Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour: Camel Rides & Camp

Cross the Atlas, explore a UNESCO kasbah, and ride camels into the Sahara's biggest dunes.

A three-day guided tour from Marrakech to the Merzouga desert combines mountain passes, the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, Todra Gorge and camel rides across Erg Chebbi's dunes, with overnight stays in a hotel and a desert camp. The tour includes an experienced English-speaking driver-guide, air-conditioned transport, sunset and sunrise camel rides, and hotel pickup from Marrakech. If you prefer not to ride camels, a 4x4 transfer to the camp is available at no extra cost; a local guide at Ait Ben Haddou and quad biking are optional additions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Tinghir via Atlas Mountains

• Meet driver at Jamaa El Fnaa
• Drive crossing Tizi n'Tichka pass
• Stop for photos at Tizi n'Tichka
• Visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
• Photo stop at Atlas studios
• Short break at Roses Valley
• Coffee and traditional tea break
• Panoramic view in Dades Valley
• Overnight in Tinghir hotel

Day 2 — Tinghir to Merzouga Desert

• Visit Todra Gorges after breakfast
• Drive through Tinejdad to Erfoud
• Arrive at Merzouga dunes
• Camel ride in the dunes
• Dinner and overnight in desert camp

Day 3 — Merzouga to Marrakech via Roses Valley

• Early breakfast in desert camp
• Drive to Kelaat Mgouna Roses Valley
• Lunch stop at Roses Valley
• Pass Ouarzazate and Atlas Mountains
• Pass Tizi n'Tichka pass
• Return to Marrakech and end tour

The Experience

You start at Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech at 8 a.m. and head south across the High Atlas, stopping at Tizi-n'Tichka Pass for photographs before reaching the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. This UNESCO-listed Berber fortified village has served as a set for major Hollywood films—Kingdom of Heaven, Lawrence of Arabia, and Gladiator among them—and you explore it at your own pace after crossing the river to the kasbah. The route continues through the Rose Valley (with a short break for tea) and into Dades Valley, where you overnight in a half-board hotel room in Tinghir.

On day two, you visit Todra Gorge in the morning, then drive deeper into the desert through Berber villages and Tinejdad toward Erfoud, known for its fossils. By afternoon you reach the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. Here you leave the vehicle and ride camels into the dunes at sunset, then spend the night in a nomad tent at the desert camp—a private tent with shared bathroom, where you'll have dinner and sleep under the stars with traditional Berber music in the evening. If camel riding isn't for you, a 4x4 transfer to the camp costs nothing extra.

The final day starts with an early breakfast and a sunrise camel ride before you drive back to the main road. You stop in the Roses Valley for lunch, pass through Ouarzazate, and cross back over the Tichka Pass through the Atlas Mountains. Your driver drops you at your Marrakech accommodation by evening. The whole journey runs in air-conditioned minibuses with one experienced guide who speaks English (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and other languages available depending on the group).

What’s included

• Air-conditioned minibus transport with an experienced English-speaking driver-guide.
• hotel accommodation with half-board (breakfast and dinner) in Tinghir.
• sunset and sunrise camel rides in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• one night in a private nomad tent at the desert camp with dinner, breakfast and traditional Berber music.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• sandboarding experience in the dunes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Marrakech City Life

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Marrakech with three days to spare and want to see the Sahara without arranging transport, guides or camp logistics yourself—everything is organized from pickup to drop-off, so you move through the mountains, the kasbah and the dunes without building the day piece by piece.

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Top questions

Can I ride a camel if I've never done it before?

Yes—sunset and sunrise camel rides are included for all guests, and the experience is designed for first-timers. If you prefer not to ride, a 4x4 transfer to the desert camp is available at no extra cost, so you still reach the dunes and spend the night under the stars.

What's the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou like when you get there?

Ait Ben Haddou is a fortified Berber village built into a hillside, with clay buildings and narrow passages you explore at your own pace after crossing a river from the main road. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Morocco's most recognizable landmarks, used as a filming location for major Hollywood productions.

Where do you sleep on the second night?

You sleep in a private nomad tent at the desert camp in Merzouga's Erg Chebbi dunes, with a shared bathroom. Dinner and breakfast are included; you'll also experience traditional Berber music in the evening. An upgrade to a luxury AC tent is available if you prefer more comfort.

Is hotel pickup from Marrakech included?

Yes—your driver picks you up from your Marrakech accommodation and drops you back there at the end of the tour, so you don't need to arrange separate transport to the meeting point.

What meals are included over the three days?

The tour includes half-board accommodation (breakfast and dinner) at the Tinghir hotel on night one and dinner and breakfast at the desert camp on night two. Lunches are not included, though stops are made for meals and tea breaks along the route.

How big are the groups on this tour?

Groups stay small for a more enjoyable journey, with transport in air-conditioned minibuses and one experienced driver-guide per group, so you're not traveling with a large crowd.