Zagora Desert Tour from Marrakech: Camel Trek & Ait Ben Haddou

You ride a camel at sunset and sleep under the stars in the Sahara, then watch the dunes light up at dawn.

This two-day guided tour departs Marrakech and crosses the High Atlas Mountains to reach the Zagora Desert, where you ride camels at sunset and sunrise, explore the UNESCO-listed clay buildings of Ait Ben Haddou, and spend a night in a desert camp with traditional Moroccan dinner and Berber music. The route includes the Draa Valley on both legs, with a professional driver speaking English, French or Spanish, and all meals, transport and camel rides included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Zagora Desert

• Depart Marrakech early morning
• Drive through High Atlas Mountains
• Cross Tizi n’Tichka pass
• Explore Ait Ben Haddou Village
• Have lunch with ksar view
• Continue to Zagora via Draa Valley
• Camel ride at sunset in desert
• Settle into desert camp tent
• Enjoy traditional Moroccan dinner
• Experience Berber music and dance

Day 2: Zagora Desert to Marrakech

• Watch sunrise over desert dunes
• Have breakfast at camp
• Return by camel or 4×4
• Meet driver for return journey
• Stop for photos and refreshments
• Have lunch en route
• Drive through Draa Valley and High Atlas
• Arrive in Marrakech late afternoon
• Drop off at accommodation

The experience

The drive out of Marrakech starts early and climbs through the High Atlas Mountains, crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass with views of Berber towns and terraced farmlands. By mid-morning you reach Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site built from clay and earth, with streets and kasbahs that have stood in for ancient Rome and biblical settings in films. A local guide walks you through the village, then you have lunch overlooking the ksar before continuing south through the Draa Valley, lined with traditional adobe towns and date palms. The landscape shifts as you approach the desert.

In the late afternoon, you mount a camel for a ride across the Zagora dunes at sunset. The camp sits in the desert itself: a private tent where you spend the night. Dinner is traditional Moroccan food cooked on-site, eaten under the stars with Berber music and dance. You wake before dawn on day two to ride out again and watch the sun rise over the dunes, a different light on the same sand you crossed the evening before.

After breakfast and a final camel ride, you return to the 4×4 for the drive back to Marrakech. The return route retraces the Draa Valley and High Atlas with photo stops, refreshments and lunch included. You arrive at your accommodation by late afternoon or evening. The whole tour (transport, both camel rides, meals, the desert camp, and a guide at Ait Ben Haddou) comes as one package, so there is nothing to arrange separately once you book.

What’s included

• Round-trip transport from Marrakech in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a professional driver speaking English, French or Spanish.
• a local guide at Ait Ben Haddou.
• camel rides at both sunset and sunrise with one camel per person.
• one night in a desert camp tent.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• and traditional Moroccan dinner with Berber music and dance under the stars.

Options for this experience

4 options

A two-day desert tour from Marrakech to Zagora, including a stop at Ait Ben HaddouGuide in English, Spanish or French · 07:30

Private vehicle optionGuide in English, Spanish or French · 07:30Private vehicle: the vehicle is private and follows the route, and you book your own camp or hotel.

Shared tour with a luxury tentGuide in English, Spanish or French · 07:30Luxury tent with a private bathroom inside the tent

Private luxury tour optionGuide in English, Spanish or French · 07:30Luxury option where the tent is private, with a private bathroom inside it. This tour is only for you and your partner or group, with a private driver and accommodation.

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 07:30

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (under 10)

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Imperial Trail Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the shared tour if you want to meet other travelers and keep the cost lower, or pick the private vehicle or private tour option if you prefer to travel with only your group and set your own pace through the mountains and desert. Luxury tent accommodation is available on any option for a more comfortable night in the Sahara.

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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 (under 10).

What is Ait Ben Haddou and why do we stop there?

Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage village built entirely from clay and earth, with traditional kasbahs and streets that have been used as a filming location for movies like Gladiator. A local guide leads you through the village on day one, and you have lunch with a view of the ksar before heading south toward the desert.

Do I ride a camel on both days?

Yes. You ride a camel at sunset on day one across the Zagora dunes, then ride again at sunrise on day two before returning to the vehicle for the drive back to Marrakech. Each camel ride is included, and you get one camel per person.

Where do I sleep, and what is the desert camp like?

You sleep in a private tent at a desert camp in the Zagora, with the option to upgrade to a luxury tent depending on which option you choose at checkout. The camp includes a traditional Moroccan dinner under the stars, Berber music and dance, and breakfast before you depart on day two.

How long is the drive from Marrakech to the desert?

The drive to Zagora takes most of day one, crossing the High Atlas Mountains and stopping at Ait Ben Haddou for exploration and lunch. You arrive at the desert camp in the late afternoon in time for the sunset camel ride. The return journey on day two takes the same route and arrives in Marrakech by late afternoon or evening.

What meals are included?

Breakfast and dinner are included both days, plus lunch on day one at Ait Ben Haddou and lunch on the return journey on day two. All meals are part of the package. Drinks and tips are separate.