Exclusive! 2 Days Desert Trip Marrakech to Fez via Ait Benhaddou

The real draw here is the Marrakech to Fez crossing through Merzouga, a route that packs Morocco’s High Atlas, kasbah country, rose valleys, desert dunes, and cedar country into two days. You ride a camel to a desert camp, sleep in a Berber tent, and finish in Fez rather than returning to Marrakech.

I like the one-way routing, since it connects two major Moroccan cities without forcing you to backtrack. I also like the price: at $100 per person, the package covers transport, dinner, breakfast, the desert camp, camel riding, and sandboarding.

The catch is simple: you spend many hours in the vehicle. The first day is especially demanding, with only a few quick stops. This is a good fit for an active visitor who values seeing a lot in little time, not for someone seeking a slow desert holiday.

Key points to know before booking

• A one-way desert crossing: Start in Marrakech and finish in Fez, with no return to your starting city.
• Merzouga overnight: Ride camels for about an hour to a Berber camp near the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• High Atlas at 2,260 meters: Cross the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass through mountain villages and changing scenery.
• Long first day: The opening drive includes Ouarzazate, the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley, and the approach to the desert.
• Morning desert activities: Watch sunrise, return by camel, eat breakfast, shower, and continue toward Fez.
• Shared minibus or minivan: The group can reach a maximum of 17 people, so expect a social trip rather than a private journey.

The appeal of crossing Morocco in one hard-working trip

This tour is built around distance. Marrakech and Fez sit far apart, and Merzouga lies well out of the direct path. Instead of treating the desert as a separate side trip, this route uses it as the overnight stop between the two cities.

That makes the trip useful if your Morocco plans move from Marrakech to Fez and you have only two days. You get a real change of setting each day: red mountain roads, old kasbahs, broad valleys, orange desert dunes, palm-filled oases, Berber villages, and the Middle Atlas.

You should know what kind of experience this creates. The tour is not a relaxed road trip with long visits at every sight. It is a fast-moving route with short stops on the first day and a long transfer on the second. The payoff is variety, but the cost is comfort and time.

The advertised price of $100 per person is strong value for a shared trip. Transport, a professional driver, dinner, breakfast, one night in the desert camp, the camel ride, and sandboarding are included. You still need to budget for both lunches, drinks, and travel insurance.

The experience has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 from 65 ratings, with 100 percent recommending it. The most important qualification is the distance. A four-out-of-five assessment praised the organization and friendly service but pointed out that the hours on the road can feel excessive. That is the point to take most seriously before booking.

From Marrakech to the High Atlas Pass

Pickup takes place in Marrakech in the early morning, after which the vehicle heads toward the High Atlas. The road climbs from the plains to the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass at about 2,260 meters above sea level.

This section gives you some of Morocco’s best roadside views. The route passes small mountain villages and waterfalls, while the colors and scenery change as the vehicle gains height. The pass is not just a point on the map. It explains why the journey feels so varied, moving quickly from Marrakech’s lower setting into a high mountain region.

The roads and mountain conditions can make this part tiring, particularly for anyone prone to motion sickness. Bring water, keep a light snack handy, and wear layers. You may begin the day in warm Marrakech and find cooler air at the pass.

The stop pattern matters here. The day includes a few quick breaks rather than extended sightseeing. If you want to study every village or take a long walk at each viewpoint, this schedule will feel rushed. If you mainly want to see the route and reach the desert by evening, the pace is easier to accept.

Ouarzazate, rose country, and the Dades Valley

The route continues through Ouarzazate, a well-known gateway town for southern Morocco, then toward the Valley of Roses and the Dades Valley. These places give the first day more substance than a simple city-to-desert transfer.

Ouarzazate is tied to the kasbah country of southern Morocco, while the Valley of Roses is known for its changing colors and rural scenery. The Dades Valley adds another layer of mountain roads and settlement patterns before the route turns toward Merzouga.

The tour also includes views and stops around historical kasbahs and valleys. The exact stop lengths can depend on the day’s timing and your arrival at the desert camp. You should not assume that every kasbah receives a full guided visit, since the first day is described as a long drive with quick stops.

That is both a strength and a weakness. You see a wide portion of southern Morocco in a single day, but the schedule leaves little room for lingering. I would choose this trip for the range of places covered, not for detailed visits at each one.

Arriving at Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes

After reaching the traditional kasbah near the Erg Chebbi dunes, you have time to rest with mint tea before the desert portion begins. The camels then take you across the sandy dunes for about an hour to the camp.

This is the trip’s most memorable change of pace. After hours in a minibus or minivan, the camel ride slows everything down. The dunes become the setting rather than something glimpsed through a window, and the camp provides the overnight break that makes the route feel like a real desert trip.

The overnight stay is in a Berber tent. Dinner is included, as is breakfast the next morning. Free sandboarding is also part of the package, giving you another way to use your time around the dunes.

The tour description also mentions a swimming pool among the camp activities. Since the included services list does not separately define pool access, treat the pool as a possible camp feature rather than the main reason to book. The camel ride, camp, dinner, and sandboarding are the clearly stated core inclusions.

You should pack for the overnight stop with care. Keep a small bag accessible rather than burying everything in the vehicle’s main luggage area. Carry any medication, a layer for the evening, and shoes that can handle sand. The tour requires a strong physical fitness level, and the camel ride plus sandboarding may be tiring after a full day of driving.

Sunrise near the Algerian border

The second day begins early. You can walk over the dunes and watch the sunrise from behind the Algerian border, described as roughly 50 kilometers from Merzouga.

This is one of the best reasons to accept the long first day. Morning light changes the dunes quickly, and the quiet walk gives you time outside the vehicle before another long transfer. You do not need a complex activity plan here. A short walk on the sand and a good view of sunrise are the point.

After sunrise, you return by camel to the hotel area for breakfast, a shower, and some rest. This practical pause matters. A shower and proper meal make the second driving day far more manageable, especially after sleeping in a desert camp.

The timing can still be demanding. You need to rise early, walk on sand, ride back, and then prepare for the road to Fez. If you prefer late mornings and a leisurely breakfast, this schedule may not suit you.

Ziz Valley and the road toward Fez

After breakfast and a short rest, the route heads through the Ziz Valley and Ziz Gorge. This section gives you a different view of southeastern Morocco, with oasis scenery and dramatic rock formations replacing the open dunes.

The Ziz Valley is important because water changes everything in this dry region. The oasis route brings villages, palms, and cultivated areas into the view, while the gorge narrows the setting into a more rugged passage. The trip also passes Berber villages, giving you glimpses of daily life beyond the main tourist centers.

Again, you should expect a moving road tour rather than a series of long walks. The second day is listed at about eight hours and ends in Fez in the afternoon. The route covers a lot, but the vehicle remains your main viewing platform.

The journey then climbs through the Middle Atlas Mountains and the cedar forest. This is a fitting final change of scenery. After the desert and oasis, the cooler mountain region makes Fez feel closer and completes the route through several distinct parts of Morocco.

What the shared vehicle means for you

Transport is by a comfortable minibus or minivan, with a maximum group size of 17 people. That is small enough to keep the trip manageable, but it is not a private tour.

A shared vehicle lowers the price and makes the one-way route possible at $100. It also means you have less control over breaks, seating, and timing. The driver is described as professional, helpful, and able to handle the route, but no individual guide name is provided.

The group format can work well if you enjoy meeting people and want the simplest way to connect Marrakech with Fez. It works less well if you want to stop whenever a view catches your eye or spend an hour at every kasbah.

Pickup is offered in Marrakech, and the experience is near public transportation. Confirmation is received at booking. The child rate applies only when sharing with two paying adults, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

What is included, and what will cost extra

The package includes the main elements that make the desert portion possible:

• Transport in a minibus or minivan
• A professional driver
• One night in a desert camp
• Dinner
• Breakfast
• Camel riding
• Free sandboarding

Lunches and drinks are not included. Since you will spend much of both days on the road, those extra purchases are not minor details. Bring some Moroccan dirhams and keep water available during the drives.

Travel insurance is also not included. That matters because the tour requires good physical fitness and takes you through remote areas. You should arrange your own cover before departure.

At $100, the value is strongest when you count the overnight stay and the camel transfer, not just the transportation. A private version would offer more control, but the shared format keeps the cost low while still covering the signature desert activities.

Who should book this two-day route

I would recommend this trip to you if you want to:

• Connect Marrakech and Fez without returning to Marrakech
• See the desert but have only one night available
• Try a camel ride and sandboarding
• Visit several major regions of southern Morocco in a short time
• Accept long driving days in exchange for a low price
• Travel in a shared group of up to 17 people

I would be cautious about recommending it if you need a slow pace, long stops, or a great deal of personal space. The first day is especially intense, and the second day still involves about eight hours of travel.

It is also not the best choice for anyone with limited physical fitness. Walking on dunes, riding a camel, handling sandboarding, and keeping up with an early sunrise schedule all take effort.

The trip is a good bridge between cities and a compact introduction to the desert. It is not a full desert retreat, and it does not pretend to be one.

Booking timing and cancellation

This experience is booked, on average, 42 days ahead, so planning early is sensible if your Morocco dates are fixed. Pickup is offered, and confirmation arrives at the time of booking.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund. The trip also depends on good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

Should you book the Marrakech to Fez desert crossing?

Book it if your priority is maximum scenery and minimum backtracking. The route links Marrakech, the High Atlas, Ouarzazate, the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley, Merzouga, the Ziz Valley, the Middle Atlas, and Fez in only two days. The camel ride, desert camp, dinner, sunrise, and sandboarding give the transfer real character.

Skip it if the thought of many hours in a shared vehicle outweighs the appeal of the desert. You will spend much of the experience on the road, and the short stop pattern limits detailed sightseeing.

For the right person, $100 is a very good deal. Go in prepared for an early start, long drives, simple logistics, and a physically active overnight. If you can accept that trade, this is an efficient and memorable way to make the difficult Marrakech to Fez journey.

FAQ

How long does the trip take?

The experience lasts approximately two days. The first day is listed at about nine hours, and the second day is listed at about eight hours before arrival in Fez.

Where does the tour start and end?

Pickup is offered in Marrakech. The trip ends in Fez on the afternoon of the second day.

Is the camel ride included?

Yes. The package includes a camel ride of about one hour from the area near the Erg Chebbi dunes to the desert camp, followed by a camel ride back the next morning.

Is a desert camp stay included?

Yes. One overnight stay in a desert camp is included, along with dinner and breakfast.

Are sandboarding and drinks included?

Sandboarding is included free of charge. Drinks and lunches are not included.

How large is the group?

The shared tour has a maximum of 17 travelers and uses a comfortable minibus or minivan.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted, and poor-weather cancellations may be moved to another date or fully refunded.