6 Days in Morocco: The Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour Itinerary

Six days is the shortest comfortable window to cross Morocco from Marrakech to Fes, spend a real night in the Sahara, and still not spend every day in the car. This itinerary covers the High Atlas, the kasbah trail, the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, and the road north through the Middle Atlas cedar forests.

Day 1 — Marrakech over the High Atlas to Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate

Leave Marrakech mid-morning and climb the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m. Stop at Aït Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed earthen ksar used in Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Game of Thrones — there is more on its film history in our Aït Ben Haddou guide. Continue to Ouarzazate and its film studios for the night. Around 4 hours of driving.

Day 2 — Ouarzazate to the Dades and Todra gorges

A slower day through the Skoura palm grove, the Valley of the Roses, and the Dades Valley with its switchback road and eroded rock formations. Overnight near Todra Gorge, where 300 m limestone walls close in near Tinghir. Around 3.5 hours of driving with stops.

Day 3 — Todra to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes

Drive to Merzouga by early afternoon, then trek by camel over the dunes to a desert camp for sunset, dinner and stargazing. Our Merzouga desert guide covers what to pack and what a night at the camp is like. Around 3.5 hours of driving plus the camel trek.

Day 4 — Sunrise in the Sahara, then north to Midelt

Watch sunrise over Erg Chebbi, ride back to Merzouga, then drive north through Rissani and Erfoud and over the Middle Atlas to the mountain town of Midelt for the night. Around 5 hours.

Day 5 — Midelt to Fes via Ifrane and the cedar forest

Cross the cedar forests around Azrou, home to troops of Barbary macaques, and pass through alpine-looking Ifrane before arriving in Fes in the late afternoon. Around 4 hours.

Day 6 — Fes medina

A full guided day in Fes el-Bali — the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university, the tanneries, and the blue gate at Bab Boujloud. Our complete guide to Fes has the highlights. The trip ends in Fes; most travellers fly out of Fès–Saïss or take the train on to Casablanca or Marrakech.

One-way or round-trip?

The one-way 6 Days Desert Tour from Marrakech to Fes avoids backtracking and works best if you can fly into one city and out of the other. If both your flights use Marrakech, the 6 Days Tour from Marrakech via the Sahara and Fes follows the same route but loops back over the Atlas on the final day. Both are private and fully customisable.

Is 6 days enough for Morocco?

For the desert-and-imperial-cities highlights, yes. If you also want Chefchaouen, the coast, or more time in each city, look at a longer itinerary, or read our comparison of a desert tour versus an imperial-cities tour.

Ready to plan it? Browse our Morocco tours or get in touch and we will tailor the route, pace and camp category around you.