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🐪 5 days desert tour from Marrakech – Overview
Embark on an immersive 5 days desert tour from Marrakech to the golden sands of the Sahara Desert, including Merzouga. This tour combines the High Atlas Mountains, scenic valleys, Berber culture, and unforgettable desert experiences.
🌄 Highlights
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Cross the Tizi n’Tichka Pass in the High Atlas Mountains with breathtaking views
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Explore Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage ksar
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Discover the scenic Dades and Todra Valleys
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Camel trekking in the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
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Overnight in a traditional Berber desert camp under the stars
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Optional sunrise camel ride and desert exploration
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Visit Rissani, the gateway to the desert, and local Berber villages
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Return journey via Midelt and the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech
⏱️ Duration & Pace
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5 days / 4 nights
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Balanced itinerary: sightseeing, hiking, desert activities, and cultural experiences
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Suitable for first-time visitors who want to experience the Sahara and Atlas Mountains comfortably
💡 Ideal For
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Adventure seekers wanting desert and mountain experiences
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Culture enthusiasts interested in Berber villages and markets
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Photographers seeking sunrise/sunset in dunes, mountain passes, and historic kasbahs
5 days desert tour from Marrakech
Start of trip: Marrakech.
End of trip: Marrakech.
Duration: 5 days / 4 nights.
Itineraries
Day 1
Marrakech - Ouarzazate - Skoura – Rose Valley - Dades Valley
Pickup at your hotel at 8 a.m. for your 5-day trip from Marrakech to the
Merzouga Desert. Departure from Marrakech via the Tizi N Tichka Pass, where
we’ll cross the Atlas Mountains, making stops to enjoy the magnificent
views along the way. In Ouarzazate, you can visit, if you’d like, the film studios
where numerous famous movies have been shot. Next, we’ll explore the
village of Skoura, located in the heart of the Valley of the Palms. We’ll take a stroll
through the vast, labyrinthine oasis, whose lush vegetation envelops beautiful,
hidden kasbahs, and you can also visit its kasbah. From here, we’ll continue through the Valley
of the Roses (famous for its rose cultivation) toward the Dades Valley, with its
interesting geological formations. Dinner and overnight stay at a lovely mountain hotel
next to the Dades River.
Day 2
Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga
Morning departure for a desert tour, continuing on to Tinghir and a visit to the
Toudra Gorges (15 km from Tinghir), with lunch on site. In the afternoon, departure for the
city of Erfoud, passing through the Tinjdad palm grove, the Touroug palm grove, and the city
of Erfoud. Visit to the fossil marble workshop. Continue
to the impressive dunes of Merzouga (Erg Chebbi). Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3
Merzouga - Khamlia - Erg Chebbi (Desert)
This will be a stage where, after breakfast, we’ll travel along the route used in the
“Paris-Dakar Rally,” visiting desert nomads with whom we’ll share tea.
We’ll visit the village of Los Negros, so named because of the slave trade
that brought people from Sudan. And after lunch, we’ll switch from
4x4 to animal-drawn transport. The dromedaries will take us deep into the desert dunes
to witness an unforgettable sunset. Tonight will be special;
we’ll sleep in the dunes in nomadic tents (jaimas), just as the Berbers do.
Here we’ll enjoy a Berber dinner, music, and a starry sky like you’ve
never seen before. Dinner and lodging in an unforgettable jaima.
Day 4
Erg Chebbi - Rissani - Nkob – Ouarzazate
Wake up early to watch the beautiful sunrise and climb the dunes, then
ride camels back to the hotel, where you’ll have breakfast before continuing on to
Ouarzazate via Rissani, where we’ll stop briefly to visit its traditional souk.
Considered the largest in all of southern Morocco. We’ll continue on to the beautiful
Draa Valley with its millions of palm trees. Arrival in Ouarzazate in the afternoon.
Day 5
Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech
Breakfast and departure for Marrakech, crossing once again the Tizi Tichka Pass, at
an altitude of about 2,260 meters—the “Pass of the Pastures”—the highest mountain pass on
Morocco’s roads. Although subjected to very strong winds, the high meadows
perched on the slopes of the High Atlas serve as pastures in summer. En route,
we will visit the famous kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, which has been declared a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is undoubtedly the village
✅ What’s INCLUDED
Most tours (budget → luxury) usually cover:
🚐 Transport & guide
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Air-conditioned minibus or 4x4
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Professional driver/guide
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Fuel & road costs
🏨 Accommodation
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3–4 nights in hotels/riads (e.g. in Ouarzazate or Dades Valley)
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1–2 nights in desert camp in Merzouga (near Erg Chebbi)
🐪 Desert experience
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Camel trek (sunset & sunrise)
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Sandboarding (often free)
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Campfire + Berber music
🍽️ Meals
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Daily breakfast
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Dinner (especially in desert & remote areas)
🍴 Lunches
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Not included (you stop at restaurants along the way)
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~€12–€15 per meal
💵 Tips
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Driver/guide tips (optional but expected)
🥤 Drinks
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Water, soft drinks, alcohol
🏨 Upgrades
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Luxury desert camp (private bathroom, better tents)
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Quad biking / ATV in the desert
No.
You can choose:
Camel ride (traditional experience)
Or a 4x4 transfer directly to the camp (more comfortable)
Most tours go to:
Merzouga
Near the dunes of Erg Chebbi
👉 This is the main Sahara dune area in Morocco
Standard camp
Shared bathroom
Luxury camp
Private bathroom
Comfortable beds
Electricity
Breakfast and dinner included
Lunch is not included (you stop at restaurants)
Vegetarian options available
Standard camps → sometimes shared or limited
Luxury camps → private showers
Yes, desert tours in Morocco are generally very safe and well organized.