This three-day journey links Ouarzazate and Fes by way of the desert, with a whole day in the Merzouga area to break up the driving. You explore the Todra Gorge, then continue to the Sahara at Merzouga, where you ride camels, see both sunset and sunrise and spend a night in a desert camp. A full day is dedicated to exploring the Sahara by 4×4. Then you visit the Rissani market and Erfoud, the town of fossils, and finish via Ifrane and the cedar forest, home of the Barbary macaques. Your tour finishes in Fes.
On the first day you travel from Ouarzazate through the Todra Gorge to Merzouga, finishing with a camel ride to the 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 travel north via Rissani, Erfoud, the Ziz Valley, 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.
You are collected early in the morning from your accommodation or Ouarzazate airport and drive through the Todra Valley, a striking red-walled canyon, with time to explore the gorge. The route then crosses the Touroug and Tinjdad palm groves, with free time for lunch on the way.
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. 6 hours driving · Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Merzouga
Following breakfast, the whole day is dedicated to the Merzouga desert (Erg Chebbi): sand dunes, a seasonal wild lake, fossil sites, small mines and oases.
The day starts with an off-road drive to an old kohl (eyeliner) mine, followed by Berber tea with nomads in their woven tents. Then you visit Khamlia for Gnaoua music and dance. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon you walk through a palm grove and drive to Merzouga’s wild lake, also called the flamingo lake.
Later, camels take you across the dunes to a high dune for sunset, and then on to the luxury camp for Berber drums under a starry sky. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Approx. 2 hours driving · Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Merzouga
Start the day early with sunrise in the heart of the Sahara. After riding your camel back to Merzouga, you set off for Rissani, the old capital of Tafilalet, 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. Lunch break in Midelt (free time). Then you drive through the cedar forest, home of the Barbary macaques, and visit Ifrane, often called the Switzerland of Morocco. The day ends with a drop-off at the airport or your accommodation in Fes. If you would rather finish in Marrakech, see our 3-day Ouarzazate 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.
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.
Yes, but expect around 6 to 7 hours of driving each day. Our vehicles are new and comfortable and we stop often, but if long drives are not for you, a longer or tailor-made tour may suit you better.