4-Day Marrakech to Fez: High Atlas & Sahara Adventure

Embark on a 4-day small-group tour from Marrakech to Fez via the desert. Explore the High Atlas Mountains, visit ancient kasbahs, experience a camel ride in the Sahara Desert, and witness breathtaking sunsets and sunrises. Breakfast and dinner included.

Duration: 4 days
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Day 1: Marrakech / Ait Ben Haddou / Ouarzazate / Gorges Dades

After meeting at the hotel in Marrakech, depart through the High Atlas via the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, along a road that ascends from the plains to 2260m above sea level, passing through quaint villages. A stop on the pass for a cup of refreshing mint tea and to admire the scenery is recommended before continuing to the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. Here, visit the renowned Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the backdrop for films like The Gladiator, Babel, Lawrence of Arabia, The Legionary, and The Sheltering Sky.

After a lunch break, proceed to Ouarzazate to visit the Kasbah of Taourirt and the Atlas Studios, the largest and most famous in Africa. Continue through the picturesque Valley of Roses and the Dades Valley, reaching the Dades Gorge in time for a sunset dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Auberge Panorama or similar

Day 2: Gorge Dades / Gorge Todra / Merzouga

In the morning, after breakfast, take a walk through the Dades Gorges, then drive along the road of the 1000 Kasbahs, passing through Tineghier village and historical Kasbahs, arriving at the Todra Gorges in time for lunch. Enjoy a walk in the Gorges before heading to the Merzouga desert via Erfoud, arriving before sunset. Overnight accommodations and dinner with Saharan drums will be provided.

Accommodation: Ksar Merzouga or similar

Day 3: Merzouga / Rissani / Erg Chebbi

After breakfast, explore the desert, passing through small villages, and stop to enjoy Saharan music in El Khamlia, the oasis. Visit Rissani, the first capital of the Alouite dynasty, including some historical Kasbahs and the famous market. Sample the local cuisine, including the Berber Pizza.

Return to Merzouga and relax with a mint tea. The guide and camels will be ready to take you across the sandy dunes of Erg-Chebbi. Enjoy the sunset on camelback, and after an hour, reach the desert camp to spend the night in a Berber tent. At the desert shelter, camels are hobbled, and mint tea is served. After a delightful dinner, stargaze and enjoy the evening.

Accommodation: Standard Desert Camp

Day 4: Merzouga / Medilt / Ifran / Fes

In the morning, wake up early and walk over the sand dunes to watch the sunrise from just behind the Algerian border, about 50km from Merzouga. Return to the hotel by camel, and after a shower and some relaxation, begin the journey back to Fez through Ziz Valley, Berber villages, Middle Atlas Mountain, and Cedars Forest. Arrive in Fez in the afternoon and be returned to your accommodations.

Points of Interest

  • Todgha Gorge
  • Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
  • Erg Chebbi Dunes
  • Merzouga Desert
  • Sahara Desert
  • Taourirt Kasbah
  • Dades Gorges
  • Tizi n Tichka
  • Valley of the Roses
  • Marrakech Desert Tour
What's Included
  • Breakfast ×3
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Dinner ×3
  • 3 nights accommodation
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan or 4x4
  • Local taxes
  • Professional Driver speaks English
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fees (5 Euros for the Atlas studio
  • Drinks
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a journey from Marrakech to Fez via the High Atlas Mountain on this 4-day, 3-night, small-group adventure. The trip includes visits to numerous points of interest such as the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah and the Atlas Studio, the Taourirt Kasbah, the valley of roses, Dades Gorge, Todra Gorges, Ziz Oasis, Cedars Forest, and an unparalleled experience of the Sahara Desert involving a camel ride and a tent stay. Witness stunning sunsets and sunrises during this incredible desert tour, with breakfast and dinner provided. Each booking is limited to a maximum of 6 guests.

  • Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • Dress code is casual. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Location
Marrakech
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(18 Ratings)
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1 star
Hungrigerh2024
Sep 20, 2024
Wonderfull - We were on our tour with driss. This dude was the best guide we could have wished for and we got him. He was literally the bedt guide we had in over 20 countries worldwide! He's speaking good english, arabic and frensh and he is willing to explain everything. If you want to know everything he is the right guide, if you just want to just be driven around he is also the right guy. The tour was also very nice and we could always say what we want and driss would make it happen. Take this tour, ask for driss and enjoy your trip in the wonderful country of morocco!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nancy_c
Sep 9, 2024
Amazing desert tour - This desert tour was truly amazing! We got to see Ouarzazate, Dades Gorges, Togdha Gorge, Ait Ben Haddou and everything in between! We spent 2 amazing nights in the Erg Chebbi - Merzouga desert including a jeep ride and a camel ride at sunset! Our driver Hassan showed us all the important sites, always offering to stop when desired and even to bargain for us! We were sad to switch drivers on the 2 last days but everyone was very nice! Would definitely recommend ☺️
Review provided by Viator
Giacomocc857bd
Aug 29, 2024
Discovering Berber couture in 4x4 - The most beautiful road trip made in Morocco. We started in Marrakech, then we moved to Ouarzazate, where we discovered a beautiful village inside red mountains and then we continued to the desert, by crossing Tinghir, and finally we arrived in Merzouga, where we had a wonderful welcome from the staff of the hotel Yasmina and the camping. First of all, I would like to thank our amazing guide Zackaria, who made our trip unforgettable. He has been not just a guide but a friend, who made us feel at home. He is a really kind and patient person, he makes sure your trip is comfortable and exactly as you want it, he waits for you, he leaves you plenty of time to visit what you want. My girlfriend and I appreciated it so much because he made everything perfect. Moreover, talking about the organization and the locations I can say that everything was so extraordinary beautiful, really high quality of bedrooms, hotels, and food, and everything was really clean. I recommend this experience 100%.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Go39288051611
May 14, 2024
Desert trip to southern Morocco - My wife and I did a 4 day tour from Marrakesh to the desert to Fez. Our first 2 days were with Moha… he was our personal driver and a wonderful host to the country of Morocco…. He provided a great tour to the desert but he got re-routed back to Marrakesh so sadly he was not able to take us to Fez. We enjoyed his great positive energy, he always accommodated our needs (coffee stops, bathroom breaks etc) and always felt safe and in good hands on the road. We finished our trip to Fez with Hassan also a knowledgeable capable driver. Great experience all around!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael
Jan 19, 2024
A great four-day/three-night road trip Marrakech to Fez - I contacted Morocco Explored to arrange a road trip from Marrakech to Fez. I was quickly able to work out a great plan with the manager Mr Essalah, who was very responsive and flexible. Our guide & driver was Mr Youssef Bakkali, a very lucky opportunity for us. Youssef was our trusted travel companion from the beginning, and he made us feel comfortable and confident as he helped us learn about the geography and culture of Morocco. Youssef made every day of the trip fun and adventurous as he chose sights, routes and opportunities to just hang out and enjoy the moment. Some of the highlights were shopping local markets and putting together our roadside picnics, taking off-road routes, and exploring sites like Ait Ben Haddou and Todra. By the time we arrived in Fez, I felt that we were beginning to understand something about the reality of Morocco. Before Youssef left us, he gave us excellent advice about our time in Fez. We were in good hands, without a doubt, and I feel that we experienced the best kind of education in these few days. Thank you Youssef!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taliaf723
Aug 15, 2023
HIGHLY recommend! - I spent hours researching the best trip through the desert and I am SO glad I found this one. Most of the trips from Marrakech to Fes/Fes to Marrakech are 3 days and 2 nights but I knew I wanted to break up the long drive a little more and have an extra night in the desert which is why this was perfect. For this trip--my boyfriend and I were the only passengers and we had Mohamed as our tour guide. Mohamed was really helpful and accommodating the whole trip and definitely contributed to our amazing experience. I would say that for the price, you can't beat this tour--there were pools at both hotels, both hotels and the desert camp had AC in the rooms (I spoke with travelers on other tours and they didn't have AC in their desert camps) and breakfast and dinner were included in all. For me, the highlight of the trip was the desert sunrise and driving the quads through the sand dunes.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
865marionw
Mar 25, 2023
An amazing experience in Morocco - Our trip through the desert was an unforgettable experience. We were lucky to be the only passengers and had a most luxurious trip through this amazing country. Our driver Hassan spoke excellent English and is an outstanding tour guide and driver. We were very relaxed with him. He really wanted us to have the best experience and made sure we got good service in all the restaurants and weren't ripped off when shopping.l We could not have wished for more. We got to see amazing landscapes and authentic city life in the desert. Our personal highlight was Erb Cheggi and the desert clamping with music and dancing around the fire after the camel ride at sunset. We highly recommend this tour with Hassan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Viktor_s
Mar 30, 2024
Great 4 day trip - We chose this shared group tour as it was one of the few that offered a 4 day trip. We got an extra day in the desert with some "local sightseeing", which we appreciated. This made the trip more stress free and relaxing, as there is a lot of driving for long distances. We were not a part of the same group and driver for the whole trip, but changed groups (see details below). This was as expected, but the communication with the agency was not very good. However, everything worked out as planned, so I guess you have to trust the process. For the first two days we joined a 3 day group from Marrakesh to Fes. The third day we joined some other people doing a 3 day trip Fes round-trip (their second day of their trip). For the fourth and last day, this now "new" group joined a 3 day group from Marrakesh to Fes that departed the day after our us (their last day of their trip)
Review provided by Viator
Departure258827
Apr 26, 2023
4 Tages Tour Marrakesh to Fes - We traveled with "3L travel" company and we had a great experience. Big thank you to Mohamet the driver & guide. He was very respectful, funny, explained nicely and good available by phone/WhatsApp. The accommodation where nice, the desert tour interesting. We spent a second day in Merzoga and highly recommend to not speed back after one night. The gardens where interesting to see and to have some time to relaxed and enjoy the view of the hotel, Sahara dunes too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eric_w
Jun 26, 2023
Marrakech to Fes desert tour - We enjoyed surfing on the dunes with the kids and camel rides. We were disappointed that our guide was changed without warning during the middle of the trip and that we were shifted from a comfortable Ford minivan style vehicle to a cramped Highlander style SUV.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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