4-Day Desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga

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Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour - 4 Days

Take a 4-day journey from Marrakech into the restless heart of Merzouga, a thrilling Sahara desert range enveloped by large golden sand dunes offering a heavenly view. Experience the fun of Dune bashing and camel trekking, drive along Casbahs, step into oases and canyons, and meet the nomads.
The highlight of your Marrakech to Merzouga 4 days desert trip will be the moment you absorb the sights and sounds of Erg Chebbi while you go on a camel trek to enjoy the sun sets behind Erg Chebbi dunes. As a closure to a beautiful day, head to your Sahara desert camp nestled in the middle of nowhere.

4 Days Marrakech to Merzouga Sahara Desert Tour Highlights:

  • Explore Ouarzazate, Dades Valley and Todgha Canyons.
  • Stand before the stunning Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou and take great photos.
  • Relax amid the surroundings of Erg Chebbi dunes and its crystal clear skies at night.
  • Enjoy a life changing camel ride in Merzouga desert.
  • Stay at hand picked lodges and Sahara desert camp.

Marrakech to Erg Chebbi 4-Day Desert Trip Itinerary:

Day 1: Marrakech - Ouarzazate - Boumalne Dades

Your exciting 4 days Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour will start early. We will be picking you up at around 08h00 AM from your hotel or Riad.
Our first destination will be Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou, but to get there, we will be driving through Tizi Ntichka pass and the High Atlas Mountains past adobe Berber villages. We will be arranging several stops along the way to take scenery photos, stretch your legs, or have a cup of coffee.
After a quick stop in Ouarzazate for lunch, we continue to the oasis of Skoura, one of the largest in Morocco's Sahara desert and famous for its perfectly restored Kasbah Amridil, which is worth a visit.
Follow the local Casbah guide for a visit to the premises and learn about the Sahara architecture and the techniques of irrigation used in the nearby oases since the medieval ages.
From there, drive to Boumalne Dades through the valley of the Roses, famous for its Damascus Rose plantations and local ladies cooperatives distilling rose water and making some local rose-based cosmetic goods.
Before we reach our lodge, drive to the top of Dades canyons for a quick visit.
Dinner and overnight at your Dades Valley lodge.

(6 Hours Drive)
Accomodation Details:

Day 2: Boumalne Dades - Tinghir - Merzouga

After an exquisite breakfast, we start our journey with a drive through the 1001 Kasbahs road to the oasis village of Tinghir, where you will rejoice in the mesmerizing ambiance of the Todgha River and feel the urge to take a walk along the River Banks, and meditate upon the antique, yet, the peculiar lifestyle of the Berber Villages and Kasbahs, until you find yourself facing the overwhelming landscapes of massive cliffs of Todgha Gorges.
After a prosperous morning, we head to Gorges, where we will have lunch.
In the afternoon, we continue our journey to Erfoud, famous for its date market and fossilized marble production.
The next stop will visit the holy town of Rissani, the birthplace of the dynasty of Alaouites who still rule Morocco to date.
From here, we continue to Merzouga.
Prepare yourselves for an exciting camel ride while you sit back and allow yourself to be blown away by the color-changing dunes and an exhilarating sunset.
Spin back to your Sahara Desert camp where a magical Moroccan dinner under the stars and next to the campfire is waiting for you.

Relax and enjoy your dinner while local nomads play their music using drums which sounds penetrate and entertain your soul.
After this captivating scenery, make yourself comfortable for a glamorous overnight.

(4 Hours Drive)
Accomodation Details:

Day 3: Merzouga - Nkob - Agdz - Ouarzazate

After an early wake up to watch the sunset and a camel ride (or jeep ride) back to the village of Merzouga, meet your driver, and get ready for another day full of sightseeing and adventure.
Drive across the volcanic massifs of the north-eastern slopes of the Anti Atlas Mountains to the village of Nkob. This is where the drive along the legendary Draa Valley will begin.
Drive past various mud-brick villages scattered along the Valley. In the mid-afternoon, we will arrive at Agdz, which means a resting place in Berber, as it used to be the resting place for ancient camel caravans crossing North Africa’s Sahara desert from Marrakech to Timboctou.
From here, drive to Ouarzazate and spend the night at your hotel.

(6 Hours Drive)
Accomodation Details:

Day 4: Ouarzazate - Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou - Telouet - Marrakech

After breakfast, We will head west for a short drive to discover the charm of Berber villages in Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, which is one of the most visited sites in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It was also the production site of several Hollywood epics, such as Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia.
Enjoy a guided walk to the village before we continue to Telouet, another Kasbah located in the former route of the caravans crossing the High Atlas Mountains from Marrakech to the Sahara desert.
It was built by the former warlord “Elgloui” in the late 19th century. From here, we will cross the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. End of services.

(5 Hours Drive)

4-Day Desert Trip from Marrakech to Merzouga Prices:

Number of Participants: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7-9 10-13 14-17
Price per person: 725€ 430€ 350€ 290€ 260€ 240€ 210€ 190€ 175€
Number of Participants: Price per person:
1 725€
2 430€
3 350€
4 290€
5 260€
6 240€
7-9 210€
10-13 190€
14-17 175€

What is included in this 4-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour:

A/C modern 4×4 or van driven by an English speaking river/guide.

Pick up from your Marrakech hotel/Riad.

First night at Auberge Panorama or Hotel Babylon (Private A/C ensuite room) with dinner & breakfast.

Second night at a Sahara desert camp located at the edge of Erg Chebbi (Private tent) with shared bathrooms – Showers available in the morning at the camp operator’s lodge – Dinner and breakfast are included.

Upgrade to a deluxe camp with an ensuite tent available upon booking your desert tour (€70 per person ).

Sunset camel rides in Erg Chebbi.Third night at Ouarzazate Hotel with dinner and breakfast.

Third night at Ouarzazate Hotel with dinner and breakfast.

Drop off at your Marrakech hotel or the closest accessible location to your riad if not car accessible.

Not included

Beverages during dinners.

Lunches on the way.

Entrance fees if any.

Local guides if any.

Know Before You Go:

  • Tour price per person depends on how many participants there are in your party.
  • Driving times above do not include stops for sightseeing, photos, lunch, and cafe.
  • A 4x4 can seat up to 4 adult passengers comfortably if there are 5 participants and up, a van will be used for your tour.
  • Local guides and entrance fees (if any) are not included. You pay for those directly to the suppliers.
  • Pick-up time for your desert tour can be flexible. Between 07h30 and 08h00 AM is highly recommended.
  • If you wish to experience sand boarding in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, there are a few sand boards in the lodge to take with you to the camp. Just ask for it and if available, you will be given one

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How far is Merzouga from Marrakech?

    Marrakech to Merzouga distance is 560 Km. However, it will be split into two days on the way in, with a night in Dades Valley. Then, you will spend the day driving back to Marrakech on the way back.

  • Can we skip the camel ride in Erg chebbi to the desert camp?

    Yes, you can. A separate 4×4 can take you to the desert camp if you choose to skip the camel ride ( An extra fee of 30 Euros/return transfer will apply ). If you decide to upgrade to the luxury desert camp, no additional fees apply to a 4×4 return transfer.

  • Are there showers at your Sahara desert camp?

    Not in the comfortable Merzouga desert camp. Showers will be available at the camp operator’s lodge in Merzouga the following day before departure to Fes. Only shared toilets are public at the comfortable camp. If you choose to upgrade to a luxury desert camp, you will have a private shower and toilet inside your deluxe tent.

  • Are bathrooms in Merzouga desert camp private?

    Bathrooms are shared and located outside your tent in the comfortable desert camp ( already included in the tour price ). Luxury camp bathrooms are private inside your tent.

  • How long is the camel ride in Erg Chebbi?

    It is roughly 1 hour for sunset and another hour for sunrise the following day. So time depends on the season, Daylight saving time, and sunset/sunrise time.

  • can we hire quad bikes in Merzouga?

    Yes, you can. There are plenty of ATV rental companies in Merzouga that supply good quality quad bikes and dunes buggies in Erg Chebbi dunes. Your guide will assist you with that, and you will directly pay the supplier in Merzouga. They cost 50 Euros per quad per hour.

  • Are there any electricity outlets in Merzouga desert camp?

    There will be electric outlets in your Merzouga Sahara Desert camp public areas. However, they shut the electric generators around midnight.

Reviews

4 Days Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga

Amy S – Nov 2021:

Marrakech Desert Trips provided us with an excellent 4-day tour to Merzouga from Marrakech. From the time we booked our tour to the time we paid and had frequent information from the personnel, everything went well. We had a wonderful driver, Ahmed, who showed us around the fabulous Moroccan desert. The Sahara desert camp and camel ride experiences were remarkable.

Unforgettable 4-Days Marrakech to Merzouga Sahara Desert Tour

Jane D – Apr 2021:

I can't say enough good things about Marrakech Desert Trips. We started arranging our Marrakech to Merzouga trip in advance, and Nidal was very helpful, friendly, and hardworking every step of the way. She was wonderful at adapting our itinerary to spend an extra night in Skoura oasis. We wanted to construct an unique 4-day adventure in Morocco Sahara desert. and the result was a unique and unforgettable desert experience for us.

Daniele L – Feb 2021:

Our trip from Marrakech to the Sahara desert was fantastic. It was a wonderful joy to deal with Marrakech Desert Trips, and the driver, Ali was extremely courteous and a great driver. The local tour guides in Ait Ben Haddou and Tinghir were fantastic!! During the month of August, we just struggled a little owing to the heat. I would suggest this tour company to anybody considering a trip to Morocco. It was a fantastic adventure!

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    form €175/person
    Good803 Reviews4.9