7-Day Fes to Marrakech Tour: Imperial Cities & Sahara Desert
7 Days / 6 Nights · Fes → Marrakech
Highlights
- ✓Guided walk through the Fes medina and tanneries
- ✓Drive the Middle Atlas cedar forests toward the desert
- ✓Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- ✓Cross the Dades Gorge and Tizi n'Tichka pass
- ✓Walk Ait Ben Haddou before arriving in Marrakech
About this tour
A one-way route from Fes to Marrakech that swaps backtracking for forward motion — Middle Atlas cedar forests, a night in the Merzouga dunes, and the kasbah road south, ending in Marrakech.
Day-by-day itinerary
Fes medina
A guided walk through the Fes el-Bali medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, including the Chouara leather tanneries, where hides are still dyed by hand in stone vats, before heading out the next morning.
Fes to Merzouga
We drive through the Middle Atlas cedar forests, home to Barbary macaques often seen roadside, and the Ziz Valley's palm groves toward the edge of the Sahara.
Merzouga desert camp
Camels take over for the roughly hour-long ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes, timed for sunset, followed by dinner and an overnight stay in a Berber-style desert camp, with sunrise from a dune the next morning.
Merzouga to Dades Gorge
We drive the Dades Gorge's switchback road through a landscape of dramatic eroded rock formations, overnighting nearby.
Dades to Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate
We visit Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed ksar used in numerous film productions, and continue to Ouarzazate, nicknamed "the Hollywood of Morocco" for its film studios.
Ouarzazate to Marrakech
We cross the High Atlas at the Tizi n'Tichka pass into Marrakech.
Marrakech
The tour ends in Marrakech, with time for the medina and Jemaa el-Fna before departure.
What's included
✓ Included
- ✓Private vehicle with driver-guide for the full route
- ✓5 nights hotel/riad accommodation
- ✓1 night desert camp near Merzouga, including camel trek
- ✓Breakfast daily
- ✓Guided walk in the Fes medina
✕ Not included
- ✕Lunches and dinners not listed above
- ✕Entrance fees to monuments and sites
- ✕Tips and personal expenses
Accommodation
- Fes, Dades Gorge, Ouarzazate — 3-4 star hotels or riads
- Merzouga — desert camp (shared or private tents)
- Marrakech — riad on arrival night (self-arranged for further nights)
Frequently asked questions
Can this run in the opposite direction, starting in Marrakech?
Yes — tell us your arrival city and we'll flip the route.
Does this include a Marrakech hotel at the end?
The tour includes accommodation through the route; your arrival-night stay in Marrakech can be added on request.
Is this tour private, and how long are the driving days?
It's fully private throughout. Day 2 into the Middle Atlas and Ziz Valley, and day 4 through the Dades Gorge, are the longest stretches; the Fes and Marrakech days at either end have no long drives at all.
Is the camel trek and desert camp included?
Yes — one night at a Berber-style desert camp near Merzouga with a camel trek out and a sunrise view the next morning is included on day 3.
Will we see Barbary macaques in the cedar forest?
Sightings around the Middle Atlas cedar forest are common but not guaranteed, since it's a genuinely wild population rather than a managed park — we stop where they're regularly seen.
Is a local guide included for the Fes medina?
Yes — day 1 includes a guided walk through Fes el-Bali and the Chouara tanneries, which matters given how easy the medina's lanes are to get lost in without one.
Is this trip suitable for families or older travelers?
Yes, generally — it's a full week with a mix of city walking and driving days, so the main things to flag when booking are stamina for several consecutive travel days and any mobility limits for the medina's uneven lanes.
What should we pack for a route through cedar forest, desert, and two medinas?
Layers for the swing between the cooler Middle Atlas and hot desert days, comfortable closed shoes for the Fes medina and Ait Ben Haddou, and a scarf useful for both the camel trek and mosque courtyards.
Are lunches and entrance fees included?
No — lunches, entrance fees to monuments and sites, and drinks are excluded throughout; breakfast is included daily.
Customize your journey with Through Morocco
Want to add a day, skip a stop, or travel at a different pace? This itinerary is a starting point — tell us what you have in mind and we'll adjust the route.
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