Best 3 days desert tour from Fes

Overview

The best way to experience a 3-day desert tour from Fes back to Fes is a round-trip loop to the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga. Because it takes about 7.5 hours of pure driving time each way to reach the deep Sahara from Fes, a 3-day round trip gives you a perfect balance: you get a full, unhurried second day to explore the desert oasis, visit nomadic tribes, and relax, rather than spending the whole trip rushed in a vehicle.

Journey Highlights:

Your driver will pick you up early (usually around 7:30 AM) from your Fes Riad.

Drive through Ifrane, known as the "Switzerland of Morocco" for its European-style architecture. Right after, stop at the ancient Cèdre Gouraud Forest in Azrou to spot wild Barbary macaque monkeys.

Cross the mountain passes and descend into Midelt, the "Apple City," for a traditional lunch.

The Palm Groves: Wind through the jaw-dropping Ziz Valley, stopping at a panoramic viewpoint to admire millions of date palms wedged inside massive red rock canyons.

Arrival in the Desert: Reach Merzouga by late afternoon. Check into a traditional Kasbah hotel at the foot of the dunes for dinner and your first night.

Exploring the Sahara, Nomad Culture & Camel Trek: Sahara 4x4 Off-Roading: Hop in a 4x4 to explore the Erg Chebbi dunes. Visit authentic nomadic families living in traditional wool tents to learn about Saharan life over hot mint tea.

Gnawa Music: Head to Khamlia village to watch a live performance of spiritual, rhythmic Gnawa music played by the descendants of formerly enslaved sub-Saharan Africans.

A local Berber pizza for lunch.

Sunset Camel Trek: In the late afternoon, switch to camels (or a 4x4 if preferred) and trek deep into the golden sands as the sun dips below the horizon.

Luxury Desert Camp: Spend the night in a luxury Saharan camp featuring private en-suite showers and toilets.

Enjoy a traditional dinner, listen to Berber drumming around a bonfire, and stargaze under a completely unpolluted night sky.

Merzouga Sunrise & Return Journey to Fes: Desert Sunrise: Wake up early to catch a breathtaking sunrise painting the crests of the sand dunes orange and pink.

Breakfast: Trek or ride back to the base village.

Pass through Erfoud, Morocco's geological capital, to see how ancient marine fossils are excavated and polished into stunning marble crafts.

Return Drive: Cruise back north through the High Atlas, stopping for lunch along the way.

Evening Drop-off: Arrive back at your Fes accommodation by roughly 6:00 PM.

Day 1: Fes – Azrou – Merzouga.

After breakfast, leave Fez and go to Merzouga , passing through Ifrane to arrive at the cedar forests of Azrou where the wild monkeys are located.

It will be a good opportunity to take photos of the wilderness in Morocco . Lunch in the small Berber village of Zaida.

We continue the way through the Atlas Mountains, enjoying the landscapes of Midelt to arrive at the small town of Rich, then Erfoud in which we’ll feel the beginning of the Saharan oasis of Tafilalet.

And then continue to the Merzouga Desert. Overnight hotel in l’homme du désert, or something similar. Dinner and breakfast are included.

Day 2: Merzouga – Nomads – Berber Camp – Camel Ride – Merzouga.

We start the trip after your breakfast at the hotel, in the direction of Gnawa music, in a village of people originally from Mali and Sudan.

After listening and dancing our adventure will continue to the route of rally Paris Dakar, crossing desert tracks in the direction of ‘Mefes mines’. After half an hour we will drive through the desert stones.

It will be fantastic; midday we stop the car for tea with lunch of Berber pizza in nomad land.

You will experience how people can live in the desert with sandstorms in summer with very warm weather. After lunch we will come back to your hotel, relax a bit, then ride the camels into the dunes to spend the night in a luxury camp inside the dunes of Erg Chebbi desert.

One hour by camel, then sandboarding, sunset over the dunes, tents with private bathrooms, followed by dinner and Berber music.

Day 3: Merzouga – Midelt — Ifrane — Fez

We will wake up early to enjoy a magnificent sunrise on the dunes, then breakfast, shower, and take a camel ride back to the hotel.

After we leave for Fes through Ziz Valley and the Middle Atlas Mountains, cedar forests of Azrou and stop to hand feed the monkeys.

We will continue via Ifrane, the ‘Switzerland of Morocco’ to arrive early evening to Fes.