In this 4-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech and the Merzouga desert, you will explore diverse landscapes, from the Little Switzerland of Ifrane to the cedar forest, where you will have the opportunity to play with the monkeys. And the High Atlas Mountains, to the beautiful kasbahs, and the desert, where you will have the opportunity to ride a camel in the dunes. You will spend a wonderful night in a luxury camp, with Berber music and a starry sky afterward.
We will start our 4-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech through the Sahara at 8.00 am. We will drive for an hour and a half to Ifrane. Ifrane is a town in the Middle Atlas Mountains, known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski resorts and forests. There, we will visit a lion rock statue carved entirely from stone by a sculptor. Then we will continue to the middle of the cedar forest, where we will see wild monkeys (macaques). We will pass through Zaida, Midelt, and Rich, and stop for lunch somewhere. After lunch, we will make a stop in Ziz Valley and continue to the desert. Once you reach the Erg Chebbi dunes, we will drive to where the camels are waiting for you. Your luggage will be loaded into the four-wheel drive vehicle and taken to the camp, and you will be able to take a joyful camel ride through the dunes and admire the sunset on the way to the camp. At the camp, you will get your private tent equipped with a bathroom and shower. And after a delicious dinner, the fire will be lit, and you will enjoy traditional Berber music under the starry desert night.
You will get up early to watch the most spectacular sunrise at the top of one of the dunes near the camp. Then, you will have a warm breakfast in the camp. From there, our journey continues along a route offering views of nomadic settlements, giving us a glimpse into their unique lifestyle and traditions. The next stop will be at a viewpoint to contemplate the Erg Chebbi divide. We will then reach the village of Kamilia, originally from Sudan, where we will have a relaxing cup of tea while listening to a Gnawa spiritual music concert. Transfer to your accommodation, then have a free afternoon to enjoy the dunes next to the hotel and watch the sunset. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
You will have a warm breakfast. Then, we will leave the desert behind and go to the Rissani Traditional market, known as Sijilmassa. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday ( 3 days a week), people from around come to buy all their needs from fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, clothing, crafts, dates, nuts, dry fruits… Then, we will continue to the fossil factory in Erfoud. After, we will drive to Toudra Gorges, where the mountains cover the sky, and enjoy its beautiful Canyon views, and stretch your legs and enjoy the views of the high cliffs. After lunch, we will head to the Dades Valley, where you will admire the green valley surrounded by the dry mountains. We will stop at a rock formation known as Monkey’s Fingers, and it is one of the lesser-known yet extremely impressive sights. overnight in a beautiful hotel in the Dades.
After a great breakfast at the hotel, we will go to the rose town of Kelaat Mgouna, known for the “Roses Festival” which takes place in the city every year in May. We will stop in a factory for the distillation of roses and the production of rose water, essential oils, and cosmetic products. Then, we will go to Ouarzazate, known as the Hollywood of Morocco for its film industry, where we will visit the Atlas studios. Then, we will continue to the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. This Kasbah has been featured in over 20 international films and is recognized as a significant fort along the ancient Salt Road, where caravans transported commodities. We will have lunch and drive through the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. We will terminate the tour by dropping you off at your Riad/hotel.
An amazing experience from our 4-day desert trip from Fes to the desert, where we stayed for 2 nights in a lovely tent with en-suite. Rose rode camels, visited a nomad family, travelled through villages and towns, saw traditional markets and a UNESCO heritage Kasbah, crossed the High Atlas Mountains and Todra Gorge. I’m sure I’ve missed things out, but the whole trip was incredible, made even more special by our wonderful driver/guide, Youssef, who became our trusted companion with his kind, friendly, and thoughtful ways and his knowledge of everything we saw. He is highly recommended.
We did a 4-day desert tour from Fes to the Sahara Desert and to Marrakech; we really enjoyed the experience overall. The landscapes were breathtaking, especially watching the sunset and sunrise over the dunes. The tour was 4 days, and covered everything from the Todras Gorges, Ifrane, the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert, and everything in between. The organization of the tour was solid, and we didn’t have to plan anything. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and we appreciated learning more about the local culture and traditions along the way. If you’re curious about the desert and want to experience something different and scenic, this is a great way to do it.