From Fez: 2-Day Desert Tour with Return to Fez or Marrakech

Merzouga is a long way from Fez, but that distance is part of the point. This two-day desert trip carries you over the Middle Atlas, through cedar forest and Berber villages, then onto the dunes of Erg Chebbi for a sunset camel ride and a night in a tented camp.

I like the way the route includes more than a quick dash to the Sahara. You get the cedar forest near Azrou, a stop in fossil-rich Midelt, and a long look at Morocco changing from mountain country to desert. I also like that dinner, breakfast, the camel ride, sandboarding, and air-conditioned transport are included.

The catch is simple: the driving is very long. Day one takes most of the day before you reach Merzouga, and the return to Fez also takes about six hours. The overnight camp can be very cold in winter, and lunch and drinks cost extra.

Key details before you book

• Sunset by camel at Erg Chebbi: Ride across the dunes for about two hours, with the camp as your evening destination.
• A full Atlas Mountains crossing: Ifrane, Azrou, cedar trees, rocky hills, springs, and Berber villages break up the long drive.
• Small group format: The vehicle carries no more than 15 people, with pickup from your Fez hotel or riad offered.
• One night under desert skies: Dinner, a Berber-style tent, evening music and dancing, and stargazing are part of the overnight stop.
• Sunrise comes early: You can walk over the dunes before returning by camel for breakfast and a shower.
• Budget-friendly package: At $120 per person, the price covers the main desert activities and two meals, but not lunch or drinks.

Why this Fez to Merzouga trip works

This is not a relaxed weekend outing. It is a fast, scenic crossing of Morocco that gives you one night in the Sahara without arranging several separate transfers.

That makes the tour useful if you are based in Fez and want to see Merzouga but do not want to rent a car, plan desert transport, or negotiate a sequence of local rides. An air-conditioned minivan, a professional driver-guide, camel handlers, and a camp are arranged as one package.

The route also gives you a useful taste of inland Morocco. You begin in Fez, climb toward Ifrane, pass through the Atlas Mountains, stop around Midelt, and then descend toward the desert. The scenery changes sharply, which is one reason the long drive feels like a proper journey rather than a simple transfer.

Still, you need to be honest with yourself about the schedule. You leave at 8 a.m., reach Merzouga around 5 p.m., ride the camels for roughly two hours, and then spend the night at camp. The following morning starts with sunrise and another camel ride before the return drive. If you want several quiet days in the desert, choose a longer itinerary.

Ifrane and Azrou: Morocco takes a Swiss turn

The first major stop is Ifrane, a mountain resort built by the French in the 1930s. Its chalet-style architecture and winter-sports character look surprisingly European, which makes it an odd but memorable opening to the route.

Ifrane is not the main reason to book this experience. Its value is practical and scenic. You are gaining height, leaving the city behind, and entering the mountain road that leads toward the Sahara.

The route then reaches the cedar forest near Azrou. This is one of the most popular breaks because you may see Barbary macaques in the trees. Some outings include an opportunity to feed them, although the exact stop can vary with the day and the guide.

The road through this section includes forests, springs, exposed rock, and Berber villages. I like this stretch because it gives you a better sense of Morocco’s interior than a direct Fez to Merzouga drive would. You also get a chance to stretch your legs before the longest part of the journey.

Keep your camera ready, but do not expect a lengthy mountain hike. The stated stop takes about three hours, and that time includes the route through Ifrane and the cedar forest. This is sightseeing from the road with short breaks, not a walking tour of the Atlas.

Midelt: a useful lunch stop in the middle of nowhere

Midelt comes roughly halfway through the journey. The town is known for fossils and rocks, and the stop gives you time for lunch, a bathroom break, and a change from sitting in the minivan.

Lunch is not included, so plan to pay separately. The quality and choice of the restaurant may depend on the day’s arrangements. One complaint connected to this kind of itinerary concerned an unpleasant tourist restaurant and poor food, while other accounts described the meal stops as convenient and satisfactory.

My advice is to treat lunch as a practical stop rather than a culinary highlight. Bring some snacks, carry water, and ask your guide what is included before ordering. Drinks are also excluded from the $120 price.

From Midelt, the road continues toward the desert. This is the point when the trip can feel long. You are still hours from the dunes, and the return journey will cover much of the same ground. The scenery helps, but this schedule rewards people who prefer seeing a lot in a short time.

Arriving in Merzouga and meeting the camels

You are scheduled to reach Merzouga around 5 p.m. Your guide and camels wait for the desert section, with a short break before the ride begins.

The camel trek across Erg Chebbi lasts about two hours. The best part is the timing. You are out among the dunes near sunset, when the sand catches softer light and the air cools. The ride is not a full-day expedition, but it gives you the classic Sahara experience without requiring a longer desert stay.

Camel riding is physical. You sit high above the sand, hold on as the animal rises and kneels, and spend a substantial period on its back. The tour asks for moderate physical fitness, so it may be uncomfortable if you have mobility limits or dislike riding animals.

You will likely want a scarf, sunscreen, a hat, and a small bag with essentials. Keep larger luggage in the vehicle or at the hotel as directed. Sand gets everywhere, and a simple packing strategy makes the evening easier.

The route reaches camp after about two hours. The camels are hobbled, mint tea is served, and you have time to settle into the tent before dinner. Sandboarding is included at no extra charge, giving you another way to enjoy the dunes if you still have energy.

The Berber camp after dark

The overnight stay is the emotional center of the trip. Dinner is included, and the evening may feature a campfire, music, dancing, and time beneath the stars. A sandstorm once forced the evening program indoors, but the camp staff still arranged music and dancing inside. That is a useful reminder that desert weather can change the plan quickly.

The camp is described as Berber-style, with some departures using more comfortable or luxury-style tents. Do not read too much into the word luxury. The experience remains outdoors, and conditions can be basic compared with a hotel in Fez.

Winter nights can be extremely cold. One account specifically noted that the tent had no heating and became very uncomfortable. Pack warm layers, socks, and something suitable for sleeping in cold conditions. Even if the afternoon feels warm, the temperature can drop sharply after sunset.

Stargazing is one of the strongest reasons to accept the long drive. Away from Fez and the mountain towns, the open desert gives you a broad night sky. The exact view depends on clouds, sand, and moonlight, but the setting itself is the reward.

Dinner and breakfast are covered. Lunch, drinks, and any personal purchases are not. Vegetarian food is available if you request it when booking, which is worth arranging ahead of time rather than hoping for a suitable plate at camp.

Sunrise, shower, and the road back

The second morning begins early. You can walk over the dunes and watch the sunrise, with the Algerian border described as about 50 kilometers from Merzouga. This is not a border visit, and you should not expect to cross into Algeria. The point is the wide-open eastern horizon.

After sunrise, you ride the camels back to the hotel area. There, you can shower and have breakfast before the road journey begins. That shower matters. After a night in the sand and a morning ride, even a basic wash makes the return trip much more comfortable.

The schedule then uses a 4×4 to reach Rissani, where you change back into the minivan. This vehicle change is an important detail. You are not simply climbing into the same transport at camp, and the journey has several moving parts.

The drive back includes rest and lunch stops. You are expected to reach Fez in the late afternoon or evening, but the exact arrival time depends on road conditions, breaks, and the pace of the group.

The tour title offers a return to Fez or Marrakech, but the detailed route provided for this experience describes a return to Fez. Confirm your preferred end point before paying, especially if Marrakech is part of a larger Morocco itinerary.

Drivers, guides, and group size

The driver-guide has a major effect on a trip with this much road time. A guide named Hassan is specifically associated with helpful explanations, good meal arrangements, and strong knowledge of the places along the route. Other drivers are described as friendly, including one who spoke Spanish and helped make communication easier.

You should still clarify the pickup plan the night before. Pickup is offered from your Fez hotel or riad, but narrow lanes may require you to walk to a nearby meeting point. WhatsApp contact the evening before has helped confirm the exact location for some departures.

The maximum group size is 15. That is not a private tour, but it is small enough to keep the minivan manageable. Group size also affects meal stops, bathroom breaks, camel timing, and how long it takes to gather everyone after each stop.

There have been sharply different experiences with driving standards and stop management. Some departures have included useful photo stops and clear explanations. Another account described personal stops, skipped attractions, and a return journey that took much longer than expected. You cannot remove all uncertainty from a group road trip, but you can ask the driver about the planned stops and return timing at the start.

Is $120 a fair price?

At $120 per person, the price is reasonable if you value convenience. You receive transport from Fez, a professional driver-guide, the camel ride, one night in the desert camp, dinner, breakfast, and sandboarding. Arranging those pieces separately would take more time and could cost more once transport to Merzouga is added.

The price is less attractive if you want a private vehicle, flexible sightseeing, a quiet camp, or carefully chosen meals. Lunch and drinks are extra, and the included accommodation may not provide heating in winter.

I would judge the value by asking one question: Do you want the Sahara experience, or do you want a slow trip through Morocco? If your main goal is to ride a camel at sunset and sleep in a desert camp, this package does a lot for the money. If the road journey sounds exhausting, spend more time in the desert and travel at a slower pace.

The tour is often booked well ahead, with an average booking time of about 39 days. That suggests you should not leave it until the last minute if your Fez dates are fixed.

Who should book this desert trip?

I would recommend it to you if you:

• Have only two days available from Fez
• Want transport and the desert camp arranged together
• Enjoy changing scenery and long road journeys
• Are comfortable with a two-hour camel ride
• Want a group outing rather than a private, custom route
• Can handle basic camp conditions and cold nighttime temperatures

I would think twice if you:

• Need a relaxed schedule
• Dislike long minivan journeys
• Require guaranteed luxury or heated accommodation
• Want extensive time for hiking in the dunes
• Need complete control over restaurant and photo stops

Families can enjoy the camel ride, music, and sandboarding, but the driving time may test younger children. The moderate fitness requirement matters for the camel ride and the repeated transfers.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a practical, low-cost way to reach Erg Chebbi from Fez and you accept that most of the experience takes place on the road. The sunset camel ride, desert dinner, stars, and sunrise are memorable, while the Atlas route gives the journey more variety than a direct transfer.

Before booking, confirm three things: your exact return city, the pickup point at your riad, and the type of tent and winter bedding provided. Bring warm clothes, water, snacks, and money for lunch and drinks. With those expectations set, this is a strong choice for a first Sahara visit, but not for anyone seeking a leisurely desert holiday.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately two days. Day one runs from the 8 a.m. departure from Fez until the overnight stay near Merzouga. Day two includes sunrise, breakfast, and the return road journey.

What time does pickup begin?

The stated start time is 8 a.m. Pickup is offered from your Fez hotel or riad, though you may be directed to a nearby meeting point.

Is the camel ride included?

Yes. The package includes a camel ride across the Erg Chebbi dunes on the first evening and a camel ride back toward the hotel area the next morning.

Are meals included?

Dinner and breakfast are included. Lunches and drinks are not included.

Is the desert camp included?

Yes. One overnight stay in a desert camp with Berber-style tented accommodation is included.

Is sandboarding available?

Yes. Free sandboarding is included in the experience.

Can I request vegetarian food?

Yes. A vegetarian option is available, but you should advise the operator when booking.