Marrakech: 3-Day Desert Safari & Camel Ride to Merzouga

Three Days Crossing the Atlas to Sleep Under Stars in the Sahara

You travel three days from Marrakech through the High Atlas to the Sahara with a private guide and your own vehicle, stopping at Ait Ben Haddou kasbah and riding camels into Merzouga's dunes. You sleep one night in a nomadic tent with dinner and breakfast included both days, and return to Marrakech on day three. Hotel pickup and all meals are covered.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Gorges

• Meet driver at Jamaa El Fnaa
• Drive over Tizi n'Tichka pass
• Stop for photos at Atlas mountains
• Visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
• Explore Berber fortified village
• Photo stop at Atlas studios
• Short break at Roses Valley
• Overnight in Dades, half-board

Day 2: Boumalane Dades to Merzouga

• Breakfast and visit Todgha gorges
• Drive through Tinejdad to Erfoud
• Arrive at Erg Chebbi dunes
• Camel ride in desert dunes
• Dinner and overnight in nomad tents

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech

• Early breakfast and drive to Roses Valley
• Lunch stop at Kelaat Mgouna
• Pass Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
• Return to Marrakech accommodation

The experience

The sound of sand shifting under camel hooves is quieter than you'd expect. You leave Marrakech at 8am from Jamaa El Fnaa, climbing toward the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters where the air thins and the High Atlas spreads below like a map someone folded wrong. Your driver stops at the pass for photographs: the light hits differently up there, and you'll understand why this crossing has been a trade route for centuries. After that, the road drops toward Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed Berber kasbah that's been a film set for Kingdom of Heaven, Lawrence of Arabia, and Gladiator. You cross the river on foot and wander the clay-brick village at your own pace, no rushing.

Day two moves faster. After breakfast you visit Dades Gorges and the Todgha grove, then drive deeper into the desert toward Erfoud, passing through Berber villages that feel like they're still deciding whether to acknowledge the modern road. The landscape empties out. By afternoon you're at Erg Chebbi, the massive dune field near Merzouga, and you leave the vehicle behind for a camel ride into the middle of it. That's when the desert actually arrives: no engine noise, just the animal's breathing and the dunes in every direction. You sleep in a nomadic tent that night with dinner cooked nearby and the sky so full of stars it looks like a mistake. The silence is the kind that makes you hear your own thoughts, which some people love and some people find unsettling, so know yourself.

The return on day three starts early. Breakfast, then back to the vehicle and the long drive home, stopping in Kelaat Mgouna in the Roses Valley for lunch. You cross the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass again on the way down and arrive in Marrakech by evening, dropped at your accommodation. The whole thing is private (just your group and one guide), which means the pace bends to what you need, not to a bus schedule.

What’s included

Your three days include hotel pickup from Marrakech, an air-conditioned vehicle and personal guide for all three days, two nights accommodation (one in a riad in Dades, one in a nomadic tent in Merzouga), breakfast and dinner each day, a camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes, and stops at Tizi-n'Tichka Pass, Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, Dades Gorges, and the Roses Valley. You return to your Marrakech accommodation on the evening of day three.

Information

Lasts 3d, runs every day at 07:00, from US$ 117 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 17

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and FrenchOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (9 to 65 years) · Under 9: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with back problems

Operated by esprit d'aventure marrakech

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main desert experience (High Atlas crossing, a UNESCO kasbah, and a night under stars in the Sahara) without arranging transport, accommodation, or meals yourself, and prefer traveling as a private group rather than joining a larger bus tour.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

What time does the tour start from Marrakech?

Pickup is at 8am from Jamaa El Fnaa square.

Do I need experience to ride a camel?

No. The camel ride is part of the itinerary and is suitable for all fitness levels. Infant seats are available if needed.

What's included in the price?

Two nights accommodation, an air-conditioned vehicle, breakfast and dinner daily, hotel pickup, and the camel ride.

Is the tent accommodation comfortable?

You spend one night in a nomadic tent in the dunes with dinner and breakfast provided. The other night is in a riad in Dades. Both are included.

How long is the drive each day?

Day one is roughly 7–8 hours to Dades. Day two is 6–7 hours to Merzouga. Day three is 8–9 hours back to Marrakech.

Can I do this tour if I have back problems?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries due to the long drives and camel riding. Contact the operator before booking if you have concerns.

What should I bring?

Dress warmly for the desert at night and bring sun protection for the day. The operator notes the tour operates in all weather, so pack accordingly.

Is this a group tour or private?

It's private. Just your party with one personal guide and vehicle for the three days.