LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Pinterest

---

THREE DAY FEZ TO MARRAKECH DESERT TOUR: WHAT TO EXPECT.

---

When we told our riad host in Fez that we were about to take a tour to the Sahara, he laughed and asked, “Did you book it on Get Your Guide?” whilst pouring our morning tea.

We told him yes, we had booked it on Get Your Guide (a booking website we’ve used countless times before). “It has great reviews,” we assured him.

“Are you sure?” he laughed again, before walking away with the teapot in his hand.

It was at that moment that I realised I might need to start digging a little deeper into reviews in Morocco. I’d also add, it takes one to know one. When it comes to the chap running our riad, I could hazard a guess that he knows a thing or two about faking reviews (Booking.com 9.5 out of 10, our riad was not).

Later that day, I decided to read some of the worst reviews of the tour we were about to embark on, and they definitely rattled me. Unfortunately, it was too late to cancel. So, with a healthy dose of trepidation, we packed our bags and prepared for our three-day adventure the next morning.

By 17:00, we were supposed to have received instructions for our pick-up. By 17:30, I was sending a chaser. We agreed that if we hadn’t heard anything by 19:00, we’d contact Get Your Guide and complain. Suffice to say, the few bad reviews I’d read about the tour guide being a “no show” had gone straight to my head.

Luckily, five minutes before our notional cut-off time, I got a message confirming the arrangements, along with a last-minute offer to upgrade our accommodation to “luxury” for the grand fee of €60 per person per night (nearly the full price of the trip).

We were all set.

When our alarms went off at 06:30 the next morning, I noticed another message, this time from the driver, sent at 23:00, asking us to confirm our pick-up point. This, of course, caused a mild panic. How could he not know? And why was I suddenly acting as a communications conduit for this entire tour company?

But at 07:15, a van pulled up at the meeting spot and our driver jumped out, a man called Hakim, wearing a jaunty patterned pork pie hat, a leather jacket, jazzy harem pants, and a very confident smile.

“I’m Hakim, but you can call me Camel.”

We immediately liked him, and decided to forgive the terrible camel joke.

Out of over a thousand of the positive reviews for this tour, many people mentioned how great their driver was. So many said things like “Abdul was an incredible driver” or “Mohammed was the safest driver ever” that I’d started to suspect they were all fake.

But as soon as Hakim started driving, I understood. And started to realise that the great reviews, probably were just that.

On a three-day van tour, the most important thing is a safe driver. And we had one. Trust me, I know the difference. A few days earlier, we’d been subjected to a completely bonkers driver doing hairpin turns in a decrepit van on mountain roads on the way to Chefchaouen.

Over the next three days in the van (and believe me, we spent many hours in the van), we realised that Hakim possessed some kind of zen-like quality. Not once did he get flustered or lose his temper, even in Marrakech traffic, when our van was wedged between a horse and cart and, inexplicably, an elderly man on a bicycle carrying sandbags.

So, was the three-day Fez to Marrakech desert tour actually worth it? Here’s exactly what it was like, day by day, plus the honest pros, cons and what I’d do differently.

Three Day Fez to Marrakech desert tour: key info

Day by day itinerary

Here’s the three day itinerary that we followed on our three day trip from Fez to Marrakech. If you’re doing this trip in reverse (from Marrakech to Fez) then you can expect the our day 3 on your day 1, and our day 1 as your day 3.

Day 1: Fez to Sahara

ROUTE & TIMINGS: We left Fez just after 07:00 and arrived to Merzouga by 16:00. We stopped for lunch and a few other short refreshment breaks.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Sunset camel ride. We were on the camels for about 90 minutes, with a stop to watch the sunset from the dunes. Pick your camel wisely. John had the grumpiest camel in the world, who we named “Old Toe”.
• A chance to try sandboarding.

• Food and a couple of cold beers, followed by music around the campfire. There are many tour groups converging at the same camp, which makes the vibe fun.
• Late night stargazing in the desert.

FOOD:

Lunch (not included) was at a tourist trap buffet restaurant (120 MAD). The food was fine, but overpriced. Pack sandwiches or snacks if you’d rather skip.

Dinner (included) at our desert camp was a buffet. Soup, then meat dishes, couscous, bread, vegetables and a few other bits. You can buy alcoholic drinks and soft drinks at the camp (300 MAD for a bottle of wine or 50 MAD for a beer).

ACCOMMODATION:

We stayed in a “standard” tent, which was a comfortable glamping tent with a bed and blankets. It was warm enough even in January. Tents have electricity and plug points for charging phones. The only downside is that tents are right next to each other, so you can hear everything.

I’d been under the illusion that I wouldn’t be able to shower, but there are huge male and female shower blocks, even with hot water.

Day 2: Sahara to Valley of Roses

ROUTE & TIMINGS: We boarded our camels at 06:30 and hit the road from Merzouga at about 08:30. We reached Tinghir by midday, then headed to Todgha Gorge after lunch, arriving at our hotel in the Valley of Roses by around 18:00.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Sunrise camel ride out of camp – a much more peaceful experience than the night before. Really quite special being part of the “camel train.”
• A short walk around Tinghir and views to the Atlas Mountains (dampened slightly by a mandated visit to a carpet shop afterwards)

• Todgha Gorge is quite impactful, but felt a little touristy and our guide offered limited info.
• Although the view from our hotel was lovely – we didn’t really get to see much of the Valley of Roses.

FOOD:

Breakfast (included) – pretty bad selection of dry bread and cakes, with a bit of fruit. Coffee and tea available.

Lunch (not-included) – we were taken to a restaurant near Todgha Gorge. It had terrible reviews on Google, so we decided to skip.

Dinner (included) – despite the awful reviews for the hotel we were in, the food was actually pretty good. Soup, followed by chicken and veg tagine. A set menu served with the tour group.

ACCOMMODATION:

As soon as we arrived in Kalaat M’Gouna, I had a strong suspicion we were heading to Hôtel Rose Mgouna. I saw the 2.9 out of 5 rating on Google and started to worry.

Perhaps because I was expecting something truly tragic (one reviewer described it as “hell on earth”), I found myself pleasantly surprised. We slept well.

If you are used to fancy hotels, you are going to hate this place. One American tourist in our group seemed quite beside himself

Day 3: Valley of Roses to Marrakech

ROUTE & TIMINGS: We left our hotel at 09:00 and arrived in Ouarzazate by around 11:00. Sadly, we skipped straight through the town and went instead to Atlas Studios. Next up was Aït Benhaddou, lunch, a whizz through the Atlas Mountains and arrival in Marrakech for around 19:00.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• We had ample time for a tour of Kasbah Aït Benhaddou (guide not included). This was one of the highlights of the entire trip.
• The roads through the Atlas Mountains afterwards were stunning, but frustratingly we were not able to stop for photos.

FOOD:

Breakfast (included) – eggs, bread, coffee and tea (with tour group.)

Lunch (not-included) – once again, we were taken to a tourist trap set menu restaurant. A few from our group chose to go Snack Les Amis (recommended.)

Pros and cons of this trip

Pros

• Safe, calm driver and comfortable vehicle
• Incredible landscapes
• Sahara experience without planning
• Logistical ease
• Very organised tours
• Small group travel, not mass
• Fun and sociable
• Great value for money

Cons

• A lot of time in a van
• Very touristy stops
• Limited time in each place
• No time in Ouarzazate or the Atlas Mountains
• Can feel claustrophobic
• Sahara camp is busy with tourists
• Accommodation varies wildly
• Guides not always informative.

What to expect

You will spend between 6 and 10 hours a day on the road. This is not a relaxed road trip. You cannot stop whenever you want and the itinerary has very little flexibility.

The Sahara is the standout highlight. I first visited the Sahara 20 years ago, when I stayed in a tiny tent with no toilets or running water, and it’s safe to say that since then facilities have improved and tourist numbers have risen. That said, it was still a magical visit and the desert will always move me.

The rest of the trip felt a little rushed and overly commercial. Lunch stops were consistently the worst part, and many people in our group refused to eat at them.

By the time we reached Marrakech, we were genuinely celebrating the return of our independence. But departed with some fantastic memories.

Practical tips

Here are a few practical tips from our experience.

What to pack

• Layers for the desert – it gets cold when the sun dips (if travelling in winter, pack a decent coat, hat and gloves for sunrise camel ride)
• Warm clothing to sleep in
• A small backpack for valuables (your main bag will be taken in a van whilst you are riding the camel)
• A small towel or something for the shower
• Antibacterial handgel or wipes
• A scarf – for sand and wind
• Sunglasses and sun screen
• Plenty of cash for drinks, lunches and tips
• Headphones and podcasts/ entertainment for the bus
• A power bank – the vans mostly don’t have charging points
• Snacks and consider sandwiches for your first day (if you want to sip expensive lunch)

Advice for booking

There are multiple tour companies operating this type of tour, so it can be difficult to choose. Here are our tips:

Before booking, I’d recommend checking exactly what the tour includes and the specific itinerary. For example, some tours do include time in Ouarzazte.

Read the “worst” reviews first. If you see a theme emerging, it might give you a good idea of potential issues with the tour.

Send a message to the tour operator with an innocuous question. This can help you gauge their responsiveness and how organised they seem.

Would we recommend it?

Overall, yes, but with caveats. Whilst these tours are small group tours and not coach tours, they still feel like budget options. It’s not intrepid, nor bespoke. And it is certainly not luxury.

That said, we got to visit the Sahara and see places that otherwise would have been tricky to get to. Especially in such a short space of time.

If independence is important to you, I’d suggest renting a car instead. You could re-create this trip fairly easily and tailor it to your preferences.

But, if you prefer ease and are on a budget – this tour may suit you. And if you’re on the fence, choose a two day option which has less stops but costs less, and still goes includes the desert.

Written by Emma

Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.

---

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Pinterest

---

---

Reading material for your trip

---