Short answer: the best way to travel from Fes to Marrakech is through the desert. The route takes three days: Fes to the Merzouga dunes on day one, the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley on day two, and Ait Ben Haddou and the High Atlas to Marrakech on day three. It covers about 1,000 km, compared with 6 to 8 hours on the direct road, but it shows you the Middle Atlas, the Sahara, the gorges and the kasbahs on the way.
The route, day by day
Day 1: Fes – Ifrane – Azrou – Midelt – Merzouga
You leave Fes in the morning for Ifrane, a mountain town with sloping roofs, then the cedar forest near Azrou, home to Barbary macaques. After lunch in Midelt, the road follows the Ziz Valley and its palm groves south to Erfoud and Merzouga. A camel takes you into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset and a night in a desert camp. Driving time: 7 to 8 hours with stops.
Day 2: Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley
Sunrise over the dunes, breakfast, then Rissani, the old caravan town near the ruins of Sijilmassa. In the afternoon you walk through the Todra Gorge, where the walls rise up to 300 metres, before a night in the Dades Valley. Driving time: 5 to 6 hours.
Day 3: Dades – Skoura – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech
The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs passes Kelaat M’Gouna, the valley of roses, and the palm grove of Skoura. After Ouarzazate and the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, you cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass and reach Marrakech in the evening. Driving time: 6 to 7 hours.
Three days or four?
Three days is the standard. A fourth day lets you spend a full day in the Merzouga area (the village of Khamlia, a 4×4 tour of the dunes, a nomad family) or a night in Ouarzazate, which makes the last day shorter.
Highlights along the way
- The cedar forest and macaques of the Middle Atlas.
- The Ziz Valley, one of the longest palm oases in Morocco.
- Sunset and sunrise in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
- The Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley.
- Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- The Tizi n’Tichka pass over the High Atlas.
Can you do it the other way, Marrakech to Fes?
Yes. The route works in both directions. Starting in Marrakech, day one ends in the Dades Valley, day two in Merzouga and day three in Fes. Read our guide to the Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour.
Tours that include this route
This desert crossing is the heart of our 8-day Sahara desert tour from Casablanca and our 8-day tour via Chefchaouen. Longer trips such as the 14-day Sahara tour add a night in Erfoud and more time in each place. Couples can do it as part of our Fes and Sahara honeymoon.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to go from Fes to Marrakech through the desert?
Three days is standard: Fes to Merzouga, Merzouga to the Dades Valley, and the Dades Valley to Marrakech. Four days gives a more relaxed pace.
What is the distance from Fes to Merzouga?
About 470 km, or 7 to 8 hours of driving with stops in Ifrane, Azrou and Midelt.
Is the desert route better than the direct road?
If you have the time, yes. The direct road from Fes to Marrakech takes 6 to 8 hours and shows little of the country, while the desert route adds the Sahara, the gorges and Ait Ben Haddou.
Can this desert tour be private?
Yes. All our tours are private, with your own driver and vehicle, and you can choose a standard or luxury desert camp.
Want to cross the Sahara between Fes and Marrakech? Contact us for a private desert tour on your dates.