Exclusive! 2 Days Desert Trip Marrakech to Fez via Ait Benhaddou

The Sahara is the shortcut you will never call short. This unusual Marrakech to Fez route crosses the High Atlas, historic kasbah country, the valleys near Ouarzazate, and the Erg Chebbi dunes before turning north through the Ziz Valley and Middle Atlas. I like that the trip includes a camel ride and desert camp, and I also like that sandboarding and breakfast are included rather than treated as costly extras. The main drawback is clear: the driving is intense, especially on the first day.

You spend one night in a Berber desert camp, eat dinner under the desert sky, and wake early for sunrise near Merzouga. That gives you the classic Moroccan desert experience without adding a separate return journey to Marrakech. Still, this is best for people who accept long road hours in exchange for seeing a large stretch of Morocco in only two days.

Key points to know before booking

• A one-way desert route: You travel from Marrakech to Fez, rather than returning to your starting city.
• A very long first day: The route includes the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, Ouarzazate, the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley, and Merzouga.
• A real desert overnight: The package includes a Berber tent, dinner, breakfast, camel riding, and free sandboarding.
• A morning sunrise near Merzouga: You can walk on the dunes before taking the camels back to the hotel.
• A small shared vehicle: The maximum group size is 17 people, with transport by minibus or minivan.
• A low headline price: At $100 per person, the value is strong, but lunches, drinks, and travel insurance cost extra.

Why this route is different from a normal Marrakech desert trip

Many desert outings from Marrakech are round trips. This one uses the desert as the middle chapter between two major cities. You begin in Marrakech and finish in Fez, which can save you from repeating the long road back west.

That one-way design is the tour’s biggest practical advantage. If your wider Morocco plan includes both cities, you get a scenic transfer and a desert night in the same package. You are not simply checking off a camel ride. You are crossing several distinct parts of the country.

The route also gives you a quick look at the High Atlas and southern Morocco before heading across the desert. The trade-off is time. You will spend many hours in the vehicle, with only a few quick stops on the first day. Think of this as a transport-heavy adventure with memorable stops, not a slow sightseeing holiday.

The operator describes this as a shared tour, with a maximum of 17 people. The vehicle may be a minibus or minivan. That keeps the cost down, but comfort depends on how full the vehicle is and how well you handle winding roads and long sitting periods.

Leaving Marrakech for the Tizi-n-Tichka pass

The first morning starts with pickup from your hotel in Marrakech. The route heads toward the High Atlas, climbing from the plains to the Tizi-n-Tichka pass at about 2,260 meters above sea level.

This climb changes the scenery quickly. You pass small villages and occasional waterfalls while the colors and shapes of the mountains shift around you. The pass is one of the most striking road crossings in Morocco, but it can also be tiring. The road climbs, turns, and continues for hours, so bring water and keep a light snack close.

The early section is not designed around long visits. You get brief chances to pause and take in the views, then it is back into the vehicle. If you want time for photographs, do not assume every scenic point will become a long stop. The schedule has a lot of ground to cover.

For me, this is where you need to set your expectations. The mountains are a strong opening to the trip, but the day is not a relaxed series of village visits. It is a long crossing toward the desert.

Ouarzazate, the Valley of Roses, and the Dades Valley

After the High Atlas, the route continues through Ouarzazate and then toward the Valley of Roses and the Dades Valley. These places help explain how sharply Morocco changes as you move south and east from Marrakech.

Ouarzazate is a well-known stopping point on southern Morocco routes. The Valley of Roses adds another change of color and scenery, while the Dades Valley brings you into a more rugged zone of cliffs, roads, and river-cut valleys.

The exact timing depends on the road and the group’s arrival at Merzouga. That matters because the desert portion begins later in the day, and you need enough daylight for the camel ride. The itinerary describes the first day as roughly nine hours, though the full transfer can feel longer once pickup, road conditions, short stops, and the final approach are counted.

A former customer gave the trip four out of five and praised the organization and the helpful, friendly staff, but pointed to the immense distances and too many hours on the road. That is a fair reading. The southern scenery is rewarding, yet you should not book this expecting generous time at each valley.

Arriving at Merzouga and crossing the Erg Chebbi dunes

At the desert settlement near the Erg Chebbi dunes, you have a short rest and mint tea before meeting the camels. The camel ride lasts about one hour and takes you across the sandy dunes to the camp.

This is the moment the trip changes mood. The road noise falls away, and the dunes replace the mountain passes and valleys. A camel ride is not a polished amusement-park activity. The motion can feel awkward at first, and you should expect a slow, swaying ride rather than a fast trip across the sand.

The camp is a Berber-style tented shelter. Dinner is included, and you spend the night there. Sandboarding is also included at no extra charge, which gives you another way to enjoy the dunes if you still have energy after the road journey and camel ride.

A swimming pool is mentioned among the activities in the tour description, but the included-cost section specifically lists the desert camp, dinner, camel ride, and sandboarding. If the pool matters to you, confirm its availability before booking rather than assuming it is guaranteed.

The camp is the emotional center of the experience, but arrival may be late because of the distance from Marrakech. You may have only a limited amount of time to enjoy the dunes before dinner and sleep. That is one reason this trip suits a first taste of the Sahara more than someone seeking a long, quiet desert stay.

Sunrise near Merzouga and the return camel ride

Day two begins early. You can walk over the dunes and watch the sunrise from behind the Algerian border, described as roughly 50 kilometers from Merzouga. The early start is worth considering carefully. Sunrise is one of the most memorable parts of a desert night, but you will need to get up before most people feel ready.

After the morning on the dunes, you return by camel to the hotel. Breakfast, a shower, and some rest follow before the drive to Fez. This short hotel break is important because the second day still includes about eight hours of driving.

The return camel ride gives you one more view of the dunes before the trip turns north. If you find the first ride uncomfortable, ask about practical arrangements at the camp or hotel, though the supplied tour details do not specify alternatives to the camel transfer.

The Ziz Valley and the road toward Fez

Once you leave the Merzouga area, the road runs through the Ziz Valley, Berber villages, and the Middle Atlas Mountains. This portion has a different feel from the first day. You are no longer heading toward the dunes. Instead, you move from the desert toward the cooler mountain regions on the way to Fez.

The Ziz Valley is a useful reminder that the desert is not simply empty sand. Valleys, villages, and cultivated areas appear along the route, supported by water in an otherwise dry part of Morocco. The Berber villages add human scale to the long drive, though the tour does not promise extended village visits.

The Middle Atlas section brings another change in scenery. The route also includes a cedars forest, which gives you one of the trip’s most striking shifts in setting. You begin with Marrakech’s lower plains, cross high mountain roads, pass dry valleys, sleep beside desert dunes, and then climb toward a forested mountain region before reaching Fez.

You should still keep the same rule in mind: this is a transfer day with scenic stops, not a full guided tour of every place along the road. The second day ends in Fez in the afternoon, but the exact arrival time can vary with traffic, road conditions, and the group.

What the $100 price really covers

At $100 per person, the tour offers strong basic value. You receive transport in a minibus or minivan, a professional driver, one desert night, dinner, breakfast, a camel ride, and free sandboarding. For a two-day journey crossing much of Morocco, that is a low price.

The package is not all-inclusive. Lunches and drinks are extra, and travel insurance is not included. I would budget for those before departure, especially because the two days are long and you may have limited choices during roadside stops.

The price also reflects the shared format. A group of up to 17 people helps spread the cost of the vehicle and driver. In return, you have less control over stop lengths, departure rhythm, and seating. Group discounts are available, which may help families or friends traveling together.

The tour has a 4.9 rating from 65 ratings and a 100 percent recommendation figure. Those numbers suggest that the package delivers what it promises for most people, while the four-star account gives the key warning: the distances are immense. I would treat the price as excellent for a fast desert transfer, not as proof that the journey will feel easy.

Who will enjoy this two-day desert crossing

I would choose this tour if you have limited time and need to connect Marrakech with Fez. It works especially well for someone who wants a camel ride, one desert night, and a broad sample of southern Morocco without arranging several separate transfers.

It also suits active visitors who can handle an early start, a camel ride, mountain roads, and long hours in a vehicle. The tour requires a strong level of physical fitness, according to the operator. That is sensible advice, even though the main challenge is endurance rather than strenuous hiking.

Families can book, but children must be accompanied by an adult. The child rate applies only when sharing with two paying adults. That rule makes the final family price worth checking carefully before you commit.

I would hesitate if you dislike long road journeys, need frequent breaks, or want deep visits at Ait Benhaddou, the valleys, and the villages. The tour title includes Ait Benhaddou, but the supplied schedule gives the clearest detail about the High Atlas, Ouarzazate, the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley, Merzouga, the Ziz Valley, and the Middle Atlas. Ask the operator exactly how much time is planned at Ait Benhaddou if that site is your main reason for booking.

Practical ways to make the ride easier

Pack light, since you will move between a vehicle, camels, a hotel, and a desert camp in a short period. A small day bag is easier to manage than a large suitcase during the camel transfer.

Carry water and money for lunches and drinks. Those costs are not included, and the long driving days make both practical needs rather than luxuries.

Wear shoes that work on sand and clothing suitable for an early desert morning. The supplied details do not promise a particular temperature or bedding arrangement, so ask about camp conditions if you have special comfort needs.

Keep your phone charged for the mountain, valley, and dune views. A mobile ticket is offered, and booking confirmation is received at the time of booking, so keep the confirmation accessible on your device.

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience starts. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted.

Should you book this Marrakech to Fez desert trip?

Book it if you value route efficiency and variety more than a leisurely pace. The combination of High Atlas passes, southern valleys, a camel ride, one night in a desert camp, sunrise at Merzouga, the Ziz Valley, Berber villages, cedars, and arrival in Fez is hard to match at $100.

Skip it if long drives drain the pleasure from a trip. The first day is especially demanding, and the second day remains a full road day after the sunrise and camel ride. For the right person, the packed schedule is the point. For everyone else, adding another desert night or splitting the journey into more days would likely be more comfortable.

FAQ

How long is the Marrakech to Fez desert trip?

The experience lasts approximately two days. The first day is listed at about nine hours, and the second day at about eight hours, though actual road time can vary.

Is a camel ride included?

Yes. A camel ride is included on the first day from the Merzouga area to the desert camp and again on the second morning when you return to the hotel.

Is food included in the price?

Dinner at the desert camp and breakfast are included. Lunches and drinks are not included.

Is sandboarding included?

Yes. Free sandboarding is included as part of the desert camp activities.

How many people can join the shared tour?

The tour has a maximum of 17 travelers.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.