3-day Fes to Merzouga desert tour

Day 1: Fes to Merzouga via Ifrane and Azrou forest.

At 8:30 a.m, our driver from Morocco Sahara Trips company will pick you up from your hotel in Fes to start your 3-day journey to Merzouga. As we make our way through the middle Atlas mountains, we’ll pass by charming Berber villages and enjoy the picturesque scenery.

During our trip, we’ll make a stop in the beautiful city of Ifrane, which is often referred to as the “Moroccan Switzerland”. We’ll then continue to the famous cedar forest of Azrou, where you can observe the monkeys. Next, we’ll have a break for lunch in the town of Midelt.

After lunch, we’ll head south towards Erfoud, which is renowned for its fossils and yearly festival dates market. On the way, we’ll pass through the stunning Ziz Valley and stop to admire the panoramic view of the oasis. In the late afternoon, we’ll arrive at the impressive Erg Chebbi dunes, where we’ll have dinner and spend the night at a hotel in Merzouga.

At Errachidia, you may enjoy a panoramic view of the Dam, which supplies Merzouga and the neighboring communities with water.

Our excursion will conclude at the interesting village of Merzouga, where our camel guides will be waiting at the edge of the dunes with prepared camels. You will ride camels across the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, and if you reach in time, we will stop to enjoy the sunset.

When you arrive at the campsite, your belongings will be ready in your tent. Following supper, our Berber crew will play drums and light a fire to create a beautiful atmosphere under the stars.

Day 2: Merzouga desert tour.

We’ll start our Merzouga 4×4 adventure to see many fascinating sights around the Erg Chebbi dunes after breakfast at your accommodation. The Hassi Labied oasis will be our first destination so we can see out the irrigation system and the farming there. After there, we’ll go south to see the ephemeral Sriji lake (if there is water in it).

Our next destination will be in the town of Khamlia, where you can hear the Gnawa music of the dark-skinned immigrants who were transported to Morocco as slaves more than a century ago.

We’ll then go to the M’ifis mines. The Merzouga desert is well-known for its minerals and fossils in addition to its tourist industry. We’ll get the chance to see a nomadic Berber family who are still living in their tent in the Sahara on our Merzouga 4×4 desert trip. We’ll converse with them over a cup of mint tea while finding out about life in the desert.

We’ll stop at numerous panoramic vantage spots to take in the vista and take pictures. We’ll go to a nearby restaurant for lunch before heading back to the village. From there, a camel walk will take you to our Berber Camp in Merzouga. The camel ride will go for around one to one and a half hours, with a pause at the top of the dunes to watch the sun go down, try sandboarding (if you’re interested), take in the scenery, and snap pictures.

After these breath-taking experiences, you’ll go to the camp, where you’ll be welcomed with a drink of tea and have some downtime before supper. During supper, you may take in the starry sky and listen to some traditional Berber drumming before retiring to a nomadic tent for the night.

Day 3: Merzouga back to Fes.

After waking up early to catch the sunrise, you’ll have a tasty breakfast and a chance to shower before riding the camels back to the starting point, or we can provide transportation in a 4WD vehicle if you prefer.

We will then continue our journey towards Fes, passing through the scenic Ziz Valley, which is the second-longest river in Morocco, and crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains, where you’ll have the opportunity to take in breathtaking views. We’ll stop at a restaurant for lunch, and later on, we’ll make a stop at the Cedar forest in Azrou to see the wild monkeys and take a brief walk through the forest to snap some photos.

Our next stop will be Ifrane, often referred to as the “little Switzerland of Morocco.” Finally, we’ll arrive in Fes in the late afternoon and drop you off at your hotel, marking the end of our 3-day Fes to Merzouga Desert Tour.