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A sharp dune ridge snaking across the Erg Chebbi sand sea under a blue sky

Erg Chebbi, Merzouga · Photo: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0

Five days from Fes to the Sahara and back

Five days is the shortest Sahara trip we run from Fes. Merzouga is 470 km away, 7–8 hours of driving each way, so we split the road with a night in Midelt in both directions and give you two nights in an Erg Chebbi camp in between. Private or small-group, custom-quoted.

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Two nights in the dunes, and no day spent only in the car.

  • Length: 5 days, 4 nights
  • Fes to Merzouga: 470 km, 7–8 hours
  • Nights: Midelt, two in an Erg Chebbi camp, Midelt
  • Format: Private or small-group

Why five days, not two or three

Fes is a long way from the dunes: 470 km each way. Shorter trips from Fes spend most of their time on the road and arrive at the camp tired, so we don't sell them. Five days lets the drive be part of the trip, with the cedar forest, Midelt and the Ziz valley taken at an easy pace.

In the middle there is a whole day with nowhere to drive: sunrise on the crest, the Rissani market, Gnawa music in Khamlia, and a second sunset from the camp.

Other ways to do it

Rooftops and towers of Ait Benhaddou above the green Ounila valley5 days, one wayFes to Marrakech via the Sahara, 5 daysTwo desert nights, the Todra and Dadès gorges, Ait Ben Haddou, then Marrakech.See the trip

The five days

Day 1

Fes to Midelt

Ifrane, the Azrou cedars and the macaques, then over the Middle Atlas to Midelt (200 km from Fes) under the Jbel Ayachi range. Night in Midelt.

Day 2

The Ziz valley to Erg Chebbi

Down through the Ziz gorges and the palm valley past Errachidia and Erfoud, then camels into the dunes for sunset. First camp night.

Day 3

A full desert day

Sunrise on the dunes, the Rissani market (37 km away), Gnawa music in Khamlia, and a second night in camp.

Day 4

North again to Midelt

A last dune walk at dawn, then the Ziz valley north with time for the viewpoints you passed on the way down. Night in Midelt.

Day 5

Back to Fes

Over the Middle Atlas by Azrou and Ifrane, back at your riad gate in the afternoon.

Road distances and times are typical ranges for a private car, without stops.

Who's with you

A driver-guide from Fes who knows this road, in English, French or Spanish, with Arabic and Berber on the way. We name your driver and any local guides in the written proposal, so you know who is meeting you before you travel.

What we arrange

  • Private car and driver from your Fes riad and back
  • Two nights in an Erg Chebbi camp, with camel rides, dinner and breakfast
  • Two hotel nights in Midelt, matched to your style
  • Stops planned around light, market days and your pace

Tell us what matters

  • Comfortable or simple camp
  • A night in Ifrane instead of Midelt
  • End in Marrakech instead
  • Add a Fes medina day before you leave

How we work

  • Private or small-group
  • Operated by Serenity Morocco Tours
  • Riad pickup in Fes
  • Written itinerary and custom quote

Before you ask us

The questions people ask us most before they plan a trip.

Can I do a 2 or 3-day desert tour from Fes?
We don't run them. The dunes are 470 km from Fes, 7–8 hours of driving each way, so a two or three-day trip is mostly time in the car with one short night in camp. Five days, with a night in Midelt each way and two nights at Erg Chebbi, is the shortest trip from Fes we think is worth taking. If you only have three days, start the desert from Marrakech instead.
How long is the drive each day?
About 200 km on day one and day five (Fes to Midelt), and the rest of the 470 km on days two and four (Midelt to Merzouga), with stops for coffee, viewpoints and lunch. Day three has almost no driving at all.
What is the desert camp like?
Camps sit among the Erg Chebbi dunes, a camel ride or a short drive from Merzouga. Tents have proper beds and blankets; many have private bathrooms. Dinner is tagine under the stars, often with drumming by the fire. Tell us whether you want simple or more comfortable and we match the camp.
When is the best time for the Sahara from Fes?
October to April is the comfortable window: warm days, cold nights, clear skies. Late March to May and October are the sweet spots. June to August is very hot at midday, so we start early and rest through the afternoon. December and January nights in the camp can drop close to freezing.
Is the tour private or shared?
You choose. Private means only your group, your own car and driver, and a timetable you set. Small-group means sharing the car and camp with a few other travellers on fixed dates. Either way we send a written itinerary and a custom quote; nothing is charged until you approve it.

Keep planning

Photo credits (Wikimedia Commons)

Tell us your dates. We'll plan it with you.

  1. Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
  2. A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
  3. You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.
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