Fes Desert Tours 5 days

Day 1: Fes – Middle Atlas - Midelt - Merzouga - Camel ride and night in Berber tent

After enjoying your breakfast at the riad, you'll begin your journey towards the southeast, tracing the Caravan roads to Merzouga. Along the way, you'll catch glimpses of the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas mountains. Take a break at the Cedar forest, the largest in Morocco, located over the Middle Atlas Mountains, where you may spot Barbarian apes. After having lunch in Midelt, you'll continue through the vast open high desert and notice the scenery changing, gradually revealing hints of the desert as you approach the city of Errachidia. Your journey will then proceed through the lush Ziz Valley and the Tafilalet date palm grove, renowned for its date cultivation. This area is the birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, the current ruling royal family in Morocco. Finally, you'll arrive in Merzouga in the late afternoon, where you'll be greeted with a refreshing glass of mint tea before checking in to your riad.

Day 2: Merzouga area - Rissani Market - Erg Chebbi - Camel trek and overnight in berber tent

After enjoying a delicious breakfast at the riad, you'll embark on an exciting journey to explore the surrounding area. One of the highlights of the trip will be a visit to the Gnawa people, who were originally brought to Morocco as slaves from Sudan. During your visit, you'll get to experience their unique music and lifestyle. Another nearby attraction is the beautiful Lake of Merzouga, which is home to a variety of bird species.
If you're interested in local culture, you may also want to visit the souk in Rissani. This traditional town was once the seat of the ruling family in Morocco and an important trading center for caravans traveling to Timbuctou in Mali. Here, you'll have the opportunity to see many men wearing hoods and women veiled.
After returning to the village of Merzouga for some rest, you'll hop on a camel in the afternoon and be guided by an experienced camel man to explore the sand-sea of Merzouga. You'll spend the night at a desert camp, where you'll enjoy a delicious dinner and have access to western-style bathrooms for your comfort.

Day 3: Merzouga Desert - Todra Gorges - Palm Groves of Tinghir - Dades Gorges

In the wee hours of the morning, your guide atop a camel will rouse you from your slumber to witness what could very well be the most stunning sunrise you'll ever see. After the sun has fully risen, you'll make your way back to the village of Merzouga, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes that change in appearance as the day progresses. Once you've had breakfast at your riad, you'll set off for Rissani, Tinghir, and Todra gorges - the narrowest and highest gorges in Morocco. Following lunch in the heart of the gorge, we'll make our way through the Dades Valley, where you'll be awed by the grandeur of the sand castles and the incredible rock formations known as "monkey toes". Your overnight stay will be at a luxurious hotel that offers a stunning view of the Dades valley.

Day 4: Dades Valley - Kasbah Amridil - Palm Groves of Skoura – Ouarzazate

Once we finish breakfast at the hotel, we'll embark on a scenic drive through the Dades Valley en route to Kalaat Mgouna and Ouarzazate. The Dades Valley is famously known as the "way of the thousand Kasbahs," which means you'll have plenty of opportunities to capture some of the most stunning photographs of the trip. Our first stop will be at Kalaat Mgouna, also known as "the rose city," where you can purchase rosewater that will keep your linens smelling fresh long after the trip is over. We'll then proceed to Ouarzazate via the Amridil Kasbah, which was once home to the Berber chieftains during the 18th century and is now known as the house of many Glaoui people. We'll spend the night in Ouarzazate.

Day 5: Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah - Tizi N'Tichka Pass – Marrakech

We began our journey to the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou after enjoying an early breakfast in the riad. The famous Kasbah, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, is located in this fortified village. This spectacular stage has been used for filming many famous movies, including Gladiator, Obelix, The Mummy, The Jewel of the Nile, and Sahara with Penélope Cruz. After exploring the kasbah, we will head to Marrakech and take in the beautiful landscapes from the viewpoints along the way. We'll also make some stops to capture photos of the Berber villages. Finally, we'll check in to our riad within the Medina at the end of the afternoon and spend the night there. We'll also see Tizi N'tichka port, the highest point in our country at 2,260m, before arriving in Marrakech.