3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour: Sahara Camp & Dades Valley

Camel trek across golden dunes at sunset, then sleep under stars in a traditional Sahara camp.

A 3-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga in the Sahara Desert, crossing the High Atlas Mountains, visiting the UNESCO site of Aït Ben Haddou and Todra Gorge, and spending two nights in accommodation: one in Dades Valley and one in a traditional desert camp where you ride camels and watch the sunset over the dunes. Hotel pickup in Marrakech is included, and your driver speaks English, French, Spanish or Arabic. The fixed itinerary covers the same route each day, so the stops and the overnight locations don't change between departures.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Valley via Aït Ben Haddou

• Meet driver at Marrakech hotel
• Cross High Atlas Mountains via Tizi n'Tichka Pass
• Explore Aït Ben Haddou UNESCO site
• Stop in Ouarzazate for lunch
• Travel through Valley of the Roses
• Arrive and check in at Dades Valley hotel
• Enjoy dinner and relax

Day 2: Dades Valley to Merzouga Desert Camp

• Breakfast at hotel
• Leave Dades Valley toward Sahara Desert
• Visit Todra Gorge and walk canyon
• Arrive in Merzouga village and relax
• Camel ride at sunset on Erg Chebbi dunes
• Arrive at desert camp under stars
• Dinner and Berber music at camp

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech via Draa Valley

• Sunrise over Sahara dunes
• Return to Merzouga by camel or 4×4
• Travel through Alnif town
• Drive through Draa Valley oasis
• Lunch and rest in Ouarzazate
• Cross High Atlas Mountains again
• Arrive back in Marrakech and hotel drop-off

The experience

Three days is enough to cross Morocco's interior without rushing. You start with hotel pickup in Marrakech and head south through the High Atlas, stopping at Tizi n'Tichka Pass for views of the mountains and Berber villages. From there the route drops into the foothills, passing through the Valley of the Roses before reaching Aït Ben Haddou, a fortified kasbah village and UNESCO World Heritage Site that has stood for centuries and served as a filming location for international movies. You'll have time to walk through it, then continue to Ouarzazate for lunch before arriving in Dades Valley, where you spend your first night in a hotel surrounded by dramatic rock formations.

Day two takes you deeper into the desert landscape. After breakfast you leave Dades Valley and drive to Todra Gorge, where towering limestone cliffs frame a river canyon and you can walk through on your own. From there it's a short drive to Merzouga, the gateway to Erg Chebbi's sand dunes. In the late afternoon you mount a camel and ride across the golden dunes while the sun sets, then continue to a traditional desert camp where you'll spend the night. Dinner is Moroccan, cooked on-site, and the evening includes Berber music around the campfire under a sky full of stars.

The return journey on day three starts before dawn so you can watch the sunrise over the dunes from camel-back or a 4×4 vehicle. After breakfast you drive through Alnif and the Draa Valley (Morocco's longest oasis, lined with thousands of palm trees and ancient kasbahs), then stop in Ouarzazate for lunch. The final stretch crosses the High Atlas again, retracing the Tizi n'Tichka Pass with photo stops along the way, and you arrive back in Marrakech in the evening.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned transportation throughout the three days.
• English, French, Spanish or Arabic-speaking driver.
• hotel or riad pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• one night in a hotel in Dades Valley.
• one night in a traditional desert camp in Merzouga.
• camel trekking across Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset.
• entry to the UNESCO site of Aït Ben Haddou.
• sightseeing stops at Tizi n'Tichka Pass, Todra Gorge and the Draa Valley.
• traditional Moroccan dinner and Berber music at the desert camp.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Azdour Morocco Experiences

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Marrakech without a car: the included pickup and fixed route handle navigation and driving, while overnight stops in the mountains and desert prevent long daily drives.

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3).

What's included in the 3-day tour price?

The tour includes air-conditioned transportation, an English, French, Spanish or Arabic-speaking driver, hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, one night in a hotel in Dades Valley, one night in a traditional desert camp in Merzouga, camel trekking in Erg Chebbi, entry to Aït Ben Haddou, and sightseeing stops at Tizi n'Tichka Pass, Todra Gorge and the Draa Valley. Lunches are not included.

How does the camel trekking work in Merzouga?

You ride a camel across the Erg Chebbi dunes in the late afternoon, timing the trek to catch the sunset, then continue by camel or 4×4 to the desert camp where you spend the night. The trek is part of the tour itinerary and no additional booking is needed.

What's the desert camp like?

The traditional Sahara desert camp in Merzouga is a comfortable overnight stay surrounded by dunes. Dinner is a traditional Moroccan meal cooked on-site, and the evening includes Berber music and singing around a campfire. You sleep in the camp and wake early the next morning to watch the sunrise over the dunes.

Do I need to arrange my own transport from Marrakech?

No. Hotel or riad pickup in Marrakech is included, and your driver handles all transportation for the three days. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with the same driver throughout the tour.

What is Aït Ben Haddou and how much time do you spend there?

Aït Ben Haddou is an ancient fortified kasbah village and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the route between Marrakech and Dades Valley. It's famous for its traditional architecture and has been used as a filming location for many international movies and TV series. You have time to explore it on foot during the first day of the tour.