6-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert & Imperial Cities

Today we will depart Marrakech in the morning, heading south in your private air-conditioned vehicle toward the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, the highest major mountain pass in North Africa at 2,260 metres. The drive is one of the most scenic in the country, winding through switchbacks with sweeping views over terraced Berber villages, walnut and almond groves, and colourful mineral-rich rock formations, with several stops at panoramic viewpoints along the way. Descending the far side, we reach Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified ksar above the Ounila River and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, one of the best-preserved examples of pre-Saharan earthen architecture anywhere in the world, its dramatic silhouette having appeared in films including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. We take a guided walk through the narrow lanes up to the old communal granary at the top for panoramic views over the valley. A short drive brings us to Ouarzazate, nicknamed the 'Door of the Desert' and, more recently, the 'Hollywood of Africa' thanks to the Atlas Film Studios, where we visit the Taourirt Kasbah, a former residence of the powerful Glaoui family and one of the finest examples of traditional earthen architecture in the country, before checking in for the night. Lunch is usually taken in Ouarzazate before we check in for the night, giving a proper midday break on this long first day of driving.

After breakfast, we continue along the aptly named Road of a Thousand Kasbahs toward the Dades Valley, also known as the Valley of Roses for the Persian rose bushes cultivated here and used in the region's famous rosewater and cosmetics industry. The valley is striking — dramatic folded rock formations, sometimes called the 'Monkey Fingers' for their unusual eroded shapes, rise above a green ribbon of almond and fig orchards, dotted with earthen kasbahs in various states of preservation. We stop at a scenic viewpoint over the valley's most photographed rock formations before continuing to Todra Gorge, one of Morocco's most dramatic natural landmarks, where sheer pink and orange limestone cliffs rise up to 300 metres on either side of a narrow canyon in places barely 10 metres wide. We spend an hour or so here for a short walk along the canyon floor and photographs of the towering walls, a popular spot for rock climbers from around the world, before checking in to a kasbah-style hotel in the Dades Valley for the night, with wonderful terrace views over the surrounding rock formations for a relaxed dinner as the sun sets. Lunch is typically enjoyed near Todra Gorge, often on a terrace overlooking the palm oasis below, a shaded and welcome stop.

This morning we continue east and then south toward Merzouga, on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dune sea, arriving in the mid-afternoon with time to rest before the highlight of the day. As the light begins to soften, camel handlers meet us for the final leg of the journey — mounting your camel for a genuinely unforgettable sunset trek across the dunes, the changing colours of the sand as the sun drops toward the horizon are difficult to describe and impossible to forget. After roughly 45-60 minutes of gentle camel trekking, we arrive at our exclusive desert camp, nestled among some of the highest dunes in Morocco, reaching over 150 metres. Settle into your comfortable Berber tent, enjoy a traditional dinner cooked over an open fire, and later, gather around the campfire as local Berber musicians play traditional drums and sing under what is, on a clear night, one of the most spectacular starscapes anywhere on Earth — Merzouga's remoteness and lack of light pollution make it a genuine dark-sky destination, and stargazing here is a highlight many guests remember long after the trip ends. Lunch back at camp today is a relaxed affair, giving a proper midday break in the middle of your Sahara stay.

For those willing to wake before dawn, this morning offers one of the most memorable experiences of the trip: climbing a nearby dune in the dark to watch the sunrise over the Sahara. Afterwards, return to camp for a simple Berber breakfast before driving back to Merzouga village by 4x4, where your driver will be waiting. From here we head north, crossing the dramatic Ziz Valley, a ribbon of palm groves and mudbrick ksour villages, and climbing into the Middle Atlas via Er-Rachidia and the market town of Midelt. As we continue toward Fes, the landscape shifts from arid plains to pine and cedar forest around Azrou and Ifrane before descending toward the plains of Fes-Meknes. We arrive in Fes, Morocco's spiritual and cultural capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the evening, with time to check in to your riad and take an easy orientation walk before tomorrow's full day of exploration. Fes is widely regarded as Morocco's culinary capital, and dinner tonight is an excellent opportunity to sample a refined Fassi tagine.

Today is dedicated entirely to Fes, and we recommend an early start, around 9am, to explore the medina before the midday heat and crowds build up. Your driver will hand you over to a licensed local guide (compulsory in Fes, as the medina's over 9,000 alleyways are notoriously easy to get lost in), who will lead you through Fes el-Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. We begin at Bab Boujloud, the ornate blue-and-green tiled 'Blue Gate', winding through souks organised by traditional guild. A highlight is the Chouara Tannery, one of the oldest in the world, where hides are still dyed by hand in stone vats using methods largely unchanged for a thousand years. We also view the exterior of the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University, founded in 859 AD and recognised as the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world, and visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, celebrated for its intricate cedar carving. Lunch is taken at a traditional Fassi restaurant, often serving pastilla or a slow-cooked lamb tagine with prunes and almonds. The afternoon continues at a gentler pace, with time to browse the souks, before returning to your riad — many guests enjoy a hammam and massage this evening, a well-earned moment of relaxation before tomorrow's onward journey.

Depending on your onward travel plans, this final morning offers a little extra time in Fes — perhaps a last stroll through the medina to pick up ceramics, leatherwork, or brassware, all specialities of the city, or a visit to a traditional pottery cooperative to see artisans hand-painting the distinctive blue Fassi ceramics for which the city is famous. If your flight departs from Fes-Saïs Airport, your private driver will transfer you directly, a journey of around twenty minutes from the medina. If your return flight is from Marrakech or Casablanca instead, we can arrange a private transfer or connecting flight according to your preference — please let us know in advance so we can plan the smoothest possible route home. Over these six days, you will have crossed the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, explored the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, wound through the dramatic Dades Valley and Todra Gorge, slept beneath the stars in a luxury desert camp among the towering dunes of Erg Chebbi, crossed the Middle Atlas, and discovered the imperial grandeur of Fes — a genuinely comprehensive journey through southern and central Morocco's most iconic landscapes and cities. On behalf of your driver, guides, and the entire Marokko Travel team, thank you for travelling with us on this comprehensive journey from Marrakech to imperial Fes.