A 2-day tour from Fes to Merzouga lets you reach the Sahara dunes, spend a night in a desert camp and return, when time is short. It is possible, but the driving is long, so it helps to know what to expect.
This guide explains the route, the pace and when adding a third day is worth it.
The private driver collects you in Fes and drives south through the Middle Atlas, with a first stop at Ifrane, an alpine-style town. The road continues through the cedar forests near Azrou, where wild Barbary macaques are often seen, then on to Midelt for lunch. In the afternoon you pass the Ziz Gorges and the palm-lined Ziz Valley before reaching the dunes of Merzouga and your desert camp.
You can watch the sunrise over the dunes, have breakfast and begin the long drive back to Fes. Because the return is the same distance, day two is mostly spent on the road.
It works if you accept the pace: much of the trip is driving, and you have only an evening and a morning in the dunes. If you can add a day, the 3-day tour from Fes to Merzouga allows more time in the desert and a more comfortable schedule.
Camps vary in comfort, from simple tents to luxury suites. Our guide to luxury desert camps explains how to compare them, and the Merzouga guide covers the area and activities.
A private tour lets you choose the start time and stops. See the 2-day luxury desert tour from Fes to Merzouga for the itinerary, and read our best time to visit the Sahara guide to plan the season.
About 450 km, roughly 8 to 9 hours by road each way with stops.
It is possible if time is short, but much of it is driving. Three days is more comfortable.
Ifrane, the cedar forests near Azrou, Midelt and the Ziz Gorges before the dunes.
Yes, the tour includes a night in a desert camp near the Merzouga dunes.
Spring and autumn. Summer is very hot in the desert, and winter nights are cold.
Tell us your dates and group size, and we will arrange a private tour from Fes to Merzouga with driver, guide and a hand-picked desert camp.
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