Cross Morocco from North to South: From Fes Through the Desert to Marrakech

The Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour is the perfect solution for travelers planning an open-jaw trip to Morocco (arriving in Fes, departing from Marrakech, or vice versa). Over 3 days you’ll cross the Middle Atlas, the Ziz Valley and the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, before reaching Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou.

Best time to go

March-May and September-November remain the best windows, when daytime desert temperatures are pleasant and nights aren’t yet too cold. In summer (June-August) Merzouga can hit 40-45°C (104-113°F) at midday, while in winter (December-February) camp nights can drop close to freezing even though the days stay mild and sunny — pack a heavy layer for the evening in any season. The Ifrane forest, which you’ll cross on day one, sits above 1,600 meters (5,250 ft) and can be cold even in late autumn.

Temperatures by Season

Ifrane sits above 1,600 meters, so it genuinely gets Alpine-style winters — locals only half-joke about calling it “Morocco’s Switzerland,” and snow on the cedar forest around Azrou isn’t unusual from December through February.

Difficulty level and who it’s for

This tour involves several hours of driving each day, with the final leg of day three crossing the Tizi n’Tichka, a winding mountain pass signed at 2,260 meters at the summit (a more recent GPS measurement puts it closer to 2,205 meters): if you’re prone to motion sickness, sit in the front. The camel trek in Merzouga lasts about 30-45 minutes, suitable for most travelers but not recommended for anyone with significant back problems. Since there are no extended city stops, this tour suits travelers who want a smooth, efficient journey rather than free time for souk shopping.

What to pack

Layered clothing is essential, since in 3 days you’ll go from the 1,600m elevation of Ifrane to near sea-level Merzouga and back up to the 2,200m Tizi n’Tichka pass: something warm for cold evenings, something light for daytime. Closed shoes for the short walk at the Todra Gorges, sunglasses, sunscreen, a headlamp for the desert camp, and cash in Moroccan dirhams for entrance fees and tips, which are rarely payable by card.

Pickup and Practicalities

Pickup is from your hotel or riad in Fes on day one; since this is a one-way itinerary, the tour ends with drop-off in Marrakech, not a return to Fes, so book your onward flight or hotel accordingly. Morocco’s currency is the dirham (MAD), a closed currency you can’t buy before arriving. Riads and hotels generally accept cards, but the desert camp, roadside stops, and entrance fees along the way mostly run on cash, so carry dirhams throughout — especially useful given how many small stops (Ifrane, Azrou, the film studios in Ouarzazate) this route includes.

How this differs from our other tours

This itinerary covers a complementary, not identical, route to our classic 3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Tour: it starts from Fes instead of Marrakech and crosses areas the other tour doesn’t touch, like the Ziz Valley and the Ifrane cedar forest, before rejoining the “classic” route on the final day through Ait Ben Haddou. It’s the right choice if your trip has you flying into Fes and out of Marrakech (or the reverse, with the route run in the opposite direction on request), avoiding backtracking. If you’re flying in and out of the same airport, the classic Marrakech tour remains the simpler option. If you’d also like full days exploring Fes and Marrakech themselves alongside the desert, our 7-Day Morocco Grand Tour is the better fit.

Did you know?

The Azrou cedar forest, near Ifrane, is one of the very few places in the world where you can observe wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) — the only macaque species found naturally outside Asia, and one now classified as endangered by the IUCN.