10 Days Desert Tour from Fes Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Fes » Transfert to the Hotel/Riad

Your driver will meet you at the airport at your specified time and transport you to your accommodation. Dinner and overnight in a Riad/ Hotel.

Day 2: Explore Fes with a local guide

After having a scrumptious breakfast at the riad, we began our 10-day tour from Fes in the new part of the city, where we approach the royal palace, barium Jews (Mellah).

Then we’ll go to a viewpoint where we can see all the medina from the south tower and the few mosques. By foot, we’ll navigate the medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In its labyrinthine streets structured by guilds of potters, dyers, … etc, the bustle of people will transport you back centuries. You will notice that it is a medieval town and that time has stopped the clock. Dinner and overnight in a riad.

Day 3: Fes » Volubilis » Moulay Idriss » Meknes » Rabat [207 km]

After breakfast A UNESCO World Heritage Site is the first destination on the third day of the trip, we will travel to Volubilis, the land of the Roman ruins that are the hugest preservation of Roman influences in North Africa. Volubilis retains detailed spectacular mosaics in spite of the disastrous earthquake of 1755.

The Roman town preserved beauty despite damages and disasters. However, Meknes is our next station; it is the city that was a major origin of the Roman Empire. In addition, it was known as Miknasa because of the 10th Berber settlement. After that, it became one of the Imperial cities.

In a magical journey, we will delve into the ancient authentic part of old Meknes. It is an exciting tale about history, past, glory, and magic. After that, we are going to move to Morocco’s today capital of Rabat. In Rabat, we are going to visit a series of landmarks as Hassan Tower, Mohammed V Mausoleum, and Kasbah of Oudaias.

Day 4: Rabat » Casablanca » Marrakech [323 km]

Today in the morning, we will continue our journey by visiting the Hassan II Mosque which is the largest mosque in Morocco, the second-largest in Africa, and the 5th largest in the world. With its interior and exterior decorations, the mosque represents the craftsmanship of the Moroccan craftsman and the aesthetics of Islamic architecture.

As we finish exploring the mosque, we will go in the early afternoon to Marrakech. As the train approaches Marrakech, we are getting –by ourselves- closer to discover other aspects of the Moroccan culture. Once we reach, we will directly stretch our legs by exploring Jemaa el Fna, which is a square and marketplace in Marrakesh’s old medina.

The origin of its name is unclear for some narrations claimed that Jemaa el Fna is the place where Sultans used to execute their enemies, while other narrations suggested that the name of the place can literally mean “The Mosque at the End of the World”; a name which has a religious connotation. Nowadays, the place attracts many Moroccans and tourists for it offers entertainment and gathers different facades of the Moroccan cultures.

Day 5: Day To Explore Marrakech with Local guide

We will have a special guided tour of the city with an official guide from Marrakech. First, you will explore the beauty of Marrakech by visiting the famous Koutoubia Mosque and the old Medina with its charming traditional souks.

Also, we will be part of the Ali Ben Youssef Koranic School before visiting a number of places that characterize the city of Marrakech such as, the Saadian, the Bahia Palace, and Majorelle Gardens. At night, we will head back to a Riad in the old Medina to have dinner and some rest.

Day 6: Marrakech » Ait Ben Haddou » Ouarzazate » Dades Valley [325 km]

We will leave the red city of Marrakech for the High Atlas Mountains, which we will cross at 2260 meters of altitude over the Tizi n´Tichka pass.

On the way down the other side, passing quite a lot of traditional Berber villages that line the riversides, we will take one of the side roads that lead to a hidden treasure; Kasbah Telouet. This building may not look much more than a ruin until you see the incredible internal rooms, this was one of the residences of the governor or “Pacha” of Marrakech and has very beautiful and intricate work in its tiles, plaster, and cedarwood.

We continue our 10-Day tour from Fes along the valley to another Kasbah, this one is better known as a film set location and is on the world heritage list for UNESCO since 1987. Ait Benhaddou is a fortified ksar on the banks of a river, this is also on the original trade route to the Sahara and Timbuktu with salt-laden camels.

After lunch in a nearby restaurant, we will drive to Ouarzazate and on to the magnificent palm grove of Skoura with its hidden kasbahs. You will also enjoy the drive along Valley of Roses on the way to Dades where we will spend the night.

Day 7: Dades » Todra Gorges » Er rissani » Merzouga Desert [269 km]

After breakfast, we’ll drive through Dades valley to see the amazing rock formation, and take a break in one of the nice spot of the gorges, Leaving the Dades valley, towards Tinrghir and the Todra valley we will see the panoramic views of the old mud Berber villages, with its palm groves overlooking the valley.

Arriving at the Todgha Gorge, you’ll walk under a high red cliff raised up to (300m)at its narrowest point. Continuing on to Erfoud and Rissani once called Sijilmassa (the foundation of the Alaouit dynasty, the current ruling family) lunch will be on the way.

Afterward, we’ll leave for Merzouga on our arrival, you will be very welcomed with a warm cup of tea before having your night in a hotel/riad.

Day 8: Merzouga Tour: Berber Nomad Families & Black Desert [45 km]

Today, we’ll start exploring the Merzouga desert area, we will begin by visiting the seasonal lake of Merzouga (Lake Sirji) toward the village of dark skin people (Khamlia) originally from Mali to enjoy their music and the way they live.

After that, we will drive to Meffes Mines to explore how they work over there before getting behind the Dunes in a full desert with charming views where we will sit for a cup of tea with the Berber bedouins (living in tents) you will be introduced to family members and getting to know about their way of life.

Before returning back to the hotel, after getting ready your local guides will teach you how to mount and dismount and other handy camel-related safety tips then you begin exploring the mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi for (1h -1h:30m). Overnight in a Berber tent.

Day 9: Merzouga » Erfoud » Ziz Valley » Azrou » Ifrane » Fes [467 km]

After coming back with the camels from the desert and taking a shower, we´ll leave to Rissani, the first imperial city of Morocco.

Then we´ll pass through Erfoud, a village related to the fossils, passing through the Ziz valley with its panoramic views of palm groves and gorges, Tizi-n-Talghomt port. We´ll arrive at Midelt, lunch.

We´ll leave by highway to the cedar forest, obligated to stop to see the monkeys in freedom. Then we pass by Ifrane (called the Moroccan Swiss) and arrive in Fez, the cultural capital of Morocco. Dinner and overnight at Hotel.

Day 10: Fes » Transfer to Airport

The breakfast comes first. We pass by the pass of she-camel, Tizi n Talghmt. The next point is Azro, stone, stopping to see apes.

The latter are found in the cedar forests. Here, we have lunch prior to reaching Fes. In the afternoon, we go to your accommodation or Airport, ends of our 10-day tour Fes to Imperial cities and Merzouga Sahara.