The Sahara from the north: the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, the Ziz Valley palm canyon, a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, then on to Marrakech via Todra and Aït Ben Haddou. A 3-day Fes to Merzouga desert tour that doubles as a transfer.
Day by day
Your 3-day plan
- 1
Day 1
Fes to Merzouga via the Middle Atlas
Leave Fes through Ifrane (the 'Moroccan Switzerland') and the cedar forests of Azrou with their Barbary macaques, over the Middle Atlas to Midelt, then down the spectacular Ziz Valley gorge and palm groves to Merzouga for a sunset camel trek and a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
- Ifrane
- Azrou cedar forest & macaques
- Ziz Valley
- Camel trek
- Erg Chebbi camp
- 2
Day 2
Sahara morning & the gorges to the Dadès
Sunrise over the dunes, then west through Rissani and Tinghir to the towering Todra Gorge, ending the day in the rose-coloured Dadès Gorges for the night.
- Erg Chebbi sunrise
- Rissani
- Todra Gorge
- Dadès Gorges
- 3
Day 3
Dadès to Marrakech via Aït Ben Haddou
Through the Valley of the Roses and Ouarzazate to the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, then over the Tizi n'Tichka pass and the High Atlas to finish in Marrakech in the evening.
- Valley of the Roses
- Aït Ben Haddou
- Tizi n'Tichka pass
Good to know
Practical notes
- This route is a one-way crossing — start in Fes and finish in Marrakech (or reverse it), so it works as both a desert tour and a city-to-city transfer.
- A private 4x4 with driver-guide suits the long distances and lets you stop in the Ziz Valley and gorges.
- Pack layers for the snowy Middle Atlas passes, the hot dunes and the cold desert night.
Frequently asked
Can you do a Sahara desert tour from Fes to Marrakech?
Yes — a 3-day Fes to Merzouga tour crosses the Middle Atlas and Ziz Valley to the Erg Chebbi dunes, then continues through the Todra and Dadès gorges and Aït Ben Haddou to Marrakech, so you see the desert and end in a different city.
How far is Merzouga from Fes?
About 470 km, or 7–8 hours, through Ifrane, the Azrou cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz Valley — a scenic crossing of the Middle Atlas that makes day one a destination in itself.
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