Marrakech to Mhamid: Overnight Sahara with Camel Ride & Tent

Two days crossing the Atlas to sleep under stars in the Sahara

You get picked up from your hotel at 8am, cross the Atlas Mountains, walk through the UNESCO Ksar of Ait Benhaddou with a local guide, descend into the Draa Valley, ride camels at sunset over the Erg Lihoudi dunes, sleep in a nomadic tent with dinner included, and return the next day after sunrise. The fixed itinerary and included transport mean you don't have to piece together logistics or timing across two days in unfamiliar terrain.

Step-by-step itinerary

Marrakech to Sahara Desert Journey

• Pick up from hotel at 08am
• Cross Atlas Mountains via Tizi N'Tichka pass
• Visit Ait Benhaddou kasbah with local guide
• Stop for lunch in Ouarzazate
• Optional film studio tour in Ouarzazate
• Descend to Draa Valley via Tizi n'Tinififft pass
• Explore palm groves and visit Tamegroute kasbah
• Arrive at Oulad Driss for camel ride
• Watch sunset from highest dune
• Overnight in nomad tent with dinner

The experience

You've just landed in Marrakech, or maybe you've been here a few days already: either way, you've got a gap in your plans and the desert is calling. The pickup happens at 8am from your riad or hotel, and then you're heading south through the high Atlas Mountains on Tizi N'Tichka, the highest road pass in Morocco at 2,260 meters. The road winds, the air gets thinner, and the landscape shifts from the city's red clay to bare rock and snow-capped peaks. It's the kind of drive that makes you understand why the desert feels far away even when you're close to it.

By mid-morning you're in Ait Benhaddou, the fortified Ksar that's been the backdrop for dozens of films: your local guide walks you through the kasbahs, pointing out the earthen architecture and the families who still live inside the old walls. After that comes Ouarzazate, where you stop for lunch, and then the real shift happens: you drop down from the mountains into the Draa Valley, a ribbon of palm groves and villages that follows an ancient caravan route. The landscape opens up. You pass Tamegroute with its underground kasbah and Koran library, and by late afternoon you're in Mhamid, at the edge of the sand. That's when the camels arrive. You ride for about an hour and a half across the Erg Lihoudi dunes, watching the sun drop behind distant mountains, and then you're back at the nomadic tent camp for dinner (grilled meat, bread, tea), and the night.

The next morning you catch the sunrise from the dunes (it's quieter than the sunset, somehow), then breakfast and the drive back to Marrakech. The whole overnight Sahara tour takes two days, and what stays with you isn't just the camel ride or the tent. It's the feeling of crossing from one world into another, slowly enough that you notice it happening.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Marrakech riad or hotel, transport by private vehicle across the Atlas Mountains and through the Draa Valley, a guided walk through the Ait Benhaddou kasbahs with a local guide, an hour-and-a-half camel ride at sunset over the Erg Lihoudi dunes, overnight accommodation in a nomadic tent, dinner and breakfast, and short walks to stretch your legs in the valley. A film studio tour in Ouarzazate is optional and not included.

Information

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 08:00, from US$ 402 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and German, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and GermanOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 to 70 years) · Under 16: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Authentic Sahara Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers arriving in Marrakech with two days to spare and no interest in arranging transport, guides, or logistics across unfamiliar terrain: the fixed itinerary and included meals mean you show up at your hotel at 8am and the rest unfolds without negotiation.

Traveler reviews

4.93★★★★★★★★★★

43 verified traveler reviews

5 ★40

4 ★3

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and German.

How long is the camel ride?

About an hour and a half, timed for sunset. You ride out from Mhamid and return to the tent camp for dinner.

What's included in the overnight stay?

Accommodation in a nomadic tent, dinner the first night, and breakfast the next morning. Transport, local guide, and hotel pickup and drop-off are also included.

What if I'm not fit enough for a camel ride?

The tour requires at least moderate physical fitness. If you have concerns about the ride itself, contact the operator before booking. They may be able to suggest alternatives or modifications.

Is this a shared tour or private?

It's a shared tour. If fewer than 4 paying adults are booked, the tour may be cancelled, though this is rare.

What's the highest point we reach?

Tizi N'Tichka pass at 2,260 meters, crossed on the first morning heading south from Marrakech.

Do we visit any film studios?

You pass through Ouarzazate, where a film studio tour is available but optional and not included in the base price.

How much walking is involved?

There are short walks to stretch your legs in the Draa Valley and a guided walk through the Ait Benhaddou kasbahs. The camel ride is the main physical activity.