Trip overview
Four private days from Marrakech to Fez with a full day around Merzouga: Gnawa music in Khamlia, Rissani market, a sunset camel ride and a night in camp.
- Duration4 days / 3 nights
- Starts inMarrakech
- GroupPrivate or shared · 1–16 people
- DifficultyEasy
- LanguageEspañol
- DeparturesDaily departures all year round
Highlights
- A full day around Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
- Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Rissani market
- Aït Ben Haddou, Skoura and the Valley of Roses
- Dades and Todra gorges
- Sunset camel ride and a night in camp
- Ziz Valley, Midelt and the cedars of Ifrane
- Marrakech to Fez without driving any road twice
Who it's for
It suits you if…
You want to cross from Marrakech to Fez with a full day around Merzouga, rather than reaching the dunes, sleeping and leaving.
- Couples and families
- Curious about life on the edge of the Sahara
Pick something else if…
You have one day less. The 3-day route covers the same ground with tighter stages.
See the 3-day 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
The first and last days are long, with 7 and 8 hours of driving. The quiet day in Merzouga makes a real difference, and you start the final stage rested.
Because it's private, we can add a second night in the Dades, a 4x4 trip through the dunes or another night in the desert to make it five days. We have guides to Fez and Merzouga, or tell us your dates.
Driving hours and overnight stops
On Standard, comfortable hotels and a simple desert camp; on Superior, nicer hotels and kasbahs and a tent with a private bathroom.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Aït Ben Haddou – Skoura – Dades Valley
We leave your accommodation in Marrakech at around 7:00 and climb into the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, stopping at viewpoints over terraced valleys and mud-brick villages. Heading down to the south we reach Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified ksar, and walk through it up to the old granary on the hill. There is no shade at the top, so bring a cap and water.
We continue through Ouarzazate and the Skoura palm grove, with earthen kasbahs among the palms, and cross the Valley of Roses at Kalaat M'Gouna. In the late afternoon we reach the Dades Valley and sleep in a hotel with mountain views. Dinner included. About 7 hours on the road with stops.
Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga
After breakfast we drive up the winding Dades road to see the valley's rock formations, then head down towards Tinghir. In the Todra Gorge we walk along the canyon floor, between sheer walls and a clear stream.
In the afternoon we pass through Tinejdad and Erfoud, known for its marine fossils, and reach Merzouga. Tonight we sleep in a hotel or guesthouse at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes, with a proper bed and a shower. If you still have the energy, you can walk up a nearby dune to watch the sunset on your own. Climbing in sand is more tiring than it looks. About 5 or 6 hours of driving.
Day 3: Full day in Merzouga: Khamlia, Rissani and a night in camp
There is hardly any driving today. In the morning we go to Khamlia, a small village where Gnawa families play their traditional music for visitors. Then we go to Rissani, the old capital of the Tafilalet, to see its market, which fills up on souk days, and the town's monumental gate.
If the season is right, we stop at the seasonal lake of Dayet Srji. In the afternoon you go back to the hotel to rest. As the sun goes down, you get on a camel and ride into Erg Chebbi towards the camp, where there is mint tea, dinner and music by the fire. Night in a tent. 4x4 or quad outings in the area are optional and paid separately.
Day 4: Sunrise in the dunes – Ziz Valley – Midelt – Ifrane – Fez
We climb a dune to watch the sunrise and ride back to Merzouga by camel or 4x4 for breakfast and a shower. Then we head north through Erfoud and Errachidia and drive the Ziz Valley, with viewpoints over its canyon and long palm grove.
We cross the Middle Atlas to Midelt, a high-altitude town surrounded by apple orchards, where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon we go through the cedar forests near Azrou, home to Barbary macaques, and pass through Ifrane, which looks almost Alpine. You reach Fez in the early evening. About 8 hours on the road with stops, and in winter it is cold in the Middle Atlas.
What's included
Included (9)
- Pick-up from your accommodation in Marrakech and final drop-off at your accommodation in Fez
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Multilingual driver (speaks Spanish)
- Fuel and tolls
- 1 night in a Dades Valley hotel with dinner and breakfast
- 1 night in a hotel at the foot of the Merzouga dunes with dinner and breakfast
- Camel ride in Erg Chebbi (one camel per person)
- 1 night in a desert camp with dinner and breakfast
- Visits to Khamlia and Rissani with your driver
Not included (7)
- Drinks
- Lunches
- Entry fees to monuments and kasbahs
- Voluntary contribution to the Khamlia musicians
- Optional 4x4, quad or buggy excursions
- Tips
- Accommodation in Marrakech and Fez
Important information (5)
- Vegetarian food is available if you ask when booking.
- Rissani market is busiest on souk days; we fit the visit around your dates.
- Bring long trousers for the camel, sunscreen and a cap or scarf for the sun.
- Cars can't enter the Fez medina: we walk you to the gate nearest your riad.
- You can extend the trip to 5 days with another night in the desert or in the Dades.
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 (3 nights).
| Travellers | Standard | Superior |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | €880 | €1,015 |
| 2 people | €500 | €635 |
| 3 people | €373 | €508 |
| 4 people | €310 | €445 |
| 5 people | €272 | €407 |
| 6 people | €247 | €382 |
- 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
What do you do on the full day in Merzouga?
We visit the Gnawa village of Khamlia to hear their music, the Rissani market and, if there is water, the seasonal lake of Dayet Srji. You also have free time to rest at the hotel. In the late afternoon you ride a camel to the camp. If you want something more active, you can add a 4x4 or quad outing, paid separately.
Can I turn this trip into five days?
Yes. The most common option is a second night in camp, to spend a full day in the dunes, or a night in Ouarzazate or Skoura before the Dades to shorten the first day. We send you the price with the extra day, in Standard or Superior.
Why do we spend one night in a hotel and another in camp?
The night in the hotel at the foot of the dunes lets you rest, shower and have the next day free for the area. The camp is the real desert night: dinner by the fire, a tent and sunrise over the dunes when you step out.
