7-Day Sahara & Imperial Cities Desert TourZagora, Merzouga and Fes in One Week
7 days / 6 nights·Max 10
About this journey
Most desert tours pick one route south — Zagora or Merzouga — and stick to it. This one does both, without adding much extra time, before continuing north to Fes rather than looping back to Marrakech. The route runs Marrakech to Ouarzazate, then south through the Draâ Valley to Zagora, with a camel trek and bivouac night at the Tinfou dunes. From there it turns north via Rissani — the historic gateway to Merzouga's Erg Chebbi — for a viewpoint stop at Morocco's tallest dunes, before the long push to Fes through the Middle Atlas. This suits travellers who want more than a single desert experience and are happy to also close the trip in Fes rather than returning to Marrakech. Day 4 is a long driving day by design — it's what makes seeing both desert regions possible in a week. If a single desert region and a shorter trip suits you better, our 4-day Zagora tour or one of our Merzouga-route small-group tours may be a better fit.
- Two distinct desert regions in one trip: Zagora and the Merzouga corridor
- The Draâ Valley, Morocco's longest palm oasis
- Camel trek and desert bivouac at the Tinfou dunes
- A viewpoint stop near Rissani for Erg Chebbi's taller dunes
- Continues north to a full day in the Fes medina
Day by day
The route crosses the Tichka Pass, Morocco's highest year-round mountain road, heading toward Ouarzazate to set up two consecutive desert routes rather than just one. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
- Tichka Pass
- Overnight Ouarzazate
The drive south follows the Draâ Valley, Morocco's longest palm oasis, past kasbahs at Agdz and Tamnougalt. Zagora, the historic starting point for Saharan trade caravans, is your base for the night before heading deeper into the desert tomorrow.
- Draâ Valley palm oasis
- Zagora caravan history
A drive toward M'Hamid brings you to the dunes at Tinfou — genuine Sahara sand, with a fraction of Merzouga's visitor numbers. A sunset camel trek leads to a small desert bivouac camp for the night.
- Tinfou dunes
- Sunset camel trek
- Desert bivouac
Sunrise over the Tinfou dunes, then a long but scenic drive north through Rissani, the historic gateway to Merzouga and Erg Chebbi, with a stop to see the taller dunes from a viewpoint before continuing to Midelt for the night. Seeing both desert landscapes in one trip is the whole point of this route.
- Sunrise at Tinfou
- Rissani and Erg Chebbi viewpoint
- Overnight Midelt
The Middle Atlas cedar forests near Ifrane get a proper stop, with Barbary macaques often gathering roadside, before arriving in Fes by early evening.
- Ifrane cedar forest stop
- Barbary macaques (weather dependent)
- Arrival in Fes
A local guide leads a half-day walking tour of Fes el-Bali — the Chouara tanneries, the Al Quaraouiyine exterior, and souks organised by trade. The afternoon is free to explore on your own.
- Fes medina walking tour
- Chouara Tanneries
- Free afternoon
The tour ends after breakfast, with airport transfers arranged around your actual flight time.
- Flexible airport transfer
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
- 6 nights accommodation (1 kasbah guesthouse, 1 Zagora riad, 1 desert bivouac, 1 Midelt hotel, 2 Fes riad nights)
- Transport in an air-conditioned minivan (max 10 seats)
- Licensed English-speaking guide for the full 7 days
- Camel trek to and from the bivouac camp
- 6 breakfasts, 5 dinners
- Local Fes medina guide for a half-day walking tour
Not included
- International flights (this tour ends in Fes)
- Lunches (budget $8–$14/day)
- Personal travel insurance (required)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Alcohol and personal purchases
Choose your style
Small-Group Tour
- Max 10 travellers
- Two desert regions in one trip
- 6 nights accommodation included
- English-speaking guide throughout
What travelers say
“Getting to see both the Zagora dunes and the Merzouga area on the same trip felt like much better value than picking just one.”
“Day 4 was long but the Rissani stop broke it up well, and ending in Fes tied the whole trip together properly.”
“The Tinfou bivouac was wonderfully quiet after reading how busy Merzouga camps can get in high season.”
Why choose AZA Morocco Tours
- Local expert guides — born and raised in Morocco
- Small groups capped at 10 people maximum
- All-inclusive pricing — no hidden fees
- Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure
- Weekly departures year-round (except desert tours Jul–Aug)
- Verified reviews on TripAdvisor
Questions about this tour
Zagora and Merzouga have genuinely different characters — Zagora and the Draâ Valley are quieter with a different oasis landscape, while the Rissani/Erg Chebbi area has Morocco's tallest dunes. This route gives you both without adding much extra time.
Just Tinfou, to keep the trip to 7 days — day 4 passes the Erg Chebbi area with a viewpoint stop rather than a second overnight desert stay.
It's the longest day of the trip, around 6–7 hours including the Rissani stop. It's the trade-off for covering two desert regions plus Fes in one week.
February to May and September to December, avoiding peak Sahara heat in summer.
Yes — small-group desert tours are popular with solo travellers, and you're never travelling alone once the group forms.
As a guideline, $8–$10 per traveller per day for the guide and $5–$6 per day for the driver, given directly at the end of the tour.