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6 day Sahara desert tour Morocco
🏜️ 6-Day Sahara Desert Tour – Overview
A 6 day Sahara desert tour Morocco is a relaxed journey through southern Morocco, combining dramatic mountain landscapes, historic kasbahs, lush valleys, and the golden dunes of the Sahara near Merzouga and Erg Chebbi.
Compared to shorter tours, this itinerary allows more time to explore, less rushing, and deeper cultural experiences.
📍 Route Highlights
🏔️ Atlas Mountains Crossing
Travel through the High Atlas via the famous Tizi n’Tichka pass, with panoramic views, Berber villages, and scenic photo stops.
🏯 Ancient Kasbahs
Visit the UNESCO-listed Aït Ben Haddou, a historic fortified village used in many films.
Explore nearby Ouarzazate, often called the “Gateway to the Desert.”
🌄 Valleys & Canyons
Discover:
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Dades Valley (rock formations & mountain scenery)
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Todra Gorge (towering canyon walls ideal for walking)
🐪 Sahara Desert Experience
Spend 1–2 nights in the Sahara near Merzouga:
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Camel trek across dunes at sunset
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Sunrise over the Sahara
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Night in a desert camp under the stars
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Traditional music around the campfire
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4x4 desert excursion
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Visit nomadic families
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Sandboarding
6 day Sahara desert tour Morocco
Start of trip: Marrakech
End of trip: Marrakech
Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Itineraries
Day 1
MARRAKECH / OUARZAZATE / SKOURA / VALLEY OF THE ROSES / DADES GORGE AND VALLEY
Pickup at the riad/hotel where you’ll be staying at 8:00 a.m. and start of the tour. Departure from Marrakech via the Col Tichka mountain pass, where we’ll cross the Atlas Mountains, making stops to enjoy the magnificent views along the route and to rest or take photos whenever you’d like. We’ll arrive in Ouarzazate, where we’ll visit the Kasbah of Taourirt.
We’ll continue on to the village of Skoura, located in the heart of the Valley of the Palms—a vast, labyrinthine oasis whose lush vegetation envelops beautiful, hidden kasbahs. You can also visit the Kasbah of Amridil. From here, we’ll continue through the Valley of the Roses (famous for its rose cultivation) until we reach the impressive Dades Gorges. Dinner and overnight stay in Dades.
Day 2
DADES VALLEY / TODRA GORGE / ERFOUD / MERZOUGA
After breakfast, we’ll continue along the banks of the Boulmane River, where a road lined with kasbahs (fortresses or castles) and ksour (fortified citadels) opens up, set against a landscape of ochre, red, and mauve hues. All around us, we’ll see rocky plateaus where dromedaries graze.
After a journey filled with ksour, oases, and palm trees, we’ll arrive in Tineghir (home to the spectacular Todra Gorges), perched at an altitude of 1,350 meters and surrounded by a palm grove. We’ll continue on to Erfoud (the “City of Fossils”). From there, we’ll head to the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel facing the desert dunes.
Day 3
MERZOUGA / RISSANI MARKET / MERZOUGA
After breakfast, we head to Rissani. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday is market day, when people come to buy spices, herbs, meat, vegetables, and fruit. We park the donkey, tie it by one leg, and step into the souk. It’s time to wander the aisles of the Rissani market, bathed in the mystical light of the sun streaming through the rooftops.
The colors stand out against the brown. Women passing by unnoticed—this is everyday life in Rissani. It smells of cumin. It smells of freshly tanned leather. It seems like people here wear a lot of Adidas, in addition to babouches. It’s bustling—so many spices, such a variety of colors.
Some vendors try to pull you toward their stall to see what they’re offering; others wait for a sign of interest before approaching. You walk your way through donkeys, bicycles, small carts, men holding hands, and discreet, elusive women. Centuries ago, this town was the first imperial city of Morocco.
In its heyday, it was an important hub for caravans linking Sudan, the salt mines of Gao, and the towns of southern Mauritania. In fact, the current dynasty was born on this land. Return to the hotel to rest, followed by a free afternoon, dinner, and an overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 4
MERZOUGA / KHAMLIA / DESERT NOMADS / ERG CHEBBI DESERT
After breakfast, we’ll visit Khamlia, known as the “Black Village” because its inhabitants are descendants of slaves who were brought from Sudan. They are excellent musicians and have made this art their way of life; we’ll enjoy a short Gnawa music concert with them.
We’ll return to the 4x4 to drive along one of the tracks used in the “Paris-Dakar Rally,” visiting the Khol mines and the ruins of a French and Berber settlement. We’ll make a scenic stop to admire the sandy desert that encompasses the entire Erg Chebbi. We’ll visit some desert nomads in the process of settling down, with whom we can have tea, and after lunch we’ll return to the hotel to rest and prepare to venture into the desert.
We’ll leave what we don’t need at the hotel and mount the dromedaries that will take us deep into the desert as we’re enveloped by the beautiful sunset, which casts spectacular colors over the sand. Tonight will be special, as we’ll sleep in a tented camp. Here we’ll enjoy a wonderful dinner, music, and a beautiful starry sky. Dinner and overnight stay in tents.
Day 5
ERG CHEBBI DESERT / ALNIF / DRAA VALLEY / OUARZAZATE
If you’d like, you can get up a little early to climb the dunes before sunrise and watch the sun rise over the dunes while you have breakfast. We’ll spend the rest of the day returning to Ouarzazate through the Draa Valley, home to one of Morocco’s longest rivers.
We’ll make stops to admire the charming adobe kasbahs and Berber villages that dot the route, as well as the fascinating geological formations of the Draa Valley. Dinner and overnight stay in Ouarzazate.
Day 6
OUARZAZATE / AIT BEN HADDOU / MARRAKECH
Ouarzazate is also known as the “Moroccan Hollywood,” as many famous films have been shot there (The Jewel of the Nile, The Scorpion King, Kingdom of Heaven, Mission Cleopatra...) and continue to be filmed there. If you love movies, you can visit the film studios where the sets from some of these films are located.
Continue our journey to the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). You’ll have free time to stroll through the kasbah and climb to its summit to take in the views. We’ll cross the High Atlas Mountains once again, enjoying their beautiful landscapes.
Arrival in Marrakech around 4:00 PM, transfer to your hotel, and the end of our services.
✅ What’s INCLUDED
🚐 Transport & guide
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Air-conditioned 4x4 or minibus
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Professional English-speaking driver/guide
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Fuel, tolls, and road expenses
🏨 Accommodation
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4–5 nights in hotels/riads (e.g. in Ouarzazate, Dades Valley, or Tinghir)
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1–2 nights in desert camp in Merzouga near Erg Chebbi
🐪 Desert activities
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Camel trek (sunset & sunrise)
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Sandboarding (often included)
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Campfire + traditional music
🍽️ Meals
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Daily breakfast
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Dinner (especially in hotels outside cities and desert camp)
🧭 Sightseeing stops
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Scenic stops in Atlas Mountains
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Visits to places like Aït Ben Haddou and Todra Gorge (transport included)
❌ What’s NOT INCLUDED
🍴 Lunches
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Not included
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Usually €8–€15 per meal at roadside restaurants
💧 Drinks
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Water, soft drinks, alcol
💵 Tips
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Driver/guide tips (optional but customary)
🏍️ Extra activities
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Quad biking / ATV in the desert
Usually included
Not mandatory—you can choose a 4x4 transfer instead
Most tours go to:
Merzouga
The dunes of Erg Chebbi
👉 This is the most famous Sahara area in Morocco
Standard camp
Shared bathroom
Simple tents
Luxury camp
Private bathroom
Comfortable beds
Breakfast and dinner included
Lunch not included
Vegetarian options available
Shared → budget-friendly, social
Private → flexible itinerary, more comfort
Standard camps → limited or shared
Luxury camps → private showers
Yes.
Morocco desert tours are generally safe and well organized.
Yes—especially if you want:
Less time driving each day
More time in the Sahara
A more relaxed, immersive experience