5-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech
Starts inFesEnds inMarrakech
Rather than ending with a long drive directly to Marrakech, this private 5-day Sahara desert tour from Fes includes a night in Imlil, a mountain village in the High Atlas. Before reaching it, cross the Middle Atlas to Merzouga for a sunset camel trek and Sahara camp stay, explore Khamlia and Rissani by private 4×4, and visit Todra Gorges, Skoura and Ait Ben Haddou.
For your own party · Flexible departure dates
01 / Overview
Your tour at a glance
Your journey begins in Fes, traveling through Ifrane, the cedar forests near Azrou and the scenic Ziz Valley to Merzouga. Enjoy a sunset camel trek across the Erg Chebbi dunes and spend your first night at a Sahara desert camp. Explore Khamlia, Rissani and the surrounding desert landscapes by private 4×4 before continuing through Todra Gorges, the Valley of Roses and Skoura to Ouarzazate. Visit Ait Ben Haddou and cross the High Atlas Mountains to Imlil, where a peaceful mountain overnight offers a refreshing contrast to the Sahara. On day 5, complete your private journey with a transfer to your Marrakech accommodation or Menara Airport.
- Tour type
- Private · your own party
- Departures
- On request, subject to availability
- Transport
- Private A/C vehicle & desert 4×4
- Local guides
- Local sightseeing guides as specified in your quotation
- Accommodation
- Desert camp · Riads · Guesthouses
- Included meals
- 5 breakfasts · 4 dinners
Your route
- Fes
- Ifrane & Azrou cedar forest
- Midelt & Ziz Valley
- Merzouga & Erg Chebbi
- Khamlia & Rissani
- Merzouga
- Todra Gorges
- Valley of Roses & Skoura
- Ouarzazate
- Ait Ben Haddou
- High Atlas & Tizi n’Tichka
- Imlil
- Marrakech
Tour highlights
- Middle Atlas & Ziz Valley
- Camel trek & Sahara camp
- Merzouga desert exploration
- Todra, Valley of Roses & Skoura
- Ait Ben Haddou & High Atlas
- A mountain night in Imlil
Like all our private Morocco tours, this journey can be adapted to your interests and preferred pace.
02 / Day by day
Your 5-day itinerary
Open each day for the full program, accommodation and included meals.
Distances & driving times: All driving figures are approximate and refer to time in the vehicle, not the length of the day’s visit. Sightseeing, meals, rest stops, camel rides, and camp transfers take additional time.
Fes → Ifrane → Cedar Forest → Ziz Valley → Merzouga Desert
We arrange an early pickup and breakfast before the long drive from Fes to Merzouga. Stop in Ifrane and the cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques may be seen, then continue through Midelt and the Ziz Valley’s palm groves. Reach Erg Chebbi for a camel trek timed around sunset, weather, and your arrival. Settle into your tent at your camp near Merzouga and enjoy a Moroccan dinner, with Berber music around the campfire when conditions allow.
- Distance
- Approx. 460–480 km
- Driving time
- Approx. 7–8 hours
- Accommodation
- Sahara Desert Camp or similar · Erg Chebbi, Merzouga
- Included meals
- Breakfast & Dinner
Private Merzouga 4×4 Desert Excursion
Enjoy sunrise over Erg Chebbi, then return to Merzouga for breakfast before a private 4×4 excursion. Visit Khamlia for Gnawa music, explore fossil sites and desert viewpoints, and meet a nomadic family when the hosts are available and welcome guests. Continue to Rissani, where market activity varies by day. Your driver adapts the circuit to track conditions, with time for visits and lunch. Return to your riad in Merzouga to relax before dinner there.
- Distance
- Approx. 80–110 km
- Driving time
- Approx. 2–3 hours
- Accommodation
- Riad Azawad or similar · Merzouga
- Included meals
- Breakfast & Dinner
Merzouga → Todra Gorges → Valley of Roses → Skoura → Ouarzazate
Enjoy breakfast at your riad in Merzouga, with time for sunrise if you wish, then drive to Todra Gorge for a walk beneath the limestone cliffs. Continue along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the Valley of Roses, whose bloom is seasonal, and the palm groves and kasbahs of Skoura. Reach your riad in Ouarzazate for dinner. If you would like an optional film-studio visit, tell us in advance so we can check whether the arrival schedule allows it.
- Distance
- Approx. 360–400 km
- Driving time
- Approx. 6–7 hours
- Accommodation
- Riad Chay Boutique or similar · Ouarzazate
- Included meals
- Breakfast & Dinner
Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → High Atlas Mountains → Imlil
After breakfast, leave Ouarzazate for Ait Ben Haddou and explore the fortified village’s earthen lanes and hillside viewpoints. Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n’Tichka Pass, stopping for views of villages, terraces, and valleys. Continue through Asni to Imlil below Mount Toubkal and settle into your mountain guesthouse for dinner. Access to some guesthouses involves steps or a short walk, so let us know about mobility needs before booking.
- Distance
- Approx. 260–300 km
- Driving time
- Approx. 5.5–6.5 hours
- Accommodation
- Tagra Imoula or similar · Imlil
- Included meals
- Breakfast & Dinner
Imlil → Marrakech
Enjoy breakfast and time to appreciate Imlil’s mountain setting before the drive through Asni and the Atlas foothills to Marrakech. Your driver arranges pickup around your flight or accommodation plans, allowing for traffic and airport check-in when needed. Free time in the village depends on your departure schedule. Your tour ends with drop-off at your Marrakech accommodation or Marrakech Menara Airport, as confirmed before travel.
- Distance
- Approx. 60–75 km
- Driving time
- Approx. 1.5–2 hours
- Accommodation
- None — tour ends today
- Included meals
- Breakfast
03 / Accommodation
Where You’ll Stay
Four nights: a Sahara camp in Erg Chebbi, a riad in Merzouga, a riad in Ouarzazate, and a guesthouse in Imlil.
| Nights | Destination | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Erg Chebbi, Merzouga | Sahara Desert Campor similar |
| 2 |  Merzouga | Riad Azawador similar |
| 3 |  Ouarzazate | Riad Chay Boutiqueor similar |
| 4 |  Imlil | Tagra Imoulaor similar |
| Total | 4 NightsCheck-out on day 5. | |
Your written proposal confirms each property, room and tent category before you book. Night 3 is in Ouarzazate, where day 4 begins, and night 4 is in Imlil. The tour ends in Marrakech on day 5; no overnight stay there is included.
Rooms that suit your party
Tell us if you need double, twin, single or family rooms. Connecting rooms and particular room preferences depend on availability. We show any single-room supplement in your quote.
Your Sahara camp stay
We confirm your tent category, bathroom facilities and agreed camp transfers in your proposal. Tell us about your preferred comfort level and ask about heating or air-conditioning for your dates; facilities depend on the selected camp and tent category.
For a journey with upgraded accommodation, explore our Morocco luxury tours and discuss your preferred stays with our team.
04 / What your tour covers
Included & not included
Included
- Fes pickup & Marrakech transferPrivate pickup from your Fes accommodation or agreed point on day 1, and transfer to Marrakech accommodation or Menara Airport on day 5, coordinated with confirmed travel arrangements.
- Private transport & driverAir-conditioned road transport with an experienced professional driver and a private 4×4 for the day 2 desert excursion.
- 4 nights’ accommodation1 Sahara camp night, 1 Merzouga riad night, 1 night in an Ouarzazate riad, and 1 night in an Imlil guesthouse.
- 5 breakfasts & 4 dinnersBreakfast on days 1–5 and dinner on days 1–4. Day 1 breakfast is coordinated with Fes pickup; final-day breakfast service depends on departure time.
- Camel trek & camp arrangementsA sunset camel ride across the Erg Chebbi dunes on day 1 and the agreed return to Merzouga on day 2.
- Private Merzouga desert excursionDay 2 exploration including Khamlia, fossil landscapes, locally arranged nomadic encounters and Rissani, followed by time to relax at your riad.
- Licensed local guidesLocal sightseeing guides for the visits specified in your written quotation. Your private driver handles road transport; a stop in a town or city does not by itself include a guided city tour.
Not included
- FlightsInternational and domestic flights.
- Lunches & drinksAll lunches and drinks with meals or during the journey.
- Entrance ticketsPaid monument admission, unless expressly included in your proposal.
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses & tipsIncluding shopping and gratuities.
- Optional activities & extra nightsQuad biking, film-studio admission, separately arranged guided mountain walks, additional visits, dinner after the tour on day 5, accommodation before or after the tour, and changes outside the agreed proposal.
Visits & admission tickets. The camel trek, agreed camp transfers, day 2 desert excursion and final Marrakech transfer are included. Monument admission is extra unless stated in your proposal. Film-studio visits and guided walks in Imlil can be arranged separately, subject to the schedule and availability.
05 / Price & booking
Your price & how to book
Price on request
We price this private tour for your own party. Share your dates, number of adults and children, preferred rooms and accommodation style, and we will prepare an itemized proposal.
- Your price is based on
- Group size, children’s ages, travel season, room occupancy, chosen accommodation and any itinerary changes.
- Single rooms & supplements
- Single-room costs, peak-season supplements and optional extras are shown separately when they apply.
- Before you confirm
- We state the total price, currency, inclusions and any payment fees in writing. Availability is checked for your dates.
Booking in 3 steps
- Tell us your plansSend your dates, number of travelers and room preferences. We prepare your personalized proposal.
- Agree the details & make your paymentReview the itinerary, stays, total price and conditions. Pay a 30% deposit when booking more than 30 days before the tour begins, or 100% when booking within 30 days of arrival. Reservations are subject to availability and our written confirmation after payment.
- Pay the remaining 70%If you paid a deposit, the remaining 70% is due at least 15 days before arrival. Bookings within 30 days of arrival require full payment at confirmation. Your written quotation states the exact payment due dates.
Payment options: credit/debit card, PayPal or bank transfer. See our booking guide for the complete process.
Changes & cancellation
Email us to request a change or cancellation. Changes are subject to availability; we explain additional costs before making changes. Cancellation charges depend on when we receive your email. See our cancellation policy for the rates, refund calculation and group-size changes. If we must cancel your tour, you can choose a full refund or an alternative date, subject to your agreement.
06 / Before you travel
Essential travel information
Airport transfers, vehicle & driver
From Fes to Marrakech via Imlil
Your driver collects you from your Fes accommodation or agreed meeting point early on day 1. After your Imlil overnight, day 5 ends at your Marrakech accommodation or Menara Airport. Send your addresses and flight details so we can confirm the first-day pickup and breakfast, and the final transfer schedule.
Your vehicle & driver
Travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle selected for your party and luggage, with a private 4×4 for the Merzouga excursion. Your proposal confirms the driver’s language, camp transfers and access to your Imlil property. Request child seats or a vehicle alternative to the camel ride before booking. Your driver handles road transport. Your written quotation identifies the visits with an included local sightseeing guide.
The daily figures show approximate distances and time in the vehicle, excluding visits and other stops. Day 1 requires an early start for the sunset camel trek, and days 3–4 are longer travel days. Day 2’s driving is spread across the desert excursion. Day 5 is a shorter transfer from Imlil, planned around your accommodation check-in or flight.
Walking & accessibility
Ait Ben Haddou has steps and uneven lanes, while the dunes, gorge and Imlil paths involve uneven ground. Some mountain properties require a short walk from the vehicle. Tell us about mobility needs before booking so we can assess the route, stays and suitable access arrangements together.
Weather & packing
Bring comfortable walking shoes, sun protection and layers for desert evenings and the Imlil mountain stay. Temperatures can vary considerably between the Sahara and High Atlas. Confirm heating and other room or tent facilities for your dates and check the forecast close to departure.
Meals & special requests
Breakfast is included on days 1–5 and dinner on days 1–4. First-day breakfast is coordinated with Fes pickup; final-day service depends on departure time. Lunches, drinks and dinner after the tour on day 5 are separate. Tell us about allergies or dietary needs before booking.
Visits & local arrangements
Nomadic-family and music encounters depend on local availability; Rissani’s market activity and rose blooms vary by date. Film-studio visits and guided Imlil walks are optional arrangements. Monument admission is extra unless listed in your proposal.
Documents & insurance
Check passport, visa and entry requirements with the appropriate official government or consular service. Travel insurance is excluded; consider suitable cancellation, medical and baggage cover.
Help during your tour
Keep our telephone and WhatsApp details with you. Tell your driver and our local team promptly if a problem arises or your travel plans change, so we can review the arrangements with you.
Personalize the route, stays & guide language
Add a night, choose a different riad or slow down the city visits. Tell us your interests and preferred pace so we can explain the options and any price difference.
Local guides can be requested in English, Italian, French or Spanish, subject to availability. We agree language requirements before confirmation.
For a shorter journey focused on the Sahara, browse our Morocco desert tours.
For currency, clothing and connectivity, read our Morocco travel preparation advice.
07 / Frequently asked questions
Questions about this tour
Is this five-day Fes to Marrakech tour private?
Yes. The vehicle, itinerary and day 2 desert excursion are arranged for you and your traveling party. You will not join a scheduled shared tour. The camp, riads, hotels and guesthouse may host other guests. Your driver handles road transport. Your written quotation identifies the visits with an included local sightseeing guide.
Where does the tour start and finish?
It starts with pickup from your Fes accommodation or agreed meeting point on day 1. After the night in Imlil, day 5 ends with a transfer to your Marrakech hotel, riad or Menara Airport. Share your addresses and flight details before booking.
How are the four nights arranged?
Night 1 is at a Sahara camp in Erg Chebbi, night 2 in a traditional Merzouga riad, night 3 in an Ouarzazate riad, and night 4 in an Imlil guesthouse. Day 4 therefore starts in Ouarzazate. The proposal confirms the properties and room or tent categories.
Do driving times include sightseeing and breaks?
No. They are approximate planning estimates for time in the vehicle. Visits, walks, meals, rest stops, camel rides and camp transfers are additional. Day 2’s 2–3 hours covers driving between desert visits. Mountain-road conditions, traffic and property locations affect actual timings.
What does the Merzouga desert excursion include?
Day 2 visits Khamlia for its Gnawa music traditions, explores fossil-rich landscapes and viewpoints, and continues to Rissani’s traditional market. Nomadic-family encounters are arranged with the hosts’ agreement. The circuit depends on tracks and local availability, followed by free time at your Merzouga riad.
Which meals and entrance fees are included?
Five breakfasts and four dinners are included, with first-day breakfast coordinated around pickup and final-day service subject to departure time. The camel trek, camp transfers and day 2 excursion are included. Lunches, drinks and monument admission are extra unless listed in your proposal.
What is the price of this five-day tour?
The price is on request. We calculate your quote from dates, group size, children’s ages, room arrangements, camp category and requested changes. Your proposal confirms the total price, currency and supplements before you book.
Can I choose a vehicle transfer instead of the camel ride?
Yes. Tell us before confirmation if you prefer a vehicle alternative to the camp. We will explain the transfer and any price difference in your proposal. You can still enjoy the Sahara scenery, camp overnight and the next day’s excursion. Your quotation confirms the approximate camel-riding time, separately from preparation and any vehicle transfers.
What is included during the Imlil stay?
The program includes the drive to Imlil, one night in a traditional guesthouse, dinner and breakfast, followed by the Marrakech transfer. There is time to enjoy the village’s mountain setting, depending on arrival and departure times. Guided mountain walks can be requested and quoted separately.
How do the deposit and remaining balance work?
For bookings made more than 30 days before the tour begins, a 30% deposit is required; the remaining 70% is due at least 15 days before arrival. Bookings within 30 days of arrival require full payment at confirmation. We accept credit/debit cards, PayPal and bank transfers. Your reservation is subject to availability and is confirmed only after we receive the required payment and issue written confirmation. Your written quotation states the exact payment due dates.
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5-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech
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Bureau 8 Étage 1, Jardine dabrar Imm. GH1, Marrakesh
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