Your 2-day desert adventure begins with a morning departure from your hotel or riad in Fes. We head south into the Middle Atlas Mountains, making our first stop in **Ifrane**, often dubbed “Morocco’s Switzerland” for its alpine architecture and clean, garden-lined streets. From there, we continue to the **Azrou Cedar Forest**, home to wild **Barbary macaques**—a perfect spot for photos and a short nature walk.

Next, we drive through **Midelt**, known as Morocco’s “apple capital,” nestled between the Middle and High Atlas ranges. After a lunch break, we descend into the dramatic **Ziz Valley**, famed for its vast palm groves and oasis landscapes. En route to the Sahara, we pass through **Erfoud**, the “fossil capital” of Morocco, where you can glimpse local workshops crafting beautiful items from fossilized stone.

By late afternoon, we arrive in **Merzouga**, at the edge of the golden **Erg Chebbi dunes**. Here, camels await for a magical sunset ride into the heart of the desert. You’ll reach a traditional **Berber desert camp**, where a warm welcome, a hearty dinner, and live music under a blanket of stars mark the end of your first day .

Next, we continue to the Cedar Forest of Azrou, home to wild Barbary macaques. You’ll have time to walk among the ancient trees and observe these playful primates in their natural habitat.

After a traditional lunch in Midelt—Morocco’s “apple capital”—we descend into the dramatic Ziz Valley, known for its vast palm groves and fortified desert villages (ksars). We pass through Erfoud, the “gateway to the Sahara,” famous for its fossil workshops, before arriving in Merzouga by late afternoon.

At the edge of the golden Erg Chebbi dunes, you’ll mount camels for a serene ride into the heart of the Sahara. Watch the sun set over the endless sands before reaching your authentic desert camp. Enjoy a hearty Berber dinner under a blanket of stars, followed by live music, drumming, and storytelling around a campfire.

Rise early to witness a breathtaking **Sahara sunrise** over the dunes before enjoying breakfast at the camp. You’ll then ride your camel back to the desert’s edge, where your driver will be waiting to begin the return journey to Fes.

We retrace our route through the **Ziz Valley**, pausing once more to admire its lush oasis scenery. Back in **Midelt**, we’ll stop for lunch and perhaps sample local apple products. Continuing north, we pass again through the cedar forests near **Azrou** and the charming town of **Ifrane**, where you can stroll through its peaceful gardens and see the iconic stone lion statue symbolizing the extinct Atlas lion .

Finally, we descend from the mountains and return to **Fes** in the late afternoon, concluding your unforgettable 2-day round-trip desert journey from Fes to Merzouga and back .