Description
The 4 Day Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech via Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga includes 2 nights in the breathtaking Sahara Desert, as well as camel treks. Along the way you will visit the barbary Macacs in Azrou, take a desert tour to meet nomads living in caves, visit the donkey market in Risani, wander with a local guide in the Palmerie or hike in Dades Valley or Todra gorges. We will also share a cup of tea with a Berber family.
Accommodations for tours that include time in the desert can be customized to fill your needs. Upgrades can include a private ensuite bathroom, additional amenities including alcoholic beverages, and more luxurious appointments. Private camps for your group only can also be arranged. Please let us know what comforts you desire and we will chose the best desert accommodations to meet those needs.
Day 1: Fes – Midelt – Erfoud – Merzouga – Erg Chebbi
Our first day will start early as we leave Fez for our 4 days Fez to Marrakech via Sahara Desert tour. We first head towards Midelt through the mountains and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas. We pass by Ifrane, a charming ski resort, and Azrou, an important artisan center specializing in working with cedar wood. We stop in Midelt for lunch. Afterwards we will drive to Erfoud and onward into the desert. We will have dinner and overnight in a hotel at the foothills of Erg chebbi Sahara dunes.
Day 2: Merzouga – Erg Chebbi Dunes – tour around ( Erg Chebbi desert)
After breakfast we head to Khamlia village to enjoy live Gnawa music, then we will make our way off roading for a tour of the sand dunes and a visit with nomads living in Berber tents. You will discover a new way of life, sharing tea and Berber pizza with the nomads. We will head back to the hotel to relax before your camel trip into the middle of the dunes for the sunset. We will overnight at a camp, sleeping in nomadic tents.
Day 3: Merzouga – Todra Gorges – Ouarzazate
Wake up early to see the spectacular sunrise, where the color of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight. We will return to the hotel to have breakfast and a shower. We will journey to Ouarzazate via Rissani and stop in Erfoud, famous for its fossilized marble. We will visit the workshop specializing in the production of marble fossils. Continue on to the Todra Gorges, an ideal place for walking and exploring on your own. Lunch will be followed by a drive through the Dades valley and the town of Roses, Kelaa Mgouna. We continue on via the Road of a Thousand-Kasbahs passing the Skoura palm grove, arriving in Ouarzazate, the ”Hollywood of Morocco”, spending the night in a riad.
Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech
We head to Aït Ben Haddou, a ’fortified city’, situated along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It is situated on a hill along the Ouarzazate River and boasts some beautiful examples of kasbahs, some of which remain inhabited. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ait Ben Haddou has been the setting for many films including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. After stopping for lunch we will then continue on to Marrakech traveling over the high Atlas Mountains.
Day 4: Ouarzazate to Marrakech
Please note: If a long camel trek and overnight stay in the camp is not for you you can still enjoy the sunset in Erg Chebbi with a shorter camel trek or a walk and spend the night in the hotel at the edge of the dunes.
If the itineraries that we offer do not match what you are looking for, please contact us and we will create a trip to meet your needs and specifications.
Cancellation / prepayment: Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to tour type. Please check our booking terms.
What is included?
- Private SUV + fuel
- Hotels/Camps/Riads
- Guide/Driver
- Pick up & Drop off at your Fes/Marrakech accommodations
- Camel Trekking for sunset and sunrise
- Dinner and Breakfast daily
What is not included?
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Tips
- Entrance fees to monuments, studios and Kasbahs
