3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech: Camel Trek & Kasbahs

Cross the Atlas, ride camels into the Sahara, and sleep under stars in a desert camp

A 3-day guided tour from Marrakech through the Atlas Mountains to Merzouga in the Sahara, with stops at Aït Ben Haddou, Dades Gorge, and a camel trek into Erg Chebbi. The tour includes hotel pickup, a driver-guide, two nights' accommodation (one in a riad, one in a desert bivouac), meals, and a camel ride to the camp. You cross the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters, walk through a UNESCO kasbah, and wake early to photograph the desert sunrise before riding back.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Gorges via Ouarzazate

• Cross Col Tichka pass
• Visit Kasbah Ait Benhaddou
• Tour Ouarzazate and Atlas Film Studio
• Overnight in Dades Gorge region

Day 2: Dades Gorges to Merzouga Desert

• Breakfast and visit Dades Gorge
• Explore Todgha Gorge
• Lunch in Tinjdad
• Visit Erfoud fossil cooperative
• Camel ride to Merzouga desert camp
• Overnight in desert bivouac

Day 3: Merzouga to Marrakech via Atlas Mountains

• Sunrise camel trek back to Merzouga
• Lunch and visit in Ouarzazate
• Return to Marrakech in evening

The experience

The tour starts with a drive south from Marrakech over the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass, where the road climbs to 2,260 meters and opens onto the Atlas landscape. From there you reach Aït Ben Haddou, a fortified kasbah built high in the mountains and used as a filming location for Game of Thrones and Gladiator. You walk through its passages to see how the structure sits on the ridge. A stop in Ouarzazate follows, where lunch happens and the Atlas Film Studio offers a look at the sets where international productions shoot. By evening you're in Dades Gorge, where the overnight riad sits in the region and dinner and breakfast are included.

Day two moves deeper into the landscape. You start at Dades Gorge again, then pass through Todgha Gorge, a series of limestone canyons where water runs and the walls rise close. The route continues through Tinjdad and Erfoud, where a fossil cooperative lets you handle rocks dating back 245 to 570 million years. Late afternoon brings you to Merzouga, where you mount a camel and ride across Erg Chebbi as the sun sets, arriving at the desert camp to meet the staff and spend the night in a bivouac with traditional Saharan instruments and dinner included.

The final morning starts before sunrise so you can photograph the desert light, then ride the camel back across the dunes to Merzouga. The return to Marrakech takes the same route in reverse, passing through the Atlas again with a lunch stop in Ouarzazate and a small visit to the kasbah and cinema studio if time allows. You arrive in Marrakech in the evening.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Marrakech.
• a driver-guide speaking English, French, or Arabic.
• two nights' accommodation with dinner and breakfast both nights (one night in a riad near Dades Gorge, one night in a desert bivouac).
• and a camel trek into Erg Chebbi at sunset and back at sunrise.

Information

Lasts 3d, runs Friday at 07:00, from US$ 194 per person, with a live guide in English, French and Arabic, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesFridayDeparts at 07:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, French and ArabicOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (19 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by CLICK EXCURSIONS

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want both sunset and sunrise desert experiences with a night under stars, plus time to explore Aït Ben Haddou on foot, rather than a quick Sahara stop combined with mountain driving.

Traveler reviews

4.76★★★★★★★★★★

226 verified traveler reviews

5 ★191

4 ★25

3 ★4

2 ★2

1 ★4

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Aït Ben Haddou kasbah and why do so many films shoot there?

Aït Ben Haddou is a fortified kasbah built high in the Atlas Mountains and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its clay architecture and ridge-top position have made it a location for major film and television productions including Game of Thrones, Gladiator, and Alexander the Great. You walk through the passages during the tour to see the structure and learn its history.

Do I ride a camel on this tour, and for how long?

Yes, a camel trek is included. You ride into Erg Chebbi at sunset on day two to reach the desert camp, and ride back across the dunes at sunrise on day three before returning to Merzouga.

Where do I sleep on the 3-day tour?

Night one is in a riad in the Dades Gorge region with dinner and breakfast included. Night two is in a bivouac (desert camp) in the Moroccan Sahara, also with dinner and breakfast, where you sleep in traditional style and can listen to Saharan music.

What is included in the price, and what costs extra?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, the driver-guide, two nights' accommodation with half board (dinner and breakfast both nights), and the camel trek are all included. Lunch on each day and drinks are not included and paid separately.

How high does the tour go, and what is the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass?

The Tizi-n'Tichka Pass is one of the main roads through Morocco and climbs to 2,260 meters. You cross it on day one heading south from Marrakech, and the driver can stop for photos of the landscape from the top.