Sahara Desert Tour Marrakech: Camel Rides & Berber Camp

Three days crossing the Sahara on camel, from the Atlas Mountains to a desert camp under the stars.

This 3-day Sahara tour from Marrakech takes you through the Atlas Mountains and Tinghir oasis to the Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga, where you ride camels at sunset and sunrise and spend a night in a private Berber tent. All meals (breakfast and dinner), air-conditioned minivan transport with hotel pickup, a local guide in your language, and camel rides are included. You stay in a 4-star hotel the first night and the desert camp the second. The guide can arrange a tour of Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah on day one if you add it at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Tinghir City

• Take pictures at Atlas Mountains
• Visit Kasbah of Ait ben hadou
• Overnight at Tinghir city

Day 2: Tinghir City to Merzouga

• Visit Tinghir Oasis with local guide
• Visit Todra gorges with local guide
• Camel ride at sunset to desert camp
• Dinner and traditional Berber music
• Overnight in Berber tent

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech

• Camel ride at sunrise
• Breakfast in the auberge
• Stop for lunch

The experience

You leave Marrakech in an air-conditioned minivan and drive toward the Atlas Mountains, stopping to photograph the peaks and the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou before reaching your hotel in Tinghir for the night. Breakfast and dinner are included, and the guide travels with you throughout: speaking English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language you choose when you book.

On day two, a local guide takes you through the Tinghir oasis, then into the Todra gorges, where the canyon walls rise around you as you walk. In the late afternoon you mount a camel for the sunset ride across the Erg Chebbi dunes to the desert camp. Dinner is served at the camp, followed by traditional Berber music, and you sleep in a private tent under the open sky. Breakfast comes at dawn, then another camel ride as the sun rises over the dunes.

The return journey on day three includes a stop for lunch before the minivan brings you back to Marrakech by evening. Warm clothes and sturdy shoes matter in winter. The operator notes the route suits all fitness levels, though camel riding and desert walking are the physical core of the three days. Vegetarian meals are available if you request them at booking. Infants can sit on an adult's lap, and specialized infant seats are available on request.

What’s included

• All breakfast and dinner meals.
• roundtrip transport in an air-conditioned minivan with hotel or riad pickup.
• a local guide in your chosen language.
• sunset and sunrise camel rides through the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• a private room at a 4-star hotel in Tinghir on the first night.
• a private tent at the desert camp in Merzouga on the second night.
• traditional Berber music at the camp.
• and fuel surcharge.

Before you book

Lasts 3d, runs every day at 07:20, from US$ 100 per person, with live guides in 5 languages and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:20

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Infant (under 4)

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Marrakesh Travel Services

Is this one for you?Choose the 8-seat minivan if your group is smaller and you want more comfort and flexibility. Pick the 17-seat option if you're traveling solo or with one other person and prefer to meet other travelers.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years); Infant (under 4).

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 included in the 3-day Sahara tour from Marrakech?

The tour includes all breakfast and dinner meals, roundtrip air-conditioned minivan transport with hotel or riad pickup, a local guide, both sunset and sunrise camel rides in Merzouga, a private room at a 4-star hotel in Tinghir on night one, and a private tent at the desert camp on night two. Drinks and lunch during the trip are not included.

Can I visit Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah on this tour?

Yes, a guide-led tour of Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah is available as an add-on at checkout on day one, before you reach Tinghir.

What are the Todra gorges and what do I do there?

The Todra gorges are a dramatic canyon in the Atlas region where sheer rock walls rise on either side. On day two you walk through the gorges with a local guide before heading to the desert camp.

How long is the camel ride in Merzouga?

You ride camels twice in Merzouga: at sunset on day two, crossing the Erg Chebbi dunes to reach the desert camp, and again at sunrise on day three before breakfast and the return journey.