4 days Marrakesh to Fes Desert Tour

Your 4 days Marrakesh to Fes Desert Tour, "Cool Kasbahs, Hot Sands" begins in Marrakesh when we pick you up from your hotel/riad after an early breakfast. We’ll head into the High Atlas Mountains, crossing over Morocco’s highest road pass – the Tizi-n-Tichka pass at 2260m. We’ll stop at the top of the pass for refreshment and to take pictures of the stunning views.

We’ll be visiting two “Cool Kasbahs” on the first day of your 4 day "Cool Kasbahs, Hot Sands" Tour. The first is Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, the oldest Kasbah in the south of Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the village was originally built in the 17th century, people still live and work there today. Their homes are built right into the rock or with mud bricks, which are made locally using the same methods as in ancient times. Ait Ben Haddou has also featured in many films, including The Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven.

After lunch in the village, you’ll have time to explore the Kasbah. It’s a gentle climb through winding streets to the top, where you can see in all directions.

In the afternoon, we’ll pass through Ouarzazate, known as the "Hollywood of Morocco", due to its thriving film industry. Ouarzazate is home to several film studios, both Moroccan and international. In addition, the surrounding barren landscape is often used for on-location filming.

Our next stop is Skoura, where we’ll visit our second “Cool Kasbah” of the day – the picturesque Kasbah Amridil. The Kasbah (fortified mansion) was built in the late 19th century and is considered one of the most impressive kasbahs in Morocco. It’s still owned and maintained by the same family today.

After touring the kasbah, we’ll wind our way out of the mountains, following the Dades Valley to reach Kalaat M’Gouna (“Valley of the Roses”), Morocco’s rose-growing hub. This region produces millions of rose petals each year, which are then processed into a wide variety of culinary and cosmetic rose-infused products. The harvest culminates in May with the annual Rose Festival – worth attending if you can arrange your visit around this popular festival. We'll make a stop here so that you can see, smell, and, if you wish, purchase some products made from local roses.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll detour to reach the stunning Dades Gorge and the nearby rock formation known as “Monkey Toes”. You’ll have dinner and spend the night in a locally run Berber guesthouse overlooking the gorge.

On Day 2 of your "Cool Kasbahs, Hot Sands" Tour, we’ll start heading to the “Hot Sands” of the Sahara Desert.

But first, in the morning you’ll have time to walk along Dades Gorge before we drive to the town of Tinghir, a lush green oasis full of palm trees and farmers’ crops, and visit the nearby Todra Gorge. The steep walls of the Todra Gorge are 300 metres high, making this is a popular spot for rock climbers. The river makes this a popular picnic destination as well. We’ll stop here and you’ll have a chance to walk along the river.

Our next stop is the town of Rissani, where we’ll have lunch and visit the local souk (market). This jumble of covered stalls is where local people buy food, clothing, household items, & more. On Tuesdays, the travelling market arrives, and people flock from nearby villages to shop.

In the afternoon, we’ll head to the Merzouga region of the Sahara Desert. We’ll leave the highway and drive off-road across the flat rocky desert towards the magnificent sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. Erg Chebbi has the highest dunes in North Africa, and the sight of them rising suddenly out of the desert floor never fails to impress!

When we reach the desert hotel in late afternoon, your camels will be waiting for you. You’ll leave civilization behind and camel-trek into the high dunes, watching the sands change colour as the sun moves across the sky. You’ll have time to explore, take pictures, and watch the sunset before camel-trekking back out of the big dunes.

When you reach the desert camp, you’ll enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal. Afterwards, you’ll be entertained with African music – drumming and singing and dancing – around a campfire. You’ll spend the night in tents nestled among dunes under the vast Saharan sky.

The next day, your Sahara Desert adventure continues. You'll get to experience different facets of the Saharan landscape & desert life. After breakfast, we’ll explore the desert area around Erg Chebbi by 4x4, including a spot where you can see thousands of ocean fossils embedded in desert rock.

Later in the morning, we’ll head across the hamada (black desert) to visit a local Berber nomad family. You’ll have tea & visit with them in their desert home – a priceless experience! Your driver/guide will translate for you.

Afterwards, we’ll drive to the desert village of Khamlia for lunch, followed by a live Gnawa music performance by local performers. Gnawa is a traditional form of African music involving drums, metal castanets and synchronized movements.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll drive to the desert hotel, where you’ll have time to relax and watch the sunset before dinner. You’ll spend a second night in the desert camp.

On the last day of your 4 days Marrakesh to Fes Desert Tour, we’ll leave the dunes behind & start heading north towards Fes.

On the way, we’ll pass through Erfoud, famous for its abundant local fossils as well as its annual Date Festival in October. We’ll then follow the meandering Ziz Valley with its impressive palm-filled oasis that stretches for hundreds of kilometres. We’ll stop at a panoramic lookout point so you can take pictures.

After lunch in Midelt, the “apple capital” of Morocco, we’ll head into the Middle Atlas Mountains. We’ll stop for a rest at Azrou to see the Barbary apes that live in the cedar forests on the mountain slopes.

Our journey to Fes continues, passing through Ifrane, a popular ski resort town known as the "Switzerland of Morocco". Unlike most architecture in Morocco, the houses here have steep peaked rooves in order to shed snow easily.

We’ll reach in Fes in the evening and drop you off at your hotel/riad to complete your 4 days Marrakesh to Fes Desert Tour, "Cool Kasbahs, Hot Sands".