Errachidia to Marrakech Desert Tour: Erg Chebbi & Kasbahs

Cross the Sahara and the Atlas on one route, sleeping in the desert and the valleys between.

A 4-day tour from Errachidia through Morocco's southern desert and mountain valleys, ending in Marrakech. The route moves through Erg Chebbi dunes with a 4-hour 4x4 safari and camel ride, then follows the Todra Gorges and Dades Valley before crossing to UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou and the Tichka pass. A live guide in English, Spanish or French leads the group. Hotel pickup from Errachidia is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Merzouga

• Arrive at Errachidia Airport
• Meet driver at airport exit
• Drive through Ziz Valley palm groves
• Visit Erfoud fossil area
• Transfer to Merzouga desert hotel

Day 2: Desert safari and quad circuit

• Wake up and have breakfast
• Begin 4-hour 4x4 desert safari
• Visit Khamalia village and enjoy Gnawa music
• Visit Lake Merzouga and fossil mines
• Meet nomads and have tea break
• Lunch with Khamlia family
• Optional quad circuit in desert
• Arrive at luxury bivouacs

Day 3: Rissani, Todra Gorges and Dades Valley

• Have breakfast
• Drive to Rissani and visit souk
• See donkey parking and nomads
• Visit Todra Gorges
• Walk through Todra oasis
• Continue to Dades Valley
• Overnight in Dades Valley hotel

Day 4: Valleys, kasbahs and Marrakech

• Have breakfast
• Visit Valley of Roses cooperative
• Visit Kasbah of Amridil
• Visit Ouarzazate and Kasbah Taourirt
• Optional visit to film studios
• Visit Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Cross Tichka pass to Marrakech
• Arrive at Marrakech hotel

The experience

Errachidia airport is where the driver meets you. From there, the route runs south through the Ziz Valley's date palm groves to Erfoud, a town known for fossils, then continues to Merzouga and the desert hotel where you spend the first night. The drive takes roughly five and a half hours total, so you arrive with time to settle in before dark.

Day two is the deepest push into the Sahara. Breakfast happens on site, then a 4-hour 4x4 safari crosses Erg Chebbi, passes through the village of Khamalia where you can hear Gnawa music, and reaches Lake Merzouga and the fossil mines. A tea break with nomads breaks up the drive. Lunch comes with the Khamlia family. In the afternoon, a quad circuit through the dunes is available as an optional add-on (400 DH per quad, confirmed at booking). The night is spent at a desert bivouac or camp.

Day three leaves the dunes and heads to Rissani, an authentic souk where nomads and locals still trade, not a tourist market. From there, the route climbs to the Todra Gorges, where rock walls tower high enough to draw climbers from around the world. A walk through the Todra oasis follows, then the drive continues into Dades Valley for the night in a riad.

The final day moves west through the Valley of Roses, past the Kasbah of Amridil in the Thousand Kasbahs valley, and into Ouarzazate, where the Kasbah of Taourirt stands and film studios are optional. The afternoon is reserved for Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO World Heritage kasbah that appeared in Lawrence of Arabia and other major productions. From there, the route crosses the Tichka pass and descends to Marrakech, arriving at your hotel in the evening.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Errachidia airport.
• 4x4 safari through Erg Chebbi for 4 hours.
• camel ride in the desert.
• breakfast each morning.
• lunch with a local family on day two.
• accommodation for three nights in hotels, riads and a desert camp.
• a live guide in English, Spanish or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 90 years) · Youth (10 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 9 years) · Infant (under 1)

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Farka Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're arriving at Errachidia airport without a car. The driver pickup handles your first-day connection, and four days allows the full route from Sahara dunes through gorges to Marrakech without condensing any section.

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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: Youth (10 to 17 years); Child (1 to 9 years); Infant (under 1).

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 happens on the first day when I arrive at Errachidia airport?

The driver meets you at the airport exit and drives south through the Ziz Valley's date palm groves, stopping in Erfoud to see the fossil sites, then continues to Merzouga and your hotel: roughly five and a half hours of driving total.

Is the camel ride included, or do I pay extra?

The camel ride in the desert is included in the tour price. The quad circuit on day two is optional and costs 400 DH per quad if you want to add it. You confirm this when you book.

What is Ait Ben Haddou and why does it matter?

Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah, a fortified clay village, that has been the setting for major films including the Oscar-winning Lawrence of Arabia, The Protector, and Babel. You visit it on the final day before heading to Marrakech.

Are meals included in the tour price?

Breakfast is included each morning at your accommodation. Lunch on day two comes with the Khamlia family in the desert. Other meals and drinks are not included in the tour price.

What kind of accommodation do I stay in each night?

Night one is in a hotel or riad in Merzouga. Night two is in a desert camp or tent at the bivouac. Night three is in a riad in Dades Valley. All accommodations are arranged as part of the tour.