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

Cross the Atlas, ride camels into the Sahara, and wake under desert stars

A three-day guided tour from Marrakech to Merzouga combines mountain passes, a UNESCO heritage kasbah, gorge stops and a camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes, ending with an overnight in a Berber desert camp. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech are included; lunch is your own expense. The tour runs with a live guide in English, Spanish or French, and you choose between a standard camp, a luxury tent or private desert travel at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Dades via Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou

• Depart Marrakech at 08:00 AM
• Cross Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Stop at Berber villages
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Lunch (own expense)
• Drive to Dades via Valley of the Roses
• Check in at hotel in Dades Valley
• Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 2 — Dades to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Todra Gorges
• Lunch (own expense)
• Drive to Merzouga via Erfoud and Tinejdad
• One-hour camel ride in Merzouga dunes
• Watch sunset in desert
• Dinner with Berber rhythms
• Overnight in nomad tent in desert

Day 3 — Merzouga to Marrakech via Atlas Mountains

• Optional sunrise stroll in dunes
• Camel ride back to main road
• Meet driver and vehicle
• Drive towards Marrakech
• Lunch at leisure (own expense)
• Cross High Atlas Mountains
• End tour in Marrakech

The Experience

The tour leaves Marrakech at 8am and climbs through the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass (2,260 m) into the High Atlas, stopping along the way to watch Berber shepherds and their flocks in the high valleys. You reach Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou by midday—a UNESCO world heritage site that has doubled as a set for Hollywood films, its earthen kasbahs rising from the valley floor. After lunch on your own, the route drops into the Valley of the Roses and follows the Dades Gorge to your hotel for the night.

Day two takes you to Todra Gorges, where limestone cliffs tower overhead and climbers scale the rock face. The road then pushes south through Tinejdad toward Merzouga, a village where the Sahara begins. Here you trade the vehicle for a camel and ride for an hour across Erg Chebbi's dunes, watching the light shift as the sun sets. After a traditional dinner with Berber music, you sleep in a nomad tent pitched in the middle of the desert—no walls, just canvas and stars overhead.

On the final morning, an optional sunrise walk crosses the dunes before breakfast. You ride camels back to the main road, meet your driver and vehicle, and drive back to Marrakech through the High Atlas. The tour ends in the afternoon, giving you time to settle in before the day closes.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• a live guide in English, Spanish or French.
• all transport by vehicle and camel.
• two nights' accommodation (one in Dades Valley, one in a nomad tent in the Sahara).
• breakfast on days two and three.
• a traditional dinner with Berber music on the second night.
• the one-hour camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset.

Good to know

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

Operated by morocco desert travel

Is this one for you?Book the standard camp if you want the full desert experience at the core price; the luxury tent adds comfort without changing the route or the camel ride. Choose private desert travel if you're traveling as a family or small group and want the vehicle and guide to yourselves for all three days.

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Top questions

What's the camel ride actually like in Merzouga?

The camel trek lasts about an hour across the Erg Chebbi dunes in the late afternoon, timed so you watch the sunset from the saddle and see the light change colors as you ride. You return to the main road on camel before transferring back to the vehicle the next morning.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The camel ride and the optional sunrise walk are the main physical elements; the rest is travel by vehicle and walking at stops like the gorges and the kasbah.

What's included in the price and what do I pay separately?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, the camel trek, accommodation in your chosen camp (standard, luxury tent, or private desert travel), and all transport. Lunch on each of the three days is your own expense, as is a 2€ guide fee at Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou if you want a detailed explanation there.

Can children go on this tour?

Children are welcome from age 2. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller during vehicle stops, and infants travel on an adult's lap in the car. The tour is not recommended for children under 6 because of the length and the camel ride.

What languages does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks English, Spanish or French—you'll know which language when you book, as each option is listed separately at checkout.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The tour requires good weather to run. If it's canceled due to poor conditions, you'll be offered a different departure date or a full refund.