berber family shop, where you will dress traditionally and get a henna tattoo for photography. Free of charge, but possible to get the best scarf for your desert experience to protect you from the sand and sunburn.

Arrive at Merzouga desert in the late afternoon, where you will enjoy a peaceful camel ride over the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, led by an experienced camel guide to explore and enjoy the sand sea of Erg Chebbi. The camel guide will make sure to stop in a high dune to watch what may be the best sunset of your lifetime. After the twilight, you’ll get to your featured camp, where you’ll spend your dreamy night. Your luxury Berber tent is equipped with flush toilets and hot showers. Dinner will be served at the camp, followed by live local music around a bonfire.

Today, rise early to watch a beautiful, stunning sunrise where you will see the sunshine cover the small golden sand dunes of Merzouga and the rocky, barren Sahara Desert. After your breakfast at the camp, you will trek back by camel, or if you feel you’ve had enough of riding the camels, you have the option for a 4WD vehicle drive back from the camp.

You will then head north towards the spiritual city of Fes, through tranquil oases, vast Berber towns, and the beautiful Atlas Mountains. First stop will be in Ziz Valley,

The drive continues through the beautiful landscape of the middle Atlas Mountains, including a stop at the cedar forest in Michlifen to watch Barbary apes in their natural habits, as you will pass many traditional Berber villages where you can interact with local inhabitants, through this journey, you will be amazed by the stunning contrast during the drive.

Next stop will be at the town of Ifrane, referred to as the “Switzerland of Morocco” as it has alpine-style architecture and nearby slopes and forests. After a leisure walk in the National Park of Ifrane, we continue to Fes via the last green hills of the Mid Atlas Mountains. In the late afternoon we will arrive in Fes, and will make sure to drop you off at your accommodation or the accessible point.