3 Days Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour

This 3-day loop is for travellers based in Marrakech who have limited time but want a real night in the Sahara rather than a rushed day trip. Expect two long driving days, one unforgettable evening on the dunes of Erg Chebbi, and a return to Marrakech on the third evening.

From the High Atlas to the Sahara in three days

We pick you up at your riad or hotel in Marrakech at around 7:00 and climb over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, which at 2,260 m is the highest paved crossing of the High Atlas. After photo stops above the Berber villages, we reach the UNESCO-listed ksar of Ait Benhaddou, roughly four hours from Marrakech, and you have time to walk up to the granary at the top. The afternoon takes us through Ouarzazate and the palm groves of Skoura to the Dades Valley, where you sleep in a family-run hotel above the river.

Todra Gorge and the road to Merzouga

On day two we drive about an hour to Tinghir and walk into the Todra Gorge, where the limestone walls rise around 300 m above a shallow stream. From there it is about three hours via Tinejdad and Erfoud to Merzouga. Our team meets you at the edge of the dunes, and you ride camels for about 1.5 hours into Erg Chebbi while the sand turns orange. At camp we serve mint tea, a vegetable or chicken tagine and, weather permitting, a little drumming around the fire.

Sunrise and the long road back

We wake you before dawn to climb a dune for sunrise, then ride back to the village for breakfast and a shower. The return to Marrakech runs via Alnif, N'Kob, Agdz and Ouarzazate, and we will be honest with you: it is a 9 to 10 hour day, arriving around 19:00 to 20:00. We stop regularly for coffee, lunch and photos.

Is the 3-day tour right for you?

In total you cover around 1,100 km, so this route suits people who are happy to spend time on the road in exchange for seeing the Atlas, the gorges and the desert in one short trip. If you would rather not drive back the same way, our 4-day Marrakech to Fes Sahara tour continues north and ends in Fes. Bring warm layers year round: desert nights can drop close to 0°C in December and January, while summer afternoons regularly pass 40°C.