Marrakech to Merzouga · 3 days · 2 nights
A private three-day Morocco tour package from Marrakech across the High Atlas, with Ait Ben Haddou, the Todra Gorges, a camel ride at sunset and a night in a Sahara desert camp.
Duration
3 days, 2 nights
Route
Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate - Todra Gorges - Merzouga
Guides speak
English and Spanish
Price
On request, free quote with no obligation
Tour overview
The 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is a private Morocco tour package by Highlights Morocco Tours. You cross the High Atlas, visit Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorges, ride a camel at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes and spend a night in a Merzouga desert camp, with 2 nights in total, before returning to Marrakech. It includes a private driver and a local guide who speaks English or Spanish. The price is on request, with a free quote and no obligation.
The 3-day tour is the classic way to see the Moroccan Sahara. With one more day than the 2-day tour, the long drive is split in two, so you have time to stop at Ait Ben Haddou, walk in the Todra Gorges and reach the dunes of Merzouga in time for a camel ride at sunset.
The route follows the old caravan routes between the Sahara and Marrakech, past ksour and kasbahs that once served the caravans. If you want more time in the desert, look at our 4-day Merzouga tour, or at the shorter 2-day.
Photos
Highlights
Itinerary
Marrakech - Dades
Dades - Merzouga
About 560 km
Route map
The route crosses the High Atlas and follows the valleys of the south-east to the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Marrakech
Start and end of the tour, with your private driver and local guide.
Tizi n'Tichka pass
The High Atlas road, with sweeping views.
Ait Ben Haddou
UNESCO-listed ksar of red-earth towers, once a stop on the caravan routes.
Ouarzazate
The gateway to the Sahara, known for its kasbahs and film studios.
Dades Valley
First night on the road, with rock formations, palm groves and kasbahs.
Todra Gorges
Tall canyon walls near Tinghir, on the way to the dunes.
Merzouga
Camel ride at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes and a night in a desert camp.
Caravan routes and kasbahs
For centuries, caravans crossed the Atlas Mountains between the Sahara and Marrakech. The ksour and kasbahs you pass on this tour, such as Ait Ben Haddou, grew along these trade routes, and a caravanserai was the roadside inn where caravans and their camels could rest.
Today you follow the same road by private car with a local guide, and finish where the caravans began their journey across the dunes: in Merzouga, at the edge of the Erg Chebbi.
Morocco tour package
Compare
Choose how many days to spend between Marrakech and the Sahara.
| Tour | Length | Best for | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Day Merzouga tour | 2 days, 1 night | Short on time, a quick Sahara escape | Intense, long driving days |
| 3-Day Merzouga tour | 3 days, 2 nights | The classic Sahara trip, with a camel ride at sunset | Balanced |
| 4-Day Merzouga tour | 4 days, 3 nights | Most popular: more desert time and shorter drives | Relaxed |
Your quote
Meals, extra stops and the type of camp are confirmed in your free quote. Tell us what you prefer.
Good to know
Tour guide
The 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is a private Sahara trip with your own driver and a local guide who speaks English or Spanish. You cross the High Atlas, visit Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorges, ride a camel at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes and sleep in a desert camp, then return to Marrakech on day 3.
The 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is a private Morocco tour package by Highlights Morocco Tours. You travel with your own driver and a local guide who speaks English or Spanish through the High Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorges to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga. There are two nights in total: the first on the road in the Dades or Todra area, the second in a desert camp in Merzouga. The return to Marrakech is about 560 km.
Day 1: Leave Marrakech in the morning with your driver and guide, cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass and visit Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed ksar, with a stop in Ouarzazate. Day 1 ends with a night in the Dades or Todra area. Day 2: Visit the Todra Gorges and their tall canyon walls, then drive across the desert plains of the south-east to Merzouga. Day 2 finishes with a camel ride at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes, dinner and a night in the desert camp. Day 3: Watch the sunrise, have breakfast at camp and drive about 560 km back to Marrakech, with stops for lunch and rest, arriving in the evening at the agreed point.
The 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour is a good fit for travellers who want the classic Sahara route without rushing it into two days. The first night on the road in the Dades or Todra area breaks the outward journey, so the drives are easier than on a 2-day trip. Day 3 is still a long drive of about 560 km, so it suits people who are comfortable spending hours in a vehicle. Couples, friends and families with older children usually enjoy the mix of ksar, canyon and dunes.
Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable seasons for the Marrakech to Merzouga tour, when the gorges are pleasant to walk and the dunes are not too hot. In summer, the Dades and Todra area and Merzouga can be very hot, and the best moments are early morning and sunset. In winter, the desert nights are cold, the Dades area can be chilly, and snow is possible on the Tizi n'Tichka pass in the High Atlas. Marrakech has a different climate from the interior, so plan around the mountains and the desert.
For the 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour, pack light layers, a warm jacket or fleece for the night on the road and the desert camp, and a scarf for sun and sand. Add sunglasses, sun cream, a hat and closed shoes for the Todra Gorges and the dunes. Bring a small bag for the two nights and leave extra luggage in Marrakech if you can. The tour does not include lunches, drinks, entrance fees or tips, so carry cash for meals, Ait Ben Haddou and your driver and guide. Dinner and breakfast at the camp are included.
The price of the 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is on request. Highlights Morocco Tours offers a free quote with no obligation, and you can ask for it through the contact form on the tour page, by WhatsApp or by email. The tour includes pick-up and drop-off at the agreed point, private transport with a driver, your local guide, a camel ride at sunset in the Merzouga dunes, one night in a desert camp, and a second night on the road. Support is available before and during your trip.
Why book with us
Local agency
Highlights Morocco Tours is a private tour operator based in Marrakech.
100% private
Only your group, with your own driver.
English and Spanish
Local guides who speak English or Spanish.
Tailor-made
Ask us to add a night, change a stop or adjust the pace.
WhatsApp support
Support before and during your trip.
Free quote
Send your dates and group size. No obligation.
FAQ
About the trip, how to book it and who we are.
For most travellers it is a good balance. The long drive is split over three days, so you have time for Ait Ben Haddou, the Todra Gorges and a camel ride at sunset. If you have more time, the 4-day tour is more relaxed.
Day 1: Marrakech, the Tizi n'Tichka pass, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate and the Dades Valley. Day 2: the Todra Gorges and Merzouga, with a camel ride at sunset and a night in a desert camp. Day 3: sunrise in the dunes and the drive back to Marrakech.
You spend the first night on the road, in the Dades or Todra area, and the second night in a desert camp in Merzouga. We confirm the places in your quote, so tell us what you prefer.
The tour includes a camel ride at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes, which depends on the season and your arrival time. We confirm the details in your quote.
Marrakech is about 560 km from Merzouga. The drive is split over the three days, with the longest day on the way back. We plan stops for photos, lunch and rest.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are usually the most comfortable seasons. Summer is very hot in the desert and winter nights can be cold.
Light layers and a warm jacket for the desert night, a scarf, sunglasses, sun cream, comfortable closed shoes, a small bag for the camp, a phone charger and some cash for drinks and tips.
Yes. We can add a day or change the stops, and we also organise the 2-day and 4-day Marrakech to Merzouga tours.
Send us your dates and number of travellers with the contact form, by WhatsApp or by email. We reply with a free, no-obligation quote and, once you are happy with it, we confirm the booking and the details of your trip.
The price depends on your dates, the number of travellers and the type of camp, so we quote on request. Quotes are free and come with no obligation.
The tour starts and ends in Marrakech. We agree the pick-up point and time with you when we confirm your booking.
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Based in
Marrakech, Morocco
Support
Available 24/7 while you travel
Why travellers trust us
8+ years
Organising private tours across Morocco for many years.
Local Berber team
Brothers and friends who grew up in the desert and know every road and camp.
100% private
Your own driver and guide. Never a big shared group.
Talk to us directly
No call centre and no middleman. Free quote, no obligation.