7-Day Fes to Fes Imperial Secrets & Sahara Journey

Today we will depart Fes in the morning for a day exploring the imperial and Roman history that surrounds the city, beginning with the roughly hour-long drive to Meknes, one of Morocco's four Imperial Cities and historically one of its grandest — Sultan Moulay Ismail envisioned it in the late 17th century as Morocco's answer to Versailles, building vast royal granaries and stables designed to house 12,000 horses. We take a short visit to Bab Mansour, widely considered the most beautiful gate in North Africa, an enormous horseshoe archway decorated with elaborate zellige tilework and marble columns taken from nearby Roman ruins. From here, we drive around thirty minutes to Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, once the thriving administrative capital of Roman Mauretania Tingitana. With your guide, we explore the Basilica, the Capitol, a triumphal arch honouring Emperor Caracalla, and a remarkable collection of intact mosaic floors depicting mythological scenes, preserved almost two thousand years thanks to Morocco's dry climate. A short drive brings us to Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, Morocco's holiest town, named for the great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammad who founded Morocco's first Islamic dynasty here in the 8th century, before we return to Fes in the evening. Lunch during this day trip is usually taken in Meknes or near Volubilis, a good opportunity to sample the region's cuisine alongside its considerable history.

Early departure this morning, ideally by 8am, for one of the longest and most spectacular driving days of the trip. The road climbs into the Middle Atlas, and within an hour the plains around Fes give way to pine and cedar forest. Our first stop is Ifrane, an alpine-style town built by the French in the 1930s, before continuing to the Azrou Cedar Forest, home to some of the largest Atlas cedars in the world and a resident troop of wild Barbary macaques — your driver stops for twenty to thirty minutes so you can walk among the ancient trees. Continuing south, we descend toward Midelt for a lunch stop. From Midelt, the road follows the Ziz Gorges and then the Ziz Valley, a ribbon of palm groves and mudbrick ksour villages winding through an otherwise barren landscape. As the afternoon light softens, we arrive in Merzouga on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dune sea, where camel handlers meet us for a 45-60 minute sunset trek across the dunes to our exclusive desert camp. After a traditional dinner cooked over an open fire, gather around the campfire as Berber musicians play traditional drums under one of the most spectacular starscapes anywhere on Earth. Lunch en route to the desert is typically a simple stop in Midelt, breaking up this long but genuinely spectacular crossing.

For those willing to wake before dawn, this morning offers one of the most memorable experiences of the trip: climbing a nearby dune in the dark to watch the sunrise transform the desert from soft pink to deep gold. Afterwards, return to camp for a simple Berber breakfast before driving back to Merzouga village by 4x4. We drive west toward Todra Gorge, where sheer pink and orange limestone cliffs rise up to 300 metres, stopping for an hour to walk the canyon floor. In the afternoon, we continue along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs toward the Dades Valley, also known as the Valley of Roses, checking in to a kasbah-style hotel with terrace views over the valley's dramatic rock formations for a relaxed dinner as the sun sets. Lunch is usually enjoyed on a terrace overlooking the palm oasis near Todra Gorge, a shaded, welcome stop after the morning's sunrise excursion.

After breakfast overlooking the Dades Valley, we head to Ouarzazate, nicknamed the 'Hollywood of Africa' thanks to the Atlas Film Studios, where productions including Gladiator and Game of Thrones have been filmed. Time permitting, we visit the Taourirt Kasbah, a former residence of the powerful Glaoui family. A short drive brings us to Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified ksar above the Ounila River and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, one of the best-preserved examples of pre-Saharan earthen architecture in the world. We take a guided walk through the ksar's narrow lanes to the old communal granary at the top for panoramic views over the valley, one of the most photographed sites in Morocco, before overnighting nearby ahead of tomorrow's return journey north. Lunch today is typically taken near Ait Ben Haddou, often with sweeping valley views, before the overnight stop in Ouarzazate.

This morning we begin the return leg of our historic loop, heading north and east rather than continuing to Marrakech. The route climbs back through the High Atlas foothills before joining the road toward Midelt, a former mining town and gateway between the High and Middle Atlas ranges, passing through dramatic, sparsely populated mountain scenery quite different from the well-travelled Tizi n'Tichka route further west. Your driver will stop for lunch en route, typically in a small town along the way, and may point out roadside vendors selling geodes and amethyst, minerals for which this broader region is well known. We arrive in Midelt in the afternoon, with time to relax after a full day of driving before continuing back toward Fes tomorrow. Lunch en route back north is usually a simple stop along the High Atlas foothills road, a scenic break on this quieter, less-travelled return route.

After breakfast, we complete the journey back to Fes, retracing the Middle Atlas route through Azrou and Ifrane. Depending on your energy and interest, your driver can arrange a second, shorter stop in the cedar forest if you'd like another chance to see the Barbary macaques, or press on directly if you'd prefer more free time in Fes this afternoon. We arrive back in Fes by the early-to-mid afternoon, with the rest of the day free — this is an excellent opportunity for a more relaxed, unhurried exploration of the medina's artisan quarters, visiting a traditional pottery cooperative to see Fassi blue ceramics being hand-painted, or simply revisiting favourite corners of the souks now that the full loop of imperial history and desert landscapes is complete. Many guests choose to unwind this evening with a hammam and massage at their riad. Lunch on the return drive to Fes is typically taken in Azrou or Ifrane, a good final chance to see the cedar forest region.

This final morning offers time for a last exploration of Fes before your onward journey — perhaps a stroll through the medina to pick up ceramics, leatherwork, or brassware, all specialities of the city. Argan oil, saffron, and ras el hanout spice blends also make excellent, easily packable souvenirs. At the appropriate time, your private driver will collect you and your luggage and transfer you directly to Fes-Saïs Airport, timed comfortably to your departure flight. Over these seven days, you will have explored the imperial grandeur of Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis, crossed the Middle Atlas into the golden dunes of the Sahara, wound through the dramatic Todra Gorge and Dades Valley, visited the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, and completed a genuine loop back to the imperial city of Fes — a deep historic journey through both Morocco's imperial past and its desert landscapes. On behalf of your driver, guides, and the entire Marokko Travel team, thank you for travelling with us on this deep historic loop through Morocco's imperial past and desert landscapes.