4-Day Private Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech

Day 1: Marrakech to Dades Valley via the High Atlas, Ouarzazate and Rose Valley

1. Marrakech
   Pass by
   Your journey begins with morning pickup from your Marrakech hotel or riad. If your accommodation is located inside an area of the medina that is inaccessible by vehicle, pickup will be arranged from the nearest accessible meeting point. Meet your professional driver-guide and depart in a private, air-conditioned vehicle toward the High Atlas Mountains. The exact pickup time will be confirmed before the tour.
2. Tizi n Tichka
   30m
   Travel through the High Atlas Mountains along winding roads, traditional Berber villages and changing mountain landscapes. Cross the Tizi n’Tichka Pass at an altitude of approximately 2,260 metres, with flexible stops at panoramic viewpoints for photos, fresh air and a short comfort break before continuing toward Ouarzazate.
3. 1h · Admission ticket not included
   Arrive in Ouarzazate, often known as the “Hollywood of Morocco” because of the many international films and television productions made in the region. Travelers who wish may take an optional visit to Atlas Film Studios to discover its film sets, decorations and production history. The entrance ticket is not included. A lunch break will also be arranged at a local restaurant, with lunch at your own expense.
4. 30m
   Continue along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Kelaat M’Gouna, the gateway to the beautiful Valley of Roses. Stop at a local rose cooperative to learn how rose water, essential oils and traditional cosmetic products are made from locally grown roses. Shopping is completely optional, and there is no obligation to purchase.
5. Dades Gorges
   12h
   Arrive in the Dades Valley in the late afternoon and enjoy scenic stops overlooking traditional kasbahs, dramatic rock formations and mountain landscapes. Check in at your hotel or riad, enjoy an included dinner and spend the first night of the tour in the Dades Valley. Breakfast is included the following morning.

Day 2: Dades Valley to Merzouga via Todra Gorge and Erfoud

1. Pass by
   After an included breakfast at your hotel or riad, check out and meet your professional driver-guide. Leave the Dades Valley in your private, air-conditioned vehicle and continue east through changing desert landscapes, traditional villages and palm-filled valleys toward Tinghir and Todra Gorge.
2. Todra Gorge
   1h
   Arrive at Todra Gorge after passing through the oasis town of Tinghir. Enjoy time to walk between the impressive limestone cliffs, which rise dramatically on both sides of the narrow canyon. Your driver-guide will explain the area and allow time for photos, a short walk and a comfort break. After the visit, a lunch stop will be arranged at a local restaurant; lunch is at your own expense.
3. Erfoud
   45m
   Continue toward Erfoud, a desert town known for its dates and fossil-rich stone. Visit a local fossil workshop to learn how fossils found in the surrounding region are cleaned, cut and transformed into decorative objects. The workshop visit is free, and any purchase is completely optional.
4. Merzouga Desert
   1h 30m · Admission ticket included
   Arrive in Merzouga at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes and meet the local camel team. Ride across the golden dunes by camel, with time to enjoy the desert scenery, take photos and watch the sunset from the dunes when weather conditions allow. The camel trek is included in the tour price. Optional quad biking may be arranged at an additional cost, subject to time and availability.
5. Merzouga
   12h
   Continue to your luxury desert camp and settle into your tent for the night. Enjoy an included dinner at the camp, relax in the peaceful desert atmosphere and admire the night sky above the Erg Chebbi dunes. Spend the second night of the tour at the camp, with breakfast included the following morning.

Day 3: Merzouga to Agdz via Rissani, N'Kob and the Draa Valley

1. Merzouga
   1h
   Wake up early, if you wish, to watch the sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes before enjoying an included breakfast at the desert camp. After breakfast, leave the camp and return to Merzouga village by camel or 4x4, depending on the camp arrangements and weather conditions. Meet your driver-guide and begin the journey toward Rissani and the Draa Valley.
2. Rissani Market
   1h
   Continue to Rissani, a historic trading town and an important gateway to the Sahara. If your visit coincides with a market day, explore the traditional souk and discover its local produce, spices, handicrafts and everyday desert life. On non-market days, enjoy a short visit through the town and learn about its importance in the Tafilalt region from your driver-guide.
3. 1h
   Travel through the desert landscapes of Alnif and Tazarine before reaching N’Kob, a peaceful village known for its traditional earthen kasbahs and views of the Jbel Saghro Mountains. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant and enjoy some free time for photos or a short walk through the village. Lunch is not included in the tour price.
4. 1.3 days
   Continue through the Draa Valley, one of Morocco’s most impressive palm-filled valleys. Travel past extensive palm groves, traditional villages, cultivated fields and historic mud-brick kasbahs. Your driver-guide will make flexible stops at panoramic viewpoints, allowing time to admire the landscape and take photos before continuing to Agdz.
5. Agdz
   12h
   Arrive in Agdz in the late afternoon and check in at your hotel, riad or traditional guesthouse. After the day’s journey through the desert and the Draa Valley, enjoy time to relax before an included dinner. Spend the third night of the tour in Agdz, with breakfast included the following morning.

Day 4: Agdz to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou and the High Atlas Mountains

1. Agdz
   Pass by
   After an included breakfast at your hotel or guesthouse, check out and meet your professional driver-guide. Leave Agdz and travel through the rugged landscapes of the Anti-Atlas Mountains and the Ait Saoun Pass toward Ouarzazate. Enjoy scenic views of mountains, desert plateaus and traditional villages along the way.
2. Ouarzazate
   30m
   Return to Ouarzazate and enjoy a short stop for photos, refreshments or a comfort break before continuing to Ait Ben Haddou. Often called the “Hollywood of Morocco,” the city is surrounded by historic kasbahs and landscapes used in many international film productions.
3. Ait Ben Haddou
   2h
   Visit the UNESCO-listed Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, one of Morocco’s best-preserved fortified villages. Walk through its narrow passages, admire its traditional mud-brick architecture and climb to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the surrounding valley. Your driver-guide will share information about the ksar’s history, architecture and appearances in international films. A lunch break will be arranged at a nearby restaurant, with lunch at your own expense.
4. Tizi n Tichka
   30m
   Continue across the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass. Travel along winding mountain roads with flexible stops at panoramic viewpoints for photos, fresh air and a short comfort break. Enjoy the changing scenery as the route descends from the mountains toward Marrakech.
5. Marrakech
   Pass by
   Arrive in Marrakech in the late afternoon or early evening. Your driver-guide will drop you off at your hotel, riad or another agreed location. If your accommodation is located in a part of the medina that is inaccessible by vehicle, drop-off will be at the nearest accessible point. The exact arrival time may vary depending on traffic, weather conditions and the time spent at each stop.

Pickup details

Pickup is available from hotels, riads, private accommodations and Marrakech Menara Airport within the designated pickup area. For riads located inside pedestrian-only areas of the medina, pickup will be arranged at the nearest vehicle-accessible point.
Pickup normally begins around 7:30 AM. The exact pickup time and meeting point will be confirmed before departure. Please provide the full name and address of your accommodation, along with a reachable phone or WhatsApp number.
Guests requesting airport pickup must be ready to depart at the confirmed tour start time. Drop-off is included at the original pickup point or another agreed location in Marrakech. Pickup outside the designated area is subject to prior confirmation.

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels