3-day Merzouga desert tour: Quad biking Erg Chebbi

Ride quad bikes across golden Erg Chebbi dunes, then sleep under stars at a Berber camp.

A 3-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga that crosses the High Atlas Mountains, walks Todra Gorge, and ends with quad biking across Erg Chebbi's golden dunes and a night at a desert camp. A local guide leads the route in English, Spanish, Italian, French or other languages. Hotel pickup is included. The tour moves through valleys, gorges and oases before reaching the Sahara on day two.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Valley journey

• Cross High Atlas Mountains via Tizi n’Tichka
• Visit Aït Ben Haddou fortified village
• Stop in Ouarzazate to see film studios
• Drive through Dades Valley rose fields
• Explore Dades Gorge and overnight stay

Day 2: Dades Valley to Merzouga Desert Camp

• Walk through Todra Gorge canyon
• Visit Erfoud fossil workshops and markets
• Stop in ancient caravan town and market
• Camel ride over Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
• Arrive at Berber desert camp for dinner

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech return trip

• Travel through Draa Valley palm oases
• Stop in quiet oasis town for photos
• Lunch break in Ouarzazate
• Cross back High Atlas Mountains
• Arrive in Marrakech and end tour

The experience

The route starts in Marrakech and climbs through Tizi-n'Tichka Pass, Morocco's highest road crossing at 2,260 meters, with stops at the 11th-century earthen village of Aït Ben Haddou and the Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate. You drive through the Dades Valley past rose fields and explore the Dades Gorge's dramatic limestone cliffs before overnight at a guesthouse. Day two takes you through Todra Gorge, where 300-meter cliffs rise from the river, then onward through Erfoud and into the desert. A camel ride carries you across Erg Chebbi as the sun sets, and you arrive at a Berber camp for mint tea, dinner, traditional drumming and sleep in comfortable tents under open sky.

The quad biking happens on the dunes around Merzouga: you ride automatic quad bikes across the golden sand for roughly an hour, with a local guide providing safety instructions and a helmet, goggles and sometimes gloves supplied. No experience or license is required. The ride includes short breaks for photos and rest. Day three reverses the route through the Draa Valley (Morocco's longest valley, filled with palm oases and Berber villages), then back across the High Atlas to Marrakech, with a lunch stop in Ouarzazate and arrival around 8:00 PM.

Hotel pickup from Marrakech is included, and the guide speaks your choice of language from the start. Meals, accommodation and transport between stops are part of the package. You travel by vehicle except for the camel ride and the quad biking.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Marrakech.
• transport by vehicle for all three days.
• two nights' accommodation (one guesthouse, one Berber desert camp).
• all meals.
• a local guide in your chosen language.
• camel ride across Erg Chebbi at sunset.
• quad biking on the dunes for roughly one hour with helmet, goggles and automatic bike supplied.
• entry to Aït Ben Haddou, Todra Gorge and the desert camp.
• mint tea and traditional drumming at the camp.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Infant (under 11)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcome

Operated by In Morocco Legend Tours

Is this one for you?You ride the quads yourself on day two, so choose this tour if you want hands-on action in the desert rather than watching from a vehicle. The 3-day length fits the full route from Marrakech through the mountains and gorges to Merzouga and back. A shorter trip would skip either the High Atlas or the Draa Valley return.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 11).

What's the quad biking like for someone who's never ridden before?

The quad bikes are automatic and built for beginners, so no prior experience or driver's license is needed. Your guide gives safety instructions before you start, and you wear a helmet and goggles. The ride lasts roughly an hour across the Erg Chebbi dunes with breaks for photos.

What happens at the Berber desert camp on night two?

You arrive at sunset after the camel ride, enjoy mint tea and dinner, listen to traditional drumming, and sleep in comfortable tents under the stars. The camp sits in the Merzouga desert near Erg Chebbi.

How much driving is there, and what's the pace like?

Day one is a full drive from Marrakech through the mountains to the Dades Valley; day two is a shorter drive to Merzouga with the camel and quad experiences; day three is the return drive to Marrakech with a lunch break. The pace is steady but includes photo stops and walks through gorges and villages.

What does the 3-day tour include, and what costs extra?

Transport, accommodation, meals, the guide, hotel pickup, the camel ride and the quad biking are included. Confirm with the operator whether drinks, tips and personal expenses like souvenirs are separate.