4-day Tangier to Marrakech tour: Erg Chebbi desert camp

Camel trek at sunset, a night under stars in the Sahara, and the High Atlas crossing

This 4-day tour runs from Tangier south through the Rif and Middle Atlas mountains to the Merzouga desert, where you spend two nights in a Berber camp after a camel ride across Erg Chebbi dunes. You'll see cedar forests and Barbary apes, explore the desert by 4x4, visit a nomadic family and the music village of Khamlia, then travel through the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley before crossing back over the High Atlas to Marrakech, ending at the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Benhaddou.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tangier to Fes via Chefchaouen

• Pick up at hotel in Tangier
• Drive through Rif mountains and Tetouan
• Stop at Chefchaouen medina
• Lunch at local restaurants
• Continue to Fes for overnight stay

Day 2: Fes to Merzouga via Middle Atlas

• Drive to Ifrane and Azrou
• Visit cedar forests to see Barbary apes
• Drive through Tizi Ntalghamt pass to Midelt
• Travel along Ziz Gorges to Erfoud
• Arrive in Merzouga and have mint tea
• Camel trek to desert camp at Erg Chebbi
• Dinner and traditional Berber music by fire

Day 3: Merzouga to Dades Valley via Todra Gorge

• Breakfast at desert camp
• Return to town and meet driver
• Drive to Tinghir and Todra Gorge
• Arrive in Dades Valley for dinner and overnight

Day 4: Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

• Drive through Dades Valley and Roses Valley
• Visit Skoura village and Ouarzazate
• Detour to Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah visit
• Lunch in Ait Ben Haddou
• Cross High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech
• Transfer to riad in Marrakech

The experience

The route opens in Tangier and moves south through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, a village built into the mountainside with a Spanish-style medina and craft shops, before dropping into Fes for the first night. The next morning you cross the Middle Atlas through cedar forests where Barbary apes live wild, pass through Ifrane and Midelt, and descend the Ziz Gorges: a volcanic canyon carved through the plateau. By afternoon you reach Merzouga at the edge of the Sahara. After mint tea and luggage storage in town, you mount a camel for a 90-minute trek across Erg Chebbi, the highest sand dunes in North Africa, to a Berber camp where the tents have mattresses, blankets and cushions. Dinner and the night happen around a fire with traditional drums.

Day three stays in the desert. A 4x4 excursion takes you deeper into the dunes, and you visit a nomadic family and Khamlia village, known for its Gnawa music tradition. The second night is again in the camp. On day four you drive north through Rissani and the Ziz Valley to the Todra Gorge, a narrow canyon carved by water, then continue to the Dades Valley (called the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs for the mud-brick fortifications dotting the route), where you stay overnight. The final day moves through the Rose Valley and past adobe villages, stops at Ouarzazate, then detours 30 kilometers to Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed kasbah where films like Gladiator were shot. After lunch you cross the High Atlas Mountains and arrive in Marrakech.

A live guide travels with the group and speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French. Children from age three are welcome. The tour includes five nights of accommodation, the camel ride, the 4x4 desert excursion, and a private luxury tent in the camp. Drinks and lunch are separate costs, as is entry to Atlas Studios if you choose to visit.

What’s included

• Five nights of accommodation in a hotel or riad in Fes, Ouarzazate and Dades Valley, plus a private luxury tent in the Merzouga desert camp.
• camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes.
• 4x4 desert excursion.
• visit to a nomadic family and Khamlia village.

Options for this experience

2 options

5-day Tangier to Fes to MerzougaGuide in 4 languages · 08:30Hotel or luxury camp. Duration: 5 days. Private vehicle

9-day tour in MoroccoGuide in 4 languages · 09:00Trip length: 9 days, traveling by car

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 4d, runs every day at 08:30 and 09:00, from US$ 1,135 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 84 years) · Child (7 to 17 years) · Infant (3 to 6 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Enjoying Morocco

Is this one for you?The 4-day span fits the route from Tangier to Marrakech with two full days in the Merzouga desert, giving you time for both the sunset camel trek and a separate 4x4 exploration. If you want a shorter trip, the 2-day option skips the mountains and the Dades Valley. If you want more time in the south, the 6-day version adds the Draa Valley and more stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 17 years); Infant (3 to 6 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is Erg Chebbi and why is the camel trek there at sunset?

Erg Chebbi is the highest sand dune field in North Africa, located near Merzouga in the Sahara. The sunset timing lets you see the light change across the dunes during the 90-minute ride to the Berber camp, and arrive as the day cools.

How many nights do I spend in the desert camp?

Two nights. The first night follows the camel trek on day two, and the second night is on day three after the 4x4 excursion and visits to the nomadic family and Khamlia village.

What happens in the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley?

The Todra Gorge is a narrow canyon carved by water near Tinghir. The Dades Valley, which you reach afterward, is a river valley dotted with traditional mud-brick kasbahs and Berber villages. The route through it is called the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs and offers photo stops at the adobe structures and geological formations.

What is Aït Benhaddou and why stop there?

Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah, a fortified village of clay buildings, located south of the High Atlas. It's a 30-kilometer detour from the main route on the final day, and it's the filming location for major films including Gladiator and The Jewel of the Nile.

Do I need any experience to ride a camel?

No. The camel trek is suitable for all fitness levels and children from age three can participate. The ride lasts about 90 minutes and takes you from Merzouga town to the desert camp.