DAY 1: FES → IFRANE → MIDDLE ATLAS → ZIZ VALLEY → MERZOUGA → LUXURY CAMP

Pickup in Fes after breakfast, around 8:00 AM. First stop in Ifrane, the charming mountain town with alpine-style architecture and clean streets that feels like the Alps. Then continue to the cedar forest of Azrou, where Barbary macaques — a unique primate in the region — can be observed up close among the trees. Lunch at a restaurant along the route.

The road continues south crossing the Tizi n’Talghemt Pass and descending into the Ziz Valley: kilometers of palm groves on both sides of the road, with mud-brick kasbahs and small villages marking the beginning of the great desert south of Morocco. Arrival in Merzouga in the late afternoon. Camels wait at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. The journey to the camp takes place during the most magical time of the day in the desert — the sand turns golden, shadows stretch, and silence surrounds everything. Stop on a high dune to watch the sunset before reaching the camp. Welcome tea, private tent with bathroom, dinner, and an evening around the campfire with Berber music.

Overnight in a luxury desert camp in Merzouga.

DAY 2: MERZOUGA → RISSANI → TODRA GORGE → DADES GORGES

Waking up early for sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes is always worth it: the light show in the first minutes of the day is unforgettable. Breakfast at the camp and return to Merzouga by camel or 4×4.

If the day falls on Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday, we stop at the traditional Rissani souk — one of the most authentic and least touristy markets in southern Morocco, where locals trade spices, ceramics, dates, and livestock in a truly local atmosphere. Rissani is also the birthplace of the Alaouite royal dynasty.

We continue west to Tinghir for views over the large oasis and its kasbahs, then on to the Todra Gorge: limestone walls rise up to 300 meters above the canyon floor, leaving only a narrow space for the road and river. A short walk in this impressive setting. In the afternoon, arrival at the Dades Gorges, where the eroded rock formations known as “monkey fingers” dominate the landscape and the road climbs in zigzags through the valley.

Overnight in a hotel in the Dades Gorges.

DAY 3: DADES GORGES → AIT BEN HADDOU → HIGH ATLAS → MARRAKECH

Departure after breakfast. The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs heads west through the Rose Valley of Kalaat M’Gouna — the town that produces most of the roses used in Morocco’s perfume industry — and on to Ouarzazate. In Ouarzazate, you can optionally visit Atlas Studios, the largest film studio in the world, featured in movies such as The Mummy, Gladiator, and Lawrence of Arabia, or stop for photos from the outside. Next, Ait Ben Haddou: the 17th-century clay ksar declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, famous as a filming location for Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and many other productions. Time to explore the interior on foot and take photos from different levels of the ksar.

Lunch near Ait Ben Haddou, then ascent into the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass — at 2,260 meters, the highest paved pass in Morocco — with spectacular views over the southern valleys and the northern plains leading to Marrakech. Arrival in Marrakech in the late afternoon.

End of the 3-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech.

IMPORTANT NOTES

•  Also available as a small shared group tour (maximum 10 people).
• Please inform us of any dietary restrictions when booking.
•  Camels can be replaced with a 4×4 transfer at no extra cost.
•  All camps are luxury with private en-suite facilities.
•  Vehicles: Toyota Prado Land Cruiser TX, Ford van, or Mercedes Sprinter minibus.
• Best seasons: spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November).