3-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech: Erg Chebbi & Dades Gorge
Cross rugged gorges and vast dunes, sleeping under stars and ancient skies
A 3-day guided tour from Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert, with two nights' accommodation (one in a hotel, one in a desert camp) and a camel trek across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset. The route crosses the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass, stops at the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, winds through Dades and Todgha Gorges, and returns via the Draa Valley. Transport, entry to all dune areas, and a driver speaking English, Spanish or French are included. Lunch and drinks are not.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Marrakesh to Dades Valley via Ait Benhaddou
- Cross High Atlas Mountains via Tizi n'Tichka Pass
- Stop at panoramic viewpoints and Berber villages
- Explore Aït Benhaddou fortified village
- Visit Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate
- Drive through Skoura Oasis and Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
- Pass Valley of the Roses and visit rose cooperative
- Arrive at Dadès Gorges and enjoy scenic viewpoints
- Dinner and overnight in Dades Gorges
Day 2: Dades Gorges to Sahara Desert Merzouga
- Breakfast and depart towards Todgha Gorges
- Walk and explore Todgha Gorges canyon
- Stop at Erfoud fossil workshops
- Arrive at Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga
- Camel trek into Sahara desert at sunset
- Dinner and Berber music at desert camp
Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech return journey
- Sunrise over Sahara dunes
- Breakfast at desert camp
- Camel ride back to Merzouga village
- Drive through Draa Valley oasis landscapes
- Lunch and rest in Ouarzazate
- Return via Tizi n'Tichka Pass to Marrakech
The experience
The tour starts early from your Marrakech hotel and climbs into the High Atlas through the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters, where panoramic stops let you photograph Berber villages built into the hillsides and the dramatic mountain valleys below. By mid-morning you reach Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah where the guide walks you through the ancient earthen alleys and points out filming locations from Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. You can climb to the hilltop granary for views over the Ounila Valley. The day continues through Ouarzazate (the "Gateway to the Sahara") and the Skoura Oasis along the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs" (a ribbon of date palms and fortified residences) before passing through the Valley of the Roses, where you may stop at a local cooperative making rose-water and essential oils. By evening you arrive at Dades Gorges, where 300-meter limestone cliffs frame the valley, and you sleep in a hotel there.
Day two takes you deeper into the desert. After breakfast you drive through Dades Valley to Todgha Gorges, one of Morocco's most impressive natural canyons, where massive limestone walls rise 300 meters on both sides of a narrow riverbed and you have time to walk along the river and explore the rock formations. A stop in Erfoud lets you visit a fossil workshop where prehistoric marine fossils from the Sahara are carved into decorative objects. Then you arrive at Erg Chebbi near Merzouga (towering golden dunes reaching 150 meters high), where you mount a camel and trek across the sand while the sun sets over the dunes. At the desert camp you eat Moroccan dinner, listen to traditional Berber music around the campfire, and sleep under the stars in a Berber tent.
On the final morning you wake early to watch the sunrise paint the dunes, then ride camels back to Merzouga village where your driver is waiting. The return journey passes through the Draa Valley, Morocco's longest river valley, lined with palm groves, ancient kasbahs and traditional villages. You stop in Ouarzazate for lunch and a rest, then cross the High Atlas again via Tizi-n'Tichka Pass, arriving back in Marrakech in the evening. A guide speaking English, Spanish or French travels with you throughout. Vegetarian meals can be arranged if you request them when booking.
What’s included
- Transport in a Toyota Landcruiser 4X4 or minibus with a driver speaking English, Spanish or French.
- hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech (selected hotels).
- two nights' accommodation: one night in a hotel in Dades Gorges and one night in a Berber tent at the desert camp.
- entry to Erg Chebbi dunes, Merzouga dunes, Dades Gorge, Todgha Gorges, and the Aït Ben Haddou kasbah.
- camel trek across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset and return trek the next morning.
- Moroccan dinner and traditional Berber music at the desert camp.
- breakfast at the desert camp and hotel breakfasts.
Options for this experience
2 optionsInformation
Lasts 3d, runs every day at 07:00, from US$ 492 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and French, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.
Prices and times updated yesterday
Operated by Merzouga Dunes
Is this one for you?Pick this 3-day loop if you want to cover the High Atlas gorges and Sahara dunes in one continuous route without backtracking. You'll sleep in both a hotel and a desert tent, then return to Marrakech by evening on day three.
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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 (2 to 8 years); Infant (under 2): free.
What exactly happens on the camel trek at Erg Chebbi?
You ride camels across the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi while watching the sunset, following traditional desert routes used by nomads and caravan traders. The trek takes you deep into the Sahara, and when you reach the desert camp you have Moroccan dinner, listen to traditional Berber music around the campfire, and sleep in a Berber tent under the stars.
Do I need to be very fit to do this tour?
The operator recommends at least a moderate level of physical fitness and does not recommend it for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. The camel riding is the main physical element. The rest is driving and walking at your own pace through the gorges and villages.
What's included in the price and what do I pay extra for?
The tour includes transport in a 4X4 or minibus, a driver who speaks English, Spanish or French, entry to all dune areas and gorges, and two nights' accommodation (one hotel night in Dades Gorges, one night in a desert camp). Lunch, drinks, and gratuities are not included. You pay for meals separately at stops along the way.
How much time do you actually spend in the Sahara?
You arrive at Erg Chebbi in the late afternoon on day two, ride camels at sunset, sleep in the desert camp that night, and ride back across the dunes the next morning before returning to Marrakech. So you have roughly 24 hours in the Sahara itself, with the camel trek and desert camp as the core experience.
Can I visit Aït Ben Haddou if I'm interested in the history?
Yes, Aït Ben Haddou is a stop on day one. The guide walks you through the ancient earthen alleys and explains the traditional architecture of the kasbah, and you can climb to the hilltop granary for panoramic views. The guide can point out filming locations from famous movies shot there, though a separate local guide for the kasbah itself is not included.
What if I'm vegetarian?
Vegetarian meals are available on this tour. You need to request them when you book so the operator can arrange them with the hotels and desert camp.
3-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech: Erg Chebbi & Dades Gorge
3d · EN · ES · FR
from US$ 492 per person