
3 Days Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga
From 95 /per person- 3 Days
- Superb1679 Reviews4.8
Our 2-day desert tour from Marrakech to Zagora is perfect for those who are short on time. It’s the ideal opportunity to introduce you to the Morocco Sahara desert in a condensed trip. To fit everyone’s tight schedule, we organize our Marrakech to Zagora desert safaris every day. Our small groups are made up of up to 17 like-minded young travelers from all over the world.
Your shared 2-day desert tour from Marrakech to Zagora departs around 07h30 AM, driving through Tizi Ntichka pass ( 2260 m. alt ) past different adobe Berber villages and locals herding their goats. Stop in the middle of the High Atlas Mountains to take some pictures, stretch your legs or have a cup of coffee.
Upon arrival at Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, you will have some free time to explore the UNESCO world heritage site and its famous fortified village, which was used as a set for various Biblical epics and a backdrop for commercial and modeling photoshoots. Should you wish to join the group on a guided tour, your local guide has an extra fee of €3.00 per person. After the visit to the Kasbah, you will have an hour's lunch break at leisure.
From here, we will continue driving past Ouarzazate and cross the North-eastern parts of the Anti Atlas Mountains to the oasis of Agdz. After a quick stop in the village center (time permitting), get ready to admire one amazing scenery after another, driving along Draa Valley with its fortified Kasbahs and oases dotted with hundreds of thousands of dates palm trees. Draa Valley hosts the largest palm tree plantation in Morocco.
Upon arrival at the Zagora desert late in the afternoon, you meet your camel caravan. Your camel trekking adventure will begin through the Zagora desert while assisting to an amazing sunset for about an hour. Please kindly note that there are barely any sand dunes in Zagora.
Just before it gets dark, you drive your camels to our Berber desert camp nestled in the middle of nowhere. A delicious Moroccan dinner will be served tonight at your Bedouin camp. After dinner, get ready for a fantastic drums show next to the campfire. Your local desert nomad hosts will play drums and sing local folklore music until around midnight. Feel free to learn about the star's constellation or enjoy the silence of the desert under the crystal clear skies.
Early in the morning, your camp hosts will wake you up to watch the sunrise.
After breakfast, ride your camels again to meet your vehicle and driver on the main road.
From here, we depart to Ouarzazate, where we will stop for lunch at a local café and visit Taourirt Kasbah (optional – depending on timing, entrance fees apply).
Early in the afternoon, you drive back to Marrakech crossing the High Atlas Mountains.
Your overnight desert tour from Marrakech to Zagora will end around 19h00 in the summer and 20h00 in the winter.
The distance between Marrakech and Zagora is 355 Km (220 Miles). It takes about 7 hours to drive from Marrakech to Zagora via the High Atlas Mountains, Ouarzazate, and Agdz Village. It will take more time if you include sightseeing stops and lunch and coffee breaks.
There are barely any sand dunes in the Zagora Desert. Only next to the comfortable camp is there one small sand dune. Mainly Zagora is a flat rock desert.
Yes, tents in Zagora desert camp are private.
There are shared showers and toilets outside your tent in the comfortable camp.
We highly recommend bringing your shower condiments and towels for both nights. Unfortunately, the camp operator in Merzouga doesn’t supply any unless you upgrade to the luxury Sahara desert camp.
Yes, you can; it will be kept safe in the van while camping. However, please prepare your small backpack to take on the camel ride to the Sahara desert camp.
There will be electric outlets in your Zagora camp restaurant. However, they shut the electric generators around midnight.
If you opt for the comfortable desert camp, bathrooms are shared. However, if you choose to upgrade to the luxury camp, bathrooms are located inside your tent.
Yes, you can. Please prepare a small backpack to take on the camel ride to the camp. The rest of your luggage will stay safe in your vehicle for the night.
Your camel ride in the Zagora desert will consist of a one-hour sunset camel ride and roughly 40 minutes sunrise camel ride in the morning. Time depends on the season, sunset, and sunrise time.
Unfortunately there is no quad biking operator in Zagora desert.
Very lovely experience, totally unusual and with stunning scenery! The dromedaries, camp fire, the melodies, the starry night... There were so many memorable moments. Our driver, Lahcen, was a huge help on this trip. The small dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that we were not in the middle of the desert. Nonetheless, this is an experience that we can only recommend!
The overnight desert tour from Marrakech was just wonderful! Thanks to our great driver, who took us to some of the most gorgeous spots! We also asked to snap a photo at a poppy field along in the middle of nowhere, and the driver accommodated our request without hesitation! The camp was really pleasant, and the meal was delicious - tagine is now my favourite dish. The sunsets on the sand dunes deserve special mention; they were breath taking. And at night, we witnessed the most spectacular starry sky of our lives. The guides, the driver, and the Merry Bedouins for their drumming around the fire are all appreciated. And there are native Moroccans to keep you company. Certainly one of the most memorable vacation experiences!
Long drive for a 2-day trip, compensated for by breath-taking views of the countryside. Our guide, Said Najimi, made us feel protected. He was able to answer all of our queries due to his extensive knowledge of the country's culture and history.