The Private 2 days Desert Tour Fez To Merzouga

Sunrise on camelback sets the tone. This private 2-day ride from Fez to Merzouga strings together Middle Atlas stops, a calm break in Immouzer and Ifrane, then ends with a Sahara night under the stars.

I love the door-to-door setup. Your hotel/riad pickup and drop-off in Fez, plus an air-conditioned vehicle and a driver who speaks English and French, makes the long road feel easy.

One thing to consider: entrance fees to historical sites are not included. If you want to go inside everything along the way, you should plan on spending a bit extra.

Key highlights before you go

• Private group experience with only your party taking this tour
• Pickup and drop-off in Fez from your hotel or riad
• Middle Atlas and Ifrane timing for cooler air, forest views, and photo stops
• Camel trekking for sunrise and sunset with Merzouga dunes as the backdrop
• Overnight desert camp with dinner plus a rest period back in Merzouga
• Rissani souk and mausoleums that connect desert life to Moroccan history

Private Fez to Merzouga: what you really gain

This tour works because it is private, not because it is fancy on paper. You are not squeezed into a mixed shuffle with other people’s schedules, and you get direct help from a professional English-French-speaking driver from Fez through the Sahara.

In practical terms, that means you can enjoy the road without constantly asking who stops where and when. The plan includes pickup at Place Rcif327G+2X9 and then returns you to that same starting point when the tour ends.

You also get real breathing room between “big moments.” Day 1 includes stops like Immouzer, Ifrane, and the Cedar forest area before you reach the dunes, so you are not just trapped in the car until bedtime. It feels like you are traveling across Morocco, not teleporting to the desert and back.

Day 1 drive from Fez to Merzouga via Immouzer, Ifrane, and Cedar forest

Day 1 starts with a classic Moroccan shift in scenery. You leave Fez old-city vibes behind and head toward the Middle Atlas, passing mountain views and Berber villages along the way.

Your first notable break is in Immouzer, a small mountain town where the idea is simple: step out, relax, and catch some cooler air. Then the route continues to Ifrane, where people often call it the Little Moroccan Switzerland because of the greenery and the mountain-town feel.

After that, you have a stop by the Cedar forest. You are not going there for a museum visit, you are going for a reset, a stretch, and a chance to see a different side of the region before the Sahara takes over.

Logistics note: Day 1 includes about a full travel block, listed at 7 hours for the day section shown, and entry tickets for stops are not included. So if you plan to pay for any sites along the route, you will need to budget for that yourself.

Arriving in Merzouga and settling into the desert camp

Once you reach Merzouga, the trip changes pace. This is where the itinerary turns from driving and stops into a desert experience built around comfort and timing.

Your overnight stop is a desert camp, and dinner is included. That matters because the camp night is the whole point of this route, and having dinner handled means you can focus on the moment, not logistics.

From the way the experience is described, dinner is followed by the classic desert rhythm: settling in, talking with your group, and having time to look up at the sky. Night in the dunes is not a museum moment, it is a sensory one, and most people remember the quiet more than the food.

Practical comfort tip that you can control: bring layers you can manage easily at camp. Desert nights can shift, and even if temperatures are fine, you will likely want something light when you step away from the fire area.

Also, keep in mind the tour includes a desert camp, but it does not say that every stop has a formal local guide included. Your driver is part of the experience, but for detailed site interpretation inside museums or monuments, you may need to rely on what is available on-site.

Day 2 camel sunrise trek, Merzouga breakfast, then Rissani souk

Day 2 starts early. The plan calls for an early camel trek so you can watch the sunrise over the dunes, with camels in a long line giving that Lawrence of Arabia feeling people chase in Morocco.

This is not a quick photo stop. The point is to see the dunes as the light changes, and to move slowly enough that it feels like a real experience instead of a rushed ride.

After the trek, you go back toward your base in Merzouga for a fresh Sahara breakfast and time to rest. That rest window is more important than it sounds, because you have already had a long day and you are about to switch into market sightseeing.

Then you head to Rissani, described as the old market center of the Sahara Desert. This is where the tour connects the desert dream with everyday life: a colorful souk where you can see what locals buy and trade, and a chance to feel the region’s older rhythms.

Two religious and historical sites are named in the plan. You visit the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, described as the founder of the Moroccan ruling Dynasty, the Alaouites, and then you continue to Saad el Hassan el Awal.

One practical consideration: entrance fees to historical sites are not included. If any portion of the Rissani visits requires tickets on the day you go, it is on you to cover that.

Camel trekking timing: sunset one night, sunrise the next

The package includes camel trekking for sunrise and sunset, even though the written day-by-day detail specifically highlights an early sunrise trek. In practice, this usually means you get a camel moment both the night you arrive in Merzouga and the next morning.

That timing is the value here. Sunrise is when the dunes turn from dark to gold and the air feels calmer, while sunset gives you softer light for silhouettes. If you care about photos, sunrise tends to be more forgiving, less glare, and more detail in the sand texture.

If you are worried about riding camels, your best move is to tell your driver what you need before you start. The tour includes a professional driver, and in the experience described across many people’s comments, drivers are often praised for making the ride feel safe and steady.

Who should book this Fez to Merzouga desert tour

This is a strong pick if you want the Sahara without the stress of planning the route. You get air-conditioned transport, hotel/riad pickup and drop-off, a desert camp overnight, dinner, and breakfast.

It also fits well if you like a guided “flow” through multiple regions. Day 1 does Fez to Middle Atlas to Ifrane to Cedar forest to Merzouga, and Day 2 does sunrise camel trekking plus Rissani souk and named mausoleums.

On the other hand, this might not be the right fit if you dislike long driving days. Two-day desert tours are by nature travel-heavy, and this one has a full road day before you even reach the dunes.

Also, if you are the type who wants a deep museum-level explanation inside every site, you should plan for that gap. The included list does not mention a local guide for sites, and entrance fees are not included, so you might rely on the driver for general context and visuals.

Price and what you get for about $441.35 per person

At $441.35 per person, the price can feel high or reasonable depending on what you compare it to. Here, you are paying for a bundled package that includes:

• air-conditioned transport
• hotel/riad pickup and drop-off
• professional driver who speaks English and French
• desert camp overnight
• dinner and breakfast
• camel trekking for sunrise and sunset

If you tried to assemble this alone, the costs would likely creep up fast once you factor in vehicle time, a driver for the long distance, and the camp plus camel part. The best value piece is really the all-in nature of the overnight: the camp and meals remove a lot of guesswork.

Where value can slip a bit is on items not included: entrance fees and a local guide for sites. If you plan to enter multiple historical spots, the final total can rise.

My advice: treat this as a practical “ticket to experience” for the Sahara night plus camel trek. If that is what you want most, the price makes more sense.

How to get the most out of the itinerary

Start by thinking of this as two different days. Day 1 is about traveling with good breaks and arriving in Merzouga in time for your camp experience. Day 2 is about the dunes at first light, then shifting back to towns and markets.

For photography, plan to be flexible with timing. Sunrise camel rides need calm focus, and your best shots come when you keep your attention on the dunes, not just the phone screen.

For pacing, lean into the rest window after the camel trek. The tour explicitly includes breakfast and time to rest in Merzouga before heading to Rissani, so do not try to cram extra activities right after you wake up.

Finally, if you care about specific add-ons (like extra dune rides), ask your driver what is possible on the ground. Some people mention add-on activities on this route, but the included list here focuses on camel trekking and camp.

Should you book the Private 2 days Desert Tour Fez to Merzouga?

I would book it if you want a private, guided Fez-to-Sahara experience with a real overnight in Merzouga and camel trekking timed for sunrise and sunset. The included meals, camp stay, and pickup and drop-off in Fez make it a low-stress way to do the hard part of the logistics.

I would hesitate if you have a tight schedule or you hate long driving days. Also, if you are building a trip around paying for many attractions, remember entrance fees for historical sites are not included, so you may want to budget ahead.

If your main goal is the Sahara night plus the dune sunrise moment, this tour lines up nicely with that.

FAQ

What is the duration of the Private 2 days Desert Tour Fez To Merzouga?

The tour is listed as approximately 2 days.

Where does the tour start in Fez?

The meeting point is Place Rcif327G+2X9, Fes, Morocco.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 7:30 am.

What does the tour include?

It includes air-conditioned transportation, breakfast, dinner, hotel or riad pickup and drop-off, a professional English-French-speaking driver, a desert camp, and camel trekking to watch sunrise and sunset.

Are entrance fees included for historical sites?

No. Entrance fees to historical sites are not included.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It is a private tour or activity, and only your group participates.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.