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4-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert – overview:
The most popular attractions of southeast Morocco and the famous dunes of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga are paramount on this 4-day Merzouga desert tour from Marrakech.
You will experience breath-taking panoramic views in the majestic High Atlas Mountains with Berber villages on the slopes. By contrast the Berber life-style of valley dwellers is visible in the Dra’a Valley’s oases and villages.
The former palatial residence of the Glaoui family, Kasbah Telouet, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, the beautifully restored Kasbah Amredhil in Skoura, and Kasbah Tamnougalte all bear witness to the more prosperous Berber way of life.
In the Valley of Roses, the wonderfully scented Damascene roses are the essence of exquisite organic cosmetic products and a pride of the south. The Dades and Toudgha Gorges render the pre-history elements of Morocco more tangible.
At the luxury desert camp, you have a camel ride to the big dunes before dinner under a starlit sky and Berber music round a camp fire.
Experience the majesty and wonder of our unique range of Marrakech Desert tours. Discover the tour itinerary below. Your journey starts here!
4 day Morocco desert tour from Marrakech – highlights:
- Visiting Kasbah Telouet and the famous Kasbah Aït ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Exploring Skoura Oasis and touring the Kasbah Amredhil museum set on the edge of the fields
- Stopping in Kela’a Mgouna to purchase cosmetic products from the local co-operative (if desired)
- Spending a peaceful night in a beautiful guest-house in the Dades Valley, run by local people
- Riding camels to the camp in the red dunes of Erg Chebbi and watching the spectacle of the sunset
- Sleeping in a private comfortable tent at a luxury desert camp in the dunes outside Merzouga
What is included in this 4-day Marrakech Desert Tour:
- Transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle; 4×4 Toyota Prado TX or deluxe van and fuel
- Pick up from and drop-off at your hotel or riad in Marrakech
- Experienced local English/French/Spanish/Italian-speaking Berber and nomad driver/guide
- Accommodation in air-conditioned rooms/suites with private bathroom and all meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner – with vegetarian and vegan options available
- The night in a luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi with private toilet and shower, traditional Moroccan handmade furnishings
- A camel ride with a guide. And if you wish to do some sandboarding, just speak to the camp staff!
- The option to go to and return from the camp by 4×4
- Luggage service to the luxury camp and all accommodation
- Berber drumming and music
- Free time to explore sites such as the Ounila Valley, the Dra’a Valley, Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou for walks, photos, and tea/coffee breaks
- The opportunity to ask the driver to stop when and where you wish
- Entrance fees and local guide
- Tea, coffee and mineral water in the desert
What is not included:
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extras
Good to know on this desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga:
- This Marrakech desert tour can be customised to accommodate your points of interest
- You can always consult your driver about skipping some spots to spend more time elsewhere
- Activities such as a full day’s trekking in the dunes of Erg Chebbi can be added to this tour
- You can choose to go to the camp either on camelback or by the 4×4 (you go for your camel ride from the camp)
- Here is a downloadable packing list to help plan for your Moroccan desert tour
- We require a 30% deposit of the total price to book the car, while the balance is payable to us in the office in Ouarzazate
- We accept payment through PayPal, bank transfers in Europe, by credit card, or cash (USD, Euro, GBP or MAD)
- We offer a 25% discount for children under 12, and one child under 3 per family travels free of charge
- These prices are liable to fluctuation according to the current exchange rate
- Our prices can be subject to an increase over the busy season, and, in particular, the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period
Prices per person
| No Days | Meals |
|---|---|
| All-inclusive | |
| Total price | |
| 2 PERSONS |
|---|
| 495 € * |
| 990 € * |
| 3 PERSONS |
|---|
| 475 € * |
| 1425 € * |
| 4 PERSONS |
|---|
| 455 € * |
| 1820 € * |
| 5 PERSONS |
|---|
| 425 € * |
| 2125 € * |
| 6 PERSONS |
|---|
| 425 € * |
| 2550 € * |
The luxury Sahara desert tour from Marrakech – itinerary:
1st day: Marrakech – Dades gorges
Kick off your Merzouga Desert tour from Marrakech by morning departure at 8.30 from your riad. Cross the High Atlas Mountains, including the famous Tizi-n-Tichka pass, the highest pass in North Africa at 2260 metres. From these mountains, there are wide views over the green valleys and burbling streams. The little Berber villages perched on the mountainsides, sometimes barely distinguishable from the mountains themselves, are spectacular and breathtaking.
You steadily descend from the pass reach Ouarzazate. The town is sometimes called ‘the gateway to the desert’ and is technically part of the massive Sahara. Here you stop for lunch.
Later the road continues to the Skoura Oasis, where numerous ancient kasbahs, some sadly in ruins, stand amongst the palm trees. Kasbah Amredhil has been beautifully restored and is well worth visiting. It is constructed entirely of adobe, an excellent building material. It is both warm in winter and cool in summer, due to the thickness of the walls.
From here, the route takes us through Kela’a M’gouna, the Valley of Roses, with a stop to see cosmetic articles, well-known and much valued throughout Morocco. They are locally-made from the valley’s abundant Damascene roses. You stop in the Dades Valley for the night.
2nd day: Dades gorges – Merzouga
After breakfast, there is time to visit the Dades Gorges, which lay at the bottom of the sea millions of years ago. Great quantities of sediment were deposited around giant coral reefs, and over time this material became compacted into a variety of sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone. Eventually, the movement of the earth’s crust caused the region to rise above the sea. This formed the Atlas Mountains and surrounding landscape for miles. You can walk by the river, before continuing to Toudgha to the very different gorges there.
Turning off the road at Tinjdad, you drive there via the Ziz Valley, famous for its succulent dates. En route, you will notice strange piles of sand following the road. These are the heads of the “khettarat”, the ingenious underground water channels designed to minimise evaporation in the desert heat. It is fascinating to climb down to experience the coolness below ground and to wonder at the ancient engineering involved.
You continue to Erfoud, famous for fossil finds. Many them have been cut and polished into attractive and useful artefacts. In the afternoon you can take a camel ride in the Sahara. The sunset from the top of the dunes is spectacular (250m).
You have dinner and spend the night at a luxury desert camp with private bathroom, king-sized beds, beautiful Moroccan furnishings and lamps tastefully arranged to enhance your enjoyment of the silence and beauty of the dunes.
3rd day: Merzouga – Ouarzazate
If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight. The itinerary continues along a more southerly road following the mountains towards the Dra’a Valley passing the village of Tazzarine (featured in the film ‘Babel’), and on to N’Qob for lunch.
In the afternoon, we drive along the Dra’a Valley towards Agdez, passing more oases and traditional adobe Kasbahs beside the river. The oldest kasbah, Kasbah Tamnougalte, in the Dra’a Valley is situated near Agdez, and you will have some time to visit it. Some parts lie in ruins, particularly the Jewish area, while some parts are still fully occupied.
The last part of the day’s journey is across the Tizi-n-Tinfifite pass to Ouarzazate, where you will spend the night.
4th day: Ouarzazate – Marrakech
After breakfast, you will visit Kasbah Taourirt in the town, which belonged to the Glaoui family, the Pashas of Marrakech. Driving north, you leave the main road and take a side road to Ait ben Haddou, which also belonged to the Lords of the Atlas, the same Glaoui family. This is the most famous Kasbah in Morocco and one of Morocco’s nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is perhaps better known as the backdrop to many Hollywood blockbusters.
From here, you drive along the beautiful and awe-inspiring Ounila Valley. The road is full of bends, surprises at the hues of the rock and soil, Berber villages and gardens, as well as smaller Kasbahs. Finally you reach Telouet, the main seat of the Glaoui family. Each addition to the building now stands in ruins exposed to the wind and the rain. Wait to be pleasantly surprised by the traditional interior decoration as you reach the farthest end of the Kasbah.
Unfortunately, the whole Kasbah is now closed due to the damage caused by the earthquake that struck Morocco in September 2023. Nevertheless, it is still worth visiting the exterior with a local guide to discover its rich history.
Once back on the main road, we reach Marrakech at the end of the afternoon. Your 4-day Sahara desert tour from Marrakech comes to an end as your driver transfers you to your riad.
