2-Day Desert Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga & Fes

Overview

[!NOTE] Fast-Facts & Key Logistics:

• Duration & Distance: 2 Days / 1 Night (~830 km total one-way).
• Departure & Arrival: Ouarzazate (Pick-up at your hotel/airport) → Fes (Drop-off at your riad).
• Route: Ouarzazate (N10) → Skoura Palm Grove → Todra Gorges → Merzouga Sahara (Night 1) → Ziz Valley (N13) → Midelt → Azrou Forest → Ifrane → Fes (End).
• Desert Authenticity: True Erg Chebbi Sahara (Merzouga) featuring 150-meter golden sand dunes.
• Accommodation: 1 Night in a private luxury desert camp with en-suite bathroom, hot shower, and AC/heating.

The 2-Day Desert Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga & Fes connects the pre-Saharan gateway of Ouarzazate to the imperial capital of Fes. In two action-packed days, you will witness the southern palm oases, hike the 300-meter cliffs of Todra Gorge, ride camels across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, and cross the Middle Atlas cedar forests.

Highlights

• Depart from the "Hollywood of Africa" through the Skoura Palm Grove and Kasbah Amridil.
• Walk along the crystalline river inside the towering vertical cliffs of Todra Gorge.
• Sunset and sunrise camel trek across the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, Merzouga.
• Spend a magical night in a luxury Sahara camp with live Berber drumming (tam-tam) by the campfire.
• Photograph the panoramic date palm canyon of the Ziz Valley.
• Spot wild Barbary macaque monkeys in the ancient cedar forests of Azrou.
• Visit alpine Ifrane ("Morocco's Switzerland") before arriving in imperial Fes.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Ouarzazate → Skoura Oasis → Dades Valley → Todra Gorges → Merzouga Luxury Camp (5.5 Hours Drive / 360 km)

Pick-up at 08:00 AM at your riad or hotel in Ouarzazate. We travel east along the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs," pausing at the 17th-century Kasbah Amridil in Skoura. We drive through the fragrant Valley of the Roses and arrive in Tinghir to explore the magnificent 300-meter-high Todra Gorges. After a relaxing river walk and lunch, continue past Erfoud's fossil workshops into Merzouga. Mount your camel for a 1-hour sunset ride into the high dunes of Erg Chebbi. Arrive at your luxury desert camp, enjoy a hot tagine dinner, listen to Berber drumming around the campfire, and sleep in a private luxury tent.

Day 2: Erg Chebbi Sunrise → Rissani → Ziz Valley → Midelt → Azrou Cedar Forest → Ifrane → Fes (7.5 Hours Drive / 470 km)

Wake early for a spectacular sunrise over the Sahara dunes. After breakfast at the camp, ride camels back to Merzouga. We drive north along the N13 through the breathtaking Ziz Valley canyon, stopping at scenic viewpoints. We cross the Middle Atlas Mountains, stopping in Midelt for lunch. In the afternoon, stop in the Azrou Cedar Forest to feed and photograph wild Barbary macaques, followed by a coffee break in alpine Ifrane. Arrive in Fes by 06:30 PM with drop-off at your medina riad.

What's Included & Excluded

• Included: Private air-conditioned 4x4 or minivan with fuel, English-speaking Berber driver-guide, Ouarzazate pick-up & Fes drop-off, 1 night luxury camp in Erg Chebbi (private bathroom, dinner and breakfast), camel treks, sandboards, mineral water.
• Excluded: Lunches, drinks, monument entry fees, tips.

FAQ

Can this tour be done year-round? Yes. Luxury desert tents in Erg Chebbi are fully equipped with private en-suite bathrooms, hot water showers, and climate control (heating in winter, AC/fans in summer).