5 day Fes to Marrakech desert tour, via Merzouga
A one-way crossing, Fes to Marrakech
This route takes you the length of the country without doubling back: from Fes through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, down into the Sahara at Merzouga for a night in a desert camp, then west through the Todra and Dades Gorges, past the rose valley, and over the Tizi n'Tichka to Marrakech. It's the same desert highlight as our other tours, camel trekking into Erg Chebbi at sunset, but framed by a full crossing of Morocco's Middle and High Atlas.
Through the Middle Atlas cedar forests
After breakfast, we set off for Merzouga through the Middle Atlas, passing Ifrane, sometimes called the "Switzerland of Morocco," and the cedar forests of Azrou, where we can stop to see the local macaques. We continue to Midelt for lunch, then follow the Ziz Valley, stopping at the Ziz Gorges on the way to Merzouga.
The dunes, a Gnawa village, and a night in the desert camp
Today we explore the Erg Chebbi dunes by 4x4, with a chance to see the nomadic way of life and the desert's shifting light. We visit Khamlia, the "black village," known for its Gnawa musicians, and stop in Rissani, the old capital, for a traditional Berber pizza at lunch. In the afternoon, we ride camels out to watch the sunset over the dunes, then spend the night at the desert camp with a tagine dinner, mint tea, and Berber music under the stars.
Sunrise over the dunes, then the Todra Gorge
An early start for sunrise over the dunes before heading back to the hotel for breakfast and a shower. We cross the palm-lined valleys of Tourog and Tinjdad to reach the Todra Gorge, take a short walk through it, and stop for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to overnight at the Dades Gorge.
The Valley of Roses and the Skoura oasis
After breakfast, we hike part of the Dades Gorge and take a side track to see cave dwellings once used by nomadic families. We continue through El Kelaa M'Gouna, the Valley of Roses, and the Skoura oasis, with overnight accommodation in Ouarzazate.
The kasbahs, and over the Tizi n'Tichka to Marrakech
After breakfast, we visit Kasbah Taourirt before heading to Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue to Telouet, a traditional High Atlas Berber village, and visit the Glaoui Kasbah, with lunch at a local restaurant. We finish by crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass to reach Marrakech.
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