October 2026
A very good experience. A superb, very well organised outing with our guide Youssef! Very good communication with Mohamed! Toubkal in one day! Mission accomplished! I recommend it
Translated from French
3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech
Marrakesh to the Sahara and back in three days: Aït Benhaddou, the Dadès valley, the Todra gorge, a camel ride into Erg Chebbi and a night at a desert camp.
- Duration
- 3 days
- Level
- Easy
- Highest point
- 2,260 m
- Starts
- Marrakesh (riad or hotel)
- Price per person
- Price on request
The tour
Three days is the shortest comfortable way to reach the big dunes of the Sahara from Marrakesh and come back again. Erg Chebbi, by the village of Merzouga, is a sea of orange sand about 22 km long, with dunes that rise up to around 150 metres, and it sits on the far side of the High Atlas, roughly 560 km from Marrakesh by road. The drive is long, but it is also the best part of the trip for many travellers: you cross a mountain range, a stony plateau, river oases and two of the most dramatic gorges in North Africa.
You travel privately, with your own driver and vehicle, so you decide how long to stay at each stop. The first day takes you over the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m and down to the earth-built ksar of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before you continue through Ouarzazate and the oasis of Skoura to the Dadès valley. On the second day you walk into the Todra gorge, then drive on to Merzouga, where camels are waiting to carry you into the dunes for sunset and a night at a desert camp.
The third day is a long road day back to Marrakesh, broken by stops for tea, lunch and views. If that sounds like too much driving, the 4‑day tour follows the same route but splits the return with a night in the Draa valley.
Is this tour for you?
This tour suits most travellers who are happy with long days in a vehicle: couples, friends, families with children who travel well, and anyone with three days to spare in Marrakesh. There is no hiking; the only physical parts are short walks at Aït Benhaddou and in the Todra gorge, and the camel ride, which takes about an hour each way.
If you have less time, the 2‑day Zagora trip reaches smaller dunes closer to Marrakesh. If your trip continues north, the 3‑day tour from Marrakesh to Fes ends in Fes instead of driving back.
Day by day
A sample itinerary for the 3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech. Your driver adapts it to the weather, the season and the group.
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Day 1 Marrakesh, Aït Benhaddou and the Dadès valley
We collect you from your riad or hotel in Marrakesh early in the morning. The road crosses the Haouz plain and climbs into the High Atlas through walnut groves and Berber villages to the Tizi n'Tichka, at 2,260 m the highest major road pass in Morocco. On the southern side the landscape turns dry and red. Your first big stop is Aït Benhaddou, a fortified village of earth houses and towers above the Ounila river, where you can walk up through the lanes to the old granary at the top. After lunch nearby you continue through Ouarzazate and the palm groves of Skoura, along the Valley of Roses, to a hotel in the Dadès valley for dinner and the night.
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Day 2 Todra gorge and the Sahara
In the morning you drive east to Tinghir and into the Todra gorge, where the river has cut a narrow canyon with rock walls up to about 300 metres high. Walk along the floor of the gorge, then continue across the plains via Erfoud to Merzouga at the edge of Erg Chebbi. In the late afternoon a camel guide leads you into the dunes, a ride of about an hour, timed so that you can climb a dune and watch the sun set over the sand. Dinner is served at the camp, often followed by drumming and music around the fire, and the sky at night is full of stars.
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Day 3 Sunrise in the dunes and back to Marrakesh
Get up early to watch the sunrise from the dunes, have breakfast at camp and ride back to Merzouga. The drive back to Marrakesh is the longest of the tour, around 9 to 10 hours with stops: west through the oases of the pre-Sahara, past Ouarzazate and back over the Tizi n'Tichka pass. You arrive in Marrakesh in the evening, where we drop you at your riad or hotel.
When to go
The best months for the desert are October to April, when days are warm and sunny and nights at camp are cool or cold. From December to February nights in the Sahara can drop close to freezing, so bring a warm layer; the camps provide thick blankets. The Tizi n'Tichka pass can occasionally close for a few hours after heavy snow, and we plan the route around the forecast.
From June to August the desert is very hot in the middle of the day, often above 40 °C. The tour still runs, but we leave early, rest in the shade at midday and time the camel ride for the cooler evening.
- Jan: best conditions
- Feb: best conditions
- Mar: best conditions
- Apr: best conditions
- May: best conditions
- Jun: summer, very hot at midday
- Jul: summer, very hot at midday
- Aug: summer, very hot at midday
- Sep: best conditions
- Oct: best conditions
- Nov: best conditions
- Dec: best conditions
Weather in Merzouga right now
Live forecast
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Forecast data from MET Norway / yr.no, CC BY 4.0. Forecasts are model estimates; conditions on the day can differ.
Where you sleep and what you eat
The first night is in a hotel in the Dadès valley, with a private room and bathroom, dinner and breakfast. The second night is at a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes, in a tent with beds and blankets. Camps range from simple nomad-style tents with shared bathrooms to comfortable tents with private bathrooms; tell us which you prefer when you book and we will confirm the options and price.
Dinners are Moroccan home cooking: soup, salads, tagine or couscous and fruit, with mint tea. Lunches are not included, so you can choose where and what to eat along the way; your driver knows good, simple places on the route. Tell us about any dietary needs when you book.
Pickup and getting there
The tour starts and ends at your riad or hotel in Marrakesh. If your riad is inside the medina, where cars cannot enter, we meet you at the nearest square and a porter can help with your luggage.
Leave your main luggage at your riad if you can and travel with a small bag for two nights. If you fly in or out on the same day as the tour, tell us your flight times before you book.
Travel tips and safety
The desert sun is strong in every season. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, drink plenty of water and cover your head and neck with a scarf on the camel ride, which also helps with wind and sand. Mountain roads are long and winding, so if you get car sick, sit in front and take something before you leave.
Your driver knows the roads well and plans breaks every couple of hours. Bring cash in dirhams for lunches, drinks, small entrance fees and tips; card payments are rare in small towns and at the camp.
Tips and money
Tipping is customary in Morocco. Drivers, camp teams and local guides appreciate a tip at the end of the trip if you were happy with the service; give what feels right. Bring dirhams in small notes, as card payments are rare outside the cities.
What to pack for this tour
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What's included
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakesh
- Private driver and air-conditioned vehicle
- 1 night in a hotel in the Dadès valley, with dinner and breakfast
- 1 night at a desert camp in Erg Chebbi, with dinner and breakfast
- Camel ride to the camp and back
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Local guides and entrance fees at Aït Benhaddou and other sites
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your driver and the camp team
Before you go
Read the answers to common questions and the booking terms. Your quote lists exactly what your price includes.
What travellers say about our team
This tour has no reviews of its own yet. These are from guests on our Toubkal treks.
October 2026
We climbed Toubkal after completing the 10‑day grand tour of Toubkal. Nothing to fault in the organisation, from the pickup in Marrakesh to the return. Everything was perfect and just as we hoped. A special mention for the excellent cooking
Translated from French
September 2026
A superb experience for a first 4,000 m peak, full of traditions and landscapes. Our guide Yassine was great and looked after us all the way up! I recommend it!
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August 2026
My father and I have just come back from an extraordinary trekking experience in the Atlas Mountains, including the ascent of Mount Toubkal. I can’t recommend Saeed Rashid and the whole Toubkal Hiking Experts team highly enough… Read the full review on Google
Translated from French
April 2026
Climbing Toubkal with Hassan as my guide was a wonderful experience. He is incredibly strong and experienced, and always made me feel confident, even on the most demanding sections… Read the full review on Google
Translated from French
April 2026
My four-day trek in the Atlas Mountains was unforgettable thanks to Yassin! Very friendly, he introduced me to Berber culture, its villages and its people, and showed me breathtaking landscapes, all while looking after my wellbeing and my meals. I couldn’t have done it without him! A big thank you!
Translated from French
Questions about the 3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour
More answers on our FAQ page, or ask us on WhatsApp. We usually reply within a few hours.
How long is the drive from Marrakesh to Merzouga?
About 560 km, usually 9 to 10 hours of driving. On this tour the way out is split over two days with stops, and the way back is done in one long day.
Is the camel ride suitable for everyone?
Most people can ride a camel, including children with an adult. The ride lasts about an hour each way at a walking pace. If you prefer not to ride, you can walk alongside or reach the camp by 4x4; tell us when you book.
What is the desert camp like?
You sleep in a tent with beds and blankets, at a camp set among the dunes. Dinner and breakfast are included. Some camps have shared bathrooms and others private ones; we confirm the camp with your quote.
Is this tour private?
Yes. You travel with your own driver and vehicle, so you can change the pace and the stops.
What should I pack for the desert?
Light, covering clothes, a warm layer for the night, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a scarf for wind and sand, a head torch and a small bag for two nights.
Can the tour end in Fes instead?
Yes, choose the 3‑day Marrakech to Fes desert tour, which follows the same route to Merzouga and then continues north to Fes.
Book the 3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour
Tell us when you'd like to go and who's coming. We reply with availability and a clear quote, usually within a day.
Price on request
