4 DAYS TOUR FROM FES TO MARRAKECH

DAY 1: FES – CEDAR FOREST – MERZOUGA DESERT

Your 4 days tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga begins with an early morning departure from your hotel or riad in Fes. As you head south, you will first stop in the charming alpine town of Ifrane, often referred to as “The Switzerland of Morocco.” Here, you can enjoy the fresh mountain air and European-style architecture and take pictures with the Lion Stone. Next, you will drive via the cedar forests of Azrou, where you will have the chance to meet the famous Barbary macaque monkeys in their natural habitat and feed them.

Continuing your trip through the Middle Atlas Mountains, you will pass by Berber towns and remote villages until you reach Midelt for lunch. Afterward, you will cross the Ziz Gorge and begin to notice the landscape shifting from green mountains to desert scenery. You will descend into the Ziz Valley, filled with endless date palms, before arriving in Errachidia and then Erfoud, known for its fossil workshops.

By afternoon, you will arrive in Merzouga, the gateway to the Sahara. After a warm welcome with mint tea, you will ride a camel to the dunes of Erg Chebbi and meet the local nomads with an excellent welcome. Enjoy the night with the beautiful scenery of traditional nomadic instruments and dance. Then, spend a wonderful night under the dark blue sky in the vast Moroccan desert.

=►Driving distance: Approximately 500 km            =► Driving time: Approximately 8 hrs

DAY 2: EXPLORE MERZOUGA DESERT

Wake up early to watch the sun rise over the dunes. After breakfast at the camp, your desert exploration begins. You will hop in a 4×4 to visit the desert Oasis, home to fossil-rich areas and ancient palm groves. Then, you will drive off-road along part of the famous Paris-Dakar Rally route to visit nomadic families living in traditional tents. Share a cup of tea and learn about their unique way of life.

Next, you will head to Khamlia village, where you will meet the local Gnawa people, descendants of West African tribes, who will treat you to a live performance of spiritual music and welcome tea. After a break for lunch and perhaps some sandboarding or relaxation at your hotel, the afternoon is yours to unwind or enjoy the sunset from the dunes. You will spend the night at a hotel or riad in Merzouga.

=►Driving distance: Approximately 50 km            =► Driving time: Approximately 2 hrs

DAY 3: MERZOUGA – TODRA GORGE – DADES VALLEY

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to the desert and journey westward toward the mountains. Your first stop will be Rissani, an important market town, especially lively on market days (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays). Here, you will visit a traditional souk and see the gateway to the Sahara Desert.

Continuing to Erfoud, you may visit one of the town’s famous fossil workshops if you are interested, before driving through arid plateaus and Berber villages like Touroug and Melaab where you can stop at women shop to take pictures with typical Berber dress, There is also everything you can buy a gift if you are interested. Your next highlight is the Todra Gorge, a spectacular natural wonder carved out by the Todgha River. Take a short walk through its 300-meter-high canyon walls and enjoy the cool air and scenery.

After lunch near the gorge, you will follow the winding road through Dades Valley, stopping at the famous Monkey Fingers rock formation for photos. As the sun sets, you will reach Boumalne Dades, where you will have dinner and overnight in a cozy hotel or riad overlooking the valley.

=►Driving distance: Approximately 310 km            =► Driving time: Approximately 5 hrs

DAY 4: DADES VALLEY – AIT BEN HADDOU – MARRAKECH

Your final day begins with breakfast and a drive through the Dades Valley, the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. Along the way, you will pass through the Rose Valley (especially beautiful in May) the rest of the year, there are only stores or water cooperatives in Roses if you are interested in visiting, and the palm groves of Skoura. In Ouarzazate, often called the Hollywood of Morocco, you can visit the magnificent Kasbah of Taourirt (€2 per person, and you must pay a separate guide for you around the Kasbah) and optionally stop by the Atlas Film Studios (entrance is €8 per person).

From there, you will travel to the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, which is the heritage of humanity and where movies such as Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Ali Baba and Forty Thieves, Babel, and Aladdin were filmed.

After lunch and some free time to explore the kasbah, you will cross the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2,260m). Enjoy panoramic views and optional stops for photos along the way, and a visit to the argan oil cooperative of Atlas women for technical products of Argan. By late afternoon or early evening, you will arrive in Marrakech, where we will drop you off at your accommodation or airport and end this unforgettable 4 day tour from Fes to Marrakech.

=►Driving Distance: Approximately 350 km            =► Driving time: Approximately 6 hrs