3-Day Merzouga Desert Road Trip from Marrakech with Camel Ride

• Start your desert trip early in the morning by driving east of Marrakech, passing small suburban towns on the way to the High Atlas Mountains.

• Drive uphill on winding roads to the famous Tizi n'Tichka Pass before reaching Kasbah Aït Benhaddou, the first major sightseeing stop.

• Cross the river that separates the kasbah from the main road and explore the village.

• After lunch at one of the local cafes, continue to Dades Valley, driving past Ouarzazate, Skoura Oasis, and El-Kelaat M'Gouna, the capital of the Valley of the Roses, famous for its artisanal rosewater distillation factories.

• Upon arrival in Boumalne Dades, follow the Dades River along a small road, passing different fortified kasbahs on the roadside on the way to Dades Canyons.

• Arrive at your hotel late in the afternoon.

Have dinner and stay overnight at your Dades hotel.

• After breakfast, drive along the Road of 1001 Kasbahs to Tinghir, where you can enjoy a walk along the Todgha river bank.

• Visit Berber villages and ksours before arriving at the impressive landscape of the huge cliffs of Todgha Gorge.

• Treat yourself to a delicious Berber lunch in the gorge before continuing to Merzouga.

• Upon arrival at Erg Chebbi, meet your camel caravan and ride across the colour-changing sand dunes to watch one of the most dramatic sunsets.

• Return to your Sahara desert camp, where a Moroccan dinner will be served next to the campfire while local nomads entertain you with drumming. The nearby dunes also offer a great display of shooting stars and crystal-clear constellations.

Stay overnight at your Sahara desert camp.

• After an early sunrise camel trek through the Erg Chebbi dunes, drive back toward Ouarzazate.

• After lunch, continue in the afternoon to Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains.

• End your trip in Marrakech at about 7:00 PM.