Marrakech to Fes: The Best Route Through the Sahara

Many travellers arrive in Marrakech and leave from Fes, or the other way round. You can cover the distance in one day by train or by road, or you can turn the journey into the highlight of your trip by crossing the Sahara. Here are your options, and the route we love most.

Option 1: the direct way

• By train: around 7 hours, usually with a change in Casablanca. Comfortable and inexpensive.
• By road: about 530 km through the plains and the Middle Atlas, roughly 7 to 8 hours with stops.

The direct route is practical, but you miss the south of Morocco: the High Atlas, the kasbahs, the gorges and the dunes.

Option 2: through the Sahara (our favourite)

Instead of going north, you head south-east across the High Atlas, spend a night in the dunes of Merzouga and then drive north to Fes. It is a longer journey, around 1,000 km, but every kilometre is worth it, and you never drive the same road twice.

Day 1: Marrakech to the Dades Valley

Cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), visit the UNESCO-listed ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, pass Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses, and sleep in the Dades Valley.

Day 2: Todra Gorge and the Merzouga dunes

Walk between the towering walls of the Todra Gorge, then continue to Merzouga. Ride a camel into the dunes of Erg Chebbi at sunset and spend the night in a desert camp.

Day 3: from the Sahara to Fes

After the sunrise, drive north along the Ziz Valley and its palm canyon, cross the Middle Atlas via Midelt, stop in the cedar forest near Azrou to see the Barbary macaques and pass the alpine-style town of Ifrane. Arrive in Fes in the evening.

How many days do you need?

• 3 days is the minimum, with long driving days.
• 4 or 5 days give you a slower pace and an extra day around the dunes.

Tips for the journey

• Travel with a private driver: you can stop for photos, tea and lunch whenever you like.
• Keep a small bag for the night in the desert; your suitcase stays in the vehicle.
• Bring warm layers for the evening in the Sahara and in the Middle Atlas.
• Plan this route in spring or autumn for the most comfortable temperatures (see our guide to the best time to visit Morocco).

Our tours on this route

• 5 Days Marrakech to Fes via the Sahara
• 3 Days Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara (the same route, the other way)
• 4 Days Fes to Marrakech, with an extra day in the desert

Every tour is private and can be adapted. Build your trip and we will send you a personal proposal.