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Things to do in Sahara Desert, Morocco

Our most recommended things to do in Sahara Desert, Morocco

From Marrakech: 3-Day Sahara Tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes

1. From Marrakech: 3-Day Sahara Tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes

Sleep beneath the desert stars at a Berber campsite on an unforgettable dunes experience from Marrakech. Visit UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou, the Valley of the Roses, and Tinghir. Stop at traditional Berber villages around the Todra Gorge and trek with a camel through the Erg Chebbi dunes, the highest in Morocco Day 1: Marrakech - TinghirYour shared 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga will start early in the morning. Head to Ait Benhaddou through the Tizi Ntichka pass and the high Atlas Mountains. Make many stops along the way. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, which also served as a set for various Hollywood blockbusters. Continue to Ouarzazate and Kasbah Taourirte before lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Tinghir via the Valley of the Roses before you reach your hotel located in Tinghir. Dinner and overnight.  Day 2: Tinghir – MerzougaAfter breakfast at your hotel in Tinghir, your journey will start today with a drive along the road of 1001 Kasbah to the Oasis of Tinghir, where you will deviate to a minor road driving along the river to Todra canyons After some time at leisure to enjoy the immensity of the huge cliffs, and lunch at a local café (at your leisure), continue early in the afternoon to Erfoud, famous for its date market, and a starting point of the ancient trading caravans crossing the Sahara desert to Tombouctou. Continue to Merzouga driving through some rocky desert landscape. Upon arrival at the edge of Erg Chebbi dunes, meet your camel caravan, and ride your camels through the amazing color-changing dunes with the sunset on the horizon as a backdrop. Reach your Sahara Desert camp, nestled in the middle of nowhere just before darkness. After some time to admire the dunes and the surrounding landscapes, get ready for a Moroccan dinner served under the stars next to a campfire. Late at night, enjoy Berber music with the local hosts playing drums Day 3: Merzouga – MarrakechAfter an early breakfast and a camel ride back to the main road, meet your driver and head back to Marrakech. Enjoy lunch on the road as you pass the Valley of Roses, and continue through the high atlas mountains to Marrakech. Finish your desert tour in Marrakech around 8 PM.

From Marrakech: Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari with Food

2. From Marrakech: Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari with Food

Discover the edge of the Sahara Desert on a three-day budget tour from Marrakech, and explore the dramatic landscapes of the Dades Valley and Kasbah of Ouarzazate. Ride across the dunes of Erg Chebbi by camel and sleep at a desert camp under the stars.  Day 1: Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Dades Begin your journey by crossing the High Atlas Mountains past one Berber village after another to the UNESCO world heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. This village is famous for its kasbah and fortified village and has been used as a set for some famous Hollywood epics and magazine photo shoots. After some leisure time, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and continue your drive through Ouarzazate, known as the Gate of the Sahara. Continue to Boumalne Dades, admiring the scenic drive along the Dades Valley, where you can enjoy dinner and rest for the night at Kasbah Amazigh or Hotel Chems.  Day 2: Dades - Todgha Gorges - Merzouga Following breakfast, depart your hotel and drive to Tinghir and its dramatic Todgha Gorges, pausing for some free time to explore the canyons. Enjoy lunch at a local cafe and continue to Merzouga to meet your camel caravan. Experience the Erg Chebbi dunes on camelback and watch the sunset set. Reach your desert camp before nightfall and enjoy an authentic Moroccan dinner under the stars. Local nomads will provide entertainment and show you how to play the traditional Tam Tam drums. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stop.  Day 3: Merzouga Ouarzazate - Marrakech Following an early wake-up to watch the sunrise before breakfast (optional), a driver will be waiting to pick you up for the transfer back to Marrakech. Stop halfway for lunch at a local restaurant. Get dropped off at your original departure point or Djemaa El Fna around 8 PM. You can also book upgrades for the night in the Bedouin camp such as the deluxe desert camp with a luxury private tent complete with an ensuite shower, bathroom facilities, and 5-star amenities. These upgrades need to be booked per person.

From Fes: 3 Days and 2 Nights Desert Trip to Marrakech

3. From Fes: 3 Days and 2 Nights Desert Trip to Marrakech

Take a multi-day trip through the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara desert departing from Fes. Admire the beautiful scenery, enjoy traditional Berber culture and cuisine, and visit a variety of charming villages across 3 days. Drive through a cedar forest and see the resident monkeys, before descending to the Sahara Desert. Arrive at the traditional kasbah at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Enjoy the beauty of the sunset on a camel ride across the dunes. At the Berber camp, enjoy mint tea and dinner, gaze at the stars and spend the night in a tent. On the second day visit Merzouga, Tinghir and Ouarzazate. Head out on the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs along the ancient caravan route. This area has been a popular location for Hollywood films, such as The Last Temptation of Christ and Jewel of the Nile. Stop for lunch and a walk in Todgha Gorges and then travel through the Dadès Valley past dramatic escarpments. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in the Gorges or in Ouarzazate. On the third day, visit the town of Ouarzazate, including the Kasbah of Taourirt and the Atlas Studios – the largest and most famous movie studios in Africa.

From Merzouga: Overnight Camel Trek over Erg Chebbi Dunes

4. From Merzouga: Overnight Camel Trek over Erg Chebbi Dunes

Head into Morocco's Sahara Desert on a camel and watch the sun set over the Erg Chebbi Dunes. This overnight tour offers spectacular views and a chance to experience the desert nomad lifestyle. Eat a traditional Moroccan tagine, take part in a drum circle, and sleep in an authentic Berber tent. See pink flamingoes at an oasis near Merzouga, and search for desert reptiles and mammals as you trek. Day 1: Erg Chebbi Dunes– D Ride your camel over the dunes and view the stunning desert scenery. Enjoy a traditional desert welcome in the Berber tent where you will spend the night. Take a sunset camel ride, try sand boarding, and in the evening, enjoy a Moroccan campfire dinner and drum circle before falling asleep under the stars. Day 2: Erg Chebbi Dunes–B Watch the sunrise from Algeria as it catches the dunes, and enjoy a camp breakfast before heading back through the Erg Chebbi dunes to Merzouga.

From Agadir or Taghazout: ATV Quad Biking Safari Dunes Trip

5. From Agadir or Taghazout: ATV Quad Biking Safari Dunes Trip

Your adventure will begin with a hotel pickup, followed by driving south of Agadir to the Berber village, to meet your guide. After a brief introduction to the ATV quad driving techniques and a practical advice session, you will be ready to jump on your ATV quad and start your adventure. See outstanding landscapes, golden sand dunes, and argan trees. Follow your guide for an awesome quad bike experience that will take you high south of Agadir where the views will astound you. If you are after a thrill then this is the sport for you, your guide will be happy to take photos/videos for your photo album. After the quad biking tour, head back to the garage, before returning to your hotel.

Marrakech Desert & Palm Grove Quad Bike Tour

6. Marrakech Desert & Palm Grove Quad Bike Tour

Head away from Marrakech's hustle and bustle by air-conditioned minivan and into the calm desert and palm grove for a thrilling quad bike adventure. Follow your guide through exciting tracks, enjoying a quenching tea with a local family midway through your journey. Along the way, discover traditional Berber villages, see houses typical of the region, and meet some of the locals to discover their way of life, practically unchanged for more than 200 years. Halfway through your tour, stop for a cup of Moroccan tea and a snack with a local family. With your guide as translator, you can take the opportunity to talk to them about their customs and experiences as you share a moment together. Enjoy the silence and serenity of the Sahara before hopping back on your quad bike and continuing your rugged desert ride. Conclude your tour back at the base camp. Sit back and relax on the drive back to your hotel in Marrakech.

From Fez: Round-Trip Overnight Merzouga Desert Tour

7. From Fez: Round-Trip Overnight Merzouga Desert Tour

Day 1: Fez -Ifrane – Midelt – Ziz valley- Merzouga Pick up at 07.30 am from hotel/riad. Travel from Fez to the Merzouga desert. But; this is not an ordinary drive. We will stop along the way at a number of enjoyable destinations. Firstly, stop at Ifrane, the alpine-style townhome to ski slopes. Secondly, cedar forests are situated in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains to observe and feed the Barbary Monkey. After that, Moving to the popular pitstop of Midelt. ( break for lunch) Then, carrying on through the lush green Ziz Valley and making the last stop in Erfoud. Upon, arrival Merzouga, transfer to the hotel to store your luggage. The camels will be waiting for you for a camel trekking experience (around 45 min) to enjoy the sunset on camelback to nomad tents where you will have dinner under the starry sky with a Berber folklore show (overnight desert camp). Day 2: Merzouga-Rissani- Midelt -Ifrane – Mouzar- Fez Get up, early for the beckoning Erg Chebbi sunrise. Enjoy a camel trek back to the hotel/riad for breakfast and a shower. Before, back to Fez. We will Pass through Rissani, visiting Zawiya Moulay Ali Ash-Sharif, dramatic Ziz Valley. In addition to, Damn Hassan El-Awal. ( break for lunch), visit family who lives in the cave at Immouzar. Finally, at the end drop off. (your hotel/riad Fez).

From Fes: 2-Day Small Group Desert Tour

8. From Fes: 2-Day Small Group Desert Tour

Experience life in the Sahara Desert on a small group tour to the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Ride a camel across the sands and watch the sunset along the way. Drive across the winding roads of the Middle Atlas Mountains and much more. Day 1: Fes - Ifrane - Midelt - Merzouga Depart Fes and pass through the winter ski resort of Ifrane, built by the French in the 1930s to resemble a Swiss village. Continue through the cedar forest of Azrou and look for the resident monkeys before your drive across the Middle Atlas Mountains. Wind your way through beautiful forests, mountain springs, jagged rocks and Berber villages before your descent to the Sahara Desert. Stop for lunch half-way in the town of Midelt, famous for its fossils and rocks. Then, continue towards Merzouga taking in the panoramic views of a huge oasis of palm trees at Ziz along the way. Upon arrival in Rissani, travel by 4WD vehicle into the desert, reaching Merzouga in the afternoon. Here, your guide will be waiting with the camels that will take you across the dunes to Erg Chebbi. Watch the sunset from the back of your camel on a one-hour trek to a Berber camp. Upon arrival at the desert shelter, your camels will be tethered as you are served a welcome mint tea. Enjoy dinner and relax as you look at the stars in the sky. Stay overnight in your choice of a shared, private standard, or private luxury tent. Day 2: Merzouga - Tafilalte - Fes Wake early and walk across the dunes to watch the sunrise from just behind the Algerian border, about 50 kilometers from Merzouga. Take a shower after and enjoy breakfast before the drive back to Fes, and benefit from comfort stops on the approximate 7-hour journey. 

From Fez: 3-Day Merzouga and Ouarzazte Tour to Marrakech

9. From Fez: 3-Day Merzouga and Ouarzazte Tour to Marrakech

Day 1: Fez - Ifrane - Midelt - Merzouga. (7h) 7:30 am depart from hotel, Drive over the Middle Atlas mountains through the cedar forests and Ifrane …Enjoy many stops for so many landscapes, fresh air, hand feed the monkeys, Break for Lunchtime in Midelt Upon arrival Merzouga, enjoy camels trekking in the sand dunes. Dinner/Night (equipped camp ) Day 2: Merzouga - Todra Gorges - Dades valley - Ouarzazate Get up early take camel treks to the hotel for breakfast&shower. Then, start the journey to the stunning polished rocks of Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley. Today your way will be across the road of 1, 000 Kasbahs. Stopping at Kalaat M'gouna. reach Ouarzazate (Night/dinner hotel/riad) Day 3: Ouarzazate - Ait Benhaddou - Marrakech After breakfast, we'll start our day, reach the walls of Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou the most renowned Hollywood movie"… Stopping for lunch on road. continue through the high peaks of the Atlas Mountains glimpsing the Berber villages. Drop off Marrakech

From Marrakech: 3-Day Desert Tour to Fes

10. From Marrakech: 3-Day Desert Tour to Fes

Discover Fes and Marrakech, Morocco's imperial cities, on a guided 3-day tour. Day 1: Marrakech — Ait Ben Haddou — Dades (1st night at Kasbah Amazigh) Your tour will start with an early pickup. Meet your driver at your hotel or riad in the morning and start your journey crossing the High Atlas Mountains towards Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. After a guided walk in the village, continue to Ouarzazate for a leisurely lunch. In the early afternoon, travel northeast to Boumalne Dades. Take a drive along the Dades River with the marvelous sunset as your backdrop. Reach the way to Dades valley and make a pit stop to enjoy the amazing scenery. Then continue to a hotel where you will dine and rest for the night at Kasbah Amazigh. Day 2: Dades — Merzouga Start the day with breakfast at your hotel. Set out on a journey along the road of 1001 Kasbahs to Tinghir, an oasis where you will have the opportunity to enjoy an hour-long walk by the river bank all the way to Todgha Gorges. Here, get some free time to enjoy the scenery before lunch.  Early in the afternoon, walk to Merzouga, where your camel caravan awaits. From here, ride your camel through the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi while enjoying a mesmerizing sunset.  Before dark, reach your Sahara desert camp nestled between the dunes, where you will enjoy a Moroccan dinner under the stars while being entertained by local nomads playing their drums around the campfire. After the campfire, relax in your standard or luxury tent, depending on which one you choose. The standard tents are basic accommodation, while a private tent is subject to availability. The toilets are right outside, with facilities to freshen up in a shared room. If you choose the luxury tent, it is located in a more isolated and scenic area, providing extra comfort with proper bedding, and a guaranteed private tent with flushable western toilets, hot showers, and a rich dinner and breakfast. Day 3: Merzouga — Fes  Your desert camp hosts will wake you up if you wish to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, drive along the Ziz River with its amazing oasis lined with palm trees and fortified ksours (castles) all the way to Midelt, a small town in the middle of the Atlas Mountains, your lunch stop for the day. In the afternoon, continue crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains towards Fes. Notice a dramatic change in the landscape: snow-capped mountains, cedar forests, and rich vegetation, a complete 180 from the arid and rocky landscapes of the rest of the tour.  End your Marrakech to Fes desert tour in the early evening as your driver takes you to your riad or hotel in Fes.

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What people are saying about Sahara Desert, Morocco

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 9,442 reviews

It’s a 3days trip, with one hotel stop before entering Sahara desert and one hotel stop more and less inside the desert, that also means, in winter (Feb. 2023) 2 nights without heating (but with warm water!) at freezing cold temperature. But the view over the endless red golden Sarah sand, long hour camel trekking as well as sand boarding reward all the trees we had, and made this trip an unique one, especially for those who didn’t do any desert trip before. The whole organization of the trip is perfect (picking up, transport, hotel, restaurants) and the guid (Houcine) is very nice and always helpful, he is at the same time also the driver during the whole trip. With his positive energy and his knowledge about his country, Houcine made this trip for us an unforgettable Morocco journey.

Great experience travelling through the High Atlas Mountains and to the desert. Our driver Ibrahim was a great guide, and we always felt that we got good guides at the stop offs and also decent spots for breaks and food on the drive. There is a lot of driving, but it is worth it for the views. Felt like we had plenty of time at Ait Benhaddou, which was one of the main things I was hoping to see, and the desert experience was incredible. We booked the luxury option, so got a tent of our own, and that was also such a unique special experience. The last day back to Marrakech was very long 10 hours, but with a good amount of stops, and it is necessary to see the desert within the 3 days.

We have had an amazing day on the quad bikes. Our driver Ait Ramania was amazing. We were late as we couldn't find the meet up location but he was patient helping to find where we were and waiting for us. The quad itself is well organised, the organisers were absolutely brilliant. They talked us through the safety features and then showed us how to use the bikes. After the first half of the bike rise we were taken for a break of about 10min to have Moroccan tea and snacks before restarting the bike ride again. I have to say the experience was special and I would highly recommend it moreover the whole organising team are a fabulous bunch and great at what they do.

We have had an amazing day on the quad bikes. Our driver Ait Ramania was amazing. We were late as we couldn't find the meet up location but he was patient helping to find where we were and waiting for us. The quad itself is well organised, the organisers were absolutely brilliant. They talked us through the safety features and then showed us how to use the bikes. After the first half of the bike rise we were taken for a break of about 10min to have Moroccan tea and snacks before restarting the bike ride again. I have to say the experience was special and I would highly recommend it moreover the whole organising team are a fabulous bunch and great at what they do.

Very professional team. very nice experience we highly recommend to everyone.