From the medina of Fes to the great dunes of Erg Chebbi and back — the Sahara as a private round trip, from €420 per person.
Our 3 days tour from Fes to Merzouga is the classic Sahara round trip done properly: roughly 470 km each way through the Middle Atlas, two nights in Merzouga — one in a riad at the edge of the dunes and one in a Berber desert camp — a full day exploring the Erg Chebbi region by 4x4, and a sunset camel trek into the dunes. It starts and ends at your Fes hotel or riad, from €420 per person with no deposit to book.
It is the most relaxed way to experience the great dunes if Fes is your base and you want to return there afterwards — no one-way logistics, no backtracking by public bus. In three private days you cross the cedar forests of Azrou, descend the dramatic Ziz Valley to the Sahara at Merzouga, meet nomad families and the Gnaoua musicians of Khamlia village, ride camels into the dunes for sunset, sleep under desert stars, and return north through the Ziz palm groves to Fes.
Like every Morocco Tours journey it is 100% private — your own native driver-guide and air-conditioned vehicle, no commission stops, and a pace that bends entirely to you. We've run this route since 2008, and it's the ideal short Sahara escape for travellers flying in and out of Fes; you pay no deposit until your itinerary is approved.
Private local Berber & Arab guides who know every kasbah, dune and shortcut.
Reserve your dates now and pay nothing until your itinerary is approved.
Every stop, hotel and pace is built around you — never a fixed coach group.
Reachable on WhatsApp before and during your trip, day or night.
We leave Fes around 8am and climb steadily into the Middle Atlas, the landscape shifting from olive groves to pine and cedar. Our first stop is Ifrane, an improbably tidy alpine town built in the 1930s and nicknamed 'little Switzerland' for its pitched roofs and clean mountain air. A little further on we walk among the great cedars of Azrou, where troops of Barbary macaques gather by the road. We descend through Midelt — the 'apple town' between the Middle and High Atlas — for lunch, then cross the Tizi n'Talghamt pass and follow the dramatic Ziz Valley, its red gorges lined with thousands of date palms, past Errachidia and the fossil town of Erfoud to Merzouga. Arriving in the late afternoon, you settle into a charming riad at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes — time for a first walk on the sand and a glowing sunset from the dune line before dinner and a good night's sleep. Tomorrow the desert proper begins. (approx. 7 hrs driving, with stops)
After breakfast with the dunes on your doorstep, we set off by 4x4 to explore the Erg Chebbi region — the day that turns a drive-by visit into a real Sahara experience. We visit the palm groves and old irrigation channels of the Hassi Labied oasis, call on a nomad family in their traditional tent for mint tea and stories of desert life, and stop at the seasonal Dayet Srji lake, which draws flamingos after the winter rains. In Khamlia village, the Gnaoua musicians — descendants of sub-Saharan caravan peoples — play their hypnotic desert blues for us over tea. By late afternoon you meet your camels for the sunset trek into the dunes, with a stop on a high crest for photos and free sandboarding, arriving at the Berber camp as the sand turns crimson. Dinner around the fire, drumming under some of the darkest skies in Morocco, and your night in a private tent among the dunes. (approx. 2 hrs off-road exploring + 1 hr camel trek)
Wake before dawn for sunrise over Erg Chebbi — the highlight of the trip for many — then ride your camel back to Merzouga (or take the 4x4 shuttle) for breakfast and a shower at the riad. We set off north around 9:30–10am, climbing back through the Ziz Valley with photo stops at the panoramic viewpoints where the palmeraie threads green through the rock far below, pausing again in the cedar forest and at Ifrane. There's time for a relaxed lunch en route — perhaps grilled lamb in a roadside Berber café. We aim to reach Fes in the early evening (around 6–7pm), dropping you at your hotel or riad (or the nearest medina access point) with the desert still in your eyes. Your guide is happy to suggest where to eat and what to see if you have more time in the city. (approx. 7–7.5 hrs driving)
You spend both nights in Merzouga: one in a hand-picked riad at the edge of the dunes, one in a Sahara camp with private tents, real beds and a Berber dinner under the stars. Choose standard, superior or luxury en-suite and we match it — full details below.
Travel in a private, air-conditioned 4x4 or modern minivan with your own English-speaking driver-guide. No shared coaches and no waiting — you set the pace and stop wherever you like for photos.
Choose your comfort level — Comfort, Superior or Luxury — and we hand-pick every kasbah hotel and desert camp to match. Exact properties are confirmed on your personalised itinerary.
| Night | Area | Where you stay | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merzouga (dune line) | Riad or hotel at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunese.g. Riad Azawad / Kasbah Mohayut | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 2 | Erg Chebbi (inside the dunes) | Berber desert camp · private tente.g. a standard or luxury en-suite Erg Chebbi camp | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
Accommodation on this tour is chosen for character and comfort rather than chain uniformity. Your first night is spent in a welcoming riad or small hotel right at the dune line in Merzouga, with hot showers, home-cooked dinner and the Erg Chebbi sands literally across the terrace. The second night is the desert experience itself: a Berber camp tucked among the dunes, where the included standard camps have private walk-in tents with real beds, warm blankets and shared washrooms, while luxury en-suite camps with finer dining and rugs underfoot are available on request. All camps have solar electricity, and towels and toilet paper are provided. Because the trip is fully private and tailor-made, you approve the accommodation list before you pay a deposit — tell us whether you'd prefer simple and authentic, boutique, or a touch of luxury, and we'll match the standard, and the price, to you.
This 3 days tour from Fes to Merzouga starts from €420 per person, based on two travellers sharing, a riad at the dunes and a standard desert camp. The price reflects what cheaper versions leave out: two nights in Merzouga rather than one, the full 4x4 exploration day with nomads and Khamlia, and a genuinely private vehicle and guide throughout. The per-person rate falls as your group grows, and varies with the season and your choice of standard, superior or luxury en-suite camp. There are no hidden extras: the quote we send covers the vehicle, guide, accommodation, activities, camel trek and meals listed above, and you approve everything before paying a deposit. Tell us your group size and dates on WhatsApp and we'll send an exact, itemised price within 24 hours.
You only need a small backpack for the camp night — your main luggage stays safe at your Merzouga riad or with the vehicle. We recommend: sunglasses and sunscreen, a hat or scarf, comfortable long trousers for the camel ride, a warm layer for desert evenings (essential from November to February), closed shoes or sandals, a portable phone charger, and your camera. Everything else waits for you at the riad on your return from the dunes.
Most desert tours from Fes are one-way crossings that end in Marrakech, which is perfect if you're flying out of there — but not everyone is. If Fes is your base, or you fly in and out of the same airport, a round trip removes the awkward logistics of relocating and lets you reach the very same dunes without a long bus transfer at the end. The 470 km journey is also far more varied than the map suggests: alpine Ifrane, wild macaques in the cedars, the Ziz gorges and the Sahara itself all in a single day of travel.
Spending both nights in Merzouga is what makes this version special. Many 3-day round trips rush you in and out of the desert in under 24 hours; here you get a full day among the dunes — nomads, Gnaoua music, the lake, the oasis — plus a sunset, a camp night and a sunrise. If you'd rather end in Marrakech, see our 3 days desert tour from Fes to Marrakech; if Fes-return suits you better, this is the trip. And if you'd like even more time around the dunes, our overnight Merzouga camel trek or a 4-day version of this itinerary can be tailored on request.
Rated 5.0/5 by 164 travellers on this and similar private tours. Read traveller reviews →
See our reviews on TripAdvisorVisit Maghreb is a small, licensed travel agency based in Marrakech, run since 2008 by native Moroccan guides born and raised across the regions you'll explore — the High Atlas, the southern kasbah valleys and the Sahara. Every itinerary is designed and led by people who actually live here, never resold from a call centre abroad.
Your private guide speaks your language and personally knows the families who run the riads and desert camps you'll stay in. Pricing is fully transparent with no hidden extras, you pay no deposit until your itinerary is approved, and we're reachable on WhatsApp before and throughout your journey.
Merzouga is about 470 km from Fes — roughly 7 hours of driving, broken into a full scenic day with stops in Ifrane, the Azrou cedar forest, Midelt for lunch and the panoramic Ziz Valley. You reach the Erg Chebbi dunes in time for the sunset camel trek.
Yes — we collect you from your Fes hotel or riad on day one and drop you back in Fes on the evening of day three, so there's no one-way relocation to arrange.
Yes — and because you spend both nights in Merzouga, three days gives you a full, unhurried day in the dunes: a 4x4 exploration to nomad families, Khamlia village and the lake, plus a sunset camel trek, a night in the camp and a Sahara sunrise. With an extra day we could add the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley on the way back.
It can — that becomes our one-way Fes to Marrakech desert tour, usually for the same price. Just tell us your start and end cities and we'll plan accordingly.
A comfortable standard camp with private tents, real beds and blankets is included; luxury en-suite camps with finer dining are available on request, and we'll quote both. Camps have solar electricity, and towels and toilet paper are provided.
You take only a small backpack with your essentials for the camp night. The rest of your luggage stays safe with the vehicle or at your Merzouga riad, and a 4x4 transfer to the camp is always available if you prefer not to ride the camel both ways.
Rates start from €420 per person based on double occupancy and a standard desert camp. The final price depends on group size (larger groups pay less per person), season, and whether you upgrade to a luxury en-suite camp. We always quote the exact price before you commit to anything.
No. We build and refine your itinerary first, and only take a small deposit once you've approved the full plan — never before.
Yes. Sandboarding is available free at the camp — just ask the team for a board at sunset or sunrise. Quad biking and dune buggy rides in Erg Chebbi can be arranged as optional extras; tell us when booking and we'll include them in your plan.
Yes. The camel trek is gentle and short, driving days are broken up with stops, and children usually love the desert camp and stargazing. Let us know ages so we can plan comfortably.
Spring (March–May) and autumn (October–November) offer the most comfortable desert temperatures — see our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Morocco. Summer is very hot at midday but the dunes stay magical at sunset and sunrise; winter nights in the desert are cold, so pack warm layers.
No special fitness is needed. The ride into the dunes takes around 45–60 minutes at a gentle pace; if you'd rather skip the camel, a 4x4 transfer to the camp can be arranged instead.
Yes — vegetarian, vegan and most dietary requirements are easily arranged at the camp and guesthouse. Just tell us when booking so the kitchens are prepared.
You can reschedule or cancel free of charge up to 30 days before departure. No deposit is taken until your itinerary is approved, so there's no risk in getting a tailored plan first.
Send your dates and wishes on WhatsApp or the form — free and no obligation.
We design a day-by-day plan and refine it until it is exactly right.
Approve the itinerary and reserve with a small, secure deposit.
Your private guide meets you on arrival — everything is handled.
Flexible cancellation: reschedule or cancel free up to 30 days before departure. No deposit is taken until you approve your itinerary, and every price is transparent with no hidden extras.
Bestseller
Cross the High Atlas, walk through Aït Ben Haddou's kasbah, descend the Dades Valley and sleep two nights under the stars at Erg Chebbi.
One Way
Cedar forests of Ifrane, an Erg Chebbi camel trek, Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley and Aït Ben Haddou — ending in Marrakech.
Popular
All the icons of the 3-day tour plus the Valley of Roses and a slower rhythm — ideal if three days feels rushed.
