4 days and 3 nights · Fez to Marrakech
4 Day Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech: Private Tour
From US$390 per person
Overview · Route map · At a glance · Day by day · What’s included · Prices
Overview
About this 4 day journey
Our 4 day private tour from Fez to Marrakech covers the same first leg across the Middle Atlas Mountains, through lush cedar forests and the Ziz Valley, then gives you a full day in the Sahara before continuing west through the gorges and kasbahs of the south.
The extra day in Merzouga is what makes this route special, because it leaves time for the Gnawa musicians of Khamlia, the fossils of the region and a second sunset over the dunes.
Highlights
A full day in the Sahara
Two nights in Erg Chebbi, with time for sunrise, sunset and the dunes in between.
Khamlia and Gnawa music
A village visit to hear the traditional Gnawa music of the desert.
Fossils of Erfoud
Ammonites and ancient sea life preserved in the stone of the region.
Todra Gorge
A walk along the riverbed between the canyon walls.
Valley of Roses
Villages and rose gardens between the Dades Valley and Ouarzazate.
Ait Benhaddou and the High Atlas
The UNESCO listed citadel and the Tizi n’Tichka pass on the final day.
Route map
Where this journey takes you
Duration4 days and 3 nights, fully private
Start and EndYour riad or hotel in Fez on Day 1, and your riad or hotel in Marrakech on Day 4
StyleTwo nights in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi and a kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley
NightsMerzouga desert camp 2, Dades Valley 1
Travel PaceTwo longer road days, with a relaxed full day in the desert between them
Route
Fez · Ifrane · Midelt · Ziz Valley · Erfoud · Merzouga · Khamlia · Todra Gorge · Dades Valley · Valley of Roses · Ait Benhaddou · Tizi n’Tichka · Marrakech
Itinerary at a glance
Your trip in brief
| Day | Where you go | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fez to the Sahara | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included |
| Day 2 | A Day in the Desert | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included |
| Day 3 | Merzouga to the Dades Valley | Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included |
| Day 4 | Dades Valley to Marrakech | Departure |
Full itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Fez to the Sahara
Fez To Midelt To Ziz Valley To Merzouga
We leave Fez and climb into the Middle Atlas, through cedar forests where Barbary macaques live. After a stop in Midelt for lunch, the road follows the Ziz Valley, a ribbon of green palms between bare cliffs, and passes through Erfoud, known for its fossils.
At dusk you meet your camel in Merzouga and ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Dinner is served at the camp with Gnawa music under the stars.
Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included
Day 2
A Day in the Desert
Merzouga And Khamlia
Before dawn you climb a dune to watch the sunrise. After breakfast a 4×4 takes you to the village of Khamlia, where Gnawa musicians play the traditional music of the region, and then to a fossil quarry.
The afternoon is free for sandboarding, a walk in the dunes or simply resting at camp, and the evening brings another sunset and a night under the Milky Way.
Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included
Day 3
Merzouga to the Dades Valley
Merzouga To Todra Gorge To Dades Valley
We leave the desert at first light for the Todra Gorge, where cliffs rise about 300 meters above a narrow river. You walk along the floor of the canyon before lunch.
In the afternoon we follow the Dades Valley, where kasbahs glow pink in the evening light, and settle into a hotel overlooking the valley.
Overnight: Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included
Day 4
Dades Valley to Marrakech
Dades Valley To Valley Of Roses To Ait Benhaddou To Marrakech
The morning road passes through the Valley of Roses, with its fields of Damask roses, on the way to Ait Benhaddou. You climb through the clay kasbah to the viewpoint at the top.
We then cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, where shepherds lead their flocks across terraced slopes, and arrive in Marrakech as the sun sets over its red walls.
What’s included
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
- Private, air conditioned vehicle with a professional English speaking driver guide throughout
- Accommodation as described, with daily breakfast
- Dinners as described in the itinerary
- Camel ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi
- All entrance fees to the monuments and sites mentioned in the itinerary
- All fuel, tolls, parking fees, and applicable taxes
- Bottled water in the vehicle, and 24 hour support during your trip
Not included
- International airfare
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Lunches and drinks
- Gratuities for guides and drivers, at your discretion
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Prices
4 Day Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech prices
Every tour is private, so the price per person depends on how many of you travel together and the accommodation level you choose: Affordable Comfort (3 star hotels and riads), Classic Comfort (4 star riads), Affordable Luxury (4 and 5 star riads) or Deluxe Luxury (5 star riads). Prices are per person for the whole 4 day tour, based on two people sharing a room.
| Group size | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler (own room) | US$1,240 | US$1,480 | US$1,780 | US$2,380 |
| 2 travelers | US$660 | US$780 | US$930 | US$1,230 |
| 3 travelers | US$530 | US$650 | US$800 | US$1,100 |
| 4 travelers | US$460 | US$580 | US$730 | US$1,030 |
| 5 travelers | US$420 | US$540 | US$690 | US$990 |
| 6 travelers | US$390 | US$510 | US$660 | US$960 |
| Single room supplement, whole tour | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per single room | US$180 | US$300 | US$450 | US$750 |
Included: 3 nights with breakfast and dinner, your private vehicle with an English speaking driver guide, fuel, tolls and parking, the camel ride in the dunes and the entrance fees on the route. For groups larger than 6 travelers, ask me for the exact price. A 10% supplement applies to dates between 20 December and 5 January. How my prices work.
Good to know
Before you book
Customization
This itinerary is private and flexible. If you wish to add a night, skip a stop, or change the pace, I will shape the journey around you.
Pickup and drop off
Pickup is at your riad or hotel on Day 1, and drop off at your riad or hotel at the end of the tour. Airport pickup can be arranged.
Booking and cancellation
A 50% deposit confirms your booking and the balance is due 60 days before the tour starts. Cancellation refunds are 100% for 30 or more days before departure, 50% for 15 to 29 days, 25% for 7 to 14 days, and none under 7 days.
What travelers say
Rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor
Guest reviews written since 2012. Read the reviews on TripAdvisor.
“Hassan quickly became more like a brother to us than a guide.”
michalotte02, tourHQ, 2023
“Hassan is an excellent and cautious driver, and each place we visited, the locals knew him.”
Kerry, tourHQ, 2023
“Rather than the tourist lunch places we went full local, a huge highlight for us.”
kelly_b, Viator, 2023
Before you go
Read before you travel
- Fez to Merzouga: 2 or 3 Days, the Route, and Merzouga or Zagora
- Do You Need a Guide in the Fez Medina?
- Best Time to Visit Morocco: Month by Month
For visas, money, transport and seasons, see the full Morocco Travel Guide or browse the travel blog.
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Send a booking request with your dates and group size, or ask me anything about the route first. I plan every trip personally and reply within 48 hours.