Overview
A relaxed 5-day journey from Marrakech to Fes across the Atlas, the kasbah trail and the Sahara, with extra time to explore the Dades and Todra gorges and the Merzouga dunes before reaching the imperial city of Fes.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech → Ait Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate
Your grand desert crossing from Marrakech to Fes opens with a scenic drive over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka pass, pausing at the UNESCO World Heritage kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou — a golden mud-brick fortress straight out of the movies — before reaching the film city of Ouarzazate and its legendary studios.
Day 2: Ouarzazate → Skoura → Valley of the Roses → Dades
Travelling the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, you discover the lush palm oasis of Skoura and the fragrant Valley of the Roses, arriving in the Dades Valley with its dramatic gorges, ochre kasbahs and famous winding roads.
Day 3: Dades → Todra Gorge → Merzouga
This morning you walk in the breathtaking Todra Gorge, where towering red cliffs soar overhead, then continue to Merzouga. A sunset camel trek carries you over the golden Erg Chebbi dunes to a comfortable Sahara camp, where you dine on tagine and fall asleep beneath a sky full of stars.
Day 4: Merzouga → Rissani → Erfoud → Midelt
After a magical sunrise over the dunes, you visit the lively market town of Rissani — birthplace of Morocco's ruling dynasty — and the fossil workshops of Erfoud, then follow the palm-lined Ziz Valley through spectacular canyons to Midelt.
Day 5: Midelt → Ifrane → Fes
On your final day you cross the Middle Atlas through the alpine town of Ifrane and its cedar forests, home to wild Barbary monkeys, arriving in the imperial city of Fes — the world's largest car-free medina and the perfect finale to your Moroccan adventure.
What's included
What's included
- Private air-conditioned 4x4 or minivan with fuel
- Experienced English/French-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel & riad accommodation
- Camel trek and night in a desert camp (on desert routes)
- Pick-up & drop-off at your hotel or riad
Not included
- International & domestic flights
- Lunches and drinks
- Monument & site entrance fees
- Personal expenses and tips