--- title: 4-Day Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga url: https://merzougaonlinetours.com/tours/4-day-fes-to-marrakech-via-sahara/ description: One-way 4-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara: Middle Atlas, Ziz valley, two nights near Erg Chebbi, Todra and Dades gorges, Aït Benhaddou. --- # 4-Day Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara Fes to Marrakech the beautiful way, with two nights in the desert. - Duration: 4 days, 3 nights - Starts: Fes - Ends: Marrakech - Best for: Travelers flying into Fes and out of Marrakech ## In short A one-way 4-day private tour from Fes to Marrakech through the Sahara: day 1 over the Middle Atlas and down the Ziz valley to Merzouga, day 2 a free morning or 4x4 tour and a sunset camel trek to our Erg Chebbi camp, day 3 the Todra and Dades gorges, day 4 Skoura, Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou and the High Atlas to Marrakech. - **Duration:** 4 days, 3 nights - **Route:** Fes to Marrakech - **Price:** Price on request - **Run by:** Merzouga Online, a local team in Merzouga ## Overview Start in the old medina of Fes and end in the squares of Marrakech, with the Sahara in between. You cross the Middle Atlas to Merzouga, spend two nights near the dunes, then follow the valleys of the south and the High Atlas to Marrakech. Four days gives every stop the time it deserves. ## Highlights - Middle Atlas cedar forests - Ziz valley - Two nights near Erg Chebbi - Todra and Dades gorges - Aït Benhaddou and the High Atlas ## The route - **Fes:** Pick-up around 8:00. - **Ifrane:** Middle Atlas. - **Merzouga:** Nights 1 and 2. - **Todra gorge:** Walk in the gorge. - **Dades valley:** Night 3. - **Aït Benhaddou:** UNESCO ksar. - **Marrakech:** Drop-off at your riad. ## Day by day ### Day 1: Fes to Merzouga Ifrane, the cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz valley. Arrive in Merzouga in the late afternoon. Night in a guesthouse or at camp. ### Day 2: Erg Chebbi A free morning or 4x4 tour (nomads, Khamlia, Rissani). Sunset camel trek and a night at camp. ### Day 3: Todra and Dades Sunrise on the dunes, then west to the Todra gorge and up into the Dades gorge. Night in the Dades valley. ### Day 4: To Marrakech Skoura, Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou, then over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech, arriving in the late afternoon. ## Included - Pick-up in Fes, drop-off in Marrakech - Air-conditioned vehicle with driver - 3 nights - 3 dinners and 3 breakfasts - Camel ride ## Not included - Lunches - Local guide fees (optional) - Drinks - Tips ## Fes to Marrakech, the beautiful way Many travelers land in Fes and fly home from Marrakech, or the other way round. Between the two cities there is a fast train via Casablanca, but the road south through the desert is one of the great journeys of Morocco. In four days you cross the Middle Atlas and the High Atlas, follow two of the country's longest palm valleys, sleep in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, walk through two gorges and visit the most famous kasbah of all. Because it's one way, there's no backtracking, and because it's four days, there's no rush. Day 2 is spent around Merzouga, so you're not on the road every day. ## Day 1: Middle Atlas and the Ziz valley We pick you up at your riad in Fes around 8:00 and drive south through the Saïss plain to Ifrane, the alpine-looking town of the Middle Atlas. In the cedar forest near Azrou you may see Barbary macaques by the road. Lunch is in Midelt, a quiet apple-growing town below the Jbel Ayachi. In the afternoon the road drops through the Ziz gorges and follows the Ziz valley, with viewpoints over thousands of palm trees, to Errachidia and Erfoud. You reach Merzouga in the late afternoon and spend the night in a guesthouse, or at our camp if you'd like two nights in the dunes. ## Day 2: Erg Chebbi The second day is spent around the dunes. In the morning you can rest, walk on the sand, or join our 4x4 tour: a nomad family, Gnawa music in Khamlia, the seasonal lake and Rissani market. In the late afternoon your camels are ready at the edge of Erg Chebbi. You ride into the dunes for the sunset and on to our camp for dinner, drums by the fire and a night under the stars. It's the heart of the trip, and having arrived the day before, you're rested enough to enjoy every minute. ## Day 3: Todra and Dades After sunrise and breakfast, you ride back to Merzouga, shower and set off west across the desert past Rissani and Alnif to Tinghir. You walk through the Todra gorge, where the canyon narrows between walls about 300 metres high, then continue to the Dades gorge and its spectacular switchback road. You spend the night in the Dades valley in a family-run hotel or kasbah, with dinner and a view of the red cliffs. ## Day 4: kasbahs and the High Atlas The last day follows the 'road of a thousand kasbahs' through the Valley of Roses and the palm grove of Skoura to Ouarzazate. At Aït Benhaddou a local guide walks you through the UNESCO-listed ksar to its granary at the top. Then the road climbs into the High Atlas, over the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres, and down through Berber villages to Marrakech, where you arrive in the late afternoon or early evening. We drop you at your riad or hotel. ## Same driver from start to finish One driver stays with you for the whole tour, so there's no changing vehicles and no explaining your plans twice. He knows the route, the best stops and the people along the way, and by day 4 he'll know exactly how you like to travel. Your luggage stays in the vehicle. At the desert you take a small bag for the night, and your suitcases wait safely at our guesthouse in Merzouga, or go to camp by 4x4 if you choose a luxury tent. ## Make it yours - Start in Meknes or Chefchaouen instead of Fes - Spend both nights near the dunes at our camp - Upgrade to a luxury tent or boutique kasbah hotels - Add a night in Aït Benhaddou to see it at sunset - Finish at Marrakech airport for an evening flight Every change is confirmed in your quote before you book, with one clear price. ## Best time of year for this tour Spring (March to May) and autumn (October and November) are the most comfortable seasons, with mild days in the mountains and the desert. In winter there can be snow on both the Middle Atlas and the High Atlas: beautiful, but pack warm clothes and expect occasional delays. In summer, the desert and the gorges are hot, so we plan early starts, long lunch stops in the shade and the camel trek in the late afternoon. In late April and May, day 4 passes through the Valley of Roses in full bloom. In autumn, the Ziz valley and Tafilalet are busy with the date harvest. ## Who this tour suits This is the classic route for travelers who arrive in Fes and leave from Marrakech: couples on a first trip to Morocco, families on a two-week holiday, friends who want to see as much as possible without rushing. With four days, the driving is shared out and there's a full day around the dunes. If you have one more day, add a night at Aït Benhaddou to see it in the evening light, or a second night at our camp. ## Our tips for the trip - Leave Fes after a good night's sleep: day 1 is a long drive - Bring a warm layer for the Middle Atlas and the desert night - Keep cash in dirhams for lunches, entrance fees and tips - Wear good shoes for the Todra gorge and Aït Benhaddou - Tell your driver about your flight time in Marrakech on the first day, so he can plan day 4 ## How this compares with the train The train between Fes and Marrakech takes about seven hours via Rabat and Casablanca. This tour takes four days, but instead of farmland and suburbs you see the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, the Ziz valley, the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the Todra and Dades gorges, the kasbahs of Skoura and Aït Benhaddou and the High Atlas. You arrive in Marrakech having seen half of Morocco. ## What to bring - Small bag for camp - Warm layer - Scarf, sunglasses, sunscreen ## Good to know - Also runs in reverse, Marrakech to Fes. - Each day has 5 to 7 hours of driving with stops. ## Where you'll sleep in the desert Your night in the dunes is at our own family camp in Erg Chebbi, about an hour by camel from Merzouga. Every group has its own tent. ### Standard Berber tent Real beds, warm blankets, solar lighting, shared toilets and showers a few steps away. ### Luxury tent More space, quality linen, sockets and a private bathroom with hot shower. Choose it in the booking form. [See the camp ](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/camp/) ## Best time to go Spring (March to May) and autumn (October and November) are ideal for the road trip: the passes are clear, the valleys are green or golden and desert nights are mild. In winter, snow can close the Tizi n'Tichka pass or the Middle Atlas for a few hours, and we adapt the route. In summer the vehicle is air-conditioned and we plan stops around the hottest hours. [Live weather & month guide ](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/#plan) ## Photos Erg Chebbi, late afternoon On the road from Marrakech Rissani, the caravan town ## Questions about this tour **Can it be private?** Yes, and private tours can start any day. **Can we stop longer at places we like?** Yes. On a private tour, the day goes at your pace. **Do we keep the same driver?** Yes, for all four days. **Is this tour available in reverse?** Yes. Marrakech to Fes in 3 days is on our site, and a 4-day version is easy to arrange. **How long is the drive on day 4?** About 7 to 8 hours with the stops in Skoura, Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou, arriving in Marrakech in the late afternoon or early evening. **Can we catch a flight from Marrakech on day 4?** Only a late evening flight, and we don't recommend it: delays on the mountain road are possible. A flight the next day is safer. **Do we need cash for the tour?** Some cash in dirhams for lunches, drinks, entrance fees, the Gnawa musicians and tips. There are cash machines in Fes, Midelt, Erfoud, Tinghir and Ouarzazate. **Where do we sleep on the first night?** In a guesthouse in Merzouga, or at our camp if you'd like two nights in the dunes. The second night is always at the camp, after the sunset camel trek. **Can we visit the Fes medina on the morning of departure?** We recommend a full day in Fes before the tour. The first day's drive is long, so we leave around 8:00. **Is the 4x4 tour included?** The morning of day 2 is free, and the 4x4 tour around Erg Chebbi can be included. Tell us if you'd like it in your quote. **What kind of vehicle do you use?** An air-conditioned 4x4 or minivan, depending on your group size, with an experienced driver who speaks English or French. [More answers on our FAQ page ](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/faq/) ## Ready when you are Send us your dates and how many you are. We reply with availability and one clear price, usually within a few hours. **Price on request** One clear quote, usually within hours ## Book or ask a question Your request comes to us by email. We reply with availability and a clear price. Prefer to chat? [Ask about this tour on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/212679216663) ## You might also like 3 days, 2 nights ### [3-Day Marrakech to Fes via the Sahara](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/tours/3-day-marrakech-to-fes-via-sahara/) **Price on request** One clear quote, usually within hours 3 days, 2 nights ### [3-Day Fes to Merzouga Desert Tour](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/tours/3-day-fes-to-merzouga/) **Price on request** One clear quote, usually within hours 5 days, 4 nights ### [5-Day Southern Morocco & Sahara from Marrakech](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/tours/5-day-desert-tour-from-marrakech/) **Price on request** One clear quote, usually within hours [All multi-day tours ](https://merzougaonlinetours.com/tours/sahara-tours-from-marrakech-and-fes/)