A slower, deeper crossing from imperial Fes to Marrakech — two desert nights and the south's greatest landscapes.
Our 5-day Fes to Marrakech tour is the relaxed, in-depth version of the classic one-way crossing — for travellers who want to travel through southern Morocco rather than dash across it. Where the 3-day version moves briskly, these five days add a second desert night, more time in the gorges and oases, and the famous Valley of Roses, so no single day feels like an endurance test.
From Fes you cross the Middle Atlas cedar forests and the Ziz Valley to the Sahara at Merzouga, where two nights let you truly slow down among the dunes. Then you follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs west through the Todra and Dades gorges, the Valley of Roses and the kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, before the final crossing of the High Atlas to Marrakech. It's fully private, tailor-made, and 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.
Leaving Fes after breakfast, we climb into the Middle Atlas through alpine Ifrane and the cedar forest of Azrou, where Barbary macaques gather among the trees. We continue over the plateau to Midelt for lunch, then drop into the spectacular Ziz Valley, following the river past Errachidia and the endless palm groves toward Erfoud, famous for its fossils and dates. Reaching Merzouga in the late afternoon, you meet your camels for a sunset trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes and a first night in a Berber camp, with a tagine dinner, drumming around the fire and a sky thick with stars. It's a long but constantly changing day — pine forests in the morning, the edge of the Sahara by dusk. (approx. 7–8 hrs driving, with stops)
With no early start and nowhere to rush, today is yours to feel the desert properly. After sunrise over the dunes and a relaxed breakfast, options include a 4x4 excursion to the nomad families and Khamlia, the village famous for its Gnaoua music, a visit to the dark-water springs, or simply lazing at the camp with a book as the light shifts across the sand. Many travellers say this unhurried second day — impossible on a rushed tour — is what turns the Sahara from a photo stop into a memory. As the afternoon cools you can walk or ride back into the dunes for a second, even more magical sunset, and a second night under the stars at camp. (minimal driving — a day to slow down)
After a final desert sunrise we head west along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. We pause at Rissani, the old caravan crossroads, then reach the magnificent Todra Gorge, where you can walk between sheer 300-metre canyon walls beside the cool river — an easy, flat stroll that's one of the trip's most dramatic hours. Continuing through Tinghir's vast palmery, we arrive in the Dades Valley in the late afternoon, with time to admire the surreal 'monkey-finger' rock formations and the famous switchback road before overnighting in a valley guesthouse. (approx. 5 hrs driving)
A gentler day through some of the south's loveliest country. We follow the Valley of Roses around El Kelaa M'Gouna — fragrant and pink with Damask roses in spring — then the Skoura palm oasis with its old kasbahs. We reach Ouarzazate, Morocco's 'Hollywood', with the option to visit the Atlas Studios or the mighty Taourirt Kasbah, before the short drive to Aït Ben Haddou. This UNESCO-listed earthen city, where countless films were shot, glows gold in the late-afternoon light; you'll cross the riverbed and climb through its kasbahs with a local guide, then overnight nearby with the ksar floodlit across the valley. (approx. 4–5 hrs driving)
The grand finale is the crossing of the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), a spectacular mountain road of switchbacks, Berber villages and far-reaching views — we stop wherever the panorama demands a photo. Descending the southern slopes into the Haouz plain, we reach Marrakech by mid-afternoon, where the tour ends at your hotel or riad. If you have time in the city, your guide will happily point you to the best of the souks, gardens and the nightly theatre of Jemaa el-Fna. (approx. 4 hrs driving)
You sleep in hand-picked riads and boutique hotels, plus a comfortable Sahara camp with private en-suite tents, real beds and a Berber dinner under the stars. Choose standard, superior or luxury and we match it.
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 riad, kasbah hotel and desert camp to match. Exact properties are confirmed on your personalised itinerary.
| Night | Area | Where you stay | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erg Chebbi (Merzouga) | Luxury desert camp · private en-suite tente.g. Riad Azawad / Kasbah Mohayut & a luxury Erg Chebbi camp | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 2 | Erg Chebbi (Merzouga) | Luxury desert camp · private en-suite tente.g. Riad Azawad / Kasbah Mohayut & a luxury Erg Chebbi camp | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 3 | Erg Chebbi (Merzouga) | Luxury desert camp · private en-suite tente.g. Riad Azawad / Kasbah Mohayut & a luxury Erg Chebbi camp | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
| 4 | Aït Ben Haddou | Kasbah hotel or riade.g. Ksar Ighnda / Riad Caravane | Half-board · dinner & breakfast |
This itinerary spends two nights in the Sahara — the real luxury of the five-day version — plus two nights in the valleys. The desert camps sit among the Erg Chebbi dunes: standard camps with private tents, real beds and shared washrooms are included, and luxury en-suite camps with finer dining are available on request. In the Dades Valley and near Aït Ben Haddou you stay in characterful guesthouses or small hotels, often with kasbah views and home-cooked dinners.
Everything is private and tailor-made, so you approve the accommodation list before paying a deposit. Whether you'd like simple and authentic, boutique charm or full luxury, we'll match the standard and the budget to you.
Both tours connect Fes and Marrakech across the Sahara, but they feel very different. The 3-day crossing is efficient and brisk, reaching the dunes for a single night with longer daily drives. The 5-day version, with two desert nights and shorter daily stages, lets the journey breathe: a full day to do nothing but enjoy the dunes, time to walk the Todra Gorge properly, and the Valley of Roses and Aït Ben Haddou added on the way.
If your schedule is tight, three days does the job; if you can spare the time, five days is the one our repeat travellers recommend. We're glad to talk through which fits your dates honestly before you book.
Rated 5.0/5 by 118 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.
The five-day version adds a second night in the desert, shorter daily drives, and extra highlights — the Valley of Roses and more time at the Todra Gorge and Aït Ben Haddou. It suits travellers who'd rather savour the south than cross it quickly.
Yes — we run it in both directions for the same price. Just tell us your start and end cities.
Most travellers say yes. The second day with no long drive is when the Sahara stops being a quick photo stop and becomes the highlight of the trip.
A private, air-conditioned 4x4 or modern minivan sized to your group, with your own licensed native driver-guide throughout — never a coach or a fixed shopping-stop script.
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.
