3 days from Fez to the desert and back to Fez

Fez

6 photos

Duration

3 Day

Maximum number of people

Minimum age

Tour type

From Fez

Overview:

This 3-day trip from Fez to the Merzouga Desert offers a comprehensive experience crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains and discovering the natural and cultural diversity of Morocco. The route includes visits to cities like Ifrane, known as the “Switzerland of Morocco,” and the forests of Azrou, home to the famous Barbary macaques. After lunch in the Berber village of Zaida, the journey continues through Midelt, the Ziz Valley, and Erfoud, before arriving in Merzouga. There, a camel ride takes travelers to a traditional Berber camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes, where a traditional dinner and a Berber music performance are enjoyed under the stars.

The second day combines adventure and culture, beginning with sunrise over the dunes and the option to try activities like quad biking or buggy driving in the desert. The day continues to Khamlia, where Gnawa musicians share their ancestral art, and then along the historic Dakar Rally route to the rock carvings of Taouz. Later, the route leads to the village of Jdaid, where you’ll share lunch with a Berber family, accompanied by tea and local traditions such as henna tattooing. The afternoon culminates in the Ouzina Desert, a wild and authentic environment in southern Morocco, perfect for witnessing an unforgettable sunset over the dunes.

The third day offers the return journey to Fez with stops in the historic city of Rissani, cradle of the Alaouite dynasty, and in Erfoud, famous for its fossils and fossilized marble workshops. After lunch in Midelt, the journey continues through the Michlifen Forest and the Middle Atlas Mountains, arriving in Fez in the afternoon. This three-day itinerary allows you to discover the best of the Moroccan Sahara, combining natural landscapes, cultural richness, and local hospitality in an authentic and unforgettable experience.

Included/Excluded

Transportation and Guide
Accommodation and Meals
Tourist Visits

Meals
Additional Expenses
Travel insurance

Tour Plan

Day 1 Fez – Midelt – Azrou – Ziz Valley – Merzouga (Camel Ride and One Night in the Merzouga Desert)

After breakfast, we depart from Fez for the Merzouga desert, passing through Ifrane (the "Switzerland of Morocco"). There, you'll have 20 minutes to take photos and stroll through the town square. We then arrive at the forests of Azrou, home to wild monkeys. This will be a great opportunity to photograph Moroccan nature. We'll have lunch in the Berber village of Zaida. We continue through the Middle Atlas Mountains, enjoying the scenery of Midelt until we reach the small village of Rich. We then proceed to the Ziz Valley, where we'll make a panoramic stop for photos. In the afternoon, we arrive in Erfoud, where we begin to experience the Saharan air with the Tafilalet oasis. We continue to Merzouga, where we switch to camels for an overnight stay in traditional Berber tents (haimas) in the Erg Chebbi desert.

Accommodation in traditional Berber tents with dinner, breakfast, and a live Berber music performance.

Day 2 Merzouga – Khamlia – Taouz – Dakar Rally Track – Jdaid Village – Lunch with a Berber family – Ouzina Desert and Sunset in the Erg Ouzina Dunes.

We'll wake up early to watch the sunrise from atop a dune, then have a leisurely breakfast. You can choose to return to the hotel by camel or 4x4. We'll continue along the route, or you can relax by the pool or explore the dunes if the weather is nice. You can also take a quad bike or buggy excursion through the Erg Chebbi dunes. Afterward, we'll take the 4x4 to the village of Khamlia, home to the Gnawa people, musicians of sub-Saharan origin (Black Africa). They'll entertain us with music and dance while we enjoy mint tea (Berber whiskey). You can buy a CD of their music for €10 or give them a tip of at least €5. We'll then continue to Taouz, from where we'll travel along the old Paris-Dakar Rally track to see some wonderful rock engravings. We'll pass through the village of Jdaid, where we'll have lunch at a Berber family's home (Berber pizza and tea). There, you can also get a henna tattoo from a specialist (a tip is customary). If you're interested, you can take a stroll through the village of Ouzina and its oasis. In the afternoon, we'll go to our hotel nestled in the Ouzina desert to drop off our luggage. We can also visit the Ouzina dunes to watch the sunset and enjoy this wild and pristine desert in southern Morocco.

Accommodation at Kasbah Hotel Porte de Sahara Ouzina with dinner and breakfast

Day 3 Ouzina – Taouz – Merzouga – Rissani – Erfoud – Midelt – Michlifen – Fez

We will wake up and have breakfast at 8:00 AM. Departure from the hotel for a 3-day, 2-night excursion from the Ouzina Desert, passing through Rissani, one of the oldest cities in Morocco and the capital of the Alaouite dynasty. There, we will stop at the edge of town to take a photo of the Desert Gate. We will continue on to Erfoud, where there is an opportunity to visit a fossilized marble factory. We will continue our route until we reach Midelt, where we will stop for lunch. Afterwards, we cross the Middle Atlas Mountains, passing through the Michlifen Forest until we reach the city of Fez. Transfer to the nearest point accessible by car, and end of our 3-day, 2-night excursion from Fez via the Sahara Desert in Morocco.