4 days and 3 nights · Round trip from Marrakech
4 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech: Private Round Trip
From US$390 per person
Overview · Route map · At a glance · Day by day · What’s included · Prices
Overview
About this 4 day journey
This 4 day round trip from Marrakech takes you over the High Atlas to the dunes of Erg Chebbi and back again, without ever driving the same road twice. You go out through the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorge, and return through the oases of the Draa Valley.
It suits travelers who are based in Marrakech and want to see the Sahara properly, with a night in a desert camp, the great kasbahs of the south and the quiet villages that most tours pass by.
Highlights
Tizi n’Tichka pass
The highest road pass in the High Atlas, with terraced villages and wide mountain views.
Skoura and the Valley of Roses
A palm grove full of old kasbahs, and villages known for their rose harvest.
Todra Gorge
A walk along the riverbed between the high red walls of the canyon.
A night in Erg Chebbi
A camel ride into the dunes at sunset and a night in a desert camp.
The Draa Valley
Palm groves, earthen villages and the kasbahs of Nkob and Agdz on the way back.
Ait Benhaddou
The UNESCO listed clay fortress, saved for the last afternoon.
Route map
Where this journey takes you
Duration4 days and 3 nights, fully private
Start and EndYour riad or hotel in Marrakech on Day 1 and Day 4
StyleKasbah hotels in the Dades Valley and the Draa Valley, and a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
NightsDades Valley 1, Merzouga desert camp 1, Draa Valley 1
Travel PaceLong scenic road days with regular stops, on a loop that never repeats a road
Route
Marrakech · Tizi n’Tichka · Ouarzazate · Skoura · Valley of Roses · Dades Valley · Todra Gorge · Merzouga · Rissani · Alnif · Nkob · Agdz · Ait Benhaddou
Itinerary at a glance
Your trip in brief
| Day | Where you go | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Marrakech to the Dades Valley | Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included |
| Day 2 | Todra Gorge and the Sahara | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included |
| Day 3 | The Draa Valley | Kasbah hotel in the Draa Valley, dinner included |
| Day 4 | Ait Benhaddou and back to Marrakech | Departure |
Full itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Marrakech to the Dades Valley
Marrakech To Tizi n’Tichka To Ouarzazate To Skoura To Dades Valley
We leave Marrakech in the morning and climb into the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, stopping for photographs and mint tea in a mountain village.
After lunch in Ouarzazate we continue to the palm grove of Skoura and through the Valley of Roses to the Dades Valley, where you spend the night in a kasbah hotel with views over the gorge.
Overnight: Kasbah hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner included
Day 2
Todra Gorge and the Sahara
Dades Valley To Todra Gorge To Merzouga
After breakfast we drive along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to the Todra Gorge for a walk between its towering walls, then continue east across the stony desert towards the Sahara.
In the late afternoon you meet your camel in Merzouga and ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi for sunset. Dinner is served at the camp, followed by music by the fire and a night under the stars.
Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner included
Day 3
The Draa Valley
Merzouga To Rissani To Alnif To Nkob To Agdz
You wake early for sunrise over the dunes, then ride back to Merzouga for breakfast. We stop in Rissani, the old caravan town, before taking the quiet road west through Alnif, an area known for its fossils.
In the afternoon we reach Nkob, a village of earthen kasbahs, and continue into the Draa Valley, a long oasis of date palms, to spend the night in a kasbah hotel near Agdz.
Overnight: Kasbah hotel in the Draa Valley, dinner included
Day 4
Ait Benhaddou and back to Marrakech
Agdz To Ouarzazate To Ait Benhaddou To Tizi n’Tichka To Marrakech
After breakfast we cross the Anti Atlas to Ouarzazate and continue to Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO listed fortress, where you have time to walk up through its lanes to the top of the hill.
After lunch we cross the High Atlas once more by the Tizi n’Tichka pass and arrive back at your riad or hotel in Marrakech in the early evening.
What’s included
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
- Private, air conditioned vehicle with a professional English speaking driver guide throughout
- Accommodation as described, with daily breakfast
- Dinners as described in the itinerary
- Camel ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi
- All entrance fees to the monuments and sites mentioned in the itinerary
- All fuel, tolls, parking fees, and applicable taxes
- Bottled water in the vehicle, and 24 hour support during your trip
Not included
- International airfare
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Lunches and drinks
- Gratuities for guides and drivers, at your discretion
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Prices
4 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech prices
Every tour is private, so the price per person depends on how many of you travel together and the accommodation level you choose: Affordable Comfort (3 star hotels and riads), Classic Comfort (4 star riads), Affordable Luxury (4 and 5 star riads) or Deluxe Luxury (5 star riads). Prices are per person for the whole 4 day tour, based on two people sharing a room.
| Group size | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler (own room) | US$1,240 | US$1,480 | US$1,780 | US$2,380 |
| 2 travelers | US$660 | US$780 | US$930 | US$1,230 |
| 3 travelers | US$530 | US$650 | US$800 | US$1,100 |
| 4 travelers | US$460 | US$580 | US$730 | US$1,030 |
| 5 travelers | US$420 | US$540 | US$690 | US$990 |
| 6 travelers | US$390 | US$510 | US$660 | US$960 |
| Single room supplement, whole tour | Affordable Comfort | Classic Comfort | Affordable Luxury | Deluxe Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per single room | US$180 | US$300 | US$450 | US$750 |
Included: 3 nights with breakfast and dinner, your private vehicle with an English speaking driver guide, fuel, tolls and parking, the camel ride in the dunes and the entrance fees on the route. For groups larger than 6 travelers, ask me for the exact price. A 10% supplement applies to dates between 20 December and 5 January. How my prices work.
Good to know
Before you book
Customization
This itinerary is private and flexible. If you wish to add a night, skip a stop, or change the pace, I will shape the journey around you.
Pickup and drop off
Pickup is at your riad or hotel on Day 1, and drop off at your riad or hotel at the end of the tour. Airport pickup can be arranged.
Booking and cancellation
A 50% deposit confirms your booking and the balance is due 60 days before the tour starts. Cancellation refunds are 100% for 30 or more days before departure, 50% for 15 to 29 days, 25% for 7 to 14 days, and none under 7 days.
What travelers say
Rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor
Guest reviews written since 2012. Read the reviews on TripAdvisor.
“The ONLY way to see Morocco is with Hassan Bouaouina.”
Young766, TripAdvisor, 2012
“Hassan has a contagious passion for Morocco… I felt safe and taken care of.”
Viator, 5 day desert trip, 2018
“Hassan quickly became more like a brother to us than a guide.”
michalotte02, tourHQ, 2023
Before you go
Read before you travel
- Fez to Merzouga: 2 or 3 Days, the Route, and Merzouga or Zagora
- Best Time for the Sahara in Morocco, and What to Pack for Cold Desert Nights
- How Many Days Do You Need in Morocco? 7, 10 and 14 Day Plans
For visas, money, transport and seasons, see the full Morocco Travel Guide or browse the travel blog.
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Ready to plan this journey?
Send a booking request with your dates and group size, or ask me anything about the route first. I plan every trip personally and reply within 48 hours.