4 day Marrakech to Fes desert tour

After breakfast, the morning is spent working through the Dades Valley, past rock formations locals call "monkey fingers" and the kasbah at Ait Yul. It's quieter scenery than day one, more about what's on either side of the road than the road itself.

Next is the Todra Gorge, the tallest and narrowest limestone canyon in Morocco and a real draw for rock climbers. You'll pass through Tinghir and a few smaller Berber villages before heading east to Erfoud, known for its dates and fossil workshops, then Rissani, an old market town where you'll stop for lunch and can wander the souk if there's time. This stretch is what a lot of people picture when they think of the kind of desert tour Morocco is known for: dust-colored towns, date palms, and the first real signs of the dunes ahead.

By late afternoon you'll reach Merzouga, where Erg Chebbi comes into view for the first time. Your camels will already be there, waiting for tomorrow's ride. After mint tea and a chance to settle in, you'll spend the night at a hotel right at the edge of the desert.

This day is built around the desert, but it starts with the people who live alongside it. In the morning, you'll visit Khamlia, home to Morocco's Gnawa community, known for a style of music with roots in West Africa and a strong spiritual side to it.

From there, it's on to the Lake of Merzouga, a seasonal lake that draws flamingos and other birds when the water is high, and if you're interested, an optional stop at a nomad family's home, where you can see Berber crafts made by hand and buy something directly from the person who made it.

The afternoon is what most people book this trip for: the Erg Chebbi camel trek. You'll ride out into the dunes as the light softens, and by the time you reach camp, the desert has gone from gold to pink to a deep blue. You'll have dinner in a Berber tent and sleep there too, under more stars than most people are used to seeing.

You'll wake up early, before sunrise, to catch the light coming up over Erg Chebbi. It's worth the early alarm. Camels carry you back to the hotel afterward for a shower and breakfast before the last leg of the trip begins.

The drive to Fes runs through Errachidia, along the Ziz Valley and its palm groves, with lunch in Midelt. After that comes the Cedar Forest, the largest forest in Morocco, where Barbary macaques are common enough that you'll likely spot a few from the road. From there it's a straight run into Fes, the final stop on this Marrakech to Fes via Sahara route. The tour ends here, and the old medina is yours to explore at your own pace.