Morocco · Desert Adventure

3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour with Camel Camp Stay

3 Days Round trip from Marrakesh Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
02 Drive through the High Atlas Mountains
03 Explore Ouarzazate, the "Hollywood of Morocco" with its major studios
04 Enjoy a sunset camel trek to the Merzouga desert camp
05 Spend the night in a Merzouga desert camp with bonfire and music entertainment

Take a desert trip from Marrakech through Merzouga to explore oases, dunes, kasbahs, camel trekking, and an overnight stay in a Sahara desert camp, where you can gaze into the night sky and its endless array of stars. Travel over the Atlas Mountains and descend to the Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou, then continue through Ouarzazate and the dramatic desert landscapes toward Merzouga. This journey combines historic kasbahs, cinematic scenery, and a sunset camel trek across the dunes of Erg Chebbi.

The kasbah, with six kasbahs within a walled city, is a place of wonder where you may feel as though you have returned to the days of gladiators, desert nomads, and ancient trading markets.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Merzouga, Todgha Gorge, Rissani, Aït Benhaddou, Atlas Mountains, Erg Chebbi, Dadès Gorges, Boumalne Dades

Languages English, French, Italian, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou and Dades Valley

The guide will pick you up from your Marrakech hotel at 7:15 a.m. and escort you to the departure point. We will travel over the Atlas Mountains and descend to the kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou. The kasbah, with six kasbahs within a walled city, is a place of wonder where you may feel as though you have returned to the days of gladiators, desert nomads, and ancient trading markets.
After the guided tour, lunch on the first day will be taken in the kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou.
The next stop on the first day will be Ouarzazate. Admire the scenery of a city where several blockbuster movies have been filmed. Classics like The Mummy and Lawrence of Arabia are among the many films shot in a city often called "The Gateway to the Desert".
In this gateway city to the desert, stop at a cafe before venturing on to the Dades Valley. Once here, you can relax and unwind at a private guesthouse in Dades with an en-suite bathroom and enjoy the culinary delights of a Moroccan evening dinner.

Day 02

Dades Valley, Todra Gorge, and Merzouga Desert Camp

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at our guesthouse and leave for the Todra Gorge.
After lunch on the second day, travel on to Merzouga. Merzouga truly is a place in the heart of the desert. Here we will get onto our camels, traverse the dunes of Erg Chebbi, and finish at the Berber desert camp to rest for the night.
At the desert camp, enjoy an evening meal and breakfast in the morning before completing the final day's journey back to Marrakesh.

Overnight stay in a desert camp.

Day 03

Merzouga through Draa Valley to Marrakech

Our camels will transport us back to Merzouga; from there, it is another journey back through the Draa Valley, where we will see the sights of Rissani. The Moroccan architecture in the palaces, gateways, and temples offers many photographic opportunities.
The final leg of this tour takes us through Nqob, then Tamnougalt, before reaching the familiar city of Ouarzazate.
Lunch can be taken at any cafe before we head back through the Atlas Mountains and into Marrakech for our journey's end. Arrival in Marrakech is expected around 8:00 p.m.

Where this trip takes you

Ksar of Aït Benhaddou, Atlas Mountains passes, Erg Chebbi dunes, Draa Valley oases

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Marrakesh 11 cities · 3 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Free Marrakech Airport arrival transfer to your hotel on the day you arrive in Marrakech
Pick-up from your hotel in Marrakech
Modern air-conditioned minibus (maximum 17 passengers)
Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou visit, Dades Gorge Valley, and Todra Gorge
1 night in a hotel in Dades Valley
Local guide who will meet you at Todra Gorge
Camel treks at sunset and sunrise
1 night in a comfortable tent in a desert camp
Breakfast and shower at Merzouga hotel
Breakfasts and evening meals
Transportation with driver from Merzouga to Marrakech

What's Not Included

Personal purchases, drinks, lunch, and tips (the Ait Ben Haddou guide usually receives 3 euros)

What to bring

You can bring your luggage with you, and it can stay safely in the minivan.

Know before you go

Please prepare a small backpack with essentials for the camping and your belongings. Do not forget sunglasses, a scarf, a hat, comfortable walking shoes, and warm sleeping clothes in winter. For the camel ride, we recommend wearing jeans or long trousers.
In winter, it gets quite cold at night in the desert, and temperatures can drop to around 0. You will be provided with warm blankets, but we advise bringing warm clothes for sleeping.
You can upgrade your accommodation when booking the tour or no later than 24 hours before the tour departure. Once you are on tour, making any upgrades is no longer possible.

Logistics