3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour
The classic crossing of southern Morocco. In three days you go over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, walk the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, follow the Dades and Todra gorges, and ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a night under the stars at Merzouga.
Trip highlights
- The Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m, the highest road crossing of the High Atlas
- Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage ksar and the most filmed kasbah in Morocco
- The Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs along the Dades river
- The 300-metre limestone walls of the Todra Gorge
- A camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes and a night in a desert camp
- Sunrise over the dunes from the top of the highest ridge
Day by day
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Day 1
Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley
We leave Marrakech early and climb the Tizi n'Tichka pass through Berber villages and walnut groves. After the pass we stop at Ait Ben Haddou, the fortified earthen village on the old caravan route to Timbuktu, and cross the river to walk up through its lanes to the granary at the top. We continue past Ouarzazate and the Skoura palm grove into the Dades Valley, arriving in time for sunset over the rock formations. Night in a guesthouse in the valley.
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Day 2
Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga
We follow the Dades river out of the valley and drive to the Todra Gorge, where the canyon narrows to about ten metres between walls three hundred metres high. There is time to walk along the riverbed before we head east through Tinghir and the Tafilalet oases. In the late afternoon we reach Merzouga, meet the camels, and ride an hour into the Erg Chebbi dunes. Dinner, drums and a night in a desert camp.
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Day 3
Sunrise at Erg Chebbi – return to Marrakech
We wake before dawn to climb a dune for sunrise over the sand sea, then ride back to Merzouga for breakfast and a shower. The return follows the Draa and Dades valleys through Ouarzazate and back over the Atlas, with stops for lunch and photographs. We drop you at your accommodation in Marrakech in the evening.
What is included
- Private air-conditioned 4x4 or minibus with fuel
- English, French, Spanish, Italian or Dutch speaking local driver-guide
- Two nights accommodation: guesthouse in the Dades Valley and a desert camp at Erg Chebbi
- Camel trek into the dunes with a nomad guide
- Dinner and breakfast at both overnight stops
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Marrakech
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments and museums
- Local guide in Ait Ben Haddou (optional, around 150 MAD per group)
- Tips
Places you will visit
Questions about this trip
Is three days enough for the Sahara from Marrakech?
Three days is the shortest comfortable way to reach the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga and back. It gives you one full night in the desert. If you have four or five days, we can slow the driving down and add the Draa Valley or the Ziz gorges.
How much driving is there each day?
Around six to seven hours on days one and two, broken up by stops, and about nine hours on the return day. The roads are paved throughout except for the short desert track at Merzouga.
What is the desert camp like?
Standard camps have Berber tents with proper beds and shared bathroom tents. Luxury camps add private en-suite bathrooms and hot showers. Tell us which you prefer and we will price both.
Can the tour start or end in another city?
Yes. We often run this trip Marrakech to Fes, or start from Ouarzazate. Ending in Fes removes the long return drive and costs the same or less.
Ask about 3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour
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