7-DAY BIRDING TOUR FROM FES TO MERZOUGA & THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS

7-Day Birding Tour from Fes to Merzouga & Atlas Mountains

This seven-day tour is built to share the depth and variety of Morocco’s birdlife, from Fes through the Merzouga Desert and into the Atlas Mountains, while also showcasing the country’s landscapes, culture, and hospitality. The route is designed to be both immersive and educational, with each day centred on a distinct habitat and its resident species.

Tour Highlights

• Middle Atlas cedar forests for Maghreb Owl, Atlas Flycatcher, Levaillant’s Woodpecker, and Barbary Apes
• A dedicated dawn search for the elusive Dupont’s Lark on the high plains near Zaida
• Two nights in the Sahara at Merzouga, with full days exploring the Erg Chebbi dune system
• The legendary Tagdilt Track, a high-altitude hotspot for larks and wheatears
• The Mansour Eddahbi Barrage, drawing Marbled Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, and Black-winged Stilt
• A visit to Aït Ben Haddou, Morocco’s best-known UNESCO-listed ksar
• Oukaimeden, the top site in the country for the rare African Crimson-winged Finch
• A target list exceeding 30 key species, from Pharaoh Eagle-Owl to Egyptian Nightjar

DAY 1: FES – IFRANE – ZAIDA
The day begins with pick-up from your hotel in Fes. Heading south-east toward Azrou, the first stop is Ifrane town, checked for Lesser Kestrel, before moving on to prime Middle Atlas ground for Maghreb Owl, Atlas Flycatcher, Levaillant’s Woodpecker, and Seebohm’s Wheatear. Within the cedar forests, Wood Lark, Firecrest, and local races of Great Spotted Woodpecker and African Blue Tit are all possible, alongside Barbary Apes. A night excursion targets Maghreb Owl, with an evening search also made for Dupont’s Lark. Dinner and overnight in Zaida.

DAY 2: ZAIDA – ERRACHIDIA – ERFOUD – MERZOUGA
An early start is dedicated to Dupont’s Lark near Zaida — a notoriously difficult high-plain species that vanishes into the tussock grass. The same walk should turn up Thekla Lark and Short-toed Lark. After breakfast, the route turns south toward the edge of the Sahara, with Eurasian Crag Martin, Desert Lark, Black Wheatear, and White-crowned Wheatear all possible en route, while Rock Bunting and Blue Rock Thrush favour the more dramatic stretches of valley. After a further stop, the group arrives at a desert hotel for a two-night stay, with dinner included.

DAY 3: MERZOUGA – ERG CHEBBI DUNES – RISSANI
A full day is set aside for Erg Chebbi, Morocco’s largest dune system, taking in sand, palm groves, wadis, and the stony desert beyond at an unhurried pace. Target species across this stark landscape — including around a few remote cafés — include the striking Desert Sparrow, Fulvous Babbler, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, African Desert Warbler, and Brown-necked Raven. Seasonal lakes, when present, can draw a surprising number of wildfowl and waders, a real spectacle this far into the desert. As the day warms, it’s worth scanning the sky for storks and raptors riding the thermals north toward their breeding grounds. Other species found here include Spotted Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse, Lanner Falcon, Short-toed Lark, Desert Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, Desert Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Trumpeter Finch, and Southern Grey Shrike, with a good chance of finding Egyptian Nightjar at its daytime roost. Dinner and overnight in Merzouga.

DAY 4: MERZOUGA – GOULMIMA – TODRA GORGE – TAGDILT TRACK – BOUMALNE DADES
Following an early look around the hotel grounds, the route heads west to a site favoured by Scrub Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, and Trumpeter Finch. From there it’s on to Todra Gorge for Tristram’s Warbler, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Dove, Crag Martin, and the possibility of Bonelli’s Eagle overhead, before continuing to the Tagdilt Track. This high-altitude stony desert is particularly strong for larks, with Thekla Lark, Desert Short-toed Lark, Thick-billed Lark, and Temminck’s Lark all on offer, along with Desert Wheatear and Red-rumped Wheatear. Dinner and overnight in Boumalne Dades.

DAY 5: BOUMALNE DADES – TAGDILT TRACK – OUARZAZATE
A return visit to the Tagdilt Track after breakfast offers a second chance at anything missed the previous day, before the route turns west to scan the roadside stony plains for the scarce Maghreb Wheatear. Before reaching Ouarzazate, a stop is made at the Mansour Eddahbi Barrage, where Marbled Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-winged Stilt, and Maghreb Lark are all possible, alongside cormorants, herons, and a selection of waders. Dinner and overnight in Ouarzazate.

DAY 6: OUARZAZATE – AÏT BEN HADDOU – OURIKA VALLEY
A visit is made to Aït Ben Haddou, one of Morocco’s best-known ksars and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with time to wander its narrow lanes, adobe architecture, and stalls. After roughly an hour exploring, the route crosses the Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka pass. Following lunch at a regular stop along the pass, the journey descends into the scenic Ourika Valley in the Atlas foothills. Before dinner, the hotel grounds offer a chance to spot Moussier’s Redstart and Levaillant’s Woodpecker. Dinner and overnight in the Atlas Mountains.

DAY 7: OURIKA VALLEY – OUKAIMEDEN – MARRAKECH
The final full day focuses on birding around the Oukaimeden ski resort, a well-known site for the elusive African Crimson-winged Finch. Other species found here include Seebohm’s Wheatear, Barbary Partridge, Horned Lark, Alpine Chough, Red-billed Chough, and Rock Sparrow, with Moussier’s Redstart and Mistle Thrush also breeding in the surrounding mountains. After lunch at Oukaimeden, the lower slopes are checked for migrating birds before the return to Marrakech. Schedule permitting, there’s time to take in notable buildings in the medina before the transfer to the airport concludes the trip.

NOTE
This is a flexible itinerary that can be adjusted for changes in arrival or departure times, weather conditions, and other circumstances.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Booking this tour comes with the support of an experienced local guide, who provides informed commentary throughout on the birds encountered and the habitats they depend on — making the trip as educational as it is enjoyable.

KEY SPECIES ON THIS TOUR
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl, Marbled Duck, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Barbary Falcon, Lanner Falcon, Cream-coloured Courser, Spotted Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse, Laughing Dove, Egyptian Nightjar (daytime roost), Little Swift, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Levaillant’s Woodpecker, Desert Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, Thick-billed Lark, Hoopoe Lark, Desert Wheatear, Desert Sparrow, Red-rumped Wheatear, Maghreb Wheatear, White-crowned Wheatear, Scrub Warbler, Tristram’s Warbler, African Desert Warbler, Saharan Olivaceous Warbler, Common Bulbul, Fulvous Babbler, Alpine Chough, Brown-necked Raven, Alpine Accentor, Trumpeter Finch, Crimson-winged Finch, House Bunting, Temminck’s Lark, Atlas Horned Lark, and Moussier’s Redstart, among others.

WALKING
The tour is not physically demanding. Most days call for nothing more than leisurely walking, occasionally over moderately rough ground, and the majority of birding happens close to the vehicle. Reaching mountain species does require some walking and a bit more exertion, though there’s always the option to stay near the vehicle for those who prefer it.