5 days and 4 nights · Marrakech to Fez
5 Day Luxury Desert Tour from Marrakech to Fez
From US$510 per person
Overview · Route map · At a glance · Day by day · What’s included · Prices
Overview
About this 5 day journey
This is my most comfortable way to see the Sahara: five unhurried days from Marrakech to Fez, with boutique kasbah hotels, two nights in a luxury desert camp with private en suite tents, and the time to enjoy each place rather than rushing between them.
Every detail is arranged for you, from 4×4 transfers across the dunes to dinners on the camp terrace, and because the journey is private, your driver guide sets the pace around you. It can also be planned as a round trip back to Marrakech.
Highlights
Telouet and the Ounila Valley
The old caravan road, with the richly decorated Glaoui kasbah at its head.
Boutique kasbah hotels
A night in the palm grove of Skoura and a night above the Dades Valley.
A luxury camp in Erg Chebbi
Two nights in a private tent with its own bathroom, real beds and heating in winter.
Sunrise and sunset on the dunes
A camel ride at sunset and a full day in the desert with no early departure.
Khamlia and a nomad family
Gnawa music, tea with nomads and the quiet of the open desert.
The Middle Atlas
The Ziz Valley, cedar forests and Ifrane on the last day to Fez.
Route map
Where this journey takes you
Duration5 days and 4 nights, fully private
Start and EndYour riad or hotel in Marrakech on Day 1, and your riad or hotel in Fez on Day 5
StyleBoutique kasbah hotels and a luxury desert camp with private en suite tents
NightsSkoura 1, Dades Valley 1, luxury desert camp 2
Travel PaceRelaxed, with shorter road days and a full day in the Sahara
Route
Marrakech · Tizi n’Tichka · Telouet · Ait Benhaddou · Skoura · 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 | Over the High Atlas to Skoura | Boutique kasbah hotel in Skoura, dinner included |
| Day 2 | Skoura and the Dades Valley | Luxury hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included |
| Day 3 | Todra Gorge and the luxury camp | Luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi, private en suite tent, dinner included |
| Day 4 | A full day in the Sahara | Luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi, private en suite tent, dinner included |
| Day 5 | Through the Middle Atlas to Fez | Departure |
Full itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Over the High Atlas to Skoura
Marrakech To Tizi n’Tichka To Telouet To Ait Benhaddou To Skoura
We leave Marrakech at a gentle hour and cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, then turn off onto the old caravan road to Telouet to visit the Glaoui kasbah, with its painted ceilings and carved cedar.
We follow the Ounila Valley down past terraced fields and old villages to Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO listed fortress, in the softer afternoon light, and end the day in a boutique kasbah hotel in the palm grove of Skoura.
Overnight: Boutique kasbah hotel in Skoura, dinner included
Day 2
Skoura and the Dades Valley
Skoura To Valley Of Roses To Dades Valley
After a slow breakfast you take a walk through the Skoura palm grove among fig, almond and olive trees, and visit the old Kasbah Amridil.
The afternoon is a short drive through the Valley of Roses to the Dades Valley, where you have time to relax at a hotel with views over the gorge before dinner.
Overnight: Luxury hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included
Day 3
Todra Gorge and the luxury camp
Dades Valley To Todra Gorge To Merzouga
We drive along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to the Todra Gorge for a walk between its high walls, followed by lunch among the palm groves of Tinghir.
In Merzouga a 4×4 takes you across the dunes to your luxury camp, where you settle into a private tent with its own bathroom. At sunset you ride a camel to the top of the dunes, and dinner is served by the fire under the stars.
Overnight: Luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi, private en suite tent, dinner included
Day 4
A full day in the Sahara
Merzouga And Khamlia
There is no early departure today. Watch the sunrise from the dunes, have a slow breakfast, then visit a nomad family for tea and the village of Khamlia to hear its Gnawa musicians.
The afternoon is yours, to rest at the camp, walk the dunes or try sandboarding, before a second sunset and a farewell dinner in the desert.
Overnight: Luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi, private en suite tent, dinner included
Day 5
Through the Middle Atlas to Fez
Merzouga To Ziz Valley To Midelt To Ifrane To Fez
After breakfast a 4×4 brings you back to your vehicle and we follow the Ziz Valley north through its palm groves, with lunch in Midelt.
In the afternoon we cross the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas and pass Ifrane before arriving at your riad or hotel in Fez in the early evening.
What’s included
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
- Private premium vehicle with a professional English speaking driver guide throughout
- Boutique kasbah hotels in Skoura and the Dades Valley, with daily breakfast
- Two nights in a luxury desert camp with a private en suite tent
- Dinner every night
- 4×4 transfers across the dunes and a camel ride at sunset
- 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
5 Day Luxury 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 5 day tour, based on two people sharing a room.
| Group size | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler (own room) | US$1,580 | US$1,900 | US$2,300 | US$3,100 |
| 2 travelers | US$840 | US$1,000 | US$1,200 | US$1,600 |
| 3 travelers | US$680 | US$840 | US$1,040 | US$1,440 |
| 4 travelers | US$590 | US$750 | US$950 | US$1,350 |
| 5 travelers | US$540 | US$700 | US$900 | US$1,300 |
| 6 travelers | US$510 | US$670 | US$870 | US$1,270 |
| Single room supplement, whole tour | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per single room | US$240 | US$400 | US$600 | US$1,000 |
Included: 4 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
Choosing your hotels
I send you two or three boutique kasbah hotels and luxury camps for each night, with photos, and confirm the exact rooms and rate for your dates before booking.
Round trip option
This tour can also finish back in Marrakech, returning through the Draa Valley instead of the Middle Atlas.
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.