3 days
VISIT MAGHREB · TOUR PACKAGE
3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour, Erg Chebbi
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VISIT MAGHREB / Tours / 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour (Relaxed Pace)
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The 3-day desert tour with one day more: less driving per day, a night in Ouarzazate and more time in the Dades Valley and the Valley of Roses. For travellers who want the desert without rushing. 4 days · 3 nights · from € 449 per person · Private tour.
This 4-day Marrakech desert tour is a private Morocco desert tour starting and ending in Marrakech. The route runs from Marrakech through Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Rose Valley, Dades Valley and back to Marrakech. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle with your own driver, only with your own group, you set the pace, and you stay in hand-picked riads and hotels along the way.
The best part is the desert itself. In Merzouga you swap the car for camels and take a camel ride in Erg Chebbi at sunset, then spend the night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi with dinner and Berber music by the fire. Wake up early for the sunrise over the dunes — the quietest hour of the whole trip — and try sandboarding before the ride back to the village.
The best time to visit Merzouga is March to May and September to November, when the days are warm and the crowds are thinner. The tour runs all year. Prices start at € 449 per person, and the exact price is in the quote you get after your enquiry — it depends on your group size and the season.
1 / 5Dades Valley with rock formations in Morocco
The Red City — Jemaa el-Fna square, the Koutoubia mosque and the souks of the medina.
The clay ksar on the old caravan road, a UNESCO site made famous by films — walk the alleys and climb to the top.
The door of the desert, with film studios and the Taourirt kasbah on the edge of town.
The Valley of Roses — rose gardens and kasbahs between the Dades Valley and the desert.
A valley of rose gardens and red rock, where the road winds between the cliffs and the kasbahs.
Walk between 300-metre rock walls in the narrowest part of the gorge — the most dramatic canyon in Morocco.
This Morocco desert tour starts in Marrakech and crosses the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at 2,260 m. After the pass the road reaches Ait Ben Haddou, and there is time to walk through the clay village and look out over the rooftops from the hill. The drive then continues the short way to Ouarzazate. You spend the night in Ouarzazate, with dinner included.
The road leaves Ouarzazate and runs through the Valley of Roses and the oases towards Boumalne Dades. The land changes from dry plains to green fields and palm groves along the river. In the Dades Valley there is time for a walk along the valley floor, between the rock formations. You spend the night in a hotel or riad in the Dades Valley, with dinner included.
From the Dades Valley the road leads to Todra Gorge, where you can walk between the high rock walls. Then the drive continues east to Merzouga, at the edge of the dunes of Erg Chebbi. In the late afternoon you ride camels into the dunes as the sun goes down. The night is spent in the desert camp, with dinner included.
The day starts with sunrise over the dunes of Erg Chebbi and breakfast in the desert camp. After breakfast you ride the camels back to Merzouga and start the return drive. The road runs through the Draa Valley, past palm groves and small villages, and on through Ouarzazate. You cross the High Atlas again and arrive back in Marrakech.
The from-price is per person for the tour as described. The exact price depends on your travel dates, group size and hotels — it falls as the group grows. Your quote after the enquiry is the price that counts.
Marrakech to Merzouga: about 560 km, 9–10 hours of driving, split over two days.
Night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi: beds, blankets, dinner and music by the fire. A luxury camp is available on request.
Pack light for the camp: a small overnight bag, warm layers for the evening, sun protection and good walking shoes.
Your own vehicle and driver, only your group. No strangers, no fixed departure dates, no rushing.
On day 1 you only drive as far as Ouarzazate instead of the Dades Valley. That makes each day's drive shorter and leaves more time at each stop.
Yes, on request. The route also runs as Fes–Merzouga–Marrakech or the other way round.
Yes, the drive through the Valley of Roses and the overnight stays are part of the tour. Entry to the sights named in the plan is included.
March to May and September to November are the best months: warm days, cool desert nights and clear skies. The tour runs all year. In summer (June to August) the desert is very hot, over 45°C, so the camel ride and the camp stay are planned for the cooler hours.
4 days is the right length for this route: starting and ending in Marrakech, at a relaxed pace, with the desert night in Erg Chebbi and time at each stop. If you have more time, ask us to add a day.
Visit Maghreb on TripAdvisor: 5 out of 5. Read them on TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor ↗
“We picked Visit Maghreb for our 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour (Relaxed Pace), and my wife and I loved every part of this desert journey. Thank you to the whole team, and especially to our driver-guide Ali — a kind, friendly professional. We loved Kasbah Aït Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorge, and the food was absolutely delicious.”
Russell H · Private 3-Day Desert Tour with Camel Ride · TripAdvisor ↗
“Three American friends on our 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour (Relaxed Pace) — everything was perfect, from the places we stayed to the quality of the service. Thank you to our driver Ali, who looked after us so well. We loved the camel ride, slept in a superb luxury camp and had great fun with the local team.”
Alex G · Phoenix, USA · 3-Day Marrakech Desert Tour · TripAdvisor ↗
“Friends recommended Visit Maghreb, so we booked our 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour (Relaxed Pace). Our guide Hassan met us at the airport and took us everywhere — Jemaa el Fna, the Bahia Palace, Jardin Majorelle, and then the Sahara, where we rode camels over the dunes and watched sunset and sunrise. An unforgettable desert tour. Highly recommended.”
Jeremy G · Netherlands · 4-Day Morocco Tour · TripAdvisor ↗
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