Head out from Marrakech to explore the Moroccan Sahara Desert. Enjoy a drive that takes you along the Draa Valley to its oases, ride a camel while enjoying the dramatic sunset over Erg Chebbi, spend a night under the stars at a desert camp, and much more.
About this activity
- Free cancellation
- Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
- COVID-19 precautions
- Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
- Private group
- Mobile ticketing
- Use your phone or print your voucher
- Duration 4 days
- Check availability to see starting times.
- Skip the ticket line
- Instant confirmation
- Live tour guide
- English, French, Spanish
- Pickup included
- Pick-up at your Marrakech hotel or the nearest accessible point to your riad (Jemaa El Fna Square)
Experience
Highlights
- Cross the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi Ntichka pass
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
- Travel along the road of 1001 Kasbahs and the Valley of the roses
- Spend the night under the stars at a desert camp in the middle of nowhere
Full description
Cross the High Atlas Mountains to Morocco’s Sahara Desert on this 4-day tour. Visit Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a World Heritage Site, and make stops to explore lush green oases, canyons, and gorges. Enjoy camel rides and spend a night under the stars at a desert camp.
Day 1: Marrakech - Zagora ( D )
Your 4 days Morocco desert tour from Marrakech will start with an early pick up from your hotel or riad and drive across the High Atlas Mountains past Berber villages in the middle of nowhere. Upon arrival at the UNESCO world heritage site of Ait Benhaddou, you will have some time at leisure to explore the Kasbah before we continue to Ouarzazate for lunch.
Early in the afternoon, you will proceed to the oasis of Agdez,, from where you will start driving along Draa River dotted with hundreds of thousands of date palm trees and fortified Kasbahs.
Upon arrival at Zagora, meet your camels caravan for an hour camel trek on the desert while enjoying a spectacular sunset.
Dinner will be served under the stars while entertained by the local nomads around the camp fire.
Day 2: Zagora - Merzouga ( B, D )
After breakfast at your Sahara desert camp, and an hour camel trek back to your drop off point to meet your driver, you will cross the volcanic peaks of the Anti Atlas Mountains past lost oases to the village of Alnif, where we will stop for lunch.
Early in the afternoon, you will continue to Merzouga, where your camel caravan will be waiting for us to ride across Erg Chebbi sand dunes while admiring a dramatic sunset over the color changing sand dunes.
You will reach your Sahara desert camp hidden between the sand dunes just before it gets dark.
After some time at leisure to settle in your desert camp, a Moroccan dinner will be served under the stars, next to a camp fire while entertained by your noomad cam hosts playing their Tam Tam drums.
Day 3: Merzouga - Boumalne Dades ( B, D )
If you wish, your Sahara desert camp hosts will wake you up to watch the surise in the middle of nowhere. Ride your camels back to Merzouga.
After breakfast, we will drive to the holly town of Rissani, the birth place of the Alaouite Dynasty who are ruling Morocco since early 16th century.
From here, you will proceed to Tinghir, one of the largest oases in the region, from where you will diviate into a secondary road along Todgha river to the spectacular canyons of Todgha. After some time at leisure to adimire the views and have lunch at one of the local cafés, continue to Boumalne Dades.
Dinner and overnight at your Dades hotel.
Day 4: Boumalne Dades - Marrakech (B, D )
After breakfast, you will drive up to the Dades canyons enjoying some spectacular views of fortified Kasbahs and amazing rock formations before we continue to Ouarzazate via Klaa Mgouna, known for its Damascus roses plantation.
Upon arrival at Ouarzazate, you will have some time at leisure for lunch at a local café before you continue to Marrakech crossing the High Atlas Mountains.
Your budget shared 4 days desert tour from Marrakech will end with a drop off at your hotel or the nearest point to your riad.
Includes
- Modern, air-conditioned minibus
- English and French-speaking driver/guide throughout the tour
- Local guide in Ait Ben Haddou and Tinghir who speaks English, French, Spanish, and Arabic
- Camel trekking in the Zagora desert
- Camel trekking in Erg Chebbi
- Overnight in a standard Zagora desert camp (private tent with proper bedding and shared facilities), with dinner and breakfast
- Overnight at a small 3-star hotel in the Dades Valley in a private ensuite room, with dinner and breakfast
- Overnight in a standard Zagora desert camp (private tent with proper bedding and shared facilities), with dinner and breakfast.
- Local guides
- Admission fees (if any)
- Lunches on the way
- Beverages
- Personal expenses
COVID-19 precautions
Customers must book this activity online because the ticket office is closed
Safety measures in place
- All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
- Customers must keep distance in vehicles
- The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
Traveler requirements
- Customers must bring their own headphones
- Customers are required to bring and wear masks
- Customers must fill out a travel information form
- Customers will get a mandatory temperature check
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Date
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Important information
Know before you go
- Please be sure to bring warm clothing in the winter (no sleeping bags are required), light clothing in the summer, sunscreen, a hat, good walking shoes, a flashlight, and trousers (for the camel trek). Shorts and skirts are not recommended for the treak as the saddles can cause skin irritation.
