6 days from Marrakech Fes via Merzouga Desert

Overview:

A 6-day journey from Marrakech to Fes via the Merzouga Desert is the perfect pace for this iconic Moroccan route. While standard express trips rush through in 3 days, 6 days allows you to immerse yourself in the culture, deeply explore the Atlas Mountains, break up the long driving segments, and spend a full day experiencing the Sahara Desert beyond just sleeping there.

Highlights:

Depart Marrakech early to cross the High Atlas Mountains via the panoramic Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2,260 meters).

Explore the ancient walled city of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and backdrop for films like Gladiator.

Drive through Ouarzazate and the fragrant Valley of the Roses.

Stay in a traditional kasbah-style hotel in the Dades Gorges.

Dades Valley to Merzouga Desert (Erg Chebbi) Morning: Marvel at the famous "monkey fingers" rock formations in Dades before driving to the towering 300-meter cliffs of Todra Gorge.

Continue east through Erfoud (the fossil capital) until the massive golden dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon.

Mount your camel for a 1-hour sunset trek into the dunes. Spend the night at a Merzouga Desert Camp, enjoying a traditional campfire dinner and live Berber drum music under the stars.

Full Sahara Experience: Wake up early for an unforgettable desert sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast, board a 4x4 vehicle to explore the deep desert terrain.

Visit a nomadic family to learn about their seasonal lifestyle, then head to Khamlia Village to listen to traditional spiritual Gnawa music.

Spend a second magical night in the desert camp or transition to a peaceful desert hotel pool-side resort at the foot of the dunes.

Sahara Desert to Fes (Arrival Night 1) Morning: Say goodbye to the dunes and drive through the massive palm groves of the Ziz Valley.

Cross the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop in the Cèdre Gouraud Forest near Azrou to see wild Barbary macaque monkeys.

Pass through Ifrane, often called the "Switzerland of Morocco" due to its alpine architecture.

Arrive in Fes late in the afternoon. Check into your riad in the ancient medina for your first night in Fes.

Immersive Fes Medina Tour (Night): Meet a licensed local guide for a walking tour of Fes el-Bali (the world's largest living medieval medina).

Visit the ornate Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate) and the 9th-century University of al-Qarawiyyin.

Navigate the pungent and vibrant Chouara Tannery to watch leather being dyed using ancient methods. Explore the copper smith souks and historic madrasas.

Enjoy a relaxed dinner at a riad restaurant, spending your second night in Fes.

Fes Departure Morning: Enjoy breakfast on your riad terrace. Depending on your schedule, take a final walk through the artisan markets or arrange a transfer to the Fes-Saïss Airport or train station for your onward journey.

Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Gorge

After leaving the city of Marrakech, we head south over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2260m) while enjoying superb views of the mountains and of the Berber Villages on the way. We stop for lunch in a traditional restaurant and visit the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, which is a World Heritage site.

This famous kasbah has been used as the backdrop for more than 20 films.

After lunch we continue through Ouarzazate, which is the gateway to southern Morocco, and continue towards the Skoura oasis, which is a fertile area lined with immense palm groves. Following on from Skoura we arrive at the Valley of Roses.

Roses are a very important crop booster to the local population. The rose season, begins around 10 April and ends around 20 May, depending on climate conditions. The Rose Festival or Moussem of Roses takes place on the second weekend in May and lasts for two days. Many festivities take place, including performances by folk groups and the Miss Roses contest, whose winner then takes part in a procession on a decorated float. Traders from all over the region come to sell their specialities and handicraft products.

Finally on this day we arrive at the spectacular Dades Gorge, and this is where you will have dinner and spend the night in your hotel.

Dinner and breakfast included in a traditional riad in Dades gorge.

Day 2: Dades Gorge – Todra Gorges – Merzouga

Our 4 Days Marrakech Desert Tour to Fez will start After breakfast at the hotel, we depart Dades Gorge and head towards Todra Gorges: a massive fault, rising to 200m in a narrow valley, thickly dotted with palm groves and Berber Villages. After lunch in the gorge, we go further into the Sahara to Merzouga which has the largest natural underground body of water in all Morocco and stands on the edge of the great sand dunes of Erg Chebbi.

Dinner and breakfast & overnight in a hotel in Merzouga included.

Day 3: Merzouga – Merzouga Dunes – Gnawa Music -- Berber Camp.

After a leisurely breakfast and after visiting the Merzouga oasis, our 6 days from Marrakech Fes via Merzouga Desert will drive to the village of the Negroes, Khamlia. These people came from Sudan and were originally brought north as slaves. You will meet some families and enjoy mint tea with them and listen to traditional Gnawa music.

Our next stop will be at Mfis, a small village to the south-east of the dunes, close to the coal and copper mines where most of the people in Merzouga used to make their livings.

Then, after a further stop in Merdane village we carry on meeting Berber families before driving back to Merzouga to check-in at your hotel.

In the afternoon, you will mount your camel to cross the dunes and discover one of the secrets of the ‘sea of sand’. Enjoy the silence of the desert, appreciate the natural beauty surrounding you and watch the majestic sunset.

Spend the evening under a canopy of stars, Berber music, twinkling with an intensity you may never have seen before. Sleep in traditional Berber tents with a private bathroom.

Overnight at the camp with dinner and breakfast included.

Day 4: Merzouga – Rissani – Ziz Valley – Fez

After breakfast in the desert, we depart to Rissani where we visit the traditional Berber suq and the ruined Kasbah of Sijilmassa Leaving Rissani we travel through the Ziz Valley and Errachidia. We will stop en route for lunch before reaching Azrou where there is a cedar forest which is home to a troupe of Barbary apes then heading to Ifrane which locals call the Switzerland of Morocco, we may have stop or continue to Fes.

Overnight in a traditional riad in Fes with breakfast included.

Day 5: Fes - local tour guide - Fes.

After breakfast you will have a tour with a local guide.

Must-See Attractions:

1. Fes el-Bali: The oldest Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a maze of narrow alleys.

2. Al-Attarine Madrasa: A stunning example of Marinid architecture, and a hidden gem.

3. Bou Inania Madrasa: A beautiful madrasa, with intricate woodwork and stunning tile work.

4. Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque: One of the oldest universities in the world, and a center of Islamic learning.

5. Visit Chouara Tannery in Fes, Morocco: What to Know …Chouara Tannery in Fes is the largest and oldest (11th century) leather tannery in the city, located in the heart of the Fes el Bali medina.

Overnight at the riad with breakfast included.

Day 6: Fes - Airport.

After breakfast we will pick you up for your airport departure in Fes.

End of our 6 days from Marrakech Fes via Merzouga Desert.