7 Days Marrakech to Fes Desert Trip is a tour package that takes visitors on a journey through the stunning landscapes and vibrant culture of Morocco. The trip begins in Marrakech, a city known for its colorful markets, historic palaces, and traditional architecture. From there, the tour continues to the Sahara Desert, where visitors can experience the vast expanse of sand dunes, ride camels, and spend the night in a traditional desert camp.
The next stop is the city of Dades Valley, known for its rugged landscapes, traditional Berber villages, and impressive rock formations. The tour then continues to the city of Merzouga, where visitors can take a 4×4 tour of the desert and visit the Gnawa people, known for their traditional music and dance.
From Merzouga, the tour goes to the city of Todra, where visitors can hike in the Todra Gorge and explore the local Berber villages. The tour then continues to the city of Fes, known for its medieval architecture, historic palaces, and traditional markets. The trip ends with a visit to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis.
Throughout the trip, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the unique culture and traditions of Morocco, as well as enjoy the beautiful landscapes and natural wonders of the country.
Please note that the above itinerary is a general overview, and the actual activities, accommodations, and order of places can vary depending on the tour company.
Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech:
We will pick you up at the airport if you are flying into the city or we will meet you at your Hotel/Riad to begin the tour. Marrakech, “The Red City of Morocco” has numerous UNESCO heritage sites and other fascinating places to visit depending on your desires. Prior to the tour, we will work together in helping design a visit to the city that matches your interests and the amount of time that you want to spend at various places. We will be available to guide you through the city if you chose or you can explore on your own. If you chose, dinner will be available at/near the Hotel/Riad or we can suggest various places for you to dine depending on your interests.
Day 2:Marrakeh – Dades Gorges:
We will meet at the designated arrival point in Marrakesh to start our tour towards Dades Gorges which are a series of rugged wadi gorges carved out of the Dades River. We will drive through Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the High Atlas Mountains where we will have the opportunity to take some outstanding landscape photos. Subsequently, we will visit the Ait Benhaddou fortified village/ksar recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, and then drive a short distance towards Ouarzazate which is known as the desert door. For many centuries this town was an exchange trading route and now is the home to Atlas Studios, the film capital of Morocco where Lawrence of Arabia and the Game of Thrones were filmed. Also, we will have a chance to visit an outstanding abandoned 17-19th century fortified residence, Taourit Kasbah, in the center of Ouarzazate, and then move on to Rose Valley where we will have the opportunity to learn about the process of distilling the flowers grown there into rosewater. After our tour of the area, we will drive into Dades for our night’s lodging at a comfortable, traditional Moroccan Riad (courtyard townhouse) and will get a chance to have dinner at leisure.
Day 3:Dades Gorge – Todra Gorges – Merzouga:
After breakfast, we will resume our tour towards the photogenic Dades Valley and cross the impressive Todra Valley where we will do some rock climbing or trek until lunchtime. After lunch, we will take the road to the desert town of Merzouga and pass through one of the finest date producers in the world, the Palmer of Jorf. From there, we will reach Erfoud, an interesting desert village, where we can visit a fossil/marble workshop and talk to some of the local people. After our visit, we will reach the Merzouga sand dunes, mount our waiting camels for a sunset tour, end up for the evening at the Berber campsite where our dinner will be served, watch the beauty of the desert night sky, and then turn in for the evening to one of the tents.
Day 4: Merzouga 4×4 excursion:
After a refreshing night’s sleep in the desert followed by breakfast, we will explore this section of the Sahara desert where you will have the opportunity to sand-board, ski on the dunes, and/or explore the area in a 4×4. Subsequently, we will visit the town of Merzouga and then Khamlia village which is 7 km away from Merzouga. The village is known for the famous Gnawa music throughout Morocco and there is also time to birdwatch along with walking through the small shopping area. We will continue our camping in the desert tents, get a chance to see the spectacular sunset over the sand dunes, have a locally sourced dinner at the campsite, hear some local Gnawa music, and watch the beauty of the desert sky before we retire to your tent for the night.
Day 5: Merzouga – Rissani – Ziz Valley – Middle Atlas – Fez:
If you are so inclined, you can wake up early to catch the sunrise over the dunes and watch the beautiful color changes of the sand as the light intensifies. From there we travel by camel back into town where you will get a chance to shower at a designated hotel. After breakfast, we will drive through the Palmer of Tifilalet and then reach the town of Rissani, the former Alawite dynasty capitol, where we will have the opportunity to take in some of the local colors including visit traditional/authentic souks (markets) trading all types of crafts, food, and other memorabilia. We will continue towards Erfoud, the ancient gateway to the desert, which is known for its fossil remains and we will have time available to visit a local fossil workshop. From there we will cross the picturesque Ziz Valley containing thousands of palm trees, and continue on to Midelt where we can stop for a locally sourced lunch in town along with walking some to get a sense of the place. From there we will travel to “Moroccan Switzerland”, Ifran, before ending the day at our hotel in Fes. We will give you time to walk the city on your own and then eat at the hotel before retiring for the evening.
Day 6: Fez – Fez:
After having breakfast at your Hotel/Riad you will get a chance to explore the city on your own or with your guide. Fes is one of four imperial cities and is the craft capital of the country. There are numerous sites to visit and we can workout with you on an itinerary that meets your interests when you sign up for the tour. You will continue your stay at the Hotel/Riad and have the option where you chose to dine that evening.
Day 7: Fez – Airport:
You will have breakfast at your Hotel/Riad, walk around the city as time permits, and subsequently be transported to the Fes Airport on a timely basis in order to help get you to your next destination comfortably.