Marrakech to Merzouga 3-Day Desert Tour Erg Chebbi

Cross the Atlas, sleep in the Sahara, watch sunrise over the dunes

A three-day guided tour departing Marrakech that crosses the Atlas Mountains, stops at the fortified village of Ait Benhaddou and the Dades Gorges, then descends into the Merzouga desert for a night under the stars. Hotel pickup is included, accommodation moves from a hotel in Dades to a private tent with ensuite bathroom in a desert camp, and a camel ride carries you across Erg Chebbi at sunset. The route follows the ancient caravan roads south through oases and Berber villages, with an English-fluent driver narrating the journey and no shopping stops along the way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Valley

• Pick up from hotel at 08am
• Drive across Tizi-n-Tichka pass
• Stop for coffee and photos
• Visit Ait Benhaddou village with local guide
• Walk and climb to hilltop view
• Drive to Ouarzazate, optional studio visit
• Continue to Dades Gorges via Skoura palm-groves
• Visit Kasbah Amredile if time permits
• Arrive Boumalne Dades, explore Dades gorges
• Stop at canyons for drink and views
• Check in hotel, dinner and overnight

Day 2: Dades Gorges to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive 1000 Kasbahs road through Berber villages
• Trek Todra Gorge canyons
• Drive to Erg Chebbi dunes via Tinjdad or Touroug
• Stop for lunch
• Visit Erfoud oasis and arid plateaus
• Offroad to Erg Chebbi dune edge
• Camel ride to desert camp
• Settle in private tent with ensuite
• Dinner and desert music by campfire

Day 3: Merzouga Desert to Marrakech

• Early wake up for sunrise over dunes
• Breakfast at camp
• Return by camel or 4x4 to road
• Stop in Alnif village for break
• Drive through Draa Valley and Berber villages
• Stop for lunch in Ouarzazate
• Cross Atlas Mountains to Marrakech
• Drop off at accommodation

The experience

You're picked up from your Marrakech hotel at 8am and driven southeast across the Tizi-n-Tichka pass through the high Atlas Mountains, with stops for coffee and views. By midday you reach Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed fortified village of clay kasbahs where a local guide walks you across the river and up through the narrow alleys to the hilltop: the view opens onto the Ounila river valley with snow-capped peaks behind it. After lunch in Ouarzazate, the road continues through palm groves toward Dades Gorges, where rock formations called "monkey feet" line the canyon walls above the river. You spend the night in a hotel in Boumalne Dades, with dinner included.

Day two takes you deeper into the desert. After breakfast, you drive the "road of a thousand kasbahs" through Berber villages in the Dades valley to Tineghir, then trek along the Todra Gorge: a 300-meter-high canyon of green palmeraies and sheer rock. The route continues toward Erfoud and the edge of the Sahara, where lunch happens in a village along the way. At Erg Chebbi, you transfer to camels for a ride across the golden dunes as the sun sets, while your luggage travels by 4x4 to the camp. You arrive to tea and a welcome, then settle into a private tent with ensuite bathroom and shower. After dinner, the staff and camel herders light a fire and play music under the desert stars.

The final morning starts before dawn so you can watch the sunrise from the highest dunes, often described as one of the best moments of the trip. After breakfast and packing, you leave by camel or 4x4, then drive north through the Draa Valley (famous for its 44 varieties of dates and thousands of palms) and over the Tizi-n-Tinfifte pass back to Ouarzazate for lunch. The last leg crosses the Atlas again through Berber villages, arriving in Marrakech by late afternoon.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Marrakech at 8am on day one.
• guided walk through Ait Benhaddou village with a local guide.
• overnight stay in a hotel in Dades Gorges with private room, ensuite bathroom and dinner.
• trek along the Todra Gorge.
• camel ride across Erg Chebbi at sunset.
• overnight in a private tent at the desert camp with ensuite bathroom and shower.
• sunrise viewing from the dunes on day three.
• air-conditioned 4WD or minivan throughout.
• English-speaking driver for all three days.
• breakfast each morning and dinner on nights one and two.

Information

Lasts 3d, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 411 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 102 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

AgesAdult (12 to 75 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Authentic Sahara Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Marrakech without a car and want the desert experience arranged from start to finish: hotel pickup means you don't coordinate transport to the trailhead, and the fixed three-day route holds all the major stops (Ait Benhaddou, Dades, Todra, Erg Chebbi) inside a single journey with no gaps to fill.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (1 to 2 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the drive time like between Marrakech and the desert camp?

The journey spans three days with overnight stops, so no single drive exceeds a few hours. Day one covers the Atlas crossing and the route to Dades Gorges. Day two includes the trek at Todra Gorge and the final push to Merzouga, where the camel ride takes over for the last stretch to camp.

Do I need experience riding camels?

No experience is required. The camel ride at sunset on day two is part of the tour, and the operator notes that travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness for the overall journey, which includes walking through villages and canyons.

What's included in the accommodation?

Night one is in a hotel in Dades Gorges with a private room, ensuite bathroom and air conditioning. Night two is in a private tent at the desert camp, also with ensuite bathroom and shower. Both nights include dinner. Breakfast is served each morning.

Are meals and entry tickets included in the price?

The tour includes accommodation and dinners, but lunch on each day and entry tickets to sites like Ait Benhaddou are not included in the base price. You arrange and pay for these separately.

What language does the driver speak?

The driver is English-fluent and provides commentary and insights throughout the three days, so you'll have engaging conversation about the places you pass through.