The Marrakech–Fes route with two nights in the Sahara instead of one — time to experience the desert slowly, share tea with a nomadic family, and properly explore around Merzouga.
Day 1
Marrakech to the Dades Valley
Marrakech → High Atlas (Tizi n'Tichka) → Aït Benhaddou → Ouarzazate → Skoura → Valley of the Roses → Dades Valley
We leave Marrakech in the morning and begin our journey south, crossing the spectacular High Atlas Mountains by the Tizi n'Tichka pass.
Along the way, we stop at viewpoints and small villages whenever something catches our attention, before continuing to Aït Benhaddou, the remarkable UNESCO-listed ksar rising from the landscape.
From here, the road continues through Ouarzazate and into the palm-filled Skoura Oasis, then on through the Valley of the Roses before finally reaching the Dades Valley.
A beautiful day of changing landscapes — from mountain passes and red-earth villages to palm groves and dramatic valleys.
- Distance
- Approx. 344 km / 214 miles
- Driving time
- Approx. 6 hours, excluding stops — depending on road and traffic conditions
- Overnight
- Dades Valley — half board (dinner & breakfast)
We recommend Dar Blues or Riad Paradise Dades.
For a more refined and luxurious stay, we recommend Eden Boutique Hotel, subject to availability.
Day 2
Todra Gorge to Erg Chebbi
Dades Valley → Todra Gorge → Rissani → Merzouga → camel ride to Tiziri Camp
After breakfast, we continue east through the spectacular landscapes of southeastern Morocco.
We travel through the Todra Valley and stop to explore the Todra Gorge, where enormous limestone cliffs rise dramatically on either side.
We then continue towards Rissani, the historic gateway to the Sahara, as the landscape gradually opens into the vast desert around Merzouga. By afternoon, we reach the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi.
This is where the pace changes. Leaving the road behind, you take your camel ride into the dunes, with time to enjoy the silence and the changing colours of the Sahara as the sun begins to descend.
You arrive at Tiziri Camp, your home for the next two nights. The evening is intentionally simple and unhurried: dinner under the desert sky, traditional music around the fire, and the quiet of the dunes all around the camp.
- Distance
- Approx. 273 km / 170 miles
- Driving time
- Approx. 4 hours, excluding stops
- Overnight
- Tiziri Camp — half board (night 1 of 2)
Day 3
A Full Day in the Sahara
Sunrise → 4WD desert discovery → nomadic family → afternoon at Tiziri Camp
Wake early, if you wish, for the sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes.
After breakfast, we set out by 4WD to discover another side of the Sahara. We explore the desert landscape, visit a local nomadic family and share tea with them, and discover the different faces of the Erg Chebbi region — at a slower pace, rather than simply moving from one attraction to the next.
After the excursion, we return to Tiziri Camp for a relaxed afternoon. Enjoy the surroundings, walk in the dunes, try some sandboarding, or do absolutely nothing for a while — which is sometimes the best way to experience the desert.
- Desert excursion
- Approx. 41 km / 26 miles by 4WD
- Duration
- Approx. 3 hours, including the nomad visit
- Overnight
- Tiziri Camp — half board (night 2 of 2)
Day 4
North to Fes
Merzouga → Erfoud → Ziz Valley & Gorges → Midelt → Azrou → Ifrane → Fes
After breakfast, a short 4WD transfer takes you back out of the dunes, and we leave the Sahara to begin our journey north towards Fes.
The landscape changes once again as we pass through Erfoud, the Ziz Valley and its spectacular gorges, before continuing towards Midelt and into the Middle Atlas Mountains.
Depending on the season and conditions, we can stop in the cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques can sometimes be seen. We then continue through Ifrane, known for its distinctive architecture and alpine atmosphere, before arriving in Fes.
Although this is the longest driving day of the journey, the scenery changes continuously and there are plenty of opportunities to stop along the way.
- Distance
- Approx. 469 km / 291 miles
- Driving time
- Approx. 7 hours, excluding stops — depending on conditions
- End of tour
- Drop-off at your accommodation in Fes
Your Two Nights at Tiziri Camp
Your two nights at Tiziri are designed to be more than simply an overnight stay in the desert.
Tiziri is a small, intimate camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes, created around a simple idea: to enjoy the Sahara quietly and naturally.
Your private tent has its own bathroom and shower with hot water. The camp is prepared for both warm days and cooler desert nights, with heating in the colder season.
Your stay includes
- Private tent at Tiziri Camp
- Dinner and breakfast
- Camel ride into the dunes
- 4WD return transfer
- Desert discovery excursion by 4WD
- Visit and tea with a nomadic family
- Sandboarding — optional and free of charge
- Traditional music around the fire
- Time to enjoy the dunes at your own pace
We do not try to fill every moment. The desert is best experienced when there is also time simply to sit, watch the light change and listen to the silence.
Included
- Private air-conditioned 4WD vehicle or minivan for the entire journey
- Fuel and transportation
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Local guidance and sightseeing assistance
- 1 night in a carefully selected hotel, riad or kasbah in the Dades Valley
- 2 nights at Tiziri Camp in a private tent
- Camel ride — one camel per person
- Desert 4WD excursion and nomad visit
- Dinner and breakfast each night (half board)
- Sandboarding — free and optional
- Traditional music around the fire
- Passenger travel insurance within the vehicle
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Entrance fees where applicable
- Tips
- Personal expenses
A Small Note About the Desert
Sandboarding is complimentary and optional. If you would like to try it, simply let us know in advance — at the latest when you arrive at camp — so that we can prepare everything for you. As with any activity in the dunes, it is undertaken at your own responsibility.
If you have any dietary requirements, special requests or anything that would make your stay more comfortable, please let us know in advance. We are always happy to adapt the experience where possible.
Every tour ends the same way
A Night at Tiziri Camp
Book your whole tour with us and your stay at camp comes at a discounted rate — the same eight tents, the same fire-pit evenings, the same Sahara sky.