3 Days Desert Trip From Fes Back To Fes

The desert night is the star. This three-day loop from Fes packs mountain roads, cedar forests, oasis views, camel riding, and a night in a Berber camp into one compact trip. I like the strong variety: Day 1 moves from cool Ifrane and Azrou to the dry Ziz Valley, while Day 2 gives you time around Merzouga before the camel trek.

I also like that the price of $197.73 per person covers two nights of accommodation, two dinners, two breakfasts, transport in an air-conditioned minivan, and the camel ride. The main drawback is the pace. You spend long hours on the road, and lunch and drinks are extra, so this suits you if you want a broad taste of southeastern Morocco rather than a slow desert stay.

The tour has earned a 5 out of 5 rating from 38 reviews, with 100 percent recommending it. One especially praised guide is Mohammed, who was described as patient, attentive, and ready to answer questions for a group of eight friends. That kind of personal care matters on a long road trip.

Key Points to Know Before Booking

• Middle Atlas scenery comes first: Ifrane, cedar forests, mountain streams, rugged rock walls, and Azrou’s macaque monkeys break up the drive from Fes.
• The first day is a long transfer: You leave around 7:30 a.m. and reach Merzouga in the afternoon, with Midelt and the Ziz Valley as key stops.
• The desert stay has two parts: One night is in a traditional kasbah, followed by a second night at a Berber campsite among the dunes.
• Your best desert moments come near sunrise and sunset: The schedule gives you a chance to see both from the sand dunes.
• You have choice on Day 2: Visit Rissani or Merzouga, see palm groves around the Tafilalt Oasis, hear Gnawa music in Khamlia, or rest near the camp.
• The return to Fes takes about eight hours: The tour works best when you accept that the road time is part of the experience.

Why This Fes to Fes Route Works

Many short Morocco tours force you to choose between imperial cities and the Sahara. This one gives you a little of both, though it does so at a brisk pace. You begin in Fes and return there after crossing the Middle Atlas, reaching the dunes around Merzouga, and then making the long trip back.

I see the route as a practical choice for you if your schedule is tight. You do not need to arrange separate transport, hotels, desert activities, or meals for the two nights. The driver handles the route, and pickup is offered from your hotel or riad.

The trade-off is clear. This is not a restful three-day retreat. Day 1 and Day 3 involve substantial driving, and the tour only gives you one full day in the Merzouga area. Still, the changing scenery helps. You are not staring at the same road all day.

The group can include up to 17 people. That is small enough to feel more manageable than a large coach, but it is not a private tour. If you want complete control over every stop, a private arrangement may suit you better. If you value a lower price and shared transport, the group format helps keep the cost down.

Ifrane and Azrou: A Cool Start in the Mountains

Pickup is scheduled for about 7:30 a.m. at Fontaine Batha in Fes, with hotel or riad pickup also offered. Leaving early is useful because the road to Merzouga is long, and the first section gives you a sharp change from the city.

Ifrane was built by the French in the 1930s and is often called Morocco’s Switzerland. The nickname points to its cooler mountain setting and European-style character. You get about 40 minutes for this first section, so think of it as a brief introduction rather than a full town visit.

The road then reaches the cedar forests around Azrou. Azrou means The Rock, and the area is known for its Barbary macaques, often called Barbary apes. The animals may come close during the stop, but remember that they are wild animals in their natural setting. You should not treat the stop as a guaranteed animal encounter or a staged show.

This portion is valuable because it shows a side of Morocco many first-time visitors miss. Before the palms and sand, you see forested peaks, mountain streams, springs, and exposed rock walls. The Middle Atlas is not just a corridor on the way to the desert. It is one of the main scenic sections of the tour.

Midelt and the Road Toward the Sahara

After the mountain stops, you pause for lunch in Midelt. The town is known as the City of Apples and sits where the Middle Atlas meets the beginning of the High Atlas.

The lunch stop lasts about an hour, but lunch is not included in the tour price. You should plan to pay separately for both lunch and drinks. That is not a major surprise at this price, but it is worth budgeting for, especially since you have two road days.

Midelt also marks a visual change. The cooler, forested mountain setting gives way to broader, drier country. The road still passes through mountain terrain, but the feeling becomes more open and remote.

This is where the trip starts to feel like a proper overland journey. You are not simply being delivered to a desert camp. You are crossing the country by road, with small towns, mountain communities, and shifting scenery along the way.

The Ziz Valley Viewpoint

The Ziz Valley is one of the most striking stops on Day 1. The tour describes it as the largest oasis in Africa, with palm trees, mountains, and the Ziz River gathered into one wide view.

You get about 15 minutes at the viewpoint. That is enough for photographs and a quick look, but not enough for a walk through the oasis or a detailed visit to local communities. Keep that distinction in mind. This is a scenic pause, not a full cultural excursion.

The view gives useful context for life in southeastern Morocco. The palms depend on water, while the surrounding mountains and dry country make the contrast easy to see. It is one of the moments when the route explains the region without needing a museum or formal presentation.

From here, you continue toward Merzouga, stopping along the road for another panoramic view of an oasis. By the time you reach the desert town in the afternoon, the scenery has changed again, and the main event is close.

Merzouga and the First Desert Night

The first night in Merzouga includes dinner with Saharan music and accommodation in a traditional kasbah. The tour lists this stay as one of the two included nights, while the second night takes place at the desert camp.

This arrangement gives you a useful transition. You arrive after a long day, eat, listen to music, and sleep before the camel trek. You are not asked to ride into the dunes immediately after leaving Fes, which would make the schedule feel even harder.

The dinner and music are part of the cultural side of the experience. They offer more than a basic overnight stop, though you should keep your expectations grounded. The tour promises Saharan music and traditional meals, but it does not provide a detailed performance schedule or a long formal cultural program.

If you are hoping for the famous desert light, keep your camera ready near sunset. Sunset views are included in the experience, and the dunes are most dramatic when the sun is low. The exact timing depends on the day’s route and local conditions.

Your Flexible Day Around Merzouga

Day 2 is the most flexible part of the trip. You can rise early for sunrise over the dunes, sleep later, eat breakfast, and then choose how to spend the cooler parts of the day.

Possible activities include visits to Rissani and Merzouga, palm groves around the Tafilalt Oasis, and Khamlia village. Khamlia is known for Gnawa music, so it is the clearest choice if you want a specific cultural stop rather than more desert scenery.

You can also stay near the tents and rest. That option should not be dismissed. The first day involves a long road journey, and the next day includes a camel ride. Having some unscheduled time can make the whole trip more comfortable.

The wording of the tour leaves some of these activities as choices rather than fixed inclusions. Ask your driver what can realistically fit into the day and whether any optional visit carries an extra cost. The included features clearly cover the camel ride, meals listed, transport, and accommodation, but they do not list entrance fees or separate activities.

The Camel Trek to the Berber Camp

The camel trek begins in the late afternoon, when the worst of the daytime heat has passed. You ride into the dunes toward a Berber campsite away from the main road and ordinary town life.

The camel ride is one of the experiences covered in the price. It is also the part of the tour most likely to define your memory of Merzouga. The pace is slow, and the desert setting gives you time to watch the light change rather than rush from one photo stop to another.

You should expect a simple camp experience, not a hotel room in the sand. Your hosts prepare traditional desert food, including Madfona, and provide a Berber meal. Dinner is included, as is breakfast the next morning.

The camp also gives you a chance to learn about local desert customs and hospitality. The supplied details do not promise a specific length of entertainment or a particular room style, so ask about camp arrangements if sleeping conditions are important to you.

Sunrise, Breakfast, and the Eight-Hour Return

The second sunrise is another major reason to choose this trip. You can wake before breakfast to watch the dunes change color, then return to camp, take a refreshing bath, collect your belongings, and begin the drive back to Fes.

Day 3 is listed at about eight hours. That is a serious road day, even with stops. You should not book a demanding Fes activity immediately after the scheduled return. Give yourself some breathing room in case the drive takes longer than expected.

The return route is less detailed than the outward journey. That means the focus is transport rather than a set of major sightseeing stops. You will have the air-conditioned minivan and a professional driver, but the long distance remains the main challenge.

I would treat the ride home as part of the price of seeing the Sahara in only three days. If you want more time for villages, walks, and desert rest, choose a longer itinerary. If you mainly want the desert night and need to return to Fes, this schedule does the job.

What the $197.73 Price Really Buys

At $197.73 per person, the value is strong if you use the included elements. You receive:

• Two nights of accommodation
• Two dinners
• Two breakfasts
• Camel riding
• An air-conditioned minivan
• A professional driver
• Sunset viewing
• Pickup and return to the meeting point

The price does not include lunch or drinks, so set aside extra money for those. It also does not state that every optional Day 2 activity is included. Ask before committing to visits beyond the listed core experience.

The 46-day advance booking average suggests that people often arrange this well before departure. That does not guarantee that every date sells out, but it is sensible to reserve early if your Fes schedule is fixed.

Free cancellation is available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund. The meeting point is Fontaine Batha in Fes, and the tour ends back at the meeting point.

Who Should Book This Desert Trip

I would recommend this trip if you want a first taste of Morocco’s Sahara without arranging every piece yourself. It suits you especially well if you value:

• A lower-cost shared tour
• A set route with pickup and return
• Mountain scenery as well as desert scenery
• A camel ride and overnight camp
• Sunrise and sunset views
• Some choice during the full day in Merzouga

It may not suit you if long drives make you miserable, if you need a private vehicle, or if you want several days to explore the desert at a slow pace. Families and most general fitness levels can participate, but the schedule still requires patience. The tour states that most people can take part, and the maximum group size is 17.

The guide can make a real difference. Mohammed received particular praise for his patience, answers, and care with a group of eight friends. You cannot assume every departure will have Mohammed, but the example shows why a considerate driver matters on this route.

Should You Book It?

Book this Fes to Fes tour if your priority is the classic Merzouga experience: Atlas Mountain scenery, a camel ride, desert sunset, Berber camp dinner, and sunrise over the dunes. The combination is hard to match at $197.73 when transport, accommodation, breakfasts, dinners, and the camel ride are included.

Skip it if you want a relaxed desert holiday or dislike spending much of a day in a vehicle. The best way to judge this tour is simple: if you see the road from Fes as part of the Moroccan story, the itinerary offers good value. If you see it only as time away from the dunes, choose a longer stay.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Fontaine Batha, 3259+V8P, Fes, Morocco. Pickup from your hotel or riad is also offered.

What time does the tour start?

The scheduled start time is 7:30 a.m.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point in Fes.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately three days.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 17 people.

What accommodation is included?

Two nights of accommodation are included. The first night is described as a stay in a traditional kasbah in Merzouga, and the second night is at a Berber campsite in the dunes.

Is the camel ride included?

Yes. The camel ride to the Berber campsite is included.

Are meals included?

Two dinners and two breakfasts are included. Lunch and drinks are not included.

Can I visit Khamlia village?

Khamlia village is listed as one of the possible Day 2 activities. It is known for Gnawa music.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.