3 Days trip Fez to the Merzouga Desert Erg Chebbi

3 Days trip fes to the Merzouga Desert Erg chebbi

Day 1: Fez – Ifrane – Cedros Forest – Middle Atlas – Ziz Valley – Merzouga Desert:

Pick up at the hotel or riad where you are staying in Fez at 8am and we head south to cross the Middle Atlas Mountains until we reach Ifrane, called “the little Moroccan Switzerland” because of its great resemblance to that country. 

One of the animals that once inhabited here was the Atlas lion, which is why it has become the symbol of the city and to which a stone statue has been dedicated in the centre of it. We will take the opportunity to stop and take some photos. Later we will cross the famous forests of cedars, where we will see the largest ancient cedar in the region and we will also have the opportunity to feed the hundreds of Barbary monkeys that live in the area. 

Lunch in Midelt and, in the afternoon, we will pass through the Ziz Valley. This valley has more than 20km of palm groves and 10 million palm trees, which make it one of the largest in the world. Arrival in the desert of Merzouga and hospitality tea in our hotel. Then, we´ll enjoy our first contact with the desert, climbing to the nearest dunes to relax with a spectacular sunset. Dinner and hotel accommodation very close to the dunes of Erg Chebbi.

Day 2: Desert of Merzouga – Nomadic Families – Night in Haimas Nomads:

Today will be a day of Total Desert. After a copious and rich breakfast, we will go around the Erg Chebbi, an expanse of sand desert where the Great Dune of Morocco is located – more than 250 meters high – and we will connect by track with part of the route followed by the old Paris-Dakar Rally. 

All this with the mountains that border Algeria in the background. We will stop at the Oasis of Tissardmin where we can find fossil quarries, then we will continue towards a nomadic settlement to find out some of the secrets of their life and customs. Later we will stop at a panoramic viewpoint where we can contemplate the Erg Chebbi as a whole. We will arrive at the village of Khamlia where we will relax with a tea while enjoying a small concert of spiritual music from Gnawa. 

We will then return to the hotel to set off in a caravan of camels to enter the heart of the dunes and contemplate an unforgettable sunset. We will arrive by camel at the camp where we will stay in Haimas (tents made with camel hair), like those used by desert nomads. Dinner and night in Haimas in the heart of the desert under a spectacular blanket of stars.

Day 3: Desert of Merzouga – Valley of Ziz – Middle Atlas – Midelt – Fez:

“Appointment with the Sunrise”; since you are in the desert we recommended you get up early to walk to the highest dune around the camp to enjoy the sunrise and this breathtaking landscape that nature offers. 

We will return by camel to the town of Merzouga for breakfast. Once ready we will head north through the Palmeral de Tafilalet where we can see in 20km infinity of palm trees, which makes it one of the largest palm groves in the world. After crossing it we will arrive at the Valley of Ziz, a name that derives from the river that comes down from the High Atlas and that feeds the palm grove. 

Here we will make a stop to observe the Valley from the top and see the town of Aoufous. We will also pause at Midelt, right in the heart of the Atlas, to rest awhile and have lunch. In the afternoon we will continue our way going through the Forest of Cedars again. Arrival in Fez around 6pm, transfer to the hotel and end of the trip.

Book your Tour in: Merzougadeserttrips.com