Trip overview
Three private days from Fez to the Sahara and back: the Ifrane cedars, the Ziz Valley, a camel ride and a night in Erg Chebbi, and a full day around Merzouga.
- Duration3 days / 2 nights
- Starts inFez
- GroupPrivate or shared · 1–16 people
- DifficultyEasy
- LanguageEspañol
- DeparturesDaily departures all year round
Highlights
- Round trip from Fez without changing base
- Middle Atlas cedar forests and Barbary macaques
- Ifrane and the Midelt plateau
- Canyon and palm grove of the Ziz Valley
- Sunset camel ride and a night in camp in Erg Chebbi
- Full day around Merzouga, Khamlia and Rissani
- A night in a hotel facing the dunes
Who it's for
It suits you if…
You're staying in Fez and want to go to the desert without changing base: two nights around Merzouga and back to your riad.
- Your flight arrives and leaves from Fez
- You're doing the north (Fez, Chefchaouen, Tangier) and want to add the Sahara
Pick something else if…
You're finishing your trip in Marrakech. The Fez to Marrakech route via the desert doesn't make you double back.
See the Fez to Marrakech routePrivate or small group
You can book this route either way, on this same page.
Private
A vehicle and driver just for you: you choose the start time and the stops. The price per person drops the more of you there are.
Small group
A seat in a shared minibus with other travellers on the same itinerary. Daily departures; the price is the same even if you travel alone.
Before you book
Fez and Merzouga are about 470 kilometres apart: the outward and return days are 8 or 9 hours with stops for photos and lunch. The middle day has almost no driving.
With one more day we turn it into a four-day trip that includes the Todra Gorge. We have guides to Fez and to Merzouga and the Sahara desert, and if you have questions about dates or weather, message us.
Driving hours and overnight stops
On Standard, a simple desert camp and a comfortable hotel; on Superior, a tent with a private bathroom and a nicer hotel, always with dinner and breakfast.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Fez – Ifrane – Azrou – Midelt – Ziz Valley – Merzouga
We pick you up from your riad in Fez at around 7:30 and climb into the Middle Atlas. First stop is Ifrane, with its steep roofs and Alpine feel. Then we pass through the cedars near Azrou, where Barbary macaques are often seen by the road. Don't feed them, even if they come close.
We have lunch in Midelt, at the foot of Jbel Ayachi, and drop through the Legionnaire's Tunnel into the Ziz Valley, with viewpoints over the canyon and the palm grove. Via Errachidia, Erfoud and Rissani we reach Merzouga in the mid-afternoon. There you get on a camel and cross Erg Chebbi at sunset to the camp. Dinner and a night in a tent. About 8 or 9 hours on the road with stops.
Day 2: Sunrise in Erg Chebbi – Khamlia – Rissani – Merzouga
We wake you to watch the sun come up from a dune and ride back to Merzouga by camel. You have breakfast and a shower at the hotel, then head out around the area with your driver.
We go to Khamlia, a village of Gnawa families who still play their African-rooted music; at the end you leave a voluntary contribution for the musicians. Then we pass through Rissani, the old capital of the Tafilalet and birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, to see the market and the old mud-brick ksour. If there is water, we go to the Dayet Srji lake. The afternoon is free: the pool, a nearby dune or a 4x4 or quad outing, paid separately. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 3: Merzouga – Erfoud – Ziz Valley – Midelt – Fez
After breakfast we head north. In Erfoud you can visit a fossil marble workshop, with marine remains millions of years old. At the end they usually show you the shop; looking doesn't oblige you to buy. Then we drive up the Ziz Valley, this time in morning light, and stop at the viewpoints over the palm groves and mud-brick villages.
We have lunch in Midelt and in the afternoon cross the Middle Atlas again through the cedars of Azrou and Ifrane, where you can stop for a coffee. We reach Fez in the early evening, after about 8 hours with stops. We drop you at the medina gate nearest your riad.
What's included
Included (8)
- Pick-up from and return to your accommodation in Fez
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Multilingual driver (speaks Spanish)
- Fuel and tolls
- Camel ride in Erg Chebbi (one camel per person)
- 1 night in a desert camp with dinner and breakfast
- 1 night in a hotel at the foot of the dunes with dinner and breakfast
- Visits to Khamlia and Rissani with your driver
Not included (7)
- Drinks
- Lunches
- Entry fees to monuments
- Voluntary contribution to the Khamlia musicians
- Optional 4x4, quad or buggy excursions
- Tips
- Accommodation in Fez
Important information (5)
- Vegetarian food is available on request; tell us when you book.
- Bring long trousers for the camel and a small backpack for the night in camp.
- Between December and March it can snow in Ifrane and Azrou; if necessary, we change the route for safety.
- In summer midday in Merzouga is very hot, so visits are early in the morning and late in the day.
- It can be extended to 4 days with a visit to the Todra Gorge.
Prices per person
Private
The vehicle and driver are paid per day and shared between the travellers, so the price per person goes down the more of you there are. Accommodation is charged per person per night (2 nights).
| Travellers | Standard | Superior |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | €650 | €740 |
| 2 people | €365 | €455 |
| 3 people | €270 | €360 |
| 4 people | €223 | €313 |
| 5 people | €194 | €284 |
| 6 people | €175 | €265 |
- Standard: Comfortable hotels and riads, standard desert camp
- Superior: More characterful accommodation and a superior desert camp
- Children aged 3 to 11: 3% less than an adult.
- Groups of more than 7 people travel in two vehicles. The booking calculator takes this into account.
Small group
Small group
A seat in a shared minibus with other travellers, the same price even if you travel alone. Daily departures.
Payment and cancellation
You pay a 15% deposit when you book. The rest is paid on the first day of the trip, in cash or by bank transfer. You can also pay it by PayPal or card, with a 5% surcharge.
Private: free up to 48 hours before the start. Group: free up to 10 days before departure. If you cancel in time, we refund the full deposit.
Extras you can add
Chosen when you book and added to the total. You can also ask for them later, subject to availability.
Quad bike in the Merzouga dunes
Guided quad ride around Erg Chebbi, helmet included
Dune buggy in Merzouga
Two-seater buggy with a guide through the dunes, helmet included
Upgrade the accommodation
More characterful hotels and riads, and a superior desert camp On the group booking; for a private trip choose the Superior option.
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Leave a reviewFrequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Fez to Merzouga?
It is about 470 kilometres by road, roughly 8 or 9 hours including stops in Ifrane, the Azrou cedars, Midelt for lunch and the Ziz Valley viewpoints. We leave early to reach Merzouga by mid-afternoon and have time for the sunset camel ride.
Why is the first night in camp and the second in a hotel?
That way you reach the desert on the first day, while you are still keen, and the camp isn't left until the end. The second night in a hotel lets you sleep well, take a relaxed shower and return to Fez rested. If you would rather have two nights in camp, we can arrange that too.
Can I do this trip in four days?
Yes. The four-day version adds an excursion to the Todra Gorge or another night in the desert. You can also carry on to Marrakech via the Dades and Aït Ben Haddou instead of returning to Fez. Tell us what you prefer and we will send you the itinerary and price.
