Merzouga Sahara Desert 2-Day Tour with Camp Night from Fes
4.8 (2,094 reviews) from travellers who booked this experience
Overview
This two-day return tour takes you from Fes across the Middle Atlas and the Ziz Valley to the great Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, then back again. Transport is shared in an air-conditioned vehicle with a driver, and the night is spent in a luxury desert camp with a private bathroom and shower. You ride a camel into the dunes, try sandboarding, have dinner at the camp with live entertainment, and see the Sahara change colour at sunset and sunrise.
Highlights
- A night in a luxury desert camp with a private bathroom and shower
- Camel ride into the golden Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga
- Sandboarding on the dunes, plus live entertainment at the camp
- Breakfast and dinner at the camp are included
- Scenic drive through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas and the palm groves of the Ziz Valley
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Fes in an air-conditioned shared vehicle
Full Description
Fes to Merzouga: the Middle Atlas and Ifrane road
The journey from Fes to Merzouga is about 550 km and takes roughly seven hours of driving without stops, so the first day is largely a scenic drive. The road climbs into the Middle Atlas, passing Ifrane, a mountain town of Alpine-style roofs and clean streets, then the cedar forests around Azrou, where wild Barbary macaques are often seen near the roadside.
These are the stops many people want when they search for a Fes to Merzouga tour: broad plateaus, apple orchards around Midelt and snow on the high peaks in winter. The exact stops and the lunch place vary with traffic and the season, and lunch is not included, so plan to buy it on the way along with bottled water.
The Ziz Valley and the road to the oasis
South of Midelt the landscape turns from forest to rocky gorge and then to a long green ribbon of palm trees. The Ziz Valley follows a river through red cliffs and passes the tunnel cut by the French Foreign Legion in the late 1920s, before opening on the oasis towns of Errachidia and Erfoud, where date palms and mud-brick villages stand against the desert.
Between the gorge and the dunes you pass kasbahs and ksour, the fortified villages of the Berber communities, and the colours shift from green to ochre. It is a good moment for photos, and your driver can pause at a viewpoint when conditions allow.
Erg Chebbi dunes and the camel ride
Erg Chebbi is the great sand sea beside Merzouga, near the Algerian border. Its ridges rise to well over a hundred metres and stretch for kilometres, with dune colours shifting from pale gold to deep orange as the light changes. Many travellers who book a Merzouga camel trek hope for a sunset ride, and this tour reaches the dunes in time for that.
Your camel ride carries you from the edge of the village to the camp, where it forms part of the arrival. If a health problem or injury means you cannot ride, tell us in advance by email or WhatsApp and the camp can be reached by van instead. Wear closed shoes and a scarf for the wind-blown sand, and take your sunglasses.
The luxury desert camp and sunrise
The night is spent in a luxury camp with a private bathroom and shower, which is a real difference from basic desert camps. After the camel ride you can try sandboarding on the nearest dunes, then gather for dinner under the stars, with live entertainment at the camp. Breakfast and dinner are included; mineral water is not, so buy extra before you arrive.
Is a Sahara desert tour worth it? The sunrise answers that for most people: the dunes turn pink and then gold within an hour, and the desert is quiet. After breakfast, the return drive to Fes begins, with the same route in reverse. Desert nights are cool in winter, so pack a warm layer, while summer days are very hot.
Itinerary
- Day 1 – Hotel pickup in FesThe vehicle collects guests from around 07:30; guests staying in the old medina wait at the nearest drivable meeting point we confirm the evening before.
- Day 1 – Middle Atlas, Ifrane and AzrouA scenic drive through mountain towns and cedar forests, with short stops and a lunch break (lunch not included).
- Day 1 – Midelt and the Ziz ValleyThe road continues through the gorge and palm groves towards Errachidia and Erfoud.
- Day 1 – Merzouga, camel ride and campArrive at the dunes, ride a camel to the luxury camp, try sandboarding, enjoy dinner and live entertainment.
- Day 2 – Sunrise and breakfastWatch the dunes change colour at sunrise, then have breakfast at the camp.
- Day 2 – Return to FesA full day of driving back along the same route, arriving at your hotel in the evening.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Fes
- Transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional driver and fuel
- Luxury desert camp with private bathroom and shower
- Camel ride in the dunes
- Sandboarding
- Breakfast and dinner at the desert camp
- Live entertainment at the camp
Not included
- Lunch
- Local guide
- Driver tips
- Mineral water at the camp
Not suitable for
- Travellers who dislike very long drives, as each day includes around seven hours or more on the road
- Anyone expecting a guided tour: transport is with a professional driver and a local guide is not included
- Visitors who cannot sit comfortably for long periods or have serious back problems
- Travellers who want a private tour or a longer stay in the desert
Meeting point
Pickup is from your hotel in Fes from around 07:30. Guests staying inside the old medina wait at the nearest drivable meeting point, a gate or car park at the edge of the medina, and we confirm the point and the time by message the evening before.
Important information
- Bring bottled water for the overnight stay: mineral water at the camp is not included, and you can also buy it at stops on the way
- Wear comfortable closed shoes, a sun hat, sunglasses and light clothes for the day, plus a warm layer, because desert nights are cold
- Pack a small overnight bag for the camp and keep your main luggage light, as space in the vehicle is shared
- Lunch and driver tips are not included
- If you have a health problem that prevents you from riding a camel, tell us in advance so the camp can be reached by van
- The exact pickup time and meeting point are confirmed the evening before, so keep your phone on
- Take a scarf or shawl as protection against blowing sand and sun
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
How much does the Merzouga 2-day tour from Fes cost?
The price depends on the date and the number of travellers. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for the option, so choose your date and group size and you will see the total before you book.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes. The tour includes pickup and drop-off at your hotel in Fes. If you stay in the old medina, you wait at the nearest drivable meeting point, which we confirm the evening before.
How long is the drive from Fes to Merzouga?
About seven hours of driving without stops over roughly 550 km, so with breaks and lunch you should expect to arrive in the afternoon or early evening.
What does the desert camp include?
A luxury camp with a private bathroom and shower, breakfast and dinner, and live entertainment. Mineral water at the camp is not included.
Is a camel ride included?
Yes, a camel ride into the dunes is part of the tour, along with sandboarding. If you cannot ride because of a health problem, tell us in advance and you can enter the camp by van.
Is this tour suitable for children?
It suits children who can handle long drives and a night in the desert. The camel ride and cold desert evening need preparation, so bring warm clothes.
What should I wear and bring?
Closed comfortable shoes, light clothes by day, a warm layer for the night, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a scarf and bottled water.
Can I book for today or tomorrow?
The booking panel shows the dates that are open. Because pickup is early in the morning, book as early as possible; same-day and next-day dates may not be available.
What is the difference between the options?
This page offers one option: a shared-transport tour with a luxury camp, a camel ride, sandboarding, breakfast and dinner. The transport is shared, while the camp itself is a luxury camp.
When is the best time to visit the Sahara at Merzouga?
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. Summer days are extremely hot and winter nights are cold, though winter skies are often very clear.