This three-day round trip takes you from Fes to the Sahara and back, with a whole day in the Merzouga area to break up the driving. Along the route you discover Ifrane, the cedar forest, the Ziz Valley, the Merzouga desert, Rissani and Erfoud.
Starting in Fes, the route crosses the Middle Atlas via Ifrane, the cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz Valley to the Sahara at Merzouga, where a sunset camel ride takes you to camp. Day two is a full 4×4 day around Merzouga, meeting nomads and visiting Khamlia and the flamingo lake. On the last day you pass Rissani and Erfoud, climb back up the Ziz Valley and cross the cedar forest and Ifrane to Fes.
Good to know: the Medina of Fez, one of the stops on this itinerary, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Your journey starts with an early pick-up from the airport or your accommodation in Fes. You travel south via Imouzzer to Ifrane, often called the Switzerland of Morocco, and then through the cedar forest, home of the Barbary macaques. After a lunch stop in Midelt, the road crosses the Tizi n’Tilghmt pass and follows the Ziz river to the desert.
In the afternoon you arrive in the Sahara at Merzouga, where camels carry you over the sand to a high dune for sunset. Then it is on to the luxury camp for Berber drums and dancing around the fire under a sky full of stars. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Approx. 7 hours driving · Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Merzouga
Wake up early for sunrise over the dunes, then ride your camel back to Merzouga. The rest of the day is dedicated to the Merzouga region: dunes, a wild lake, old mines, fossil sites and oases.
An off-road drive takes you to an ancient kohl (eyeliner) mine, followed by Berber tea with a nomad family. Then you visit the village of Khamlia for Gnaoua music and dance. Free time for lunch. Later, you walk through a palm grove and drive to Merzouga’s wild lake, also called the flamingo lake. Dinner and overnight.
Approx. 2 hours driving · Overnight: Hotel in Merzouga
After a relaxed breakfast, you leave the dunes for Rissani and its large souk (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays). Next you visit a fossilised-marble workshop in Erfoud.
The road then follows the Ziz river, with a stop at a viewpoint over the Ziz Valley, and continues through the cedar forest and Ifrane to Fes, where we drop you at the airport or your accommodation. If you would rather end in Marrakech, see our 3-day Fes to Marrakech tour.
Approx. 7 hours driving
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The tour is fully private: only you and the people in your booking travel together, with no other guests added. We focus on quality, personal journeys, and that is why nearly all of our tours run privately.
Depending on the camp, the camel ride takes from 40 minutes up to about 1.5 hours. If you would rather not ride, a camp 4×4 can drive you and your bags to and from the camp. Quad bikes (ATVs) are also available at an extra cost.
Yes. Every tent at the luxury camp is just for you, with its own en-suite bathroom and hot water.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the ideal seasons, with mild, comfortable weather across most of the country. Winter is also a good choice, especially for the south and the Sahara.
We use air-conditioned 4x4s and minivans. Our 4×4 is a Land Cruiser Prado for up to 4 travellers; our minivans are a Mercedes Vito Tourer, Ford Tourneo or similar for up to 8. Larger groups of more than 8 travel in a minibus with up to 18 seats.