3 Days Tour From Fes To Merzouga
Overview
The 3-day itinerary from Fes to Merzouga offers an immersive experience of the Sahara. This desert trip starts with a drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains, stopping at the alpine-style town of Ifrane and the Cedar Forest of Azrou to spot Barbary apes. You’ll traverse the Tizi-n-Talghemt pass and the palm-lined Ziz Valley, arriving at Merzouga in the evening.
The next day, explore the desert with a 4×4 tour, visiting oases, lakes, villages, mines, and a nomadic Berber family. The desert tour’s highlights are undoubtedly riding camels into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a night at a desert camp, complete with music, dance, and stargazing.
On the final day, witness a stunning desert sunrise before returning to Fes, with stops at viewpoints, the cedar forest, and Ifrane along the way.
Highlights
3 Days Tour From Fes To Merzouga
- Drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains
- Cedar Forest with Barbary apes
- Ziz Valley & Tizi N'Talghamt pass
- 4x4 desert exploration
- Visit a nomadic Berber family
- Camel trek experience
- Night in desert camp
- Enjoy Berber music/dances
- Stargazing
- Wonderful desert sunrise & sunset
3 Days Tour From Fes To Merzouga
Day 1 : Fes → Middle Atlas Mountains → Tizi N Talghamt → Errachidia → Merzouga Desert
We kick off our 3-day trip from Fes to Merzouga with a pick-up by our driver from the airport or your hotel /riad in Fes at 8:00 a.m. Then we drive to Merzouga via the middle Atlas Mountains. You’ll have the opportunity to witness and appreciate the enchanting landscape of traditional Berber villages along the way.
Our first stop is Ifrane city, also called the little Switzerland of Morocco due to its European alpine chalet-style buildings and winter weather conditions. We’ll stretch our legs with a stroll around this delightful mountain village before continuing on.
After having a cup of coffee here, we venture into the famous Cedar Forest of Azrou, where you may well sight and feed Barbary apes while wandering in the forest. Later we will continue to Midelt, a beautiful village famous for its sweet apple. Here, we’ll pause for a delightful lunch.
Then we’ll head south to Erfoud, known for fossils and its yearly dates market. After that, we continue over the Tizi-n-Talghemt Pass, nicknamed “The Camel Pass.” We’ll drive along the Ziz Valley, an oasis full of palm trees and small traditional villages. We’ll make frequent stops along the way.
In the evening we’ll reach the impressive Merzouga Sahara desert. Enjoy a delicious dinner and an overnight stay in a local Kasbah or at a typical riad.
Day 2 : Explore Merzouga area → Erg Chebbi → Camel trek and night at the desert camp
On the second day of the 3 Days Desert Tour Fes to Merzouga, after a delicious breakfast in the hotel, we start our 4×4 excursion to explore the Merzouga desert. The first stop is Hassi Labied, an oasis with ancient irrigation canals and lush palm groves thriving amidst the desert sands. We’ll see how this ingenious system has allowed agriculture to flourish here for centuries.
The next stop will be Sriji Lake (if there is water in it). Our next destination is Khamlia village where you will enjoy listening to Gnaoua music and watching dance performances by locals who originally came from sub-Saharan countries.
Next, we will drive off-road to Mifis mines, an area rich in valuable minerals like fossils and salts. From there we will visit a nomad Berber family living in their authentic nomadic tents. Tea with them and discover their local traditions and lifestyle. Free time for lunch in a restaurant
After that, the camel caravan will be waiting to provide a unique experience across the high dunes of Merzouga to reach our desert Berber Camp in the middle of Erg Chebbi Dunes. On the way, we will stop on a high dune to enjoy the magical sunset and also try a sandboarding activity if you are interested. Upon reaching the desert camp you will be welcomed with a glass of mint tea.
After a delicious Tagine dinner, the Berber hosts will make some Berber music with their traditional drums and perform their traditional dance performance around the campfire. Enjoy a night under the starry sky.
Day 3 : Merzouga → Ziz valley → Errachidia → Midelt → Azrou → Ifrane → Fes
Today, it is absolutely worth getting up early to witness the breathtaking sun rising over the golden dunes of Merzouga. After this wonderful moment, if you choose to stay at a luxury desert camp, you’ll have breakfast and shower at the camp. However, if you opted for a standard camp, you’ll have breakfast and shower at a guest house in Merzouga after either riding camels or taking a comfortable 4×4 vehicle back to town.
Having had an unforgettable desert experience in Merzouga, you will travel back to Fes, passing through the Ziz Valley. This valley is formed by Morocco’s second-longest river, which comes down from the High Atlas and feeds the palm grove. Here we make a stop from a high viewpoint to enjoy a panoramic view of the valley.
Continuing our journey, we traverse the Middle Atlas Mountains and enjoy incredible views. You will have a chance to pass by the same sites on the first day for additional photos. There will be free time for lunch at a restaurant.
In the afternoon, our journey continues towards Fes. We’ll make a stop at the cedar forest of Azrou, where we’ll have the chance to see the wild monkeys a second time. Feel free to take a short walk through the forest to take pictures. Our next stop is Ifrane, the “Little Switzerland of Morocco.”
Finally, we’ll arrive in Fez late afternoon, dropping you off at your hotel/riad or the Fez Airport. End of our services for a 3 Days Fes desert tour.
Tour Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Fes
- Air-conditioned transport
- English/multilingual guide
- Interesting stops en route
- Photo opportunities
- Lunch stops
- Camel trekking
- Sandboarding (optional)
- Hotel stay (1 night)
- Desert camp (1 night)
- Meals included
- Mint tea at camp
- 4x4 desert exploration
- Fuel costs
Tour Excludes
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Tips (optional)
