5 Days Tour from Ouarzazate to Casablanca via Merzouga Desert
5 days Ouarzazate to Casablanca via Merzouga and Fes
5 Days Ouarzazate to Casablanca via Merzouga – Private 5-day tour from Ouarzazate to Casablanca: Dades and Todra gorges, 2 nights in the Merzouga desert, the Middle Atlas cedar forest, Fes and Rabat.
Overview:Cross Morocco from the south to the Atlantic coast. This private 5-day tour starts in Ouarzazate, follows the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to the Dades and Todra gorges, and gives you two nights in the Sahara with a full day to explore Merzouga. You then drive north through the Ziz Valley and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas to Fes, and finish in Casablanca via Rabat.
Skoura oasis, the Rose Valley and a night in the Dades Gorges.
Todra Gorge and its limestone walls about 300 metres high.
Two nights in an Erg Chebbi desert camp with a private bathroom, with a camel ride at sunset.
Full day in Merzouga by 4×4: nomad families, the black desert and Gnawa music in Khamlia.
Ziz Valley, Midelt, the Azrou cedar forest with its Barbary macaques, and Ifrane.
Night in Fes, then Rabat and the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.
Note: The price of the tour depends on how many people share the trip from your group: family, friends, students.
Pick-up at your hotel or riad in Ouarzazate. We drive east through the Skoura oasis and Kelaat M'Gouna in the Rose Valley, then into the Dades Gorges with their red cliffs and winding road. Night in a hotel in the gorges, with dinner and breakfast.
Overnight: hotel in the Dades Gorge
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
After breakfast we walk in the Todra Gorge near Tinghir, then continue through Tinejdad and Erfoud to Merzouga. At the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes you ride a camel to the camp in about one hour, watching the sunset on the way. Dinner, Berber music and a night in a private tent with its own bathroom.
Overnight: desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes (private tent with bathroom)
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
After the sunrise and breakfast, we explore the area around Erg Chebbi by 4×4: a visit to a nomad family for tea, the black stone desert, old mines and the village of Khamlia, known for its Gnawa music.
In the afternoon you have free time in the dunes, for sandboarding or simply enjoying the views. Second night in the desert camp with dinner and breakfast.
Overnight: second night at the desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes
Meals: dinner and breakfast.
A long but beautiful day north. We follow the palm groves of the Ziz Valley, pass Errachidia and Midelt, and cross the Middle Atlas through the cedar forest of Azrou, where Barbary macaques live in the wild.
After a stop in Ifrane, the "Switzerland of Morocco", we arrive in Fes in the early evening. Night in a hotel or riad in Fes, with breakfast.
Overnight: hotel or riad in Fes
Meals: breakfast.
After breakfast we drive west to Rabat, the capital, with a short stop at the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas. We then continue to Casablanca and the Hassan II Mosque, built over the Atlantic.
We drop you at your hotel in Casablanca or at Mohammed V airport in the afternoon.
End of the tour: drop-off at your hotel in Casablanca or at Mohammed V airport in the afternoon.
5 Days Ouarzazate to Casablanca via Merzouga: useful information
With Merzouga Packages, “5 Days Ouarzazate to Casablanca via Merzouga” is a private experience run by a local Berber team that lives in Merzouga, at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. The program adapts to your pace, with pick-up from your hotel or riad, an experienced driver-guide and hand-picked accommodation.
For more ideas, see also these pages: Morocco Tours and FAQ. To learn more about the places you will visit, read the article on Erg Chebbi on Wikipedia.
Included:
- Private transport in an air-conditioned 4×4 or minibus
- Driver / guide / fuel
- Pick-up at your hotel in Ouarzazate and drop-off at your hotel or the airport in Casablanca
- Two hotel nights in the Dades Gorges and in Fes (breakfast included; dinner except in Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira, Rabat and Chefchaouen)
- Two nights in a desert camp with a private bathroom (dinner and breakfast included)
- Camel ride, 4×4 excursion around Erg Chebbi, sandboarding, sunset and sunrise
Not included:
- Lunches
- Dinners in Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira, Rabat and Chefchaouen
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tips
Route, distances and driving times
| Day | Route | Distance | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Ouarzazate – Skoura – Dades Gorges | 129 km | about 2 h 30 |
| Day 2 | Dades Gorges – Todra Gorge – Merzouga | 291 km | about 5 h 30 |
| Day 3 | Day in Merzouga (no long drive) | – | – |
| Day 4 | Merzouga – Erfoud – Errachidia – Midelt – Azrou – Ifrane – Fes | 467 km | about 8 h 30 |
| Day 5 | Fes – Rabat – Casablanca | 292 km | about 3 h 30 |
Total distance: about 1,179 km. Driving times are approximate and do not include stops for visits, photos and meals.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the tour start and end?
It starts at your hotel or riad in Ouarzazate and ends at your hotel or Mohammed V airport in Casablanca.
Where do I sleep?
Night 1 in a hotel in the Dades Gorges, nights 2 and 3 in a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes with a private bathroom, and night 4 in a hotel or riad in Fes. Breakfast is included every night; dinner is included except in Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira, Rabat and Chefchaouen.
Why two nights in the desert?
It gives you a full day in Merzouga to visit nomads, the black desert and Khamlia, without rushing.
Is this a private tour?
Yes. You travel only with your own family or friends, in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a local Berber driver.
Can I end in Fes instead?
Yes. Every itinerary can be adapted. Contact us and we will suggest the best route for you.
Is there a discount for groups?
Yes. The price depends on how many people share the trip, so families, friends and student groups pay less per person. See our Morocco special offer for details.
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