3-day Merzouga tour from Marrakech: Camel trek and desert camp
You ride a camel into the Sahara at sunset and sleep under the stars.
A 3-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga combines mountain passes, a UNESCO kasbah, and gorges with two camel treks in Erg Chebbi and an overnight stay in a Berber desert camp. Day one crosses the High Atlas and visits Ait Ben Haddou before reaching Tinghir. Day two descends through Todra Gorges to the dunes, where you ride at sunset and camp under the stars. Day three includes a sunrise camel trek and the return journey through the Valley of Roses to Marrakech.
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4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech to Tinghir via Atlas Mountains
- Depart Marrakech early morning
- Cross High Atlas Mountains via Tizi N'Tichka pass
- Stop for photos and coffee
- Visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
- Lunch break
- Travel through Ouarzazate, Skoura oasis, Kalaat M'Gouna, Dades
- Arrive in Tinghir and check in hotel
- Dinner and overnight in 4-star hotel
Day 2: Tinghir to Merzouga Desert Experience
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive towards Erg Chebbi dunes via Todra Gorges and Berber villages
- Arrive Merzouga and relax
- Camel ride into Erg Chebbi dunes
- Walk to highest dunes for sunset
- Overnight in desert camp
- Optional: Overnight in Luxury Camp in private tent with bathroom inside (If Option Selected)
- Optional: Overnight in Standard Camp in private tent with bathroom outside (If Option Selected)
Day 3: Merzouga Sunrise and Return to Marrakech
- Early wake-up for desert sunrise
- Breakfast at camp
- Camel ride back to Merzouga
- Drive back to Marrakech via Kalaat M'Gouna
- Lunch and rest stop in Valley of Roses
- Continue through Ouarzazate
- Arrive Marrakech hotel in evening
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Marrakech hotel.
- one night in a 4-star hotel in Tinghir with dinner and breakfast.
- camel ride at sunset in Erg Chebbi.
- camel trek at sunrise in Erg Chebbi.
- one night in a Berber desert camp with dinner and breakfast.
- entry to Ait Ben Haddou UNESCO kasbah.
- visits to Todra Gorges, Dades Valley, and Tinghir.
- sandboarding on the dunes.
- a guide in English or French.
- Every day 07:30
Information
Three-day journey from Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains to Erg Chebbi dunes, featuring camel rides, a night in a Berber desert camp.
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The experience
The tour starts before dawn in Marrakech and climbs into the High Atlas Mountains, pausing at the Tizi N'Tichka pass for views and coffee before reaching Ait Ben Haddou. This UNESCO World Heritage kasbah sits on a hillside of stacked clay buildings, famous for its film appearances. You walk through its narrow streets and courtyards before lunch. The route then follows the Dades Valley through Ouarzazate and Kalaat M'Gouna toward Tinghir, where you spend the first night in a 4-star hotel with dinner and breakfast included.
Day two is the desert descent. After breakfast you head south through Berber villages and the dramatic Todra Gorges (towering cliff walls that narrow to a river canyon), before reaching Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes. A camel carries you across the sand at sunset, climbing to the highest dunes to watch the light change. You then dismount at a luxury or standard camp (depending on your option) and spend the night in a private tent under open sky, with traditional Berber hospitality and drumming. Breakfast and the night are included.
The third day begins with a pre-dawn camel ride to catch the sunrise over the dunes, followed by breakfast at the camp. The return to Marrakech takes you back through the Valley of Roses near Kalaat M'Gouna (a pause point for lunch if you choose), and through Ouarzazate, arriving at your hotel by evening. Sandboarding on the dunes is included, and hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech are part of every booking.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and French.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.
What's the Tizi N'Tichka pass and why does the tour stop there?
Tizi N'Tichka is the High Atlas mountain crossing on the route from Marrakech to the south. The tour pauses there for photographs and coffee breaks so you can take in the mountain views before continuing downslope.
Do I ride a camel both days in Merzouga, or just one?
You ride twice: once at sunset on day two when you arrive at Erg Chebbi, and again at sunrise on day three before breakfast and the drive back to Marrakech.
What is Ait Ben Haddou and how much time do you spend there?
Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah (a fortified clay village built into a hillside) famous for appearing in films. You explore it on foot during day one before lunch, then continue toward Tinghir.
What's included in the overnight camp stay?
Your night in the desert camp includes a private tent (with bathroom inside for luxury camp, outside for standard camp), dinner, and breakfast. You sleep under the stars with traditional Berber hospitality and live drumming.
Is the sandboarding included, or do I pay extra?
Sandboarding on the Erg Chebbi dunes is included in the tour price and happens on day three before your return to Marrakech.
Operated by Bel Mov Sarl. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 7 days ago
3-day Merzouga tour from Marrakech: Camel trek and desert camp
3d · EN · FR · at your hotel
from US$ 114 per person
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