Marrakech to Zagora: 2-Day Desert Tour with Camel Ride & Berber Camp

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.70 (312 reviews) 83% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration2d

GroupUp to 17

LanguagesEN · AR +1

PickupAt your hotel

Cross the Atlas to Zagora by minibus, camel ride at sunset, sleep in a Berber tent

You’ll leave Marrakech before sunrise, cross mountain passes with a local driver, explore ancient kasbahs like Aït Ben Haddou, ride camels into sunset near Zagora, then share dinner under desert stars in a Berber camp. Wake early for sunrise over sand dunes before heading home — it’s not polished or fancy but feels real all the way through.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Zagora via Atlas and Kasbah

Depart Marrakech at 7:30 AM
Travel over Atlas Mountains
Tour Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
Lunch at Kasbah cafes
Visit Ouarzazate Movie Studio
Drive through Dades Valley Oasis
Explore Zagora town
Camel ride to desert camp
Dinner and overnight in Berber tents

Day 2 — Return from Zagora to Marrakech

Optional early sunrise viewing
Camel ride back to Zagora
Meet driver for return trip
Stop at Agdz fortified Kasbah
Photo stop at Ouarzazate Kasbah
Return over Atlas Mountains
Arrive Marrakech around 7–8 PM

The Experience

We were already a bit bleary-eyed when our driver, Youssef, greeted us outside our Marrakech riad — he waved like he’d known us for years. The van was quiet at first, just the low hum of the road and someone’s phone playing old Moroccan pop. I remember Youssef pulling over for mint tea somewhere in the Atlas mountains; steam curling up into the cold morning air, and he showed us how to pour it “from high up — for bubbles.” I tried it and spilled half on my shoe. He laughed but didn’t make me feel dumb.

The Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou looked almost fake against that blue sky. Our guide Fatima pointed out where Game of Thrones filmed (she rolled her eyes a little), but she seemed more proud of her uncle’s café nearby. Lunch was lamb tagine with apricots — sweet and earthy — and I can still smell the cinnamon if I think about it. Later, driving through Ouarzazate and the Draa Valley, we watched kids waving from dusty doorways and endless palms flickering past. It felt like we were shrinking into the landscape.

By late afternoon, camels waited for us near Zagora. Mine was called Bob Marley (no idea why). The saddle was scratchy but after a while you stop noticing — there’s just this slow rhythm as you plod toward camp. Sunset made everything go coppery and quiet except for our group’s awkward giggles when someone tried to take a selfie and nearly dropped their phone in the sand. Dinner at camp was bread torn by hand, stew cooked over coals, voices echoing off tents while one of the Berber guys played a drum by firelight. I woke up once in the night because it was so silent — not even wind.

Next morning, sunrise came soft and pink over the dunes. We rode back on camels (my legs were sore but happy), stopping at Agdz to wander around an old kasbah with walls that looked like they might crumble if you breathed too hard. On the way back through Ouarzazate, Youssef stopped for photos without rushing us — he even bought oranges from a roadside stand and handed them out with a grin. We got back to Marrakech tired but kind of changed inside; hard to explain exactly how.

What’s included

Your two days include pickup from your Marrakech hotel by air-conditioned minibus with a professional driver, guided visits at Aït Ben Haddou Kasbah and other stops along the way, camel rides both ways between Zagora town and your desert camp stay (one camel per person), overnight accommodation in traditional Berber tents with dinner cooked over coals plus breakfast before heading back toward Marrakech.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Red City Tours Marrakech