Marrakech to Merzouga 3-Day Desert Tour: Camel Trek & Camp

Wake to the Sahara sunrise from inside a desert camp, then ride back across the dunes toward the mountains you crossed earlier.

A 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga with camel trekking, Berber tent camp, and visits to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou (UNESCO), the Dades and Todra gorges, and the Rose Valley. You leave at 7 am on day one, spend two nights in accommodation (one in a standard hotel, one in a desert camp), and return to Marrakech by evening on day three. A guide in English or Arabic travels with the group; pickup from your hotel is included. Children from age 7 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Tinghir via Atlas Mountains

• Depart Marrakech at 7 am
• Stop for photos at Tichka Pass
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive to Ouarzazate
• Visit Skoura oasis and Dades gorges
• Arrive Tinghir and check in hotel

Day 2 — Tinghir to Erg Chebbi Desert

• Depart Tinghir after breakfast
• Pass through Todra Gorges and oasis
• Arrive Merzouga hotel and pack small bag
• Camel ride to Erg Chebbi dunes
• Sand boarding on dunes if available
• Watch sunset in desert
• Overnight in desert camp with music

Day 3 — Merzouga dunes back to Marrakech

• Wake up to sunrise in dunes
• Breakfast and shower
• Drive back through Berber villages
• Pass Ouarzazate
• End tour and drop off in Marrakech

The Experience

You leave Marrakech at 7 am and climb through the Tichka Pass in the High Atlas Mountains, stopping for photos of Berber villages below the ridge. The road then drops to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built into a hillside in clay and stone—you walk through the settlement before continuing to Ouarzazate. From there the route follows the Rose Valley south through Skoura oasis and into the Dades Gorge, where you spend your first night in a standard hotel near Tinghir.

Day two starts after breakfast and heads east toward Merzouga. You pass through the Todra Gorges and oasis, then enter the Saharan landscape around Erfoud and Tafilalet before reaching the desert town. After leaving most of your luggage at a hotel, you mount a camel and ride into Erg Chebbi's sand dunes—the highest dunes are available for sand boarding if boards are on hand. You watch the sunset from the sand, then spend the night in a camp with a Berber tent, drums, and music in the middle of the desert.

Day three begins before dawn so you can watch the sunrise from the dunes. After breakfast and a shower, the drive back to Marrakech takes about ten hours, passing through Berber villages and Ouarzazate again. You arrive at your hotel or the nearest accessible point around 7:30 pm. The entire route covers roughly 1,100 kilometers by road, and a guide in English or Arabic stays with the group throughout.

What’s included

• Hotel accommodation on night one (standard hotel near Tinghir).
• Berber tent in the desert camp on night two.
• transportation by vehicle for all three days.
• one camel ride per person into Erg Chebbi dunes.
• guide in English or Arabic.
• pickup from your Marrakech hotel.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Morocco First Gate

Is this one for you?Book the private tour option if you want to set the pace and stops without coordinating with other travelers; the shared group tour works better if you prefer company and a fixed itinerary that holds the whole route inside three days. Choose the luxury tent if the overnight in the desert is the centerpiece of your trip and comfort matters more than budget; the basic tent keeps costs down and still delivers the sunrise, the camp, and the camel trek.

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Top questions

What is Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou and why is it on this tour?

Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built of clay and stone on a hillside south of the Atlas Mountains. The tour stops there on day one so you can walk through the settlement before continuing toward the Dades Gorge.

Do I ride a camel on both days in the desert, or just one?

You ride a camel on day two only, when you trek into Erg Chebbi's sand dunes in the late afternoon, watch the sunset, and return to the camp. Day three is the drive back to Marrakech by road.

What's the difference between the basic tent and the luxury tent option?

Both options include a night in a Berber camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes with drums and music. The basic option uses a standard tent; the luxury option upgrades the tent and camp amenities for more comfort in the desert.

Can I book this as a private tour instead of a group tour?

Yes, a private tour option is available at checkout. With a private tour, you travel with your own guide and vehicle instead of joining a shared group.

How much driving is there, and what are the roads like?

The tour covers about 1,100 kilometers over three days: roughly 330 km on day one (7 hours), 270 km on day two (5 hours), and 567 km on day three (10 hours). The roads cross mountain passes, gorges, and desert terrain, and the long return journey on day three is mostly highway.

What should I pack for a night in the desert camp?

Bring a small bag with essentials for the night in the Berber tent—you leave most of your luggage at the hotel in Merzouga. The camp provides the tent and bedding; bring warm layers, sunscreen, and a headlamp or flashlight for the dunes.