2 days desert tour from Fes to Marrakech
Book the camel ride and go camping at Berber tents with our 2 day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech.
Note: Looking for a tour that ends in Fes instead? Please click here.
Main info:
Departure location:
Fes
Return location:
Marrakech
Departure time:
08:00 AM
Itinerary duration
2 days/ 1 night
Highlights of our tour:
- Picture with the atlas lion statue at Ifrane
- A visit to the monkeys in Azrou forest
- Camel trekking in Merzouga
- Camping in Berber tents
- Ait Benhaddou
Tour overview:
Join our Travelling In Morocco crew for an unforgettable 2 day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech. Driving from Fes to Merzouga is complete of splendid sceneries. Therefore, we can make some stops at the way. For example, we can forestall on the cleanest town in Morocco, Ifrane. There, we can take you to peer the statue of the extinct atlas lion, and a wide ranging view of the woodland withinside the atlas mountains.
The 2d region wherein we can forestall is withinside the woodland of cedar trees, wherein many wild animals live. For instance, the animal this is brave and now no longer nervous to come upon the road to fulfill human beings is the monkey. It is one of the atlas and African animals which can be nonetheless dwelling withinside the woodland of Azrou. Here, our driving force will forestall so as to get to recognise them, feed them, and additionally take pictures.
After lunch, we can force to make any other forestall close to the dam of Hassan Addakhil in Errachidia, wherein the Sahara receives the supply of water.
We will arrive at Merzouga. There, you’ll enjoy the camel hiking and in a single day at Berber tents.
On the Second day, we will drive to Marrakech via the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou and that’s the end of the trip.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Fes to Merzouga with beautiful sceneries :
We will begin our 2 days excursion from Fes to Marrakech desolate tract out of your accommodation. Our driving force will come to fulfill you at your Riad/motel once you ship us your location. Then, we can power throughout the Atlas Mountains, our first prevent can be at Imouzar for a breathtaking view of the Mountains and perhaps for breakfast. After that, we can power to reach at Ifrane, the cleanest metropolis in Morocco, and second withinside the global after Calgary in Canada. Here, we can prevent to go to the statue of the Atlas lion, a German prisoner curved it for the duration of global battle II to benefit his freedom from the French.
Next, our prevent can be on the Cedar bushes forest, Azrou forest. There, you’ll have a few unfastened time to get to recognize the Barbary Macaque monkeys, ones of the alive animals withinside the atlas. We will feed them take a few photos earlier than we depart for Midelt and Errachidia.
At Errachidia, you’re unfastened to prevent at a breathtaking view of the Dam, it’s in which Merzouga and the towns round get the supply of water.
Our subsequent prevent can be on the charming city of Merzouga. There, our camel’s leaders can be prepared and set with the camels on the tip of the dunes. Then, you’ll begin hiking at the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, a prevent for the sundown may be made in case you aren’t on the camp early.
When you arrive on the camp, you’ll discover your bags for your tents. After dinner, our group of Berbers will play drums and set hearthplace for a superb view beneathneath the starry sky.
Day 2: Fes to Marrakech:
We will leave Merzouga in the early morning, it will take us almsot 9h drive to get to Marrakech including the stops we will make.
We will visit the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, the Glaoui Berber fortress, and also we will have lunch there. Later, we will drive through the atlas mountians, we will make quick stops for panoramic views. Depending on time, we could take you to visit one of the argan oil cooperatives if you are interested to buy some.
Our 2 day tour from Fes to Marrakech end when we drop you off at your accommodation.
Tour includes:
- Pickup and drop off from accommodation.
- Camel for each in Merzouga
- Berber tent accommodation.
- Vehicle with gasoline
- Dinner and Breakfast
Tour excludes:
- Monuments fees
- Lunches
- Tips
- Soft drinks
Testimonials:
Book your 2 days tour from Fes to Marrakech!
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Highlights overview:
Travelling from Fes to Merzouga is complete of brilliant and lovely locations to discover. Therefore, we listing for you the pleasant to them with our itinerary of two days from Fes to the Sahara desert, Merzouga and Marrakech.
Ifrane, little Switzerland:
Ifrane, Morocco’s Little Switzerland, the primary metropolis you’ll find out with our 2 days Sahara wasteland excursion from Fes to Marrakech.
We cannot speak approximately Ifrane with out speaking approximately Tizguit, the valley of the cave, it’s miles approximately 7 km farfar from the middle of Ifrane now. Ifrane or Yfran is a Berber plural phrase that essentially manner caves.
With our Morocco excursions from Fes, we commonly prevent to find out the statute of the extinct atlas lion. During World War II, there has been a German prisoner who turned into loss of life to get his freedom from the French. Therefore, they requested him to carve the statue of the lion that turned into extinct. Ifrane is a cutting-edge metropolis with European architecture. Also, it’s miles the cleanest and the maximum highly-priced metropolis in Morocco.
Many college students from extraordinary international locations come to Ifrane to get an training at Al Akhawayn University. That’s to say, it’s miles one of the exceptional universities we’ve in Morocco. Moreover, the present day king of Morocco has 12 palaces, and one in all them is in Ifrane dealing with the university.
The Moroccan soccer team (The atlas lion) takes its education right here at Ifrane because the excessive weather facilitates them. For that reason, Ifrane has come to be highly-priced to live at or to spend most effective a vacation.
Azrou forest:
Azrou woodland is one in every of the largest forests in Morocco in which many wild animals. Therefore, to make the two days excursion from Fes special, we can forestall to find out the Barbary Macaque monkeys.
These creators have specific names amongst them the magots, and the barbary apes, and that they stay in Morocco, Algeria and a number of them in Gibraltar. Once we’re here, we can find out how they stay in families, how they control to attend to their toddlers and additionally we can feed them and take pictures.
Around the woodland of cedar is a station in which Moroccans come for the snowboarding because it snows loads round there. Therefore, in case you are available winter, it’s far viable that we make a short forestall to snowboard with locals.
The Atlas Mountains:
Driving from Fes to the Sahara desert, you’ll ought to byskip with the aid of using the High and the Middle Atlas Mountains. This variety of Mountains divides the Atlantic coastlines and the Mediterranean from the Sahara desert. Furthermore, they’re approximately 1,six hundred miles/2,500 km crossing Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The maximum factor of this variety of Mountains is in Toubkal, approximately 4,a hundred sixty five metres 13,665 feet. Also, they’re approximately 180km farfar from the pink metropolis of Marrakech.
Errachidia dam and Ziz valley:
The Dam:
Errachidia is at the brink of the Atlas Mountains, it is the gate to the Sahara desert. Errachidia is known as after the brother of Mohammed V, the Prince Moulay Rachid. However, the starting place names are Imtghern in Berber and Ksar Souk in Arabic.
The dam of Hassan Addakhil is the largest supply of water of Errachidia and for the areas round like Merzouga. The Alaouiet dynasty idea properly and saved the water this is coming from the mountains through constructing a dam. Now, the towns round could have water 24/7 no matter earlier than while they may use fountains best as soon as a week.
Ziz valley:
Ziz valley expands for 282 km from the south of Morocco from Errachidia to Algeria. It’s certainly considered one among the largest valleys in Morocco that floods from the Atlas mountains. Therefore, many locals round there took the valley as a danger to make agriculture, approximately 30km complete of agriculture, particularly the dates palm trees.
Erfoud:
Erfoud, additionally written Arfoud is the second one nearest metropolis to Merzouga, wilderness. It changed into constructed with the aid of using the French in 1912 and named Erfoud after the plant that exists withinside the river, Ounfoud. Not to mention, there’s additionally some other tale approximately the name, they are saying that Berbers one in every of them were given into the river to peer how deep it is, the alternative one requested him and he stated Ar Afoud, because of this that to the knee in Berber.
Erfoud is well-known for the global pageant of dates, they make it each October for a three-day carnival. Also, Erfoud is well-known for the mineral fossils, like Trilobites, Goniatites…
During our 2 days Sahara wilderness excursion itinerary from Fes to Marrakech, we ought to make a forestall at one of the fossils museums in case you are interested. Furthermore, we will forestall on the Souk of dates fruits, you may strive the flavor of various kinds and additionally its cereal.
For Jewish, there’s one of the Jewish cemeteries, many human beings from Israel come to go to it. Therefore, in case you are Jewish, you must pass there.
Merzouga, Erg Chebbi desert:
Merzouga, the Sahara wasteland, now no longer handiest the spotlight of our 2 day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech however all of our Morocco wasteland tours. To begin with, there are theories approximately naming it Merzouga. First, a few humans say that the Erg Chebbi sand dunes made it rich and plenty of site visitors from round the arena come to find out it. Therefore, it took the call Merzouqa because of this that rich. Second, different humans say that the unique call is from the own circle of relatives call of an Arab who changed into Merzouq. This own circle of relatives is simply nevertheless dwelling right here withinside the middle of Merzouga.
Merzouga is a huge city in which you could locate many tribes and roots. For instance, you could locate Arabs, Berbers, and additionally Gnaoua humans (darkish pores and skin humans). However, the Gnaoua stay basically in a village known as Khamlia, the Berber and the Arabs stay on the middle of Merzouga and the small different villages round like Hassi Labied and Takojt.
Merzouga is well-known for Erg Chebbi, huge golden sand dunes that attain as much as one hundred fifty meters, 22km lengthy and 5km wide. Also, those dunes alternate their shadeation relying at the atmosphere. For instance, it will become yellow to white in winter, and reddish to orange withinside the summer time season. Not to mention, the shapes of the dunes alternate at some stage in the summer time season loads due to the wind.
Merzouga is withinside the southeast of Morocco, it’s miles approximately 50 km farfar from the border of Algeria. The nearest towns are Erfoud and Rissani, Tafilalet. Many travelers regionally and round the arena come to Merzouga to revel in its captivating activities.
Top activities in Merzouga :
Camel trekking: You should not go to Merzouga with out revel in the camel trip on Erg Chebbi dunes. There are many approaches to do it. Firstly, you could ee-e book handiest a camel for the sundown, camels could be prepared and set subsequent to the dunes when you reserve them with locals. Second, you could ee-e book the camels for the sunrise, this selection generally works for folks that are staying in a inn in Erfoud or Rissani. Third, the nice is to absolutely revel in them. That is to say, you reserve the camels to spend a night time at Berber tents. Then, you’ll have camels with you for the sundown and the sunrise. Not to mention, our 2 days excursion from Fes consists of the overall revel in.
Camping at Berber tents: Many travelers come to Merzouga that allows you to revel in the nomadic lifestyle. In different words, they need to stay because the Berber nomads who stay withinside the mountains, the ones who’ve tents and herd and that they tour from an area to any other seeking out higher dwelling conditions. This revel in is likewise blanketed in our Fes desolate tract excursion for two days. However, you’ve got got the choice to spend the night time in fashionable or high priced tents, bivouacs.
Erg Chebbi at night time: whilst being at the Erg Chebbi dunes at night time, it’s far simply charming to revel in the stars, the Milkyway, and the capturing stars. Also, for non secular purposes, the quiet dunes are a super region wherein to exercise Yoga.
Sandboarding: any other humorous and comfortable element to do at the dunes is skiing. At the camps of Berbers, we provide you that revel in, we’ve got forums and close to the camp is a first-rate sand dune wherein you could try this revel in.
Other sports now no longer protected withinside the experience:
Nomads go to: when you have greater than days from Fes, we endorse you live for 2 days in Merzouga for a complete experience. As a result, you’ll be capable of have a excursion across the dunes to the Berber nomads. There, you’ll see how the Berbers sincerely control to live alive even withinside the difficult state of affairs they stay in. Also, you’ll live with this family, they’ll display us how they prepare dinner dinner, how they sleep withinside the tent, and in which they hold their herd. Even greater, we may want to live with them and they’ll prepare dinner dinner for us so that it will devour like them and stay the instant like them.
The lake of Srij: Hopefully it’s miles complete, every other captivating location to peer round Merzouga is the lake in which camels move herding. Here, at some point of the day, you’ll discover frequently all of the camels of the place and immigrant flamingo birds.
Oasis of Hassi Labied: to make the experience of Merzouga complete, we would really like to take you to find out the agriculture of the locals, what they plant, and in which they get water for that.
Gnawa Khmalia: the humans of Khamlia, Gnawa are at first from Sahelian, it’s miles stated that Berbers added them so that it will lead them to as slaves. Most of our journeys from Fes beginning from three days encompass a go to to this village, Khamlia. Here, we can take you to one of the families, they’ll play song for you the usage of Krakebs and unique drums. Also, relying on time, we may want to set with one of the vintage guys there to inform us testimonies approximately them.
The mine of Mifis: During the energy of the French, they used to extract slat and mascara at this mine of Mifis. Now, it’s miles an area that draws many traffic to discover its mystery.
Conclusion:
There are many different locations that you’ll see with our 2 day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga. However, when you have greater days to go to the Sahara desolate tract, we suggest you do greater than days due to the fact using from Fes to Merzouga is nearly 7h. Therefore, the journey can be greater using than exploring.
The Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou
Outstanding Universal Value
Brief synthesis
Located withinside the foothills at the southern slopes of the High Atlas withinside the Province of Ouarzazate, the web website online of Ait-Ben-Haddou is the maximum well-known ksar withinside the Ounila Valley. The Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou is a hanging instance of southern Moroccan structure. The ksar is a particularly collective grouping of dwellings. Inside the shielding partitions which can be strengthened via way of means of attitude towers and pierced with a baffle gate, homes crowd together – a few modest, others akin to small city castles with their excessive attitude towers and higher sections adorned with motifs in clay brick – however there also are homes and network regions. It is an amazing ensemble of homes imparting a whole landscape of pre-Saharan earthen production techniques. The oldest structures do now no longer seem like in advance than the seventeenth century, despite the fact that their shape and method had been propagated from a totally early length withinside the valleys of southern Morocco. The web website online become additionally one of the many buying and selling posts on the industrial path linking historical Sudan to Marrakesh via way of means of the Dra Valley and the Tizi-n’Telouet Pass. Architecturally, the dwelling quarters shape a compact grouping, closed and suspended. The network regions of the ksar consist of a mosque, a public square, grain threshing regions outdoor the ramparts, a fortification and a loft on the pinnacle of the village, an caravanserai, cemeteries (Muslim and Jewish) and the Sanctuary of the Saint Sidi Ali or Amer. The Ksar of Ait- Ben-Haddou is an ideal synthesis of earthen structure of the pre-Saharan areas of Morocco.
Criterion (iv): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is an eminent instance of a ksar in southern Morocco illustrating the principle varieties of earthen structures that can be found courting from the seventeenth century withinside the valleys of Dra, Todgha, Dadès and Souss.
Criterion (v): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou illustrates the conventional earthen habitat, representing the tradition of southern Morocco, which has end up susceptible due to irreversible socio-monetary and cultural changes
Integrity (2009)
All the systems comprising the ksar are positioned withinside the limitations of the belongings and the buffer area protects its environment. The earthen homes are very susceptible because of loss of preservation and ordinary restore as a result of the abandonment of the ksar via way of means of its inhabitants. The CERKAS (Centre for the conservation and rehabilitation of the architectural history of atlas and sub-atlas zones) monitors, with difficulty, admire for the visible integrity of the belongings.
Authenticity (2009)
In contrast to different ksour of the region, the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou has preserved its architectural authenticity with reference to configuration and substances. The architectural fashion is properly preserved and the earthen structures are flawlessly tailored to the climatic situations and are in concord with the herbal and social environment.
The massive homes withinside the decrease a part of the village, with properly conserved ornamental motifs, are often maintained. The production substances used nonetheless continue to be earth and wooden. The inclination to introduce cement has thus far been unsuccessful, way to the continuing tracking of the «Comité de contrôle des infractions» (Rural Community, Town Planning Division, Urban Agency, CERKAS). Only some lintels and strengthened concrete escaped its vigilance, however they had been hidden via way of means of earthen rendering. Particular interest is likewise paid to doorways and home windows giving directly to the lanes, to make sure that the wooden isn’t always changed via way of means of metal.
Protection and control requirements (2009)
Protection measures basically relate to the exceptional legal guidelines for the list of anciental monuments and sites, particularly the Law 22-eighty regarding Moroccan history. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou presently has a five-12 months control plan (2007-2012). This control plan is the end result of years of mirrored image and workshops concerning all of the individuals and establishments involved with the destiny of the web website online, particularly the nearby populations. The suggestions of this plan are being implemented. Furthermore, control committees had been established (a nearby committee and a countrywide one) wherein all of the events are represented and cooperate in decision-making. As properly as dealing with the belongings, CERKAS guarantees coordination withinside the implementation of this control plan