Overview
The 6 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara Desert follows Morocco’s great diagonal — the journey from the ancient medieval north to the vibrant imperial south, crossing the full width of the country through landscapes of extraordinary variety. In six days you move from the world’s largest living medieval city, through mountain cedar forests, across the Sahara Desert’s greatest dune sea, through canyon gorges and palm oases, past UNESCO-listed kasbahs, over the High Atlas Mountains, and into the Red City. It is one of the most geographically and culturally concentrated journeys available anywhere in the world.
The Fes–Marrakech route via the Sahara is the backbone of Morocco travel — the circuit that the majority of travellers to the country attempt in some form. This six-day version moves at a pace that allows genuine engagement with each destination rather than mere transit. The Sahara night at Erg Chebbi (Day 3) is the emotional centrepiece that the entire journey builds toward; everything before it is anticipation and everything after it is memory. Travellers consistently describe it as the most remarkable night of their lives.
Beginning in Fes also allows for a guided day in the medina before departure south — an experience that, once had, redefines what the word “old city” means. The Fes medina is the largest vehicle-free urban area in the world, a labyrinth of 9,000 streets and lanes, 350 mosques, and 700 years of continuous habitation. A day there with a licensed guide is one of the defining Morocco experiences, and this tour provides it on Day 1.
Highlights
- Full day in Fes with licensed medina specialist — tanneries, madrasas, souks
- Cross the Middle Atlas cedar forests — cedar monkeys and mountain villages
- Descend through the Ziz Valley palm oasis corridor to the Sahara
- Sunset camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga
- Overnight in a luxury Berber desert camp with stargazing and live music
- Walk Todra Gorge — 300-metre canyon walls of extraordinary drama
- Drive the Dades Valley — the road of a thousand kasbahs
- Visit Ait Benhaddou — UNESCO-listed ksar and most filmed location in Africa
- Atlas Film Studios tour in Ouarzazate
- Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n’Tichka — the most spectacular mountain road in Morocco
- Arrive in Marrakech — Jemaa el-Fnaa, Koutoubia, and the Red City
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Fes — Full Medina Day
Licensed specialist guide all day in the Fes medina: Bou Inania Medersa (the finest example of Merinid architecture in Morocco), the Attarine Medersa and souk, the Chouara tanneries (the oldest leather tannery in the world, still producing by medieval methods), the potters’ quarter of Ain Khail, and the Jewish Mellah. Lunch in a Fassi restaurant. Overnight in a Fes medina riad.
Day 2: Fes to Merzouga via Middle Atlas
Depart Fes south through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas. Stop at Azrou — the cedar forest where wild Barbary macaques live among the trees at the roadside. Continue through Midelt to the Ziz Valley — the great palm oasis corridor that runs south toward the desert. Arrive at Merzouga and the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes in the late afternoon. Camel ride at sunset into the dunes. Overnight in a luxury Berber desert camp.
Day 3: Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge
Sunrise over the dunes. Breakfast. Drive west through Rissani and the Draa Valley palmeries. Enter Todra Gorge — a dramatic slot canyon with 300-metre vertical walls and a cold, clear river running through the base. Walk the gorge floor (30 minutes). Continue west through the Dades Valley — the most spectacular continuous kasbah landscape in Morocco, with ancient earthen towers and fortified villages at every bend of the river. Arrive in Ouarzazate. Overnight.
Day 4: Ouarzazate — Ait Benhaddou & Atlas Studios
Morning at Ait Benhaddou — the UNESCO-listed ksar (fortified village) that has been the backdrop for Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, Game of Thrones, and dozens of other productions. Cross the river and explore the ksar on foot with your guide. Return to Ouarzazate for the Atlas Film Studios tour — the largest film studio complex in Africa, with full-scale sets from major productions. Afternoon: Taourirt Kasbah. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
Day 5: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Tizi n’Tichka
Cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n’Tichka pass road (2,260 metres). The road climbs through Berber villages, cedar forest, and mountain pasture before reaching the pass and descending through the dramatic southern slopes of the Atlas toward the Marrakech plain. Stops at viewpoints and villages along the way. Arrive in Marrakech mid-afternoon. First evening at Jemaa el-Fnaa — the great square with its storytellers, musicians, snake charmers, and food stalls. Overnight in a Marrakech medina riad.
Day 6: Marrakech — Guided Tour
Guided tour of Marrakech: Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, El Badi ruins, the spice souk and dyers’ souk of the medina. Majorelle Garden and its Yves Saint Laurent Museum in the afternoon. Free evening on Jemaa el-Fnaa. Overnight in Marrakech or transfer to airport.
What’s Included
- Private transport throughout
- Licensed specialist guide for Fes medina (Day 1)
- Expert English-speaking licensed guide throughout
- Camel ride at sunset in Erg Chebbi
- Luxury overnight in Berber desert camp (dinner and breakfast)
- 5 nights in riads or guesthouses (breakfasts daily)
- Entrance fees: Bou Inania Medersa, Ait Benhaddou, Atlas Film Studios, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, Majorelle Garden
What’s Not Included
- International flights to and from Morocco
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Personal lunches and most dinners
- Tips for guides and driver
- Visa fees where applicable
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Travel Tips
Day 2 (Fes to Merzouga) involves the longest driving time — approximately 7 hours with stops, so an early 7am departure from Fes is recommended to reach the dunes comfortably before sunset. The camel ride is the emotional peak of the tour — allow at least 90 minutes for the full sunset ride into the dunes. Todra Gorge is best in the morning before tour buses arrive. Tizi n’Tichka in winter may have snow — chains are required in January and February.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can this tour be done in reverse — Marrakech to Fes? A: Yes — we offer the same route in both directions. The Marrakech to Fes direction is popular for travellers flying in and out of Marrakech.
Q: How does this 6-day tour compare to the 7-day Tangier to Marrakech tour? A: This tour begins in Fes (skipping the Tangier–Chefchaouen–Fes northern leg) and spends more time in Fes itself with a full medina day. It’s the better choice for travellers already in Fes or flying into Fes directly.
Q: What is a luxury desert camp? A: Luxury desert camps are permanent tented camps inside the dunes with proper beds (not sleeping bags on the ground), en-suite shower facilities, Berber dinner with musicians, and the extraordinary experience of the desert night sky. They are significantly more comfortable than the basic backpacker camps and are the only way to properly enjoy the Sahara overnight experience.