Merzouga & Erg Chabbi 3 Days Sahara Tour from Marrakech

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Duration3d

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN · FR +1

PickupAt your hotel

Three days from mountain pass to desert dunes: Ait Benhaddou, two gorges, camel rides at both ends of the day

A 3-day guided tour from Marrakech to Merzouga crosses the High Atlas Mountains, stops at the UNESCO-listed Ait Benhaddou Ksar and the Dades and Todra gorges, then reaches Erg Chabbi where you ride camels at sunset and sunrise and spend a night under stars in a Berber tent. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, two nights of accommodation (standard, comfort or VIP depending on your option), and pickup from central Marrakech; your guide speaks English, Spanish or French. Lunch and drinks are not included, nor are the local guides at Ait Benhaddou and Todra Gorge.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech to Dades Valley

Meet driver at hotel
Drive through local villages and markets
Pass Tizi-n'Tichka mountain pass
Visit Ait Benhaddou Ksar and lunch
Visit Ouarzazate and cinema museum
Stop at Valley of Roses
See "toes of monkeys" rock formations
Arrive at hotel in Dades Gorge
Dinner and overnight stay

Day 2 — Dades Gorges to Merzouga Sahara

Morning in Dades Gorge
Guided visit to Tinghir Oasis
Visit Todra Gorges and lunch
Drive through Tin-Jdad, Erfoud, and Rissani
Arrive in Merzouga
45-minute camel ride at sunset
Overnight in Berber tents under stars

Day 3 — Merzouga to Marrakech

Early morning walk in sand after breakfast
Meet driver for return trip
Stop for photos at interesting places
Enjoy Berber meal with mountain views
Rest stop at Ait Barka village
Driver drops off travelers at hotels

The Experience

The drive leaves Marrakech at seven in the morning, climbing through villages and markets that fade into the High Atlas foothills within 45 minutes. You cross the Tizi-n'Tichka Pass—the second-highest summit in Morocco after Toubkal—where the road opens onto views of the mountains themselves. The Ait Benhaddou Ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987 and a film location for Gladiator, The Mummy, Prince of Persia and Game of Thrones, sits at the pass's far side; you stop for lunch and a walk through the old palace compound. From there it's 20 minutes to Ouarzazate, nicknamed the Hollywood of Africa, where a 45-minute stop includes the cinema museum and Taourirt Kasbah. By late afternoon you reach the Valley of Roses, where the local economy runs on rose oil and perfume extraction done the traditional way. The landscape shifts again—rock formations called the Toes of Monkeys rise from the valley floor—and you arrive at your first night's accommodation in a traditional kasbah in Dades Gorge.

Day two is dedicated to the eastern gorges. A local guide meets you in Tinghir for a 90-minute walk through the oasis, then leads you into Todra Gorge. After lunch in the village, the drive turns south toward Merzouga, passing through Tin-Jdad, Erfoud and Rissani. When you arrive at Merzouga, a 45-minute camel ride takes you into Erg Chabbi at sunset—the dunes rise to 160 meters and shift color from rose gold to orange, pink and purple as the light moves. You spend the night in a Berber tent with a fire and folkloric music. The next morning, another 45-minute camel ride at sunrise brings you back out of the sand. Merzouga sits in one of Morocco's best bird-watching zones; desert sparrows, Egyptian nightjars, desert warblers, fulvous babblers and blue-cheeked bee-eaters live here, and in spring a shallow lake northwest of town attracts flamingos.

The return journey on day three starts at seven in the morning with a walk in the sand after breakfast, then the driver brings you back toward Marrakech. You stop for photographs at scenic points, then eat a Berber meal at a restaurant in the Atlas foothills overlooking villages and mountains. A final stop in Ait Barka village gives you time to rest and drink tea before the driver drops you at your hotel or nearby riad by 7:30 p.m. The entire route covers ground you would not reach without a vehicle and a guide who knows where to stop.

What’s included

Air-conditioned vehicle with driver for all three days.
two nights accommodation in your chosen tier (standard, comfort or VIP).
1 hour and 30 minutes total camel riding split between sunset and sunrise at Merzouga.
pickup and drop-off from central Marrakech hotels and riads.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Great Travel Morocco

Is this one for you?Choose shared transport if you're traveling with a flexible budget; pick private if you need your own vehicle and driver for the full duration.