Traveling with a Sahara tour from Marrakech to Fes is an accessible approach to discover Morocco if you’re on a short holiday break in Marrakech. Due to its central geographical location, the famous “Red city” is the starting point for many desert excursions.
Fes to Marrakech
Tizi-N-Tichka
Telouet
Ounila Valley
Ksar Ait Benhaddou
Ouarzazate
Dades Valley
Todra Gorges
Erg Chebbi Dunes
Ziz Valley
Azrou
Fes to Marrakech
Marrakech to Fes desert tours Map
Tizi-N-Tichka
Tizi-N-Tichka is the most famous mountain pass in Morocco that reaches 2260 meters (7415 feet) above sea level. Tizi-N-Tichka grants an incredible road trip opportunity since the top 40 km up the High Atlas Mountains is made through a serpentine road. Expect incredible and breathtaking views from above.
Interestingly enough is that the road from Ouarzazate to Marrakech during the winter months is made crossing snowy mountains (video). Moroccan winter in the mountains that reach above 4000 meters can be rough, so expect a totally different scenario, from the orange sand dunes of the desert all the way to Marrakech through the Atlas white snowy mountains. Moroccan landscape diversity is one of the factors that made this country worldwide famous and prominent in the international tourism arena.
Telouet
Telouet mountain village probably comes as one of the biggest surprises of the whole trip from Fez to Marrakech. This isolated Atlas Mountain rural village is the place where the famous Thami El Glaoui was based. Thami El Glaoui the Pasha of Marrakesh from 1912 to 1956, was known as the Lord of the Atlas.
Visiting the Telouet Kasbah is like going back in time, and one can explore its interiors and discover a magnificent palace, with exquisite refined decoration, basically in the middle of nowhere. Telouet kasbah held an important strategic geographic position in the ancient caravans from the Sahara desert. The famous route Marrakech to Timbuktu in Mali had a stopover here as one of the final stages before reaching Marrakech, the Red city.
Ounila Valley
Ounila Valley is usually named as one of the most beautiful valleys in south Morocco, along with the Dades Valley and the Draa valley. Its red colors and impressive mountain views create spectacular scenery.
Ounila Valley stands in the middle of the way between the mountain village of Telouet and Ksar Ait Benhaddou. So, on an Ouarzazate to Marrakech road trip, Ounila shouldn’t be missed.
Apart from many picturesque adobe villages, one can also spot several canyon granaries, build on the edge of the riffs. These ancient fortified cellars were the way people use to store their precious crops and seeds.
Ksar Ait Benhaddou
Ksar Ait Benhaddou is undoubtedly south Morocco’s ex-libris, as the only UNESCO World Heritage site listed below the Atlas Mountains.
Holding a mythic place in people’s memories as one of the film sets for the movie Gladiator (video), Ait Benhaddou’s spectacular views are indeed one of the best in Morocco.
This 17th-century mud-brick village located on the hill surprises visitors with its inherent beauty. Still today a reduced number of families live there which creates a nice familiar and cozy atmosphere.
Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is a city nicknamed the “Door of the Desert“, as it is the biggest city before heading south to the Sahara Desert near Mhamid and Chigaga Dunes. Ouarzazate is also on the way between Marrakech and the Sahara Desert. Ouarzazate’s prestige is renowned worldwide due to many factors, but the most prominent being the fact of holding the World’s Biggest Film Set.
Many leading movies were filmed in Ouarzazate, being the most famous: Enemy of My Enemy (2012), The Terrorist Hunter (2011), Mary Mother of Christ (2011), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Game of Thrones (2010 TV Series), Ben Hur (2010 Mini-Series), The Way Back (2010), Die Frau des Schläfers (2010 TV Movie), Prisoners of the Sun (2010), Lippels Traum (2009), Pope Joan (2009), Mirages (2009), Italians (2009), Body of Lies (2008), Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs (2007 Documentary), Ali Baba et les 40 voleurs (2007 TV Movie), The Hills Have Eyes II (2007), Babel (2006), The Amazing Race, Episode: We Just Won’t Die, Like Roaches (2006), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Alexander (2004), What a Girl Wants (2003), Gladiator (2000), and among many others films shot during mnay decades. Ouarzazate city offers much more than just the movie studios, and you can visit the beautiful Taourirt Kasbah, Tifoultoute Kasbah, the carpet museum, the cinema museum, Fint Oasis, ancient petroglyphs, and the city center.
Dades Valley
Dades Valley is a profoundly scenic valley in the High Atlas Mountains, lavished with Berber villages, endless palm groves, dramatic rocky formations, impressive red soil, and hundreds of kasbahs.
One of the most important places in the Dades Valley is the impressive Tissedrine road, considered among the most beautiful roads in the world (video).
Todra Gorges
Todra Gorges, also locally known as Gorges du Todra are one of the most fascinating attractions of the Tnghir Province or Draa Tafilalet region in Morocco.
These majestic rocky canyons rising up to 300 meters (1000 feet) impress visitors (video) that traverse its narrow opening where the river flows out into the Tinghir valley furthermore on the southern exit.
Located in the Atlas Mountains, Todra Gorges are a guaranteed stop on any desert tour from Marrakech or Fes desert tour.
Furthermore on the way, continuing along the road, we arrive in a very beautiful region of Morocco, filled up with isolated and rural villages such as Tamtettoucht, Ait Hani, and Imilchil, at 2119 meters altitude in the Asif Mellulen valley.
Don’t be fooled, as Todra Gorge is one of the most spectacular canyons in the world, and you can’t miss it!
Erg Chebbi Dunes
Erg Chebbi Dunes is the most famous desert destination in Morocco. We can say that the Moroccan southern regions start developing thanks to this amazing natural wonder that attracted visitors since the late 1980s.
Sometimes these dunes are called Merzouga dunes getting the name of the nearby village. A Morocco desert tour Fes to Marrakech through Merzouga is always fantastic, and coming from Marrakech you have to pass many other beautiful destinations along the way.
The dunes of Erg Chebbi are the tallest sand dunes in Morocco, reaching around 250 high. It is possible to do some camel ride and sleep in luxury desert camps, watch sunset and sunset, and engage in other adventure activities.
Erg Chebbi desert is located in the Errachidia Province of the Draa Tafilalet region. This is where you will meet the dazzling nature of southern Morocco.
Ziz Valley
Ziz Valley is a famous Moroccan rocky set of dramatic canyons that open towards the Tafilalet palm grove, that consequently heads towards Erg Chebbi dunes furthermore to the south near the Algeria border.
The incredible views of Ziz Gorges make the abrupt transition between the Atlas mountains and the Sahara Desert.
In the Ziz Valley, you will cross the legendary Tunnel du Légionnaire build by the french troops back in 1928, before you reach Errachidia, the capital of the Draa Tafialet region.
Azrou
Azrou is a famous Moroccan destination due to the fact of its wild population of the Barbary macaque, an autochthonous species to the cedar forests in Ifrane Province. Azrou is located in the Middle Atlas, just 94 km distance south of Fes, and at an altitude of 1250 meters.
Azrou and its wild monkeys are in fact one of the highlights of any trip from Fes to Marrakech. The road from Fes to the Sahara Desert just naturally passes the immense forests with these amazing creatures.
Visit Cèdre Gouraud Forest and stay interacting with the Moroccan macaques (video), take pictures and enjoying nature, before continuing your journey.
Map of itinerary
Click the pins for a piece of quick touristic information.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best tours Marrakech to Fes?
The Moroccan desert is a fantastic stop for those who wish to visit such an amazing natural destination. The best Sahara tour Marrakech to Fes is made by taking you to Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. Departing from Marrakech, our Morocco desert tours Marrakech to Fes do need a bit of time to arrive for those two mentions locations.
This Marrakech to Fes Sahara tour takes you to explore the the UNESCO site of Ksar Ait Benhaddou in Ouarzazate, the picturesque Kasbah Amridil in Skoura, the fabulous Todra Gorges, the breathtaking Erg Chebbi dunes, the beautiful desert region around Merzouga, and the Ziz Valley endless palm groves.
Can you reach the Sahara Desert on a day trip from Marrakech?
No, technically and due to the distance separating Marrakech and the Sahara desert, a one-day journey to the desert is out of the question. The minimum needed for a fast desert trip will be 2 or 3 days, depending on how “big” of a desert you want to encounter. That is why our Marrakech to Fes tours are perfectly designed to fit your needs.
The road from Marrakech to Merzouga is about 570 km, initially through the mountains. This is a long journey but full of special places on the way. Departing from Marrakech the road goes up the Atlas Mountains, until reaching the Sahara Desert. The sudden change can be noticed and this landscape variation is unforgettable.
Is Fes far from the Sahara Desert?
Yes, in fact, Fes is located in the north of Morocco. A desert tour from Marrakech to Fes, on a day tour, is not possible. Since many people decide to arrive in Morocco through Marrakech Menara Airport, and departure going out from Fes, we offer the perfect solution for those who wish to go to Fes ancient city, via the Sahara Desert.
If you visit our page discussing Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga, you will notice that only the Merzouga desert is geographically available for this type of trip. Therefore, a 1000 km road trip in Morocco separates Marrakech and Fes via Erg Chebbi. The journey is easily executed in 3, 4, or 5 days while visiting other renowned attractions on the way. Actually, the whole trip is full of surprises and highlights.
What is the most requested desert tour Marrakech to Fes?
What happens is that many people only have one week to stay in Morocco, and after a few days of visiting Fes, they decide to head to Marrakech while visiting other places on the way. This is the perfect solution to enjoy the distance between Marrakech to Fes.
Itinerary examples:
Day 1 - Marrakech - Ait Benhaddou - Ouarzazate or Skoura Day 2 - Ouarzazate or Skoura - Todra Gorges - Merzouga Dunes (Erg Chebbi) Day 3 - Erg Chebbi - Ziz Valley - Midelt - Azrou - Ifrane - Fes
Day 1 - Marrakech - Atlas Mountains - Telouet - Ait Benhaddou - Ouarzazate Day 2 - Ouarzazate - Dades Valley - Todra Gorges Day 3 - Todra Gorges - Erfoud - Erg Chebbi Dunes Day 4 - Erg Chebbi - Ziz Valley - Midelt - Azrou - Ifrane - Fes
Day 1 - Marrakech - Telouet - Ait Benhaddou - Skoura Day 2 - Skoura - Dades Valley - Todra Gorges - Tamtatoucht Day 3 - Tamtatoucht - Amelagou - Merzouga Dunes (Erg Chebbi) Day 4 - Erg Chebbi - Merzouga Desert Exploration Day 5 - Erg Chebbi - Ziz Valley - Midelt - Azrou - Ifrane - Fes
How much Marrakech to Fes tour cost?
Our Marrakech to Fes desert tours price can vary depending on the number of participants. We run these private tours on a regular daily basis. We pick you up from your hotel and you will be accompanied by an English-speaking driver (may not be available in high seasons due to high demand). We list our Fes desert excursion rates below but take into consideration that the prices vary on the number of participants in each tour.
3-day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour: From 2850 MAD per person with a minimum of four participants
4-day Desert tour from Marrakech to Fes: From 3600 MAD per person with a minimum of four participants
5-day Marrakech to Fes Sahara tour: From 4000 MAD per person with a minimum of four participants
NOTE: 15% is added to these rates for this period: 24th December until 5th January. Check updated rates on our price page.
How to get a Marrakech to Fes luxury desert tour?
Our services can always be adapted to your travel preference. So, yes, we can provide an attractive Marrakech to Fes luxury desert tour. While booking with us, just select the “Superior accommodation” choice.
Apart from special treats dedicated exclusively to our clients who want a luxury tour, the main difference between the standard option will be regarding the quality of hotels.
The “Superior accommodation” choice is very charming, and the available Merzouga luxury desert camp selection will delight those who search for the ultimate place to sleep in the desert.
How to book a desert trip?
You can easily book our trips by filling up the booking form. You will get a prompt response within 24 hours, with the availability confirmation, and booking procedure. Furthermore, you will be asked to provide us the pick-up details including your hotel address, or the corresponding phone number if you are staying in a riad in the medina.
What type of transportation is used?
All our excursions include an SUV style of transport such as Toyota Land Cruiser (or similar) or a Minibus if the number of people requires a larger car. All our vehicles are air-conditioned equipped and provide fully secured and regularly checked seat belts.
Are these trips private or in a group?
We run private tours. Your vehicle will not be shared with anyone in your group of friends or family. Sporadically and during the high-season, we run desert group tours, so if you’re searching for a Marrakech to Fes shared desert tour, try your luck and check availability on our page dedicated to Morocco last-minute tours.