3 Days Ouarzazate to Fes Desert Tour: Full 2026 Route via Merzouga
If you’re starting in Ouarzazate — the southern gateway to the Sahara and home to Atlas Studios — and you need to end in Fez, the 3 days Ouarzazate to Fes desert tour is the version that gives the middle day a full desert exploration rather than just an overnight. Day one takes you east via the Todra Gorge to the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Day two is spent entirely in the Merzouga region — nomads, Khamlia Gnawa music, abandoned mining villages, the seasonal flamingo lake. Day three brings you north across the Middle Atlas via the Ziz Valley, cedar forest, and Ifrane to Fez.
This 2026 guide walks through the full itinerary, costs, inclusions, and practical details.
Why Three Days Is the Right Length
The 2 day version of this route is workable but rushed — you essentially use the middle as a travel day from the desert back north. The 3 day version frees that middle day for the Merzouga exploration that the region deserves. You meet a Berber nomad family in their handwoven tent, visit an old galena mine that once supplied kohl (the eyeliner traded across the Sahara for centuries), hear live Gnawa music in the Sub-Saharan-rooted village of Khamlia, and see the seasonal flamingo lake when it fills in spring.
For the shorter alternative, see our 2 days desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga and Fes. For the full tours from Ouarzazate category, browse all durations.
Day-by-Day: 3 Days Ouarzazate to Fes Itinerary
Day 1: Ouarzazate to Merzouga via Todra Gorge
Early morning pick-up from your accommodation or airport in Ouarzazate. The drive east follows the old caravan route. First major stop is the Todra Gorge, where the Todra river has carved a deep slot canyon through the mountains — red cliffs rise around 300 metres on either side. You’ll have time to walk through the most dramatic section.
Continue through the palm groves of Touroug and Tinjdad. Free time for lunch on the road. By late afternoon you reach Merzouga. Camels wait at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Ride across the sand with a sunset stop on a high ridge, then arrive at the luxury camp. Dinner in the large communal tent, Berber drumming around a campfire, stars overhead. Overnight in a private tent with en-suite bathroom.
Driving distance: approximately 6 hours.
Day 2: Full Day Exploring the Merzouga Desert
The full desert exploration day — the reason to book this over a shorter route. Morning off-road drive to an abandoned village with old galena mines. Galena was the raw material for kohl, the black eyeliner traded across North Africa for centuries, and the mine entrances still stand.
Mid-morning: tea with a Berber nomad family in their tent. They live there year-round, moving every few months as the grazing shifts. Mint tea served strong and sweet, conversation usually about goats, children going to school, and why they prefer the open tent to a village house.
Next stop: Khamlia, a small village south of Merzouga with roots in Mali, Sudan, and Niger. The community hall is simple but the Gnawa music performed there is genuinely local — krakebs (iron castanets) and sentir (three-stringed lute). Free time for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, a walk through a palm grove and a drive to the seasonal flamingo lake — when the lake fills, flamingos gather in numbers. Later, swap back to camels for another sunset crossing of the dunes to the luxury camp. Dinner and second night at the camp.
Off-road driving only.
Day 3: Merzouga to Fez via Rissani, Erfoud, Ziz Valley, Cedar Forest, Ifrane
Sunrise over the dunes. Breakfast at camp and return to Merzouga by camel or 4×4.
The drive north starts with Rissani, the former capital of the Tafilalet region. If the day is a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday, the traditional souk is in full swing — livestock, dates, household goods. Continue to Erfoud for a fossil workshop visit (the region was a shallow sea millions of years ago).
The road then follows the Ziz river north with a panoramic viewpoint over the Ziz Valley palm groves. Lunch in Midelt. Afternoon crossing of the Middle Atlas with a stop in the cedar forest near Azrou — Barbary macaques often appear at the roadside. Last stop is Ifrane, the small mountain town with chalet-style houses known as the Switzerland of Morocco.
Drop-off at your accommodation or airport in Fez in the evening.
Driving distance: approximately 7 hours.
What’s Included in the 3 Day Tour
A typical 3 days desert tour from Ouarzazate to Fes includes pick-up from your riad or any location in Ouarzazate, private air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan, English-speaking driver, two nights at a luxury desert camp with private en-suite bathroom, camel ride (or 4×4 transfer if preferred), 4×4 desert excursion, sandboards, two dinners and two breakfasts at the camp, and drop-off at your riad in Fez.
Not included: lunches, beverages, entrance fees, tips. For luxury accommodation upgrades, see the luxury tours page.
Prices for 2026
Starting rates 2026: around 260-360 euros per person for a group of two, lower in larger groups. Luxury tier adds 20-40%. Cross-reference with TripAdvisor Morocco for current benchmarks.
Best Time to Go
March-May and September-November are ideal. Summer temperatures in the Sahara can exceed 45°C; winter nights can drop near freezing. The Moroccan National Tourist Office has monthly climate data by region.
What to Pack
Layers. Light jacket for desert nights, scarf or shemagh for the camel ride, sunglasses, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, small daypack for the overnight at camp. Main luggage goes ahead by 4×4 while you ride camels.
Alternatives
For a shorter version, see the 2 days desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga and Fes. To end in Marrakech instead, see the 3 days desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga and Marrakech. All options at the tours from Ouarzazate category page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I arrive at Ouarzazate airport and start straight away?
Yes. Ouarzazate airport (OZZ) has flights from Casablanca daily. Pick-up at the airport is included.
What’s the camel ride like?
Typically 40 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the camp. If you’d rather not ride, a 4×4 transfer between the dunes edge and the camp is available at no extra cost.
Do the camps have private bathrooms?
Luxury camps have private en-suite tents with real beds, hot water, and flush toilets. Standard camps use shared bathrooms.
Is the tour private?
Private by default — your group only. Shared small-group versions exist at lower per-person rates with fixed schedules.
Ready to Book?
The 3 days Ouarzazate to Fes desert tour is the best-paced version of this direction. For a tailored quote with specific accommodations and add-ons, use our contact page and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
