On our trip to Morocco, we booked a 3-day Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert tour that brought us from Fes to Marrakech and stopped in the Sahara Desert. I found the best deal for a budget small group tour through Viator. If you have time in Morocco, I highly recommend booking a Sahara Desert tour as part of your Morocco itinerary. Spending the night in the Sahara was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And by once-in-a-lifetime, I would only want to do it once! Search for the best Morocco hotels here!
Day 1: Fes to the Sahara Desert
Many desert tours leave from Marrakech and Fes. We opted to go to Fes for the first part of our trip and therefore booked one that picked us up in Fes at our riad. This Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert Tour group ended up having six people.
Day 1 was a long day of driving. We passed through Ifrane, a winter ski resort built in a Swiss Village style. Our first stop was in the forest of Azrou where we got to see and feed some monkeys. They were very friendly and playful. We continued to pass through the Middle Atlas Mountains and stopped for lunch in the town of Midelt. Since we were visiting Morocco during Ramadan, our driver had to make arrangements with a local restaurant to ensure we had some food.
After lunch, we continued the long drive on this Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert Tour. We finally reached Merzouga in the late afternoon. One of the most amazing sites we saw was an oasis in the middle of the sand dunes. We then had to transfer to a 4 X 4 vehicle to reach the hotel where our luggage would be stored for the night. At the hotel, we were greeted with mint tea and given time to pack our bags for the night.
Camel Ride to the Desert Camp
Once everyone was ready, we embarked on our 1-hour camel ride into the Sahara Desert. Upon arrival at the camp, we were assigned our Berber tent for the night and had time to try sandboarding or hike some of the dunes. We enjoyed a sunset while sitting on the dunes. Later we were served a chicken tagine dinner and had the opportunity to listen to some Berber tunes before bed.
Life at a Berber Camp
The Berber tent we stayed in had very low-quality accommodations. This was a budget camp! There were beds, but the mattresses were very thin and everything was very dusty due to the winds blowing the Sahara sand everywhere. Throughout the night, the winds kept hitting the tent. It sounded like someone was banging on the side of the tent all night long. Although it was not the best night of sleep I have ever had, it was worth it to see the sunrise over the Sahara.
Day 2: The Sahara Desert to Ouarzazate
We were woken up early to watch the sunrise over the dunes. After the sun came up, we loaded onto our camels again and were taken back to the hotel our luggage was stored at. We had the opportunity to shower and freshen up before eating breakfast.
The next part of the journey took us along the road of a Thousand Kasbahs. This area has been used to film many movies. Prior to our lunch stop, we stopped for a walk through the Todra Gorge. There was a small stream that ran through the gorge, and many vendors were selling items along the walk. This was a great opportunity to buy souvenirs.
We stopped at another restaurant where our food was pre-ordered again for us due to Ramadan. After some more driving, we arrived at our hotel for the night: Hotel Les Jardins de Ouarzazate.
Hotel les Jardins de Ouarzazate
Hotel Les Jardins de Ouarzazate was a very beautiful hotel. There was a swimming pool, rose gardens, a restaurant, and some guest cottages. We got to stay in the cottages. The rooms were spacious and clean. Everything was still dusty due to the sand. We had a very tasty dinner in the restaurant that was included in our tour.
Day 3: Ouarzazate to Marrakech
We had another delicious breakfast at the hotel before we embarked on the road again. We stopped to take a few pictures of Ouarzazate and the Atlas Movie Studios on our way to Ait Ben Haddou.
Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has been used to film many shows and movies, such as “Gladiator” and “Game of Thrones”. This is another great opportunity for some souvenir shopping. There were lots of little shops to buy art, clothes, and accessories. We spent about an hour here.
We made a lunch stop before continuing on the road to Marrakech. This drive took us through the High Atlas mountains and past many little villages. They then dropped us off at our riad in Marrakech.
Things I wish I had known BEFORE going on the Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert Tour:
- This was a BUDGET tour, so the accommodations were even lower quality than I expected.
- There was a glorified porta-potty and no sink in the Sahara Desert.
- Pack VERY light when you ride the camel. You will sleep in whatever clothes you wore on the camel because you won’t want to change... If you can even sleep
- Most of the tour is LONG days of driving, so be prepared for lots of sitting in the car through windy roads.
- Cats are everywhere, so be prepared for them to hop and crawl around you, even when you are eating.
- Make sure to bring a lot of water with you, as it can be difficult to find along the way.
Other things to note about the Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert Tour
- Lunches, drinks, and tips are not included.
- If you stay within the medina, you will have to pay extra for a guide to take you there. The guide will carry your luggage for you.
- The guide is also the driver. They will speak decent English, but you may have trouble communicating with them at times.
Desert Tour Options
There are some other options for desert tours.
- 3 Day Tour from Marrakech
- 3 Day Fes to Marrakech
- Atlas Mountains from Fes to Marrakech
- Marrakech to Fes
- 4 Day Sahara Desert Tour
Although I enjoyed our Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert Tour and it offered some amazing scenery and experiences, I would not recommend this to everyone. The first day was very long and tiring. Spending a sleepless night in the Sahara was worth the views, but I would not do it again. I felt our tour was worth the price we paid for it ($300/person), especially since we did not have to worry about transportation from Fes to Marrakech.
21 thoughts on “Fes to Marrakech Sahara Desert Tour: A 3-Day Crazy Adventure Through Morocco”
I really appreciate your honesty and tips for this tour! I’ve been on budget tours before and the accommodation can sometimes be really rough. I’m glad you enjoyed the views though. Thanks for the thorough review!
Morocco is on my bucket list, including the Sahara desert. Great advice for choosing a tour when I do visit, I might look for something slightly higher end. I love cats so at least that is a plus!
I did a tour like this last November and loved it. The Sahara is so beautiful!
Such a detailed itinerary, would love to visit here. The photo opportunities alone would be epic. Also love your refreshing honesty, it can be difficult to get an unbiased review.
Thank you for an honest take on a Sahara tour. I’m contemplating a trip to Morocco this year with my 4-year-old and thought a Sahara tour might be fun for her, but it definitely sounds like it would not be a great experience for a young child.
I appreciate your honest review of this experience. Morocco is high on my list of places to visit but if I visit the Sahara I will definitely do my research!
The Sahara is definitely on my bucket list. The colors in your pictures are incredible!
Desert tour sounds so lovely! I am heading to Morocco this fall, thanks for the guide and pictures
Can’t wait for the trip
What a unique experience! Sometime we only need to do things once in a lifetime- but they’re totally doing just once!
Awe I was in Morocco Desert Tour years ago and we also slept in these kind of tents. I loved this experience so much!
I actually would do it again only because my friend and I drove ourselves and did this over 2 days which you can imagine was incredibly rushed and seeing all the gorgeous things along the way (that we didn’t have time for) killed me! Plus I think being with group would be more fun. It was just my friend and I and the Berber guide in the desert. LOL
Morocco is on my bucket list so I’m hoping to explore it someday! Your desert tour looks awesome – great views!
Your photos are amazing. Looks like such a great experience
Appreciate the honesty on this! I feel like too often you see those romanticized photos of chicks in the desert, scarves blowing in the breeze, and don’t really know all that goes into heading out there. I’ll handle some discomfort for doing it once, though!
Right!? That was the impression I had of Morocco but it for sure wasn’t the one that I experienced!
Thank you for this amazing article, we really appreciate your information
This travel article beautifully captures the essence of Morocco’s diverse landscapes and rich cultural tapestry. The detailed itinerary from Marrakech provides a compelling guide for anyone seeking a 3-day desert adventure. This article not only serves as a practical guide but also ignites the wanderlust within, inspiring a desire to embark on a similar exploration of Morocco’s hidden gems. Well done!
This a wonderful Fes to Marrakech desert trip through Merzouga dunes, experience camel ride and overnight Berber camp
What a great trip to Morocco, I liked the pictures and everything your wrote in this article
Amazing article !!! Thank you for sharing with us this informations about Morocco
Your recent trip to Merzouga was truly inspiring. The photos captured the raw beauty of the desert—the sweeping dunes, camel treks, and tranquil sunsets. Your reflections on connecting with the local Berber community were especially moving. Thank you for offering such a thoughtful glimpse into your experience