3-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Agadir to Merzouga

You sleep in the Sahara among the highest sand dunes in Morocco.

A 3-day tour from Agadir to Merzouga combines desert travel through Morocco's south with a night in a private nomad tent in Erg Chebbi's sand dunes. The itinerary crosses saffron fields, UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou, and the Todra Gorge before reaching the dunes for camel trekking at sunset and a campfire dinner with Berber music. Private 4x4 transport with driver, hotel pickup, and half-board accommodation at a guesthouse and desert camp are included. Lunch and drinks are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Agadir to Ouarzazate via Taroudant

• Start tour from Agadir accommodation
• Visit Taroudant medina and market
• Pass through Taliouine saffron fields
• Learn about Berber rugs at Taznakht
• Lunch and visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
• Travel to Ouarzazate, optional cinema studios visit
• Overnight in guesthouse

Day 2: Ouarzazate to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at guesthouse
• Drive through Rose Valley and Thousand Kasbah Road
• Photo stops at Tinghir and Todra Gorges
• Walk through Todra Gorge
• Lunch near Todra Gorge
• Travel via Jorf and Erfoud to Erg Chebbi dunes
• Camel trek on sand dunes at sunset
• Check in private desert camp tent
• Dinner and Berber music campfire

Day 3: Merzouga to Agadir via Draa Valley

• Sunrise viewing on dunes
• Breakfast at desert camp
• Drive through Saghrou mountains and Draa Valley
• Lunch in Agdz
• Continue through Atlas Mountains with photo stops
• Return to Agadir accommodation

The experience

The route leaves Agadir at 8 am and heads southeast through Taroudant, the old red city with its medina and ramparts, then past the saffron-growing region around Taliouine. The first night is spent in a guesthouse in Ouarzazate, Morocco's filming hub where scenes from Gladiator and Game of Thrones were shot. Day two takes you through the Rose Valley and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs toward the Todra Gorge, a 400-meter canyon carved through rock with palm trees lining the valley floor. You walk through the gorge, then continue toward Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes, the country's highest sand formations.

At the desert camp, you trade the 4x4 for a camel and trek for an hour across the dunes during sunset, when the sand turns red against the sky. Dinner happens around the campfire with Berber musicians and drum players, and you sleep in a private nomad tent within the camp. The next morning starts before sunrise from the top of the dunes, then the return to Agadir follows a different route through the Draa Valley's oases and volcanic rock formations in the Saghrou mountains, arriving back around 6:30 pm.

Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language throughout the three days. The private 4x4 runs with air conditioning and fuel included, and the operator handles hotel pickup from your Agadir accommodation at the start.

What’s included

• Private 4x4 transport with air conditioning and fuel.
• hotel pickup from your Agadir accommodation.
• overnight guesthouse stay in Ouarzazate with half board.
• private nomad tent in the desert camp with half board.
• one hour of camel trekking at sunset in Erg Chebbi.
• campfire dinner with Berber music and drum players.
• live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Caravane Du Grand Erg

Is this one for you?The tour starts early each day and involves walking through the Todra Gorge and an hour of camel riding at sunset, so it suits travelers comfortable with a moderate pace and some time in the saddle. The three-day span lets you cross the Atlas and reach the dunes without rushing, though the return drive on day three is long.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What is Ait Ben Haddou and why do we stop there?

Ait Ben Haddou is a mud-brick kasbah and UNESCO World Heritage site in the Atlas foothills. The tour stops for lunch and a visit to explore the fortified village, one of Morocco's most photographed landmarks.

How much camel trekking is involved in Merzouga?

Camel trekking lasts one hour at sunset across the Erg Chebbi dunes. You ride from the camp into the sand to watch the light change, then return for dinner.

What happens on the drive back to Agadir?

The return route on day three runs through the Draa Valley's palm groves and oases, with stops for photographs in the Atlas Mountains. You arrive in Agadir around 6:30 pm.

What is included in the overnight stays?

Night one includes a guesthouse in Ouarzazate with dinner and breakfast. Night two is a private nomad tent in the desert camp with dinner and breakfast included in half board.

Does the tour include meals?

Dinner and breakfast are included at both overnight stops. Lunch on each day is not included and can be arranged separately.