4 Days desert tour from Marrakech to Fes

This 4 days desert tour from Marrakech to Fes offers an unforgettable journey through Morocco’s diverse landscapes. You’ll cross the High Atlas Mountains, explore ancient kasbahs, and experience the magic of the Sahara. The tour combines cultural discovery with natural wonders, featuring a luxury desert camp stay under starry skies. Perfect for adventurous travelers, it connects Marrakech and Fes while showcasing Morocco’s highlights.

Highlights of Your 4-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech:

✔ Scenic Atlas Mountain crossing via Tizi n’Tichka Pass
✔ UNESCO-listed Ait Benhaddou – famous film location
✔ Ouarzazate – Hollywood of Africa with its film studios
✔ Dades & Todra Gorges – Morocco’s most spectacular canyons
✔ Sunset camel trek across Erg Chebbi’s golden dunes
✔ Luxury desert camp with traditional music & stargazing
✔ Sahara sunrise experience
✔ Ziz Valley’s stunning palm oases
✔ Cedar Forest with wild Barbary macaques
✔ Ifrane – Morocco’s alpine-style town

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Valley via Ait Ben Haddou

Your adventure begins with an 8:00 AM pickup from your Marrakech accommodation. We’ll cross the majestic High Atlas Mountains through Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2,260m), where you’ll marvel at breathtaking landscapes and traditional Berber villages.

Our first major stop is the UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou, the famous ksour that starred in Hollywood productions like Gladiator and Game of Thrones. After exploring this ancient clay fortress and enjoying lunch, we’ll continue through Ouarzazate (Africa’s Hollywood) to the fragrant Valley of Roses, known for its annual rose harvest.

The day concludes in Dades Valley, where you’ll spend the night in a comfortable hotel/riad with stunning valley views.

Day 2: Dades Gorges to Merzouga Desert Experience

After breakfast, we’ll journey through the spectacular Todra Gorges, a 500-meter-high canyon surrounded by palm groves and Berber settlements. Following lunch in the gorge area, we’ll travel toward the Sahara, passing traditional khettarat irrigation systems.

Arriving in Merzouga in the late afternoon, you’ll mount camels for a magical trek across Erg Chebbi’s golden dunes. As the sun sets, you’ll reach our luxury desert camp where you’ll enjoy Berber music under a blanket of stars, creating unforgettable memories of your Sahara night.

Day 3: Immersive Desert Culture Day

Today offers deep cultural immersion, beginning with a visit to the Gnawa community to experience their unique music and heritage. We’ll then meet nomadic families in their traditional tents, gaining insight into their timeless way of life.

Lunch features authentic Berber pizza shared with a local family. In the afternoon, we’ll explore Rissani’s vibrant souk, historically significant as a caravan trading hub. The day concludes with refreshing mint tea before retiring to your comfortable riad/hotel, filled with new understanding of desert cultures.

Day 4: Merzouga to Fes – Scenic Journey

Wake early for a spectacular desert sunrise before breakfast. Our northbound route takes us through Erfoud, famous for its fossil workshops, then along the lush Ziz Valley with its endless date palms.

We’ll pause in Midelt for lunch (the “apple capital”) before encountering wild Barbary macaques in Azrou’s cedar forest.

A brief stop in Ifrane (“Moroccan Switzerland”) offers charming contrast before our evening arrival in Fes, where your memorable 4-day journey concludes.