10-DAY BIRDING TOUR FROM FES TO MERZOUGA DESERT AND ATLANTIC COAST

Morocco rewards travelers who know where to look, and this 10 day Morocco birding tour was built for exactly that kind of traveler.

Starting in the historic city of Fes, this Fes to Merzouga desert tour begins in one of Morocco's most fascinating imperial cities. If you're planning to spend extra time here, explore our Fes destination page before your tour starts. The tour then takes you across four of North Africa's richest birding zones, from the Middle Atlas Cedars to the Souss-Massa Wetlands. Rather than treating these regions as separate stops, the itinerary strings them together so every habitat shift brings a fresh set of species, from mountain endemics to desert specialists to coastal waders.

Whether you're a professional ornithologist ticking off endemics or a hobbyist growing your life list, the pace is built around dawn and dusk activity windows, when birds are most active, while still allowing comfortable travel between habitats each day. As a dedicated Morocco endemic bird watching tour, the itinerary is built specifically to maximize sightings of species found nowhere else on the continent.

Day 1: Fes - Ifrane - Zaida

As the first stop on this 10 day birding tour from Fes, your birding odyssey begins with a departure from the medieval city of Fes, climbing quickly into the cool, alpine air of the Middle Atlas Mountains. This region functions as a lush biological island, home to several of Morocco's most sought-after endemic species and distinct North African subspecies.

Day 2: Zaida - Errachidia - Erfoud - Merzouga​

This leg is the true heart of the Fes to Merzouga desert tour. We begin at dawn in the windswept plains of Zaida, trekking through the tussocks in search of the elusive Dupont's Lark. As we cross this high-altitude steppe, we also watch for Thekla and Short-toed Larks before heading south toward the Sahara. The route runs through the dramatic Ziz Valley, where the shifting landscape brings sightings of Eurasian Crag Martins, Desert Larks, and both Black and White-crowned Wheatears. Within the rocky gorges, we pause to find Rock Buntings and Blue Rock Thrushes. After a day of shifting habitats, we settle into our desert hotel in Merzouga for a two-night stay, closing the evening with dinner beneath the towering golden dunes.

Day 3 : Merzouga - Erg Chebbi dunes - Rissani

Today is dedicated to the vast Erg Chebbi dune system, moving between sandy dunes, palm groves, and stony hammada. In this remote landscape, we go at a relaxed pace to find desert specialists like the Desert Sparrow, Fulvous Babbler, Greater Hoopoe Lark, African Desert Warbler, and Brown-necked Raven. Depending on the season, ephemeral lakes nearby attract a surprising variety of wildfowl and waders, a striking contrast against the desert sand. As the day warms, we scan the thermals for migrating storks and raptors while watching the ground for Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse, Lanner Falcon, Trumpeter Finch, and larks including Bar-tailed and Short-toed. A highlight of the day is the search for the camouflaged Egyptian Nightjar at its daytime roost, before returning to Merzouga for dinner and a second night under the desert stars.

Day 4: Merzouga - Goulmima - Todra gorge - Tagdilt track - Boumaln Du dades

After an early morning scan of the dunes, we head west toward a specialized habitat where the Scrub Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, and the desert-dwelling Trumpeter Finch can be found. From there, the route leads into the towering limestone walls of the Todra Gorge, a prime location for the endemic Tristram's Warbler, along with Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, and Crag Martin, with Bonelli's Eagle often visible on the thermals above. In the afternoon we reach the legendary Tagdilt Track, a high-altitude stony desert known for its exceptional density of larks, where we look for the Thick-billed, Temminck's, Thekla, and Desert Short-toed Larks, plus both Desert and Red-rumped Wheatears. The day ends in the Dades Valley with dinner and overnight in Boumalne Dades.

Day 5 : Boumaln Dades - tagdilt track - Ouarzazate

We return to the Tagdilt Track at dawn to search for anything missed the previous day, one of the signature stops on this Fes to Merzouga desert tour. From there, we head west across the stony plateaus, watching the roadside for the rare Maghreb Wheatear. Before reaching Ouarzazate, we stop at the wetlands of the Mansour Eddahabi Barrage, an oasis that shelters Marbled Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-winged Stilts, and the regional Maghreb Lark, along with herons, cormorants, and migrating waders. The day closes with dinner and an overnight stay in Ouarzazate.

Day 6: Ouarzazate – Anti Atlas Mountains – Souss Valley – Taroudant – Agadir

The journey turns west as we cross the rugged Anti-Atlas Mountains and drop into the fertile Souss Valley, marking the start of the Atlantic Coast & Desert trip leg. Along the mountain passes, we watch the roadsides for larks and wheatears before entering the valley's Mediterranean-style scrub, where we look for Black-crowned Tchagra, Laughing Dove, Cirl Bunting, and flocks of Spanish Sparrows. Passing the ancient walls of Taroudant, we scan the skies for Little and Pallid Swifts above the city. After a final birding stop in the valley, we reach the coastal city of Agadir for dinner and our first night by the ocean. If you're thinking about extending your stay, take a look at our Agadir destination page for more places to visit and local experiences.

Day 7-8: Agadir – Sous Massa National Park - Oude Massa

Our first destination is Souss Massa National Park, where we search for the extremely rare Northern Bald Ibis, one of the world's rarest species. Among the other species that we might encounter are Squacco Heron, Marbled Duck, Glossy Ibis, Osprey, and Black-shouldered Kite. After lunch, we move to the Souss steppes for the Cream-colored Courser and Stone Curlew, closing the day at the Oued Souss estuary, home to large flocks of Greater Flamingos, Audouin's Gulls, and various waders. Dinner and an overnight in Agadir round out this stretch of the atlantic coast or desert trip.

Day 9: Agadir – High Atlas Mountains

Today we travel from Agadir across the High Atlas Mountains toward Marrakech, descending into the lush Ourika Valley. Along the scenic drive, we stop to enjoy the mountain views and scan for raptors. In the afternoon, we explore the valley foothills and our hotel grounds, hoping to spot the beautiful Moussier's Redstart and the endemic Levaillant's Woodpecker. Dinner and overnight in the Atlas Mountains.

Day 10: Ourika Valley - Oukaimeden - Marrakech

Our final day is spent high in the Atlas Mountains at Oukaimeden, the top site for the rare African Crimson-winged Finch. On these rocky plateaus, we also look for Atlas Horned Lark, Seebohm's Wheatear, Barbary Partridge, and both the Alpine and Red-billed Choughs. After lunch, we descend through the foothills to spot migrating birds before returning to Marrakech. If you have extra time after the tour, our Marrakech destination page highlights the city's top attractions and travel ideas.

Note:

This 10 days Morocco trip can be completely tailor-made depending on your schedule, the size of your group, and your preferences. If you want to enhance your accommodation or change the speed of the trip and include activities like cooking classes, quads, desert excursions, or more time spent in Marrakech and the desert, we can tailor-make this tour for you.

**We also offer fully personalized student tours across Morocco, including tailor-made itineraries for Erasmus groups, university trips, and small student groups. Simply let us know your preferences, and we will design a unique educational and cultural experience just for you.