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
4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour
The Sahara at an easier pace: Aït Benhaddou, the Dadès and Todra gorges, a night in the Erg Chebbi dunes and a slower return through the palm groves of the Draa valley.
- Duration
- 4 days
- Level
- Easy
- Highest point
- 2,260 m
- Starts
- Marrakesh (riad or hotel)
- Price per person
- Price on request
The tour
The 4‑day tour is the same journey to the Sahara as the 3‑day trip, with one big difference: the drive back to Marrakesh is split in two. Instead of 9 to 10 hours on the road after a night at camp, you spend a relaxed day crossing the oases of the pre-Sahara and sleep in the Draa valley among palm groves and earth-built villages. Most travellers find it the most comfortable way to see the desert from Marrakesh.
The way out crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m, stops at the ksar of Aït Benhaddou and follows the Valley of Roses to the Dadès valley. On the second day you walk into the Todra gorge and ride a camel into the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the largest sand sea in Morocco, for sunset and a night at camp.
You travel privately with your own driver, so the pace, the stops and the photo breaks are up to you.
Is this tour for you?
This tour suits travellers who want the desert without the longest road days: couples, families, older travellers and photographers who like to stop often. There is no hiking, only short walks and the camel ride.
If you are short of time, the 3‑day tour covers the same highlights with one long drive back. If you want to finish in Fes, choose the 3‑day Marrakech to Fes tour.
Day by day
A sample itinerary for the 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour. 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
Pickup in Marrakesh in the morning and the drive over the High Atlas to the Tizi n'Tichka pass. On the southern side you visit Aït Benhaddou, the fortified village of earth houses above the Ounila river, then continue through Ouarzazate, the oasis of Skoura and the Valley of Roses around Kalaat M'Gouna to the Dadès valley for the night.
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Day 2 Todra gorge and the Sahara
A morning drive to Tinghir and a walk along the floor of the Todra gorge, between rock walls up to about 300 metres high. In the afternoon you reach Merzouga at the edge of Erg Chebbi. A camel guide leads you into the dunes for about an hour, in time to climb a dune for sunset, and dinner is served at the camp.
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Day 3 Sunrise and the Draa valley
Watch the sunrise from the dunes, have breakfast and ride back to Merzouga. The drive west follows the edge of the Sahara through oasis villages towards the Draa valley, where the longest river in Morocco feeds a long ribbon of date palms and kasbahs. The night is in a guesthouse or hotel in the valley.
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Day 4 Ouarzazate and back to Marrakesh
An easy final morning: drive to Ouarzazate, known for its film studios and the Taourirt kasbah, then cross the High Atlas again to Marrakesh, arriving in the afternoon.
When to go
October to April is the best time for the desert, with warm days and cool nights. December to February brings cold nights at camp, so bring a warm layer. The Tizi n'Tichka pass can close for a few hours after heavy snow; we plan around the forecast.
June to August is very hot in the middle of the day. The tour still runs, with early starts, long lunch breaks in the shade and the camel ride in the 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
You spend two nights in hotels or guesthouses (Dadès valley and Draa valley), with private rooms, dinner and breakfast, and one night at a desert camp in Erg Chebbi, in a tent with beds and blankets. Tell us if you would like a camp with private bathrooms and we will include it in your quote.
Dinners are Moroccan home cooking, with mint tea. Lunches are not included, so you can stop where you like; your driver knows good local places.
Pickup and getting there
The tour starts and ends at your riad or hotel in Marrakesh. If your riad is inside the medina, we meet you at the nearest point a car can reach.
Travel with a small bag for three nights and leave your main luggage in Marrakesh if you can.
Travel tips and safety
Protect yourself from the sun with a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a scarf, and drink more water than you think you need. Bring a warm layer for the night in the desert in every season.
Your driver plans regular breaks on the mountain roads. Carry cash in dirhams for lunches, drinks, entrance fees and tips.
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
- 2 hotel or guesthouse nights, 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 the 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
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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 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour
More answers on our FAQ page, or ask us on WhatsApp. We usually reply within a few hours.
What is the difference between the 3‑day and 4‑day tours?
The route to the desert is the same. The 4‑day tour adds a night in the Draa valley on the way back, so you never drive more than about 7 hours in a day.
How long is the camel ride?
About an hour each way, at a walking pace, timed for sunset on the way out and after sunrise on the way back.
Can we sleep in a camp with a private bathroom?
Yes. Tell us when you ask for a quote and we will include a camp with private bathrooms.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes, if they are happy with long drives. Children can ride camels with an adult.
Can we add a night in the desert?
Yes, a second night at camp gives you a full day in the dunes, for example to visit Khamlia or a nomad family. Ask us for a custom itinerary.
Book the 4-Day Marrakech to 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
