Sahara Desert Tours · Sahara Desert

3-Day Marrakech to Sahara Desert Tour via Dades & Todra Gorges

3 days / 2 nights
Easy
Private or small group (2–16)
Marrakech (hotel / riad pick-up)

At a glance

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Difficulty: Easy
Group: Private or small group (2–16)
Start: Marrakech (hotel / riad pick-up)
End: Marrakech (hotel / riad drop-off)
Max altitude: 2,260 m (Tizi n'Tichka pass)
Price: On request (depends on dates & group size)

Overview

This three-day round trip from Marrakech is the most efficient way to reach the real Sahara: the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga. Your English-speaking driver-guide takes you over the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2,260 m), then down into a land of kasbahs, palm oases and deep limestone gorges on the southern side of the mountains.

On the first day you explore the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and pass through Ouarzazate, the film-making town often nicknamed the Hollywood of Africa, before following the Skoura oasis and the Valley of Roses to your hotel in the Dades Gorge. Day two continues along the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs to the towering walls of the Todra Gorge, then across the Tafilalt oasis to Merzouga, where a camel carries you into the dunes for sunset and a night at a desert camp.

After watching the sun rise over the sand, you head back to Marrakech, arriving around 7 pm. The trip is easy, suits families and older travellers, and runs all year round. It is run as a private or small-group tour with air-conditioned transport, two nights’ accommodation, breakfasts and dinners, and one camel per person. The price is on request and depends on the season, the size of your group and the accommodation level you choose.

Highlights

Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes of Merzouga
Night in a desert camp and sunrise over the Sahara
Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed fortified village
Crossing the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m)
Dades Gorge and the sheer walls of the Todra Gorge
Ouarzazate, the Skoura oasis and the Valley of Roses
Berber hospitality along the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs

Day-by-day itinerary

1
Day 1: Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Gorge
Morning pick-up from your hotel or riad in Marrakech. The road climbs through Berber villages to the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m, the highest road crossing of the High Atlas. On the southern side you stop at Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen ksar listed by UNESCO, with time to walk up through its lanes. Lunch is in Ouarzazate, where you can optionally visit the film studios or the Kasbah of Taourirt. The afternoon drive passes the Skoura palm oasis and the Valley of Roses before reaching the Dades Gorge. Dinner and overnight in a hotel (half board).
2
Day 2: Dades Gorge – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Rissani – Merzouga Desert Camp
After breakfast, follow the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs to Tinghir and walk into the Todra Gorge, where rock walls rise high above a narrow riverbed. The route continues through Erfoud, Rissani and the Tafilalt oasis to Merzouga, on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Here you swap the vehicle for a camel and ride into the sand as the light turns orange at sunset. At the desert camp you are welcomed with mint tea, followed by dinner and an evening under the stars. Overnight in the desert camp.
3
Day 3: Merzouga – Erfoud – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Wake early to watch the sun rise over the dunes, then have breakfast before riding back to Merzouga. The return journey heads west via Erfoud and the oasis towns of the south, with a lunch stop in Ouarzazate, before the final crossing of the High Atlas over the Tichka pass. This is the longest driving day of the trip, broken up by regular stops for photos and rest. Arrival in Marrakech around 7 pm and drop-off at your accommodation.

What’s included

Hotel / riad pick-up and drop-off in Marrakech
Air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide
1 night in a Dades Gorge hotel (half board)
1 night in a Merzouga desert camp (dinner and breakfast)
Camel ride in the dunes (one camel per person)
Breakfasts and dinners as per the itinerary

Lunches and drinks
Monument entrance fees
Travel insurance
Tips
Personal expenses

What to bring

Comfortable clothes and warm layers for the desert night
Warm jacket from November to February
Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
Headlamp or flashlight for the camp
Small daypack
Camera and personal toiletries

Good to know

Morning pick-up from your Marrakech hotel or riad; return around 7 pm on day 3.
The camel ride takes about 1 to 1.5 hours and can be shortened, or replaced by other transport to camp, for children or older travellers. Mention any special needs when booking.
The Dades hotel has rooms with private bathrooms; the desert camp has proper beds, shared bathrooms and a dining area.
Runs all year: spring and autumn are the most comfortable, summer days are very hot and winter nights in the desert are cold.
Price on request: send your dates and group size and we reply with a quote within 24–48 working hours.

Questions about this tour

It is easy and suitable for all ages. Most of the time is spent in a comfortable vehicle, and the only physical activity is a camel ride of about 1 to 1.5 hours, which can be shortened.

The first night is in a hotel in the Dades Gorge with a private bathroom, and the second is in a desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes with beds, shared bathrooms and a dining area.

Yes. The camel ride can be shortened or replaced by other transport to the camp, so just tell us about any special needs when you book.

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most pleasant. The tour runs all year, but summer is very hot and winter nights are cold, so pack warm clothes from November to February.

You visit Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, one of Morocco's largest dune seas, reached via Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Gorge and the Todra Gorge.

The price is on request because it depends on the season, group size and accommodation level. Send your dates through the booking form and we reply within 24–48 working hours.

A question before booking?Our team answers on WhatsApp, usually within minutes.

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