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

Cross the Atlas, ride into the Sahara, sleep under stars in a Berber tent

A 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga combines mountain passes, UNESCO heritage sites and two nights in Berber-style lodging—one in a Tinghir hotel, one in a nomad camp in the dunes. You ride camels at sunset and sunrise across Erg Chebbi, sandboard down the highest dunes, and travel by air-conditioned minibus through Todra Gorges and Berber villages. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech are included; the guide speaks English, Spanish or French.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Tinghir via Ait Ben Haddou

• Pick up from accommodation at 7:00 am
• Drive across Tizi-n-Tichka Atlas pass
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou UNESCO site
• Have lunch at Ait Ben Haddou
• Stop at supermarket in Ouarzazate
• Continue to Tinghir via Rose Valley
• Overnight at hotel with dinner

Day 2 — Tinghir to Merzouga Desert Camp

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart to Erg Chebbi Sahara desert
• Pass through Todra Gorges, oasis, Tinjdad, Jorf, Erfoud
• Arrive at hotel in Merzouga
• Pack small bag for desert night
• Ride camels into Erg Chebbi sand dunes
• Walk to highest dunes for sandboarding and sunset
• Overnight in Berber nomad desert camp with drums

Day 3 — Merzouga to Marrakech via High Atlas

• Wake early to watch sunrise in dunes
• Ride camels back to Merzouga
• Breakfast and shower at camp
• Drive back to Marrakech via Berber villages and Ouarzazate
• Drop off at hotel or nearest accessible point

The Experience

The tour starts with a 7 a.m. pickup from your Marrakech accommodation and heads south across the Tizi-n-Tichka pass through the High Atlas Mountains. The road opens onto views of traditional Berber villages scattered across the slopes. By mid-morning you reach Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage kasbah of earthen buildings stacked against a hillside; you walk through the site before lunch. The afternoon continues through Ouarzazate and the Rose Valley toward Tinghir, where you spend the first night in a hotel with dinner and breakfast included.

Day two is the desert crossing. After breakfast in Tinghir, the minibus heads east through Todra Gorges—a narrow canyon carved by a river—and past oasis towns and Berber settlements. You arrive in Merzouga by afternoon, leave most of your luggage at a hotel, and pack a small bag for the night. Then you mount a camel for the ride across Erg Chebbi's sand dunes, watching the light shift as the sun drops. At the camp, you walk to the highest dunes for sandboarding before dark, then settle into a Berber nomad tent with drums and the desert around you.

The final morning starts before sunrise—you ride camels again to watch the light return across the dunes. After breakfast and a shower at the camp, the minibus turns back toward Marrakech, retracing the route through different Berber villages and arriving at your hotel around 7:30 p.m. The shared tour runs three days; private and luxury camp options are available at checkout.

What’s included

• Hotel accommodation in Tinghir with dinner and breakfast.
• Berber nomad tent in the desert camp with dinner and breakfast.
• camel rides at sunset and sunrise (one camel per person).
• sandboarding on the dunes.
• transport by air-conditioned minibus with fuel included.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• entry to Ait Ben Haddou kasbah.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Morocco Global Adventures

Is this one for you?Book the shared standard tour if you're comfortable with other travellers and want the full route at the standard price; choose the private option if you prefer your own guide and vehicle for the same three days. The luxury camp option upgrades the desert night to a more comfortable tent setup while keeping the same itinerary and camel rides.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the shared tour and the private option?

The shared standard tour runs with other travellers in a minibus; the private option is your own vehicle and guide for the same three days and route. Both include the same stops, camel rides, and accommodation choices.

Do I ride the same camel twice, or a different one each time?

You get one camel for the sunset ride on day two and a different camel for the sunrise ride on day three—each ride is a separate mount across the dunes.

What's included in the camp night, and what do I need to bring?

The Berber nomad tent, dinner, breakfast and drums are included; you sleep on a mat in the tent. Bring a small overnight bag with essentials—toiletries, a change of clothes, any medications—and leave the rest of your luggage at the Merzouga hotel during the night in the desert.

Are meals included on all three days?

Dinner and breakfast are included on nights one and two (hotel in Tinghir, camp in Merzouga). Lunch on day one is at Ait Ben Haddou; lunches and drinks on days two and three are not included and you arrange them along the route.

What time do I need to be ready for pickup in Marrakech?

Pickup starts at 7 a.m. from your hotel or the nearest accessible point; the driver will confirm the exact location and time when you book, depending on where you're staying.

Is sandboarding difficult, or can anyone do it?

Sandboarding on the dunes is suitable for all fitness levels—you walk to the highest dunes after the camel ride and slide down the sand. No experience or special equipment is needed; it's a moment to move at your own pace.