Marrakech Desert Tour
4 days. Marrakech to Merzouga and back.
At a Glance
The Marrakech-Sahara classic
The most popular route out of Marrakech. Four days is enough time to cross the High Atlas, stand on the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset and sunrise, sleep under the stars, and come back a different person. You fly into Marrakech, you fly out of Marrakech, and everything else happens in between.
- Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
- Start & end: Marrakech
- Group size: Private. Your party only.
- Best season: September to May. July and August are hot in the desert.
- Pace: One long drive day each way. Two nights on the desert side.
- Pricing: Starts from [CHECK: 4-day per-person price from 2 travelers sharing].
Day by Day
Itinerary
Day 1 — Marrakech to Dades Valley. Morning pickup from your riad. Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass into the High Atlas. Stop at Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO clay-brick kasbah used in Gladiator and many other films. Continue to Ouarzazate and into the Dades Valley. Overnight in a Dades kasbah hotel.
Day 2 — Dades to Merzouga. Walk into Todra Gorge mid-morning. Lunch with a view of the cliffs. Continue east through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs and the Tafilalet oasis. Arrive Merzouga mid-afternoon. Meet your camel string at the edge of the dunes and ride into Erg Chebbi for sunset. Dinner and overnight in the desert camp.
Day 3 — Desert to Marrakech direct. Sunrise over the dunes. Return by camel or 4x4 to the village. Long drive back via Ouarzazate, same route in reverse, to Marrakech. Overnight Marrakech.
Day 4 — Marrakech departure. Morning free. Transfer to the airport at your flight time.
Variation: a 5-day version stops at Skoura oasis on the return and adds a Marrakech medina day at the end. Ask us if that shape fits your flights better.
What's Included
In your tour price
- Private, air-conditioned vehicle and professional driver
- Camel trek into Erg Chebbi with a Berber cameleer
- One night in the desert camp with dinner and breakfast [CHECK: confirm camp partner tier]
- One night in a Dades Valley kasbah hotel with dinner and breakfast
- One night in Marrakech with breakfast
- All transfers, fuel, tolls, parking, driver accommodation
Not included: Flights, lunches, most dinners, monument entry fees at Ait Ben Haddou and other sites, tips, optional activities like sandboarding or ATV.
Good to Know
Practical notes
- Day 1 and Day 3 are long drives, 7 to 8 hours each with stops. The payoff is the desert night. If long driving is hard for you, consider the 5-day version.
- Winter nights in the desert are cold. Bring layers. The camp provides heavy blankets.
- The camel ride into the dunes is roughly 45 minutes. If you would rather 4x4, we arrange that at no extra cost.
- If you have Moroccan dirhams, small tips for the cameleer, camp staff, and your driver are customary and appreciated.
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