3-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour: Camel Trek & Erg Chebbi

High Atlas & Erg Chebbi camel trek route planned around sunset for a 3-day adventure

A 3-day guided desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga combines mountain passes, a UNESCO ksar, gorges and oasis stops with a camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes and an overnight stay in a Sahara camp. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. A professional driver-guide in English, French or Spanish handles navigation and commentary. Meals at the camp and all transport are arranged. You choose between shared or private vehicle options at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Aït Sedrate via High Atlas

• Drive from Marrakech via Tizi n’Tichka pass
• Photo stops at panoramic viewpoints
• Guided walk in Aït Ben Haddou ksar
• Stop at Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate
• Drive along Road of a Thousand Kasbahs

Day 2: Todgha Gorges to Erg Chebbi Desert Camp

• Walk along Todgha Gorges and oasis
• Stop in Erfoud for refreshment and fossils
• Arrive Merzouga and meet camel team
• Camel ride across Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
• Dinner and Berber music at desert camp

Day 3: Erg Chebbi sunrise and return to Marrakech

• Watch sunrise and breakfast at desert camp
• Return to Merzouga by camel or 4x4
• Stop in Tinghir/Todgha for walk and photos
• Drive through Dades Valley viewpoint
• Break in Ouarzazate
• Cross Tizi n’Tichka Pass with photo stops
• Arrive and drop off in Marrakech

The experience

You leave Marrakech in an air-conditioned vehicle and climb into the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass, a road of hairpin bends that opens onto terraced fields and Amazigh villages built in earth and stone. The driver stops at panoramic viewpoints so you can photograph the ridge and the valleys below. By midday you reach Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed ksar where mud-brick kasbahs and granaries line narrow lanes that once sheltered trans-Saharan traders. A guided walk takes you across the riverbed and up to the hilltop granary for views of the Ounila Valley. The ksar has also served as a backdrop for international films. After Ouarzazate (a quick stop at the 19th-century Kasbah Taourirt for photos and a leg-stretch), the route follows the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the Skoura palm oasis, where canals irrigate wheat fields and olive groves beneath waving palms. You overnight in a hotel near the Dades Valley.

Day two takes you through the Todgha Gorges, where cliffs rise 300 meters above a palm-lined river. You walk along the canyon floor, photograph the oasis irrigation channels and browse local craft stalls before continuing east toward the Sahara. A short stop in Erfoud (famous for dates and fossil workshops) gives you time to sample local produce and see how fossils are carved. You arrive in Merzouga in the afternoon, meet your camel team and store your main luggage. At sunset you mount a camel and ride across the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, with photo stops on the highest ridges and optional sandboarding at the camp. After dinner, Berber music plays by the fire under a star-filled sky. You sleep in a private tent in the desert camp.

The final morning starts before dawn so you can watch the sunrise over Erg Chebbi, then return to the camp for breakfast. You ride back by camel or take a 4×4 shuttle to Merzouga to meet your driver. The return journey retraces the route west: stops in Tinghir and the Dades Valley for photos and coffee, a quick break in Ouarzazate, then the High Atlas crossing back to Marrakech with panoramic viewpoints over the pass. Evening drop-off at your hotel or riad completes the loop.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech.
• professional driver-guide speaking English, French and Spanish.
• air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi on board.
• camel trek across Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset.
• overnight stay in a private tent at the Merzouga luxury desert camp.
• dinner and breakfast at the camp.
• guided walk through Aït Ben Haddou (UNESCO).
• stops at Todgha Gorges, Ouarzazate, Erfoud and the Dades Valley.
• fuel and all transport between sites.

Options for this experience

2 options

3-Day Adventure from Marrakech to the Sahara: Merzouga Dunes and Camel TrekGuide in 4 languages · No fixed timePickup is included

Luxury 3-Day Private TourGuide in 4 languages · No fixed timeLuxury hotels and Sahara camp: one night in a carefully selected riad or hotel in the Dades/Tinghir region, and one night in a luxury Sahara camp in Merzouga. Included in Merzouga: a guided quad/ATV ride across Erg Chebbi, with helmets and a safety briefing, plus a sunset camel trek to the luxury camp. Private luxury service: a private tour with an English, French or Spanish-speaking driver-guide, premium stays, a flexible schedule, photo stops, and a choice of restaurants. Dinner and breakfast included. Private air-conditioned 4x4 (Land Cruiser): a private Toyota Land Cruiser/Prado or Mercedes Vito/V-Class, depending on group size, with leather seats, air conditioning, USB charging and Wi-Fi. Flexible stops: tailor your trip with preferred photo stops, restaurant choices and a pace suited to you. Hotel or riad pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Lasts 3d, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 113 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (26 to 40 years) · Senior (41 to 90 years) · Youth (18 to 24 years) · Child (1 to 6 years)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by MOROCCO TRAVEL EXPEDITION

Is this one for you?Book the private luxury option if you want a dedicated vehicle and guide for your group. Choose the shared tour if you're traveling solo or with one other person and prefer to split costs. Both follow the same route and include the camel trek and desert camp, so the choice depends on your group size and budget.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (18 to 24 years); Child (1 to 6 years).

What's the camel trek actually like on this tour?

You ride a camel across the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset with photo stops on the highest ridges, then return by camel or 4×4 shuttle the next morning after watching the sunrise. The trek is part of the overnight desert camp experience, not a separate activity.

Do I need experience riding a camel?

No. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and welcomes children from age 1. The operator provides camel handling and riding guidance before you depart the camp.

What's included in the overnight desert camp?

The camel trek, dinner, breakfast and a private tent in the Merzouga luxury desert camp are all included. A luxury upgrade is available at checkout if you want additional amenities.

How much time do we actually spend driving each day?

Day one is the longest drive, crossing the High Atlas and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs with multiple photo and walking stops. Day two is shorter, ending in Merzouga by afternoon. Day three is the return journey with stops at the same sites. The exact timing depends on your pace at each stop and traffic conditions.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You stop in towns like Ouarzazate, Erfoud and Tinghir where you can buy food, or arrange meals with your guide. Dinner and breakfast at the desert camp are included.

Can I book this as a private tour, or is it shared?

You choose between a shared group tour or a private luxury option at checkout. Both follow the same 3-day route and include the same camel trek and desert camp overnight.