3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
3 Days Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour with Hotel & Glamping accommodation
Tour highlights
3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
The 3-day tour from Fes to Marrakech is a private tour designed to help you make the most of your trip to Morocco, connecting two of the country's major cities through the Merzouga Desert.
Over three days, you'll discover some of the region's most spectacular landscapes, cross the Atlas Mountains, and explore the Erg Chebbi dunes. You'll spend a night at a comfortable glamping camp in Merzouga, enjoy a camel ride through the dunes, try sandboarding, and, if you're looking for an extra adventure, add an optional ATV tour.
A convenient and complete way to travel from Fes to Marrakech through the desert, combining adventure and comfort on a private tour.
If you'd like to compare this route with other options, explore all our Morocco tours and choose the itinerary that best fits your trip.
Tour details
3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
Included
- Private Transportation
- Local guide throughout the entire tour
- 2 nights of accommodation in a private room with a private bathroom
- Half-board (2 breakfasts and 2 dinners)
- Dinner with Berber music
- Camel Ride Through the Erg Chebbi Dunes
- Sandboarding Activity
Not included
- Lunches
- Beverages
- ATV Tour (available as an optional extra)
Important information
DISTANCES: This tour includes several long drives in a 4x4 vehicle over the course of the three days. The return trip to Marrakech will be particularly long, so you’ll spend several hours on the road. Along the way, there will be stops to rest, eat, and enjoy the scenery.
ITINERARY: Since this is a private tour, the order and duration of some stops and activities may be adjusted based on the travelers’ preferences, road conditions, and the day’s schedule.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation!
If you cancel at least 12 days before the tour starts, you’ll receive a 100% refund of the amount paid. After that time, or if you don’t show up, no refunds will be issued.
Tour itinerary
3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
Day 1: Fes – Middle Atlas – Ziz Valley – Merzouga Desert
Overnight stay: glamping in the Merzouga Desert
Meals included: dinner
✨ Highlights: camel ride and sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes
Departure from Fes and Ifrane
At 8:00 AM, your guide will pick you up at your accommodation in Fes to begin the journey to the Merzouga Desert. In a private vehicle, you’ll leave the city behind and head into the mountainous landscapes of the Middle Atlas.
The first stop will be Ifrane, a town known for its distinctive architecture and mountainous surroundings. You’ll have time to briefly explore the town before continuing on to the Azrou cedar forest.
Azrou Cedar Forest
After visiting Ifrane, you’ll continue on to the Azrou Cedar Forest, one of the most characteristic landscapes of the Middle Atlas. You’ll stop to explore the area and observe the Barbary macaques that inhabit this region.
After the visit, you’ll continue your journey through the mountainous landscapes of the Middle Atlas toward Midelt.
Midelt and the Ziz Valley
After leaving the cedar forest behind, you’ll continue on to Midelt, where you’ll stop for lunch. Keep in mind that lunch isn’t included in the tour, so you can bring a picnic lunch from Fes or ask your guide for recommendations on where to eat at one of the local restaurants.
Afterward, you’ll travel through the mountainous landscapes of the Atlas Mountains until you reach the Ziz Valley, known for its vast palm groves. You’ll stop to take in the views of the valley before continuing your journey to the Merzouga Desert.
Arrival in Merzouga and camel ride
Late in the afternoon, you’ll arrive in Merzouga, at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. There, you’ll leave your vehicle to begin an approximately 40-minute camel ride through the desert until you reach the glamping site where you’ll spend the night.
During the ride, you’ll venture deep into the dunes and stop to watch the sunset over Erg Chebbi before continuing on to the glamping site.
Sunset and a Berber Evening in the Desert
After watching the sunset among the dunes, you’ll arrive at the Merzouga glamping site, where you’ll settle into your private tent before enjoying the included dinner.
The evening will continue around the campfire with Berber music, surrounded by the desert landscape. Afterward, you’ll have time to gaze at the starry sky before spending the night in your private glamping tent.
Day 2: Merzouga Desert - Rissani - Todra Gorges - Dades Valley
Overnight stay: hotel in the Dades Valley
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
✨ Highlights: sunrise and sandboarding in the Erg Chebbi dunes
Sunrise and Sandboarding in the Erg Chebbi Dunes
We recommend getting up early to watch the sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes and enjoy the first moments of the day in the desert.
In the morning, you can go sandboarding on your own, using the boards provided at the glamping site to glide down the dunes at your own pace.
If you’re looking for a more adventurous experience, you’ll also have the opportunity to take a guided ATV tour through the Erg Chebbi dunes, available as an optional activity during the booking process. The duration of the tour is flexible and can be booked by the hour, depending on your preferences and how you’ve planned your day.
Both activities are compatible, so you can combine sandboarding and the ATV tour on the same morning.
Afterward, you’ll return to the glamping site to enjoy the included breakfast and get ready to continue your journey to Rissani.
Rissani and the Todra Gorges
After leaving Merzouga behind, you’ll continue on to Rissani. If your visit coincides with a market day, you’ll have the chance to explore the traditional local market.
Next, you’ll continue on to the Todra Gorges, where you’ll have time to hike part of the canyon between its impressive rock walls.
During the trip, you’ll stop for lunch before continuing on to the Dades Valley. Please note that lunch is not included in the tour, but your guide can recommend a local restaurant and help you arrange the stop based on your preferences and the day’s schedule.
Dades Valley, Monkey Toes, and arrival at the hotel
After visiting the Todra Gorges, you’ll continue on to the Dades Valley, traveling through the landscapes of southern Morocco until you reach Boumalne Dades.
Before the day ends, you’ll explore Monkey Toes, a unique set of rock formations characteristic of this area. You’ll then head to the hotel, where you’ll have time to settle in and rest before enjoying the included dinner and spending the night in the Dades Valley.
Day 3: Dades Valley - Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou - High Atlas - Marrakech
Meals included: breakfast
✨ Highlights: Ait Ben Haddou and the landscapes of the High Atlas
Ouarzazate and Atlas Film Studios
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll leave the Dades Valley behind and begin your journey to Marrakech. Along the way, you’ll pass through the Valley of Roses, known for its Damask rose cultivation, before continuing on to Ouarzazate.
Upon arriving in Ouarzazate, you’ll stop at Atlas Film Studios, where you can explore some of its sets before continuing your journey to Ait Ben Haddou.
Ait Ben Haddou
After visiting Ouarzazate, you’ll continue on to Ait Ben Haddou, an ancient adobe ksar designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll have time to stroll through its narrow streets and explore its traditional architecture before continuing on to Marrakech.
💙 Howlanders Tip: Wear sturdy shoes for exploring Ait Ben Haddou. Some areas have uneven ground and small elevation changes.
High Atlas and Arrival in Marrakech
After visiting Ait Ben Haddou, you’ll continue your journey to Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains. The road will climb to the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, located at an elevation of 7,415 feet (2,260 meters), where you’ll make a few stops to enjoy the views along the way.
After crossing the High Atlas, you’ll continue the final leg of the route to Marrakech, where your guide will take you to your accommodation, bringing the 3-day tour from Fes to Marrakech to a close.
What to bring
3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
During this tour, you’ll travel through areas with very different conditions, from the High Atlas Mountains to the Merzouga Desert, where temperatures can drop significantly at night. We recommend bringing:
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for the day
- A jacket or warm clothing for nights in the desert
- Comfortable shoes
- Sunglasses
- A cap or hat
- Sunscreen
- Reusable water bottle
- Toiletries
- Cash in Moroccan dirhams for lunches, drinks, admission tickets, and other expenses
- Power bank for your cell phone
Where does the tour start
3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
The tour begins with a pickup from your accommodations in Fes at 8:00 AM.
If your accommodation is not accessible by car, the guide will pick you up at a nearby meeting point that is accessible by car.
Questions & Answers
3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech with Hotel & Glamping
Is the tour private?
Yes, the 3-day tour to the Merzouga Desert is a private tour, and you'll travel with your guide from the time you're picked up in Fes on the first day of the tour until you're dropped off at your accommodation in Marrakech at the end of the tour.
What are the accommodations like during the tour?
On the first night, you’ll stay at a glamping site in the heart of the Merzouga Desert. The camp features private tents equipped with air conditioning, heating, and electricity, as well as a private bathroom. The stay includes a traditional Moroccan dinner, which will be served in an air-conditioned restaurant at the camp.
On the second night, you’ll stay at an air-conditioned 3-star hotel in the Dades Valley, typically the Hôtel Babylon Dadès or the Grand Canyon Lodge Dades, depending on availability. You’ll have a private room with a private bathroom.
All accommodations have electricity and a private bathroom with hot water. They are subject to availability; if they are not available, alternative accommodations of a similar category and standard will be provided.
What happens if I don't want to go on the camel ride?
The camel ride through the Erg Chebbi dunes lasts approximately 40 minutes. If you'd rather not take the ride, you can reach the glamping site by 4x4 vehicle at no additional cost.
Can I take an ATV tour in the Merzouga Desert?
Yes! On the morning of the second day of the tour, you’ll be able to enjoy a guided ATV tour through the Erg Chebbi dunes, available as an optional activity during the booking process.
This experience is compatible with sandboarding, so you can do both activities on the same morning. The duration of the ATV tour is flexible and can be booked by the hour, depending on your preferences and the day's schedule.
Complete your adventure in the Moroccan desert by adding the ATV tour when booking.
What kind of vehicle is used, and how much luggage can I bring?
The tour is conducted in a private vehicle, typically a minivan that can accommodate up to 8 passengers, in addition to the driver-guide.
For groups of more than 8 people, a larger vehicle, such as a private minibus, is used so that all travelers can take the tour and visit the sites together, accompanied by the same driver-guide.
Are meals included in the 3-day tour to the Merzouga Desert?
The tour includes 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners. Lunches are not included, but there will be stops along the way to eat. Your guide will accompany you and can recommend local restaurants where you can enjoy the local cuisine, although you’ll be responsible for the cost of your lunches. Drinks are also not included in the tour price.
Is it possible to do this route in the opposite direction, from Marrakech to Fes?
Yes! If you'd rather start your adventure in Marrakech and end it in Fes, you can book the route in the opposite direction.
Check out our 3-day tour to the Merzouga Desert from Marrakech to Fez, where you’ll get to see some of Morocco’s most iconic sites, enjoy a night in the desert, and connect both cities in a single trip.
Are entrance fees included in the tour price?
Most of the tour's stops are at scenic overlooks, traditional villages, valleys, and natural areas that do not require an admission fee.
However, some optional stops, such as a tour inside the Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate or visits to certain monuments and museums, may have an admission fee that is not included in the tour price.
Since this is a private tour, you can discuss your preferences with the driver-guide to tailor the stops based on the time available and the itinerary.