3 Days Desert Tour from Fes to Merzouga
A 3 days desert tour from Fes to Merzouga is not just a road trip. it’s a passage through history, landscapes that shift like a dream.
Over the span of three days, you’ll traverse lots of landscapes, and encountering Berber traditions & the unparalleled beauty of the Sahara.
1st Day: From Fes to the Middle Atlas – Into the Heart of Morocco
Your adventure begins in Fes, Morocco’s cultural and spiritual hub. You leave behind the medina’s hubbub, the route winds its way up into the Middle Atlas Mountains, where cedar forests sweep below pure mountain air.
Your first destination? Ifrane, or the “Switzerland of Morocco” because of the European architecture and snowy weather. It is a decent place to stretch legs and take a picture before continuing further into the wilderness.
Then you will come to the cedar forests of Azrou, home to inquisitive Barbary macaques. Take caution with these troublesome monkeys as they frolic around the woods. Midday lunch will be in Midelt, a small village halfway between the High and Middle Atlas ranges, where you can have a local tagine or a cooling mint tea before continuing on the road.
The scenery changes as you descend into the Ziz Valley, a breathtaking green belt of palm groves cutting through the desert. In the evening, you’ll drive to Erfoud, a town renowned for its workshops where fossils are sold, before arriving at Merzouga—the door to the Sahara.
2nd Day: The Sahara Experience – Camels, Dunes, and Desert Nights
On the second day of your 3 days desert tour from Fes to Merzouga, wake up early to watch the sunrise paint the dunes pink and gold. Breakfast comes before a day of your preference. A 4×4 trek can have you follow the Erg Chebbi dunes, where you’ll discover secret desert villages, old kasbahs, and even a trip to a nomadic Berber family who will open their doors and hearts to you with a glass of tea.
Late afternoon is taken up by the classic desert experience: a camel ride across the dunes. Emerging over the golden horizon of the sand, the Sahara silence is deep, broken only by the gentle clomp of camel feet. Your end-point is a Berber-style camp, where you’ll be comfortably settled in a tent before a night of drumming and tellings, and a night-time meal under a sky brimming with stars.
3rd Day: Sunrise over the Dunes and the Journey Back to Fes
A wake-up call when the day dawns prompts you to climb up onto the dunes and see one of nature’s marvels in all its beauty: the sunrise of the Sahara. Watch the sun spilling over the boundless dunes and recall how unforgettable this experience will be.
After you’ve finished your breakfast, the journey back will now commence. Backtracking along the route via Erfoud, Midelt, and the cedar groves, you’ll have a final opportunity to drink in Morocco‘s varied landscapes as you re-enter Fes, the echoes of the desert still resonating in your heart.
This 3 days desert excursion from Fes to Merzouga is not just a journey. it’s a memory you will cherish for eternity.