Marrakech to Fes Desert Adventure in 3 days

About The tour

Ideal tour if you plan on visiting Fes city, this tour will get you there and in between, gives you the opportunity to explore the south of Morocco and enjoy the desert experience and overnight in camp with a camel ride, the 2 first days are similar to the regular Merzouga 3 days tour, but on day 3, we will head north towards Fes.

What's included :

1. Private vehicle with A/C

2. English speaking driver

3. Visit of Ait benhaddou village with local guide

4. Overnight in Dades : Hotel with Dinner and breakfast

5. Visit of Todgha gorges near Tinghir

6. Camel ride at arrival in the dunes of Merzouga

7. Overnight in private tent with en-suite sanitaries

8. Dinner and breakfast at the camp

9. Pauses and photo breaks on the way

* You will pay for your lunch meals and any extra drinks in the included meals, the driver will recommend the best places to eat and assist to accommodate any dietary restrictions during the tour

Highlights

• Crossing Atlas mountains via Tizi-n Tichka pass (2160m)

• Visit of Ait benhaddou Kasbah with a local guide

• Visit of Ouarzazate and optional Cinema attractions

• Dades Gorges and its monkey feet rocky formations

• Todgha valley and its mighty canyons

• Skoura palm grove and Valley of Roses

• Camel ride in Merzouga desert and overnight in Tent

• Folklore and musical plays by staff on both nights

• Scenic road along Ziz valley and its palm groves

• Stop at the cedar forest, home of macaques

• Pause in |frane town (Little Switzerland)

  
  

Packing list

• Sunscreen & sunglasses

• Scarf to protect your hair and face from the sand

• Insect repellent during warm periods

• Warm clothes in winter, desert winter can be extreme

• Pocket money for lunch meals and any small purchases

ITINERARY :

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades

Departing from Marrakech, we will head south-east towards the Atlas mountains where will cross the highest pass in Morocco, Tizi'NTichka with its 2160m of altitude, this mountain chain is a natural barrier that separates two different atmospheres. After descending for a while, we will take a detour to visit the Ksar of Ait benhaddou, a UNESCO world heritage site that served as a backdrop for many cinematic projects. We will have lunch in one of its restaurants and a walking visit with a local guide to ascend to the top of the old village and get a wonderful view of the whole valley.

Leaving Ait benhaddou, we will pass Ouarzazate, once named the gate of the desert, also home to the cinema industry in Morocco, then continue east crossing Skoura valley with its palm groves and the valley of Roses (season between April and May) before reaching Dades gorges where will take a detour to reach our hotel in the heart of the valley to spend the night.

Day 2: Dades to Merzouga

After breakfast, we will continue our journey towards Tinghir, where will take another detour to visit the Todra gorges and its magnificent canyons and green valley in the middle of an arid mountainous area. Lunch stop will be later on the way depending on the day pace and hunger meter. After a couple of hours drive, we will start to see the golden dunes in the horizon looking like a mesmerizing oil painting in the distance. Your driver will take you to the edge of the dunes where you will meet your cameleers and the camp staff, once your scarfs fixed, you can ride the camels and depart in a caravan over the dunes while your luggage will be transported to your tents in the SUV. The caravan will also end up at the camp, where you can rest, take a shower, have some mint tea and enjoy the natural entourage, dinner will be served at the camp's restaurant and musical plays are held around fire.

Day 3: Merzouga to Fes

After breakfast, we will depart from Merzouga heading north this time, we will travel along the wonderful ziz valley, lunch stop will be in Midelt, the capital of the apples. We will then continue our way with a short stop at the cedar forest home to macaque monkeys to stretch, then a final pause for coffee in frane town, called Little Switzerland, before we take our last drive for the day arriving to Fes where your driver will drop you at the nearest accessible point to your riad and arrange meeting with your host there.

Map & infos

* Total Driving distance: 1180 km

* Day 1:330 km / 7 driving hours

* Day 2: 290 km/ 6 driving hours

* Day 3: :470km / 7 driving hours

* Time spent in the car, not including stops