On the first day of our 6-day desert tour from Fes to Merzouga, you will be picked up at Fes Saïs Airport and transferred to your hotel or riad in the city center. Depending on your arrival time, you may have the opportunity for a brief introductory walk through parts of Fes to get your first glimpse of this historic imperial city. Dinner and overnight stay in Fes.

Dedicate the day to exploring Fes, Morocco’s cultural and scholarly capital. Your guided walking tour includes visits to the historic medina (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Al-Attarine, Bou Inania, and Cherratine Madrasas (Quranic schools), the bustling souks, Fes el-Jdid (the “New Fes”), and the exterior of the Karaouiyine Mosque—home to the world’s oldest continuously operating university, founded in 859 AD. Return to your accommodation for dinner and rest.

After breakfast, we depart Fes and head south through the Middle Atlas Mountains. We stop in Ifrane—often called “Moroccan Switzerland”—before entering the cedar forests of Azrou, where wild Barbary macaques roam freely. Enjoy a photo opportunity with these curious primates. We continue through Midelt, known for its apple orchards, and descend into the arid southeast via the Ziz Valley, lined with vast palm groves and ancient kasbahs. By late afternoon, we reach Merzouga at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Mount camels for a sunset ride into the desert and spend the night in a traditional nomadic tent under a sky full of stars. Dinner and accommodation included at the desert camp.

Wake early to witness a breathtaking sunrise over the dunes. Return by camel to the desert edge, then board a 4×4 for a deeper exploration of the Sahara. Visit Dayet Srij, a seasonal lake often visited by flamingos, and stop in Khamlia village to meet Gnawa musicians—descendants of sub-Saharan communities—who will perform their spiritual, rhythmic music. We’ll also encounter semi-nomadic families living in this stark yet beautiful landscape and trace part of the historic Paris-Dakar Rally route. In the afternoon, return to your hotel in Merzouga for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we begin our return journey to Fes. First, we visit Rissani—the ancestral home of Morocco’s royal dynasty—and explore its lively market (if it’s a market day). We then retrace our route through the Ziz Valley and Tafilalt oasis, enjoying panoramic views of palm groves and desert gorges. Ascending through the Middle Atlas, we stop in Azrou’s cedar forest to observe wild monkeys, then pass through the pristine town of Ifrane before arriving in Fes in the afternoon. This marks the second-to-last day of our 6-day Fes to Merzouga desert tour. Dinner and overnight in Fes.

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred at the agreed time to Fes Saïs Airport for your departure flight. This concludes our 6-day desert adventure from Fes to the golden dunes of Merzouga and back.