+212 679-409564
desertexplorationtrips2@gmail.com
Journey Overview: Take your time traveling from Marrakech to Fes on this private 5 days off-road desert tour from Marrakech to Fes, designed at a relaxed pace so you can enjoy every discovery along the way. Over 5 days and 4 nights, you’ll meet a Berber family living in mountain caves, spend a full day exploring the desert, and share time with a nomadic family in the Sahara. This off-the-beaten-path journey takes you away from the usual tourist routes, heading off-road to hidden places that standard tour buses and minivans simply can’t reach. Traveling in comfortable 4×4 SUVs with an experienced local guide, you’ll discover the authentic side of Morocco and its desert landscapes in a way few visitors ever do. The tour starts at your hotel or riad in Marrakech and ends in Fes.
Tour Highlights:
Day 1: Marrakech → High Atlas Mountains → Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah → Ouarzazate
Your tour begins with a morning pick-up from your hotel or riad in Marrakech. As we head into the High Atlas Mountains, you’ll enjoy magnificent views, with stops along the way to take in the scenery. We’ll also visit the historic Telouet Kasbah, once the mighty stronghold of the El Glaoui family and also known as the Palace of Glaoui. We reach Ait Ben Haddou around midday, where you can have lunch before exploring its ancient kasbah, the setting for many famous films and series, including The Mummy, Gladiator and scenes from Game of Thrones. We then continue to Ouarzazate, known as the “Hollywood of Africa” and the gateway to the desert. Here you can choose to tour the sets of Atlas Studios, the largest film studio in Africa, or visit the Taourirt Kasbah, another impressive fortified village once owned by the El Glaoui family. Afterward, we take you to your hotel for a relaxing evening, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Ouarzazate → Skoura → Kelaat M’Gouna → Bou Tharar → Dades Valley
After breakfast, we drive to Skoura, a vast oasis of more than 4,000 hectares of palm trees that once served as an important stop for camel caravans traveling between the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and sub-Saharan Africa. Here you’ll visit the magnificent Amridil Kasbah, which offers a glimpse into daily life inside a kasbah more than 300 years ago. Next, we continue to Kelaat M’Gouna, home of the famous Rose Valley; in spring, you can stroll among the roses in full bloom. From Kelaat M’Gouna, we pass through charming Berber villages to Bou Tharar, then follow an adventurous off-road track to the Dades Valley. On the way, we stop to visit a nomadic Berber family living in a mountain cave, where you’ll share a warm glass of tea and see their way of life firsthand. On arrival in the Dades Valley, we check into your hotel so you can relax. You can take an easy walk through the valley or join a guided hike in the Monkey Fingers Canyon, with its remarkable rock formations, narrow slot canyons and stunning views. In the evening, enjoy dinner and a peaceful night in the calm of the Dades Valley.
Day 3: Dades Valley → Todra Gorge → Merzouga Desert
After breakfast at your hotel, we set off on the journey to the Merzouga desert. Along the way, we stop for a relaxed walk through the Todra Canyon and to admire panoramic views over the Tinghir oasis. We reach Merzouga in the afternoon, where you’ll ride a camel through the dunes and watch a spectacular sunset from the top of a high dune. At your luxury camp, you’ll be welcomed with a glass of tea and shown to your private luxury tent. After settling in and enjoying dinner, gather around the campfire for drumming and traditional Berber songs under a sky full of stars.
Day 4: Merzouga Desert Exploration
Early risers can enjoy a stunning sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast, get ready for an exciting day exploring the Merzouga desert. We begin in Khamlia, a small village famous for its Gnawa music, a traditional style played by locals whose roots trace back to sub-Saharan Africa. Next, we head off-road to M’Fis, an abandoned village known for its galena mines, a mineral used in cosmetics. You’ll then experience nomadic life firsthand with a visit to a family living near the Erg Chebbi dunes, who will welcome you with traditional Berber hospitality and share how they live far from modern life. After lunch, we take you to a charming riad with lovely views over the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi. Relax or enjoy a swim, then take an easy walk out to the dunes to watch another beautiful sunset. If you’d prefer to spend a second night at the desert camp, just let us know when you book.
Day 5: Merzouga Desert → Ziz Valley → Ifrane → Fes
Rise early for one more chance to watch the sun come up over the Erg Chebbi dunes from your riad. After a hearty breakfast, we begin the journey to Fes, stopping at some memorable spots along the way: the scenic Ziz Valley, a cedar forest near Azrou where you may see Barbary monkeys, and the pretty town of Ifrane, known as the “Switzerland of Morocco.” We arrive in Fes in the late afternoon, and your guide will drop you at the closest accessible point to your hotel or riad, bringing your 5 days off-road desert tour from Marrakech to Fes to an end.
