5-Day Trip from Marrakech to Fes via Sahara

Today we will depart Marrakech in the morning on this complete grand crossing to Fes, heading south toward the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, the highest major mountain pass in North Africa at 2,260 metres, winding through switchbacks with sweeping views over terraced Berber villages and mineral-rich rock formations. Descending the far side, we stop at Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed fortified ksar above the Ounila River and one of the best-preserved examples of pre-Saharan earthen architecture in the world, taking a guided walk through its narrow lanes to the old communal granary at the top for panoramic views over the valley — its dramatic silhouette has appeared in films including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. A short drive brings us to Ouarzazate, the 'Hollywood of Africa', where we visit the Taourirt Kasbah, before continuing along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs into the Dades Valley, also known as the Valley of Roses. We check in to a kasbah-style hotel with terrace views over the valley's dramatic folded rock formations for a relaxed dinner as the sun sets. Lunch today is usually taken in Ouarzazate, a proper midday break on this long first day of driving toward the desert.

After breakfast overlooking the valley, we continue toward Todra Gorge, one of Morocco's most dramatic natural landmarks, where sheer pink and orange limestone cliffs rise up to 300 metres on either side of a narrow canyon in places barely 10 metres wide. We stop for an hour or so for a short walk along the canyon floor and photographs of the towering walls, a popular spot for rock climbers from around the world. Continuing south, we arrive in Merzouga on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dune sea in the late afternoon, where camel handlers meet us for an unforgettable sunset trek across the dunes to our exclusive desert camp, nestled among some of the highest dunes in Morocco, reaching over 150 metres. Enjoy a traditional dinner cooked over an open fire, and later, gather around the campfire as local Berber musicians play traditional drums under one of the most spectacular starscapes anywhere on Earth — the first of two nights you will spend immersed in the Sahara on this journey. Lunch is typically enjoyed near Todra Gorge, often with views over the palm oasis below, a memorable stop before reaching the dunes.

Rather than rushing straight back out of the desert, today allows a full second day to properly experience Merzouga and its surroundings. For early risers, the morning begins with the option of climbing a nearby dune before dawn to watch the sunrise transform the desert from soft pink to deep gold. Later in the day, we can arrange a range of optional activities depending on your interests: a visit to a local Berber nomad family for tea and conversation about desert life, a short 4x4 excursion to explore further reaches of Erg Chebbi and the black volcanic hamada plains beyond it, a stop at Khamlia village to hear traditional Gnaoua music performed by descendants of West African migrants, or simply time to relax at the camp, read, and enjoy the shaded common areas. As the second evening falls, we again watch the sunset paint the dunes in shifting shades of gold and rose before another traditional dinner and a further night of music and stars — many guests find that this second, unhurried day allows the true scale and silence of the Sahara to properly sink in. Lunch today is a relaxed affair back at camp, in keeping with this second, unhurried day immersed in the Sahara.

After a final Berber breakfast at camp, we say goodbye to our camel guides and drive back to Merzouga village by 4x4, where your main vehicle and driver await for the drive north. We follow the dramatic Ziz Valley, a ribbon of palm groves and mudbrick ksour villages winding through an otherwise barren landscape, before climbing into the Middle Atlas via Er-Rachidia and Midelt, a former mining town where we typically stop for lunch. Continuing north, we pass through the Azrou Cedar Forest, home to some of the largest and oldest Atlas cedars in the world and a resident troop of wild Barbary macaques — we stop for twenty to thirty minutes so you can walk among the ancient trees. A short distance further brings us to Ifrane, a curious alpine-style town built by the French in the 1930s with sloped red roofs that feel more Alpine than North African, where we spend the night, a cool, restful contrast to the desert heat of the past two days. Lunch en route to Ifrane is typically a simple stop in Midelt, breaking up this long crossing of the Middle Atlas.

After breakfast in the cool mountain air of Ifrane, we complete the final, short leg of this grand crossing, descending from the Middle Atlas to Fes, Morocco's spiritual and cultural capital, in under an hour and a half. Depending on your onward travel plans and the time of day, we can arrange a short guided introduction to Fes el-Bali, the UNESCO-listed old medina, beginning at Bab Boujloud, the ornate blue-and-green tiled 'Blue Gate', before your private driver transfers you to Fes-Saïs Airport or your riad if you are extending your stay. Over these five days, you will have crossed the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, explored the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, wound through the dramatic Dades and Todra gorges, spent two full nights immersed in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, crossed the Middle Atlas through cedar forests inhabited by Barbary apes, and arrived at journey's end in the ancient imperial city of Fes — a genuinely complete grand crossing of Morocco from south-west to north. On behalf of your driver, guides, and the entire Marokko Travel team, thank you for travelling with us on this complete grand crossing from Marrakech to Fes.