4-Day Round Trip Desert Tour from Marrakesh

This is our ideal recommendation for anyone wanting to escape the bustle of Marrakesh for a few days. This getaway traces ancient salt trade routes from the city to the sahara, via the Atlas Mountains, culminating in an unforgettable adventure camping under the stars at Erg Chebbi, Morocco’s largest sand dune formation.

Itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech – Ouarzazate – Dades Gorge

We will pick you up after breakfast at your riad or hotel, then travel over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2260m/7414 f) while enjoying superb views of the Atlas mountains and of the Berber villages on the way. Pass through Ouarzazate and continue towards the Valley of Roses, Skoura oasis with its authentic 17 century kasbah, the valley of a thousand Kasbahs and the Dades Gorge. Stay overnight at a hotel in the calm and peaceful valley.

Day 2: Dades Gorge – Merzouga – Erg Chebbi desert camp

Breakfast at the hotel. Then we depart to the Todra Gorge: a massive fault, rising to 300m in a narrow valley with thick palm groves and Berber Villages. After lunch in the gorge, we will drive to the great sand dunes beside Merzouga village where will you have a chance to enjoy a cup of mint tea. Your camel guide will soon introduce himself and get you acquainted with the camels. Hop on the caravan for about an hour and a half until you reach our camp in the heart of the saharan dunes. Once there, enjoy a traditional dinner, campfire, drumming and overnight stay in our classic nomad tents.

Day 3: Erg Chebbi – Merzouga – Rissani – Ouarzazate

After seeing the sunrise in the desert we get back on the camels and ride back to Merzouga where breakfast awaits. There is time to take a shower and perhaps even a quick dip in the pool at the hotel in Merzouga before leaving. Then we start our journey to Ouarzazate through the Berber villages of the atlas mountains. On the way, we’ll pass through Rissani and if it’s market day, we’ll stop to take a look at the bustling souk where everything from livestock to spices to cloth is available. We continue our adventure through palm groves until we reach Ouarzazate, famous for its film studios and its appearance in over twenty Hollywood films.

Day 4: Ouarzazate – Kasbah Ait Benhaddou – Atlas Mountains – Marrakesh

Leaving Ouarzazate in the Morning, we will visit UNESCO protected site of Ait Benhaddou, a most impressive Kasbah and well-preserved fortress. Many movies were filmed here such as the Gladiator. Leave Ait Ben Haddou and start heading towards the majestic Atlas Mountains. Cross the High Atlas Mountains via the highest road pass in Morocco, Tizi n’Tichka (2260m high), offering impressive views of valleys, mountains and many Berber villages nearby. We will bid you farewell in the evening when we drop you off at a location of your choice in Marrakesh and this concludes our tour.

Includes:

• Transportation (4×4 SUV or minibus with air-conditioning)
• English-speaking driver/guide
• Hotel/riad overnight stays
• Breakfast & Dinner (except for breakfast on first day and dinner on last day)
• Camel trekking at Erg Chebbi
• Accommodation in traditional nomad tent
• Turbans for protection from sun and sand
• Sandboarding in The Dunes

Excludes:

• Flights
• Lunches
• Drinks
• Admittance fees (for optional attractions such as museums and mosques)

NOTE: If the tours that we offer do not match what you’re looking for, contact us and we will prepare a custom itinerary according to your wishes.