Booking choice: The small-group 3-day tour, from $387 per person. Check dates Tour details
All the 3-day tours from Fes to Marrakech share the same skeleton: Fes to Merzouga on day 1, the gorges on day 2, Ait Ben Haddou and the High Atlas on day 3. The stops in between vary a little by operator, and so does where you sleep on the second night.
The distances below come from one operator's published itinerary; the driving times are the ranges operators quote, with stops.
The quick answer
Day 1: Fes to Merzouga, about 467 km and 7 to 9 hours with stops, then a camel ride to a camp in Erg Chebbi. Day 2: sunrise in the dunes, Rissani, the Todra Gorge and on to the Dades Gorges, about 255 km and 4 to 5 hours. Day 3: Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech, about 315 km and 6 to 7 hours.
What is the Fes to Marrakech desert tour route day by day?
Fes to the Erg Chebbi dunes on day 1, through the Todra and Dades gorges on day 2, and over the High Atlas via Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakech on day 3.
| Day | Route | Distance | Time in the car | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fes, Ifrane, Azrou cedar forest, Midelt, Ziz valley, Merzouga | About 467 km | 7 to 9 hours with stops | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi |
| 2 | Merzouga, Rissani, Todra Gorge, Dades Gorges | About 255 km | 4 to 5 hours | Hotel in the Dades Gorges or Ouarzazate area |
| 3 | Dades, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, Tizi n'Tichka, Marrakech | About 315 km | 6 to 7 hours | Not included (you arrive in Marrakech) |
Like the route? The small-group tour sleeps at a luxury camp and in the Dades Gorges, in groups of up to 10.
Check dates for the small-group 3-day tourWhat do you see on day 1 from Fes to Merzouga?
The Middle Atlas: Ifrane, the Azrou cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz valley, with short stops of 15 to 30 minutes, before a camel ride into the dunes at the end of the day.
Pickup is early: 7:30 AM on several tours, 8 AM on the private tour. The cedar forest near Azrou is where many tours stop to see the Barbary apes. One guest on the shared tour timed it at 9 and a half hours from Fez to the camels, then about 30 minutes on camelback to the tents. It is the longest day of the trip, so sit where you can see out.
Where do you sleep on the first night?
In a tent at a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga, with dinner at the camp.
Erg Chebbi is a sand sea at the western edge of the Sahara, with dunes up to about 150 m. The camps sit a short camel ride from the road. Whether your tent has its own bathroom depends on the tour and option: see luxury vs standard camp.
What happens on day 2?
Sunrise in the dunes, a camel ride back to the road, the Rissani souks, the Todra Gorge and an evening in the Dades Gorges.
The small-group tour spends about 40 minutes in the Rissani souks and stops at the Todra Gorge, where the canyon walls close in around a shallow river. Day 2 is the shortest drive of the three.
Want collection at your riad and drop-off at your Marrakech hotel? The door-to-door tour does both.
Explore the door-to-door 3-day tour Tour detailsWhere do you sleep on the second night?
In a hotel in the Dades Gorges on most tours, or in the Ouarzazate area on some shared tours.
The small-group tour uses Hotel Babylon Dades or similar, with a private air-conditioned en-suite room. The tour with a luxury camp option lists its second night in Ouarzazate, and the big shared tour says Dades Valley or Ouarzazate. Dinner and breakfast are included either way.
What do you see on day 3 to Marrakech?
Ouarzazate, the UNESCO-listed ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, and the Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas at 2,260 m.
Ait Ben Haddou is an earthen ksar on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1987. The small-group tour spends about 1 hour 30 minutes there with the entry included. The road then climbs over Tizi n'Tichka, the highest major road pass in North Africa, and drops to Marrakech in the evening.
How many hours of driving are there each day?
About 7 to 9 hours on day 1, 4 to 5 hours on day 2 and 6 to 7 hours on day 3, including stops.
That is roughly 1,000 km in three days, and guests on every tour mention it. The listings say the tour is not recommended for travellers with back problems, pregnant travellers or anyone with heart problems. If that sounds like too much, a 4-day tour splits it up: see 2, 3 or 4 days.
Prefer a smaller group for those long days? The small-group tour keeps it to 10, with stops along the way.
Check dates for the small-group 3-day tourCan you do the route the other way round?
Yes: the Marrakech to Fes tour runs the same route in reverse, with the Dades Gorges on night 1 and the desert camp on night 2.
Starting in Marrakech puts the Dades Gorges night first and ends with the long run from Merzouga to Fes. It suits you if your trip starts in Marrakech or you fly home from Fes.
Starting in Marrakech? The reverse tour ends in Fes, with a luxury camp and groups of up to 10.
Explore the Marrakech to Fes tour Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
How far is Merzouga from Fes?
About 467 km by road on one operator's itinerary, which takes 7 to 9 hours with stops.
How long is the camel ride to the camp?
One guest on the shared tour timed it at about 30 minutes. You ride in at sunset and, on most tours, back out at sunrise.
Where does the tour end in Marrakech?
It depends on the tour: the small-group tour drops you at the nearest point a car can reach to your riad, while the budget tour does not include a drop-off at your accommodation.
Is Merzouga the real Sahara?
Yes, at its western edge. Erg Chebbi is part of the Sahara, but not the deep desert: the camps are a short camel ride from the road.
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Fes to Marrakech 3-Day Small-Group Desert Tour
- Air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide
- Night 1: private tent with en-suite bathroom at a luxury camp in Erg Chebbi
- Night 2: private air-conditioned en-suite room in the Dades Gorges
Fes to Marrakech 3-Day Sahara Desert Tour
- Pickup at your Fes hotel or riad, drop-off at your Marrakech hotel
- Air-conditioned 4x4 or van with an English-speaking driver-guide
- Sunset camel ride and a private tent (shared bathrooms) in Erg Chebbi
