Our 5 Days tour from Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga will give you the opportunity to explore two of Morocco’s most prominent desert cities. You will discover a huge part of the country, from its high Atlas mountains through perched Berber villages and Kasbahs to the Sahara desert where you will spend a night in a luxury desert camp.
Day 1: Marrakech
During this 5 Days tour from Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga, you will visit many amazing places. Including the High Atlas Mountains, Tizi-N-Tichka pass, Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, Ouarzazate city, Dades valley, Todra gorges, and Merzouga Sahara Desert.
You will also explore Rissani and Erfoud, two famous desert cities. Rissani, once known as Sijilmassa, was the primary stop for caravans on their way to Timbuktu in Mali. Moreover, it is the birthplace of the current Moroccan royal family.
In addition, the tour will take you to Azrou Cedar Forest which is a great place to see endangered Barbary Macaques. Then you will visit Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco, and its famous cedar forests. It is the largest natural reserve in Morocco. It is home to the world’s largest and oldest cedar trees.
Day 2: Dades or Tinghir
After breakfast, we will leave for Tinghir via Tizi n’Tichka pass and the High Atlas Mountains. During the trip we will visit the cedar forest and the Middle Atlas Mountains where you can see Barbarian monkeys.
We will continue to the Todra Gorge, Tineghier Village, and Erfoud – fossils town. Then we will drive to Merzouga Sahara Desert and spend the night in a Berber Camp.
We will wake up early to watch the amazing sunrise. Then we will trek on camels through the sandy dunes to reach our overnight desert camp. Enjoy dinner, campfire and traditional desert tunes while you stay at the desert. In the evening we will go to see Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou – UNESCO protected site and Ouarzazate city.
Day 3: Erfoud
After breakfast, we’ll head toward Erfoud, the Land of Fossils, and visit one of its fossils mining sites. We’ll then continue to Rissani, where we’ll visit the biggest traditional market in the area.
Once we’re done, we’ll drive towards Erg Chebbi Dunes and transfer to our luxury desert camp where we’ll spend the night. We’ll be able to enjoy the sunset from the top of a dune and enjoy dinner under a sky full of stars.
We’ll begin our return journey to Marrakech by visiting Ouarzazate and its beautiful kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, which is under UNESCO protection. We’ll then head back to Marrakech via the Tizi n’tichka pass. We’ll arrive in the red city around 7:30 PM. It’s the end of our 5 Days Tour from Marrakech to Fes via Merzouga.
Day 4: Merzouga
We’ll drive to the Sahara Desert of Merzouga where we will spend a night in a desert camp. Here, we will witness the incredible sunset and sunrise.
We will visit the Gnawa people – originally slaves from Sudan – to see their music and way of life. We’ll also discover the lake Dayte Sarji, which attracts pink flamingos and other wildlife.
From here we will visit Rissani, the traditional town of Morocco’s ruling family and the meeting point for caravans from Timbuktu in Mali. We will also drive through the Ziz Valley and see Tafilalet Date Palm Estates. We will then head to Azrou where we will see the Barbary apes in their natural habitat in the cedar forest. Afterward, we will travel to Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Africa, and see the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou.
Day 5: Fes
After breakfast in your accommodation, start the tour by exploring the desert region of Merzouga. You will explore the magnificent Erg Chebbi sand dunes, as well as the marvelous Todra Gorge.
You will also visit the village of Khamlia – the Black Town – where you can meet people from the Gnawa tribe, originally slaves brought from Sudan, and experience their music and lifestyle.
Next, take a guided tour of the old city of Fes, known as Fes el Bali. You will stroll around the streets with your guide while seeing several famous souks & landmarks like the blue-tiled Bab Boujloud, Medersa Bounania and Chouara tanneries. You will also visit the famous UNESCO site of Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. In the afternoon you will leave for the luxuriant Ziz Valley with its endless palm groves.
