Itinerary

1. Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Dades Valley.

   • Your 3 days desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga gets off to a flying start after an early breakfast with your friendly, experienced, English-speaking Ethnic Morocco Tours guide picking you up from your hotel/ riad in Marrakech. 
   • You’ll then set off on a drive through scenic countryside to the High Atlas Mountains, cutting through them via the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 7,234 ft (2,205 metres) above sea level making it the highest major mountain pass in North Africa. It is known as the “Gateway to The Sahara” and provides panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
   • Nearing the Sahara, you will adore one of our favourite places in Morocco, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou, a stunning walled village, built on the slopes of a high hill with a fortified kasbah on top. Ait Ben Haddou has served as a backdrop for numerous Hollywood films and TV shows including Indiana Jones and Game of Thrones. 
   • Moving on from Ait Ben Haddou, you will next arrive at the spectacular Dades Valley, known for its dramatic rock formations, oases and date palmeries. The Dades Valley is truly a paradise for nature lovers, with abundant unusual species of plants, animals and birds. You will spend the night in an excellent hotel in the heart of the valley.

2. Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Sahara Desert Camel Trek.

   • On the second day of your tour, you will leave the Dades Valley, travelling on through the Todra Gorges, narrow canyons with high, vertical walls, very popular with rock climbers, that offer a unique blend of natural beauty and adventure. 
   • Heading onwards toward the Sahara, over barren rocks, you will suddenly see the vast dunes of the Erg Chebbi looming up on the horizon like a mountain range.
   • In their foothills lies Merzouga town, where your trusty steads await for an exciting camel trek over the shifting sands to reach your desert nomad camp. The sun setting over the dunes is an incredible sight. 
   • Here, you will spend the night in a traditional Berber desert encampment, enjoy a sumptuous dinner, and then sit beside the campfire exchanging stories with your Berber hosts. 
   • Sleep in your luxury tent under the millions of twinkling stars, serenaded by gentle tunes played by happy Berber musicians. 

3. Day 3: Sahara Desert – Draa Valley – Marrakech.

   • It’s the early bird who catches the worm on the third day, as you are awoken to witness a mesmerising desert sunrise over the dunes of Erg Chebbi. 
   • After returning to Merzouga by camel, observing the shortening shadows as the sun rises, there is time for a shower and to freshen up before leaving for your next stop; the Draa Valley. The Draa River provides for the lush vegetation growing along its margins, and supplies water for the numerous impressive kasbahs located along its length. 
   • After luncheon, you will head back to Marrakech, across beautiful, varied landscapes and passing many Berber villages along the way.

   Your 3 days desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga concludes with you saying fond farewells to your new friend, your driver when he drops you off at your hotel or riad in Marrakech by 7:00 pm. You will be left with a host of memories and experiences to treasure from your unforgettable journey through Morocco’s bewitching desert region.