Morocco · Desert Safari

3-Day Merzouga Desert Safari from Marrakesh with Camel Ride Camp Stay

3 Days Round trip from Marrakesh Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Enjoy the magnificent views of the Atlas Mountains
  • 02 Visit the UNESCO-protected Aït Benhaddou Kasbah
  • 03 Explore beautiful Skoura town and Tinjdad village
  • 04 Ride camels and go sandboarding on the dunes
  • 05 See Erg Chebbi, home to Morocco's tallest dunes

Traverse the sand dunes of the Merzouga Desert and journey through some of Morocco's most striking landscapes, from Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains to Dades Valley and the Sahara. Visit the UNESCO-protected Aït Benhaddou Kasbah, pass through Erfoud and Rissani, and spend a night in a Berber tent in the desert. Ride camels across Erg Chebbi, enjoy sandboarding on the dunes, and witness both sunset and sunrise over the vast mounds of sand.

Ride camels across Erg Chebbi, enjoy sandboarding on the dunes, and witness both sunset and sunrise over the vast mounds of sand.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included · Luxury
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Merzouga, Todgha Gorge, Erfoud, Rissani, Aït Benhaddou, Tizi n'Tichka, Atlas Mountains, Erg Chebbi, Tinejdad, Skoura, Dadès Gorges
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Marrakech to Dades Valley via Aït Benhaddou

  • Pick-up from Marrakech at 7:00 am by your Moroccan driver.

  • Drive for approximately 2 hours through the Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, stopping for photos along the way and having breakfast.

  • Continue toward Ouarzazate, where you will visit the UNESCO-protected Aït Benhaddou Kasbah and have lunch.

  • Then visit the Atlas Film Studios.

  • Afterward, drive to Skoura, a town overlooking many other beautiful kasbahs, in the direction of Dades Valley.

Spend the night at a hotel in Dades Valley.

2
Day 02

Dades Valley to Merzouga Desert and Berber Camp

  • After breakfast, drive to Todgha city to explore Todra Gorge.

  • Continue to Tinjdad village, where you will stop for lunch.

  • After lunch, pass through the towns of Erfoud and Rissani on the way to Merzouga, home to Erg Chebbi, the tallest dunes in Morocco.

  • Arrive at the hotel in the late afternoon or early evening, where you will have some time to relax by the swimming pool and enjoy Berber tea.

  • Around 5:30 pm, ride camels from the hotel for about 1 hour and 30 minutes through the desert dunes.

  • Upon arrival at the Berber tents, have some time to relax and drink Berber tea with nomads at the camp.

  • Enjoy sandboarding on the dunes, then head out to watch the sunset. Eat dinner at the camp, followed by music around the campfire.

Spend the night in a Berber tent.

3
Day 03

Merzouga Desert Sunrise and Return to Marrakech

  • Wake up early in the morning to see the sunrise. Afterward, you will have time at the camp to enjoy sandboarding if you wish.

  • Have breakfast and take a shower. If you choose the shared tour, breakfast and the shower will be at the hotel.

  • Ride camels back to Merzouga and return to the hotel to meet your driver.

  • After that, drive back to Marrakech with a stop along the way for lunch.

  • Arrive around 7:00 pm.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Marrakesh 13 cities · 3 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Private transportation with A/C

  • Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel

  • English-speaking Moroccan driver

  • 1 night in Dades Valley with dinner and breakfast

  • 1 night in the luxury camp in the desert with dinner and breakfast

  • Camel ride in Merzouga Erg Chebbi dunes

  • Sandboarding in the dunes

  • Entrance fees to Aït Benhaddou

  • Visit to Atlas Cinema Studios

  • Visit to Telouet Kasbah

What's Not Included

  • Personal expenses (gifts, souvenirs, etc.)

  • Lunches in local cafes and restaurants

  • Beverages, e.g. alcohol, sodas, mineral water, etc.

Know before you go

  • Merzouga is a small Moroccan town in the Sahara Desert, near the Algerian border. It is known as a gateway to Erg Chebbi, a huge expanse of sand dunes north of town. West of Merzouga, Dayet Srji is a seasonal salt lake that's often dry in summer. When full, it attracts a wide range of migratory and desert birds, including desert warblers, Egyptian nightjars, and occasionally flamingos.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Marrakesh, Morocco
Tour start
Marrakesh, Morocco
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 3 days finish where they began, in Marrakesh.

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