3 Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour via Merzouga

DAY 1 : MARRAKECH – ATLAS MOUNTAINS- KASBAH AIT BEN HADDOU- BOUMALNE DADES VALLEY

6 HOURS DRIVE

In this exciting and thrilling tour around the eastern half of Morocco you will travel in style in a modern air-conditioned minibus. Our guide will pick you up from your Marrakech hotel at 7.15 a.m. and escort you to the departure point. We will travel over the Atlas Mountain range and descend into the Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou.

The Kasbah (there are actually six of them within a walled city) is a place of wonder. Here you will feel almost like you have stepped back in time to the days of gladiators, desert nomads and ancient trading markets. Lunch on the first day will be taken in the Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou after the guided tour has finished.

Our next stop on our first day will be at Ouarzazate. We will admire the scenery of a city where several blockbuster movies have been filmed. Classics like The Mummy and Lawrence of Arabia are among the many films which have taken in a city often called “The Gateway to the Desert”.

In the desert’s gateway city we can take stop at a café before venturing on to the Dades Valley. Once here you can relax and unwind at a private guesthouse in Dades with en-suite bathroom and enjoy the culinary delights of a Moroccan evening dinner.

DAY 2: BOUMALNE DADES VALLEY –TINGHIR- TODRA GORGE – MERZOUGA

4 HOURS DRIVE

This amazing desert trip from Marrakech to Fes now sets us up in the jaw-dropping landscape of the Todra Gorge. It is a well maintained area with asphalt roads guiding tourists around this vast canyon. You’ll witness rock climbers, people trying to see the top of the cliff face and occasional flooding from the Dades River.

After lunch on day two – and our midday meal can be taken at any one of the many cafes – we head off to Merzouga. This will be our final destination of the day, but the best desert adventure part is yet to come.

Riding on camels through the golden sands of the desert is like something you’ll have only ever witnessed on films like Lawrence of Arabia, but we will hop on a dromedary for the final leg of today’s journey up to the Berber desert camp.

The camels will transport us through the Dunes of Erg Chebbi. If you prefer to walk along with the guides, you can. However, you’ll quickly realise the camel ride is the easiest and most exciting experience of desert travel there is.

Overnight Stay in a Desert Camp

On the final night of our Marrakech to Fes Sahara tour we will be sleeping in Berber desert tent accommodation. The tents are traditional and there will be a feel of the desert at night as you enjoy your evening meal under the stars and with the sound of gentle Moroccan drums to help you unwind.

The clean air, jet black skies and occasional sound of the camels breathing will ensure most sleep peacefully through the desert night. In the morning, you will remain in the camp and sample a filling breakfast and prepare for the final day’s push to Fes.