4 days and 3 nights · Marrakech to Fez
4 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Fez: 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
This 4 day desert tour runs from Marrakech to Fez across the High Atlas, through the kasbahs and gorges of the south, and gives you two nights in the dunes of Erg Chebbi before finishing in the imperial city of Fez.
The extra night in the Sahara is what makes this route special. Instead of arriving at dusk and leaving at dawn, you have a full day for sunrise, the Gnawa musicians of Khamlia, the fossils of the region and a second sunset over the dunes.
Highlights
Tizi n’Tichka pass
The highest road pass in the High Atlas, with terraced villages and wide mountain views.
Ait Benhaddou
A UNESCO listed clay fortress and one of the most photographed places in Morocco.
Dades Valley and Todra Gorge
Kasbahs, rose villages and a walk between the high red walls of the canyon.
Two nights in Erg Chebbi
A full day in the Sahara, 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.
The Middle Atlas
The Ziz Valley, cedar forests and the alpine town of Ifrane on the way to Fez.
Route map
Where this journey takes you
Duration4 days and 3 nights, fully private
Start and EndYour riad or hotel in Marrakech on Day 1, and your riad or hotel in Fez on Day 4
StyleA kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley and two nights in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
NightsDades Valley 1, Merzouga desert camp 2
Travel PaceTwo long road days, with a relaxed full day in the desert between them
Route
Marrakech · Tizi n’Tichka · Ait Benhaddou · Ouarzazate · Valley of Roses · Dades Valley · Todra Gorge · Merzouga · Khamlia · Ziz Valley · Midelt · Ifrane · Fez
Itinerary at a glance
Your trip in brief
| Day | Where you go | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Marrakech to the Dades Valley | Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included |
| Day 2 | Todra Gorge and the Sahara | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included |
| Day 3 | A full day in the Sahara | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included |
| Day 4 | Through the Middle Atlas to Fez | Departure |
Full itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Marrakech to the Dades Valley
Marrakech To Tizi n’Tichka To Ait Benhaddou To Dades Valley
We leave Marrakech early and climb into the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, where the road winds past terraced villages and walnut trees, with a stop for mint tea along the way.
We descend to Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO listed clay fortress, and walk through its lanes. After lunch we continue through Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses to the Dades Valley, where you spend the night in a kasbah hotel.
Overnight: Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included
Day 2
Todra Gorge and the Sahara
Dades Valley To Todra Gorge To Merzouga
After breakfast we follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to the Todra Gorge, where you walk along the riverbed between canyon walls about 300 metres high. Lunch is in a village among palm and pomegranate trees.
In the late afternoon you reach Merzouga at the edge of Erg Chebbi. Camels carry you into the dunes as the sand turns amber, and the evening is spent at the camp with tea, dinner and a sky full of stars.
Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included
Day 3
A full day in the Sahara
Merzouga And Khamlia
Before breakfast you can climb a dune to watch the sunrise. Later a 4×4 takes you to the village of Khamlia, where Gnawa musicians play the traditional music of the region, and to meet a nomad family for tea.
The afternoon is free for sandboarding, a walk in the dunes or simply resting at camp, and the evening brings a second sunset and another night under the Milky Way.
Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included
Day 4
Through the Middle Atlas to Fez
Merzouga To Ziz Valley To Midelt To Ifrane To Fez
We leave the desert after breakfast and follow the Ziz Valley, a ribbon of palm groves between bare cliffs, with a stop at a viewpoint over the gorge. Lunch is in Midelt at the foot of the High Atlas.
The road then crosses the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, where you may see Barbary macaques, and passes the alpine town of Ifrane before you arrive at your riad or hotel in Fez in the early evening.
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 Marrakech to Fez 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.
“The ONLY way to see Morocco is with Hassan Bouaouina.”
Young766, TripAdvisor, 2012
“Hassan has a contagious passion for Morocco… I felt safe and taken care of.”
Viator, 5 day desert trip, 2018
“Hassan quickly became more like a brother to us than a guide.”
michalotte02, tourHQ, 2023
Before you go
Read before you travel
- Fez to Merzouga: 2 or 3 Days, the Route, and Merzouga or Zagora
- Best Time for the Sahara in Morocco, and What to Pack for Cold Desert Nights
- How Many Days Do You Need in Morocco? 7, 10 and 14 Day Plans
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.