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

High Atlas passes, a UNESCO kasbah, camel dunes at sunset, and a night under the Sahara sky

A 3-day desert tour from Marrakech that takes you across the Atlas Mountains, through the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, and into Merzouga's Sahara, where you ride a camel into the dunes at sunset and sleep in a standard Berber camp. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, air-conditioned transport, one night in Tinghir, camel trek, and camp accommodation are included. Lunch and drinks are on you, and a guide fee applies if you want a tour of the kasbah itself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Tinghir via Ait Ben Haddou

• Meet at accommodation at 8:00 am
• Drive over High Atlas Mountains and Tichka Pass
• Optional visit to rural Argan Oil Co-operative
• Visit UNESCO Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Lunch near Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
• Continue to Tinghir through Rose and Dades Valley
• Overnight in standard hotel in Tinghir

Day 2: Tinghir to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive through Todra Gorge
• Lunch in Berber village en route
• Arrive in Merzouga early afternoon
• Meet camels and guides late afternoon
• One-hour camel trek to desert camp for sunset
• Walk to highest sand dunes for sandboarding
• Enjoy traditional Saharan music and campfire
• Overnight in desert camp

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech via Atlas Mountains

• Optional early sunrise climb of dunes
• Breakfast and shower at camp
• Camel ride back to edge of dunes
• Drive through Anti Atlas and Draa Valley
• Arrive in Marrakech early evening
• Drop off at Jamaa el Fna square

The experience

The tour starts at 8 am from your Marrakech accommodation and heads south over the Tichka Pass through the High Atlas Mountains. You'll pass through the Rose Valley and Dades Valley, stopping for lunch near the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou: a UNESCO World Heritage site of clay-built kasbahs where Berber families still live. If you want a guide to walk you through the kasbah's history and architecture, that's a separate fee of 2 euros per person. By evening you're in Tinghir, a small oasis town where you'll spend your first night in a standard hotel.

Day two is the desert day. After breakfast, you drive through the Todra Gorge (a narrow canyon carved by the river), and continue toward Merzouga. You'll arrive in the early afternoon, have time to rest, then meet your camel and guide in the late afternoon. The trek takes about an hour into Erg Chebbi, the massive sand dunes, timed so you reach the summit for sunset. After watching the light fade across the dunes, you walk to the highest point for sand boarding, then head to the camp for the night. There's live Saharan music and a campfire before you sleep in a standard tent under the stars.

The return on day three is a long drive: roughly 10 hours back to Marrakech through the Anti-Atlas Mountains and Draa Valley. You can climb the dunes at sunrise if you want to, then ride the camel back to the edge of the desert, have breakfast and a shower at the camp, and settle in for the journey home. You'll arrive in Marrakech in the early evening and be dropped at your accommodation or Jemaa el-Fnaa square.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• air-conditioned vehicle for all three days.
• one night in a 3-star standard hotel in Tinghir.
• one night in a standard tent at the Berber camp in Merzouga.
• camel trek into the dunes (one camel per person).
• breakfast and dinner at the camp.
• live guide in English, Spanish or French.

Options for this experience

2 options

Budget group desert tour lasting 3 days, running from Marrakech to MerzougaGuide in English, Spanish or French · 08:00Standard camp: a private tent with shared facilities located outside (bathroom and shower); pickup is included

Includes a stay at a luxury campGuide in English, Spanish or French · 08:00Luxury tent: spend the night in a luxury tent in place of the standard tent; includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (8 to 14 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 1000

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Morocco First Gate

Is this one for you?Book the group tour if you're traveling solo or with one or two others and want to share the cost and the company. Choose the luxury camp option if you prefer a private tent with better amenities after a long day in the desert. Either way, the fixed itinerary and included transport mean you're not arranging vehicles, negotiating with camel handlers, or figuring out where to sleep in the Sahara. The days are built and waiting.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 14 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

How long is the camel ride on day two?

The camel trek into Erg Chebbi takes about an hour in the late afternoon, timed to reach the dunes for sunset. You ride one camel each and walk to the highest sand dunes afterward.

What's the drive time from Marrakech to Merzouga?

Day one is 330 kilometers over 7 hours, ending in Tinghir. Day two is 270 kilometers over 5 hours from Tinghir to Merzouga. Day three is the longest: 567 kilometers over 10 hours back to Marrakech.

Is the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou included in the tour?

You stop at the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou and can walk around the UNESCO site. A guided tour of the kasbah itself costs 2 euros per person and is optional. The driver will stop there either way.

What kind of accommodation do you get in the desert?

You sleep in a standard tent in the Berber camp in Merzouga on night two. Night one is in a 3-star standard hotel in Tinghir. Both are included in the tour price.

What meals and drinks are covered?

Lunch is not included on any day. You'll eat at stops along the route and pay separately. The camp provides breakfast and dinner on the desert night, but drinks are your own cost.