5 Day Student Trip from Marrakech to Fez via Merzouga

Overview

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1Arrival in Marrakech and city tour

   First, we pick you up at Marrakech Airport and take you to your riad. After you settle in, we start to explore Marrakech, the Red City of Morocco. Then we visit Jemaa el-Fna square, the heart of the medina. Here you find food stalls, musicians and street performers.

   Next, we walk through the souks, full of crafts, spices, carpets and local products. Along the way, you also see the Koutoubia Mosque from the outside. Finally, you go back to the riad to rest.

   Accommodation: Marrakech.

2. 2

   Day 2Marrakech – High Atlas – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley

   After breakfast, we drive south and cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n’Tichka pass, at about 2,260 metres. On the way, we stop to enjoy the mountain views and the Berber villages. Then we visit the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fortified mud-brick village appears in many films and TV series.

   Next, we continue to Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert and home to large film studios. Afterwards, we cross the Skoura oasis and the Valley of the Roses, where local families grow roses. In the afternoon, we reach the Dades Valley, with its red rock formations and mountain scenery.

   Accommodation: hotel or riad in the Dades Valley.

3. 3

   Day 3Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Erfoud – Merzouga

   After breakfast, we drive through the Tinghir area to the Todra Gorges. Here you walk inside a narrow canyon between huge rock walls. Then we continue to Erfoud, a desert town full of fossil shops.

   Later, we stop in Rissani, an old market town with a long trading history. In the afternoon, we arrive in Merzouga, at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. First, you ride a camel into the dunes to watch the sunset. After that, you reach the desert camp for a Moroccan dinner and Berber music around the fire. Finally, you sleep under a sky full of stars.

   Accommodation: Merzouga desert camp.

4. 4

   Day 4Merzouga – Ziz Valley – Midelt – Cedar forest – Ifrane – Fez

   Early risers can watch the sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast, we leave Merzouga and drive north towards Fez. First, we follow the Ziz Valley, with its palm groves, oases and wide views. Then we pass Errachidia and stop for lunch in Midelt.

   In the afternoon, we cross the Middle Atlas and the cedar forest of Azrou. With some luck, you also see wild Barbary macaques. Next, we make a short stop in Ifrane, a town with Alpine-style houses and clean streets. Finally, we arrive in Fez in the late afternoon or evening, depending on traffic and road conditions.

   Accommodation: Fez.

5. 5

   Day 5Fez city tour and airport transfer

   After breakfast, we spend the morning in Fez, one of the great imperial cities of Morocco. First, we walk through the medina of Fez el-Bali, with its souks and craft workshops. Then you can see the Bou Inania Madrasa, Nejjarine Square and the old leather tanneries. Besides, we pass the area around Al Qarawiyyin University.

   At the agreed time, we drive you to Fez Airport for your flight home. This is the end of the Marrakech to Fez cheap tour.

What is included

Photos of the Marrakech to Fez cheap tour