Marrakech to Erg Chebbi: 3-Day Desert Tour with Camel Trek

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration3d

GroupUp to 17

LanguagesEN · IT +2

Mobile ticketAccepted

From Marrakech over Atlas peaks to Berber tents under a sky full of stars

You’ll cross mountain passes from Marrakech and wind through kasbahs before riding camels into the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. Spend a night in a Berber tent under desert stars and share mint tea with locals along the way. If you want three days that feel both wide open and quietly personal—you’ll find it here.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Dades Valley via Atlas

Leave Marrakech at 8:00 am
Pass Tizi N'Tichka pass, admire views
Drive through High Atlas Mountains
Lunch break
Travel to Ouarzazate, gateway to desert
Visit Rose Valley or Dades Valley
Panoramic view of Dades Valley
Overnight in Dades Valley

Day 2 — Dades Valley to Erg Chebbi Desert

Breakfast in riad
Drive along kasbah street
Stop at Todra Gorges for walk
Lunch in Touroug
Travel to Erg Chebbi dunes
Camel ride to watch sunset
Dinner and overnight in Berber tent

Day 3 — Erg Chebbi to Marrakech via Ouarzazate

Leave Erg Chebbi desert
Pass Tafilalet palm grove
Drive through Rissani and Alnif
Stop for lunch at Kalaat M'Gouna
Arrive at Ouarzazate
Return to Marrakech

The Experience

The first thing that stuck with me wasn’t even the dunes—it was the way our driver, Youssef, somehow knew every twist of the Tizi N'Tichka pass. I’d never seen so many shades of red and ochre in one place. The Atlas Mountains looked almost unreal through the dusty window, and I kept trying (and failing) to get a photo that did them justice. We stopped for mint tea somewhere near Ait Ben Haddou—Youssef just waved at a friend and suddenly there was tea for all of us. I tried to say thank you in Arabic; everyone laughed, but in a good way.

By the time we reached Dades Valley, my shoes were already full of tiny stones. Dinner at the riad was simple—bread still warm from the oven, something with cumin I can’t pronounce—but I remember how quiet it got after dark. That kind of silence you only find far from cities. The next morning, we wound through kasbahs that seemed to lean into the road, each one different (our guide pointed out which families still lived inside). Todra Gorge was cooler than I expected; the air smelled faintly of river water and stone. I touched the limestone just because it felt like something you should do.

The camel trek into Erg Chebbi is what everyone talks about on these Marrakech desert tours, but honestly? The moment that hit me hardest was when we stopped halfway up a dune and our Berber guide handed me a date—sticky sweet, tasted like sunlight. Watching the sun drop behind those endless waves of sand made everything else go quiet for a bit. Later that night in camp, someone played drums by the fire while we lay back counting shooting stars. My phone had no signal but I didn’t care.

On the way back through Rissani and Alnif, my legs were tired and my hair still gritty with sand (impossible to get it all out). We stopped for lunch in Kalaat M'Gouna—the roses weren’t blooming yet but you could smell them faintly anyway. Somewhere along those winding roads back toward Marrakech, I realized I hadn’t thought about home in days.

What’s included

Your journey includes hotel pickup in Marrakech, air-conditioned minivan transport across southern Morocco’s valleys and gorges, two breakfasts plus dinner at camp, an English-speaking driver throughout your trip, a camel trek into Erg Chebbi dunes (or optional 4x4 transfer), overnight stays in both a traditional riad and Berber tented camp—with plenty of mint tea along the way before returning to Marrakech on day three.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Andiamo In Marocco - Day Tours