Zagora Desert Tour: Camel Riding & Overnight Camp

Cross two mountain ranges and sleep under stars in a desert camp after an hour on camel.

This 2-day guided tour from Marrakech takes you through the High Atlas mountains, past the fortified Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, and into the Zagora Desert, where you ride camels to a camp for the night. The itinerary includes an air-conditioned vehicle with a driver who speaks English, Spanish or French; overnight accommodation with dinner and breakfast; and a one-hour camel ride to the camp. On day two, you visit the Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate before returning to Marrakech by 6pm. Lunches and drinks are not included, and you can arrange a local guide at each kasbah for a small additional fee.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Zagora via Ait Ben Haddou

• Depart Marrakech at 7:30am
• Cross High Atlas mountains via Tizi N'Tichka pass
• Stop for breaks and photos
• Visit Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
• Have lunch at Ait Ben Haddou
• Drive through Anti Atlas and Draa valley
• Arrive Zagora around 5pm
• Ride camels one hour into desert camp
• Dinner at desert camp
• Enjoy drums party around campfire

Day 2: Zagora to Marrakech via Ouarzazate

• Breakfast at desert camp
• Drive to Ouarzazate
• Visit Kasbah of Taourirt
• Drive through Atlas Mountains and Berber villages
• Lunch in Ouarzazate or Agouim
• Return to Marrakech by 6pm

The experience

The tour leaves Marrakech at 7:30am and climbs into the High Atlas via the Tizi N'Tichka pass, a drive that takes about four hours with several stops for photographs and short breaks. You'll pass through Berber villages and see the landscape shift as you descend toward Aït Ben Haddou, a fortified village that has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1989. After exploring the Kasbah, the old castle at its center, and having lunch, you continue south through the Anti Atlas mountains and the Draa valley toward Zagora.

You arrive in Zagora around 5pm and mount a camel for a one-hour ride into the desert to reach the camp where you'll spend the night. Dinner is served at the camp, and if weather permits, the local staff hold a drums party around a campfire. The overnight stay includes a standard or superior camp option depending on which version you book. Breakfast is served the next morning before you begin the return journey.

Day two takes you back to Marrakech via Ouarzazate, where you can visit the Kasbah of Taourirt, one of Morocco's most significant historical sites. The route passes through more Berber villages and the Atlas range again. Lunch can be taken in Ouarzazate or in the village of Agouim, and you arrive back in Marrakech around 6pm. The vehicle is air-conditioned throughout, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included if your accommodation is outside the Medina.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with an English, Spanish or French-speaking driver.
• overnight stay with dinner and breakfast at the desert camp.
• one-hour camel ride for each adult (children share with a parent).
• hotel pickup and drop-off if your hotel is outside the Medina.

Options for this experience

3 options

Shared tour, Standard Camp optionGuide in English, Spanish or French · 07:30Zagora Desert Camp: standard desert camp in Zagora with a shared bathroom

Shared tour, Superior Camp optionGuide in English, Spanish or French · 07:30Zagora Desert Camp: superior desert camp in Zagora with a private bathroom inside the tent

Private OptionGuide in English, Spanish or French · 08:00

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

Information

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 07:30 and 08:00, from US$ 79 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 08:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 45

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and FrenchOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.10 with pickup ›

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4)

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 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Maroc Expedition Travel

Is this one for you?Book the shared tour if you're comfortable meeting other travelers and want to keep costs down. Choose the private option if you prefer your own vehicle and guide for the two days. Either way, the fixed itinerary and included transport mean you're not arranging logistics between stops. You're moving through the mountains and desert on a set schedule that gets you back to Marrakech by evening on day two.

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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 (4 to 9 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 the drive like from Marrakech to Aït Ben Haddou?

The drive takes about four hours and crosses the High Atlas via the Tizi N'Tichka pass. You'll stop several times for photographs and short breaks, passing through Berber villages and mountain landscapes before reaching the fortified village.

How long do you spend on camel in the Zagora Desert?

You ride for one hour from Zagora town to the desert camp where you spend the night. Adults each get their own camel. Children ride with a parent.

What happens at the desert camp after you arrive?

Dinner is served at the camp, and if weather allows, the local staff hold a drums party around a campfire. You sleep overnight at the camp and have breakfast the next morning before heading back to Marrakech.

Is the Kasbah of Taourirt included on the return journey?

Yes, you visit the Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate on day two as part of the route back to Marrakech. It's one of Morocco's most spectacular historical sites.

Are meals included in the tour price?

Dinner and breakfast at the desert camp are included. Lunches on both days are not included in the tour price, though you can eat at restaurants along the route in Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate or Agouim.

Can you hire a local guide at the kasbahs?

Yes, local guides are available at both Aït Ben Haddou and the Kasbah of Taourirt for a small additional fee of about 2€ each, which you arrange on the day.