Two days links Fes and Marrakech by way of the desert, taking in a run of fabulous places in a short time: Ifrane, the cedar forest, the Ziz Valley, the Merzouga Sahara, the Todra Gorge, and Ait Ben Haddou.
You start in Fes and cross the Middle Atlas by way of Ifrane, the cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz Valley to the Sahara at Merzouga, with a camel trek to the camp for the sunset and a night in the desert. The second day runs west through the Todra Gorge, Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou, then over the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Marrakech.
The tour starts with an early pick-up from the airport or your accommodation in Fes. You drive south through Imouzzer to Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco, then continue to the cedar forest of the Barbary macaques. You reach Midelt for lunch, then head to the desert through the Tizi n’Tilghmt pass and along the Ziz river.
In the afternoon you reach the Sahara at Merzouga and switch to camels to cross the sand, pausing on a high dune for the sunset. You continue to the desert camp for Berber drum music and dancing around the fire under a wide sky of stars. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Approx. 7 hours driving · Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Merzouga
An early start lets you watch the sunrise over the desert. You return by 4×4 to Merzouga, then drive west through the Touroug and Tinjdad palm groves to the Todra Gorge, a grand, red-walled canyon. You then drive past various kasbahs and palm groves to Ouarzazate, with free time for lunch.
You then continue toward Marrakech by way of the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Finally you cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass and the High Atlas to reach Marrakech, where you are driven to the airport or your accommodation. To finish back in Fes instead, consider the 2-day Fes to Merzouga tour.
Approx. 9 hours driving
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It is a private experience: only the travellers who make the enquiry take part, with no one else joining. Our focus is on high-quality, personalised trips, which is why we mainly run private tours.
The camel ride runs from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on which camp you stay in. If you’d rather not ride, the camp has a 4×4 that carries people and luggage in and out. ATVs can also be arranged at extra cost.
The tent at the luxury camp is private and has a private bathroom with hot running water.
Either an SUV (4×4) or a minivan, both air-conditioned. The 4×4 is a Land Cruiser Prado (up to 4 passengers); minivans are a Mercedes Vito Tourer, Ford Tourneo, or similar (up to 8 passengers). For groups larger than 8, a minibus for up to 18 can be provided.
Yes, though it involves roughly 7 to 9 hours of driving a day. The vehicles are new and comfortable and we make regular stops, but if you aren’t used to this amount of travel you may prefer a longer tour, such as the 5-day from Fes to Marrakech.
