3-Day Merzouga Sahara Tour: Camel Trek & Desert Camp

Camel treks and nights under stars in Erg Chebbi Desert

A 3-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga in the Sahara, crossing the Atlas Mountains and Dades Gorge with a local guide. You ride camels at sunset and sunrise across Erg Chebbi's dunes, sleep in a desert camp, and eat traditional tagine and mint tea. Transport by air-conditioned minivan, accommodation in Tinghir and the desert camp, and all meals are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Gorges journey

• Admire Atlas Mountains view
• Visit Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Visit Kasbah of Taourirte and cinema studios
• Overnight stay in Tinghir city

Day 2: Dades Gorges to Merzouga desert

• Visit Tinghir Oasis with guide
• Visit Todra Gorges with guide
• Camel ride at sunset
• Dinner and music at desert camp
• Overnight in Merzouga desert camp

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech return

• Camel ride at sunrise
• Breakfast in Merzouga
• Travel back to Marrakech

The experience

The route starts in Marrakech and climbs through the Atlas Mountains to Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified kasbah your guide walks you through. From there the minivan continues to Tinghir, where you overnight in a hotel near Dades Gorge. The next morning you visit Tinghir Oasis and Todra Gorges with your guide before heading south toward the desert. Late afternoon brings your first camel ride into Erg Chebbi as the sun drops, then dinner and the night in a Berber tent at the desert camp.

The second night is the centerpiece: you wake before dawn for a sunrise camel ride back across the dunes, return for breakfast, then spend the day traveling back to Marrakech by minivan. Your guide speaks English, Spanish or French and travels with the group throughout. Tagine, mint tea, and all other meals come with the tour. The minivan seats either eight or seventeen passengers depending on the group size.

Camel riding happens twice (sunset and sunrise), so you see the desert in both lights. The overnight in the Berber tent is the only night under canvas. The first night is a standard hotel. Children from age one are welcome, and the pace suits all fitness levels, though the camel rides and heat of the Sahara mean it is not suitable for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

What’s included

• Local guide in Tinghir, Todra Gorges and Merzouga.
• hotel accommodation in Dades Gorge area.
• air-conditioned minivan transport for the full three days.
• desert camp accommodation in a Berber tent.
• camel rides at sunset and sunrise.
• breakfast and dinner each day.
• access to camp toilets.

Before you book

Lasts 3d, runs Monday to Saturday at 07:20, from US$ 90 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and French, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 07:20

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (5 to 14 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Marrakesh Travel Services

Is this one for you?Choose this if you're comfortable sharing a minivan and camp with other travelers. You'll split costs and meet fellow adventurers, but move as a group rather than at your own pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 14 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Erg Chebbi and why is it the destination for the camel rides?

Erg Chebbi is the large sand dune field near Merzouga in the Sahara where the tour's camel treks take place. The sunset and sunrise rides cross these dunes, which is the main reason the tour reaches this part of southern Morocco.

Do I ride a camel myself, or do I watch from the minivan?

You ride the camel yourself on both the sunset and sunrise treks through Erg Chebbi. The guide accompanies the group, and the rides are the core activity of the overnight desert portion.

What are Dades Gorge and Todra Gorges, and how much time do we spend there?

Dades Gorge is a canyon near Tinghir where you overnight on day one. Todra Gorges is a narrower canyon system you visit with your guide on day two before heading to the desert. Both are stops along the route south from the Atlas Mountains.

Is the Berber tent camping, or does it have beds and facilities?

The desert camp provides a Berber tent for the night with basic accommodation. Access to toilets is included. The setup is simpler than a hotel but is the intended overnight experience in the Sahara.

What meals are provided, and what is not included?

Breakfast and dinner are included throughout the tour, along with traditional tagine and sweet mint tea. Lunch and drinks are not included, so you'll need to budget for those meals or purchase them along the way.