Marrakech to Merzouga · 5 days · 4 nights
A private 5-day desert tour from Marrakech with two nights in a Sahara camp: the High Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou, the Todra Gorges, a full day in the Erg Chebbi dunes and the Draa Valley on the way back.
Duration
5 days, 4 nights
Route
Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Dades and Todra - Merzouga (2 nights) - Draa Valley - Marrakech
Guides speak
English and Spanish
Price
From €349 per person. Final price depends on your dates and group size. Free quote with no obligation.
Tour overview
The 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is a private Morocco tour package by Highlights Morocco Tours. It crosses the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley, reaches the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga for a camel ride at sunset, spends two nights in a Sahara desert camp with a full day in the desert, and returns through the Draa Valley 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 5-day tour is for travellers who want a real desert experience and not only a night in a camp. You spend two nights beside the Erg Chebbi dunes, which gives you a full day in the Sahara: sunrise on the dunes, time for the activities you prefer and no driving.
You still cross the High Atlas and visit Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorges, and you return through the Draa Valley and its palm groves. For a shorter trip see our 4-day Merzouga tour, or ask us to add days if you want to slow down.
Photos
Highlights
Itinerary
About 330 km
About 300 km
Merzouga
Merzouga - Draa
Draa - Marrakech
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, a full day in the desert and two nights in a camp.
Draa Valley
Palm groves and kasbahs on the way back, with the last night on the road.
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 tours
All options are private, with a driver and a local guide.
| Tour | Length | Best for | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-day Merzouga tour | 2 days, 1 night | A quick Sahara escape | Intense, long driving days |
| 3-day Merzouga tour | 3 days, 2 nights | The classic Sahara trip | Balanced |
| 4-day Merzouga tour | 4 days, 3 nights | More desert time and shorter drives | Relaxed |
| 5-day Merzouga tour | 5 days, 4 nights | Two nights in camp and a full day in the Sahara | Very 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
This guide describes the 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour from Highlights Morocco Tours: a private round trip with two nights in a Sahara camp, a full day in the dunes, and the Draa Valley on the way back. It also covers timing, packing and prices.
The 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is a private Morocco tour package operated by Highlights Morocco Tours. A driver and a local guide who speaks English or Spanish accompany you from Marrakech across the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorges, then to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga. You spend two nights in a desert camp, so there is a full day in the Sahara, and return through the Draa Valley.
Day 1: You leave Marrakech, cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass with photo stops, visit Ait Ben Haddou and sleep in the Dades Valley after about 330 km. Day 2: You visit the Todra Gorges, drive about 300 km to Merzouga, ride a camel at sunset and enjoy dinner and music at the camp. Day 3: You wake for sunrise and spend a full day in the Sahara, walking the dunes, visiting the Gnawa village of Khamlia or resting, with optional camel trek, quad, buggy or 4x4 trips with nomads, then a second camp night. Day 4: After a last sunrise you drive west towards the Draa Valley, stopping at kasbahs and palm groves, and stay there. Day 5: You follow the road via Ouarzazate, cross the High Atlas again with lunch stops and reach Marrakech in the afternoon or evening.
The 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour suits travellers who want the Sahara at a calmer pace, with a free day in the dunes instead of only passing through. Couples, friends, families and photographers often choose it. The driving is still significant: the first two days cover roughly 330 km and 300 km, and the return crosses the High Atlas. If you enjoy a mix of road, kasbahs and quiet time at camp, this itinerary balances well.
Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable seasons for the 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour. In summer the south is very hot inland and in the desert, so the full desert day is best split between early morning, a rest and sunset. In winter the nights at the dunes are cold, and snow is possible in the High Atlas, near the Tizi n'Tichka pass. We can suggest the better weeks for your dates.
For two nights in the Sahara on this Marrakech tour, pack layers, a warm jacket for the evenings and a scarf for sun and sand. Bring sunglasses, sun cream, a hat and closed shoes for dune walks. A small overnight bag keeps camp life simple. Lunches, drinks, entrance fees and tips are not included, so bring cash in dirhams, and consider a power bank and a few wet wipes, as facilities in the camp are basic.
The 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour starts from 349 euros per person. The final price depends on your dates and group size, and the quote is free with no obligation. Contact Highlights Morocco Tours through the form, WhatsApp or email, and we will confirm the private driver, local guide, sunset camel ride, two nights in the camp and two nights on the road, and adapt details if you wish.
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.
Yes, if you want more than a night in the desert. The tour has two nights in a camp beside the dunes and a full day in the Sahara, plus the High Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou, the Todra Gorges and the Draa Valley.
The 5-day tour adds a second night in the desert camp and a full day in Merzouga, so you have time for the dunes without driving. The 4-day tour has one night in the camp.
Marrakech is about 560 km from Merzouga. The 5-day tour splits the distance over several days and has a free day in the desert, so there is no driving on day 3. Day 4 is the longest return stretch.
You can watch the sunrise over the dunes, walk the dunes, visit the Gnawa village of Khamlia and add a camel trek, a quad or buggy ride or a 4x4 trip with the nomads. Prices for activities are confirmed on request.
You spend two nights in a desert camp beside the Erg Chebbi dunes and two nights on the road, in the Dades Valley and the Draa Valley area. We confirm the places in your quote.
Yes. We can add a night, extend the trip to Fes or other cities, or change the stops. Tell us your dates and we send a free quote.
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 nights, a scarf, sunglasses, sun cream, comfortable closed shoes, a small bag for the camp, a phone charger and some cash for drinks and tips.
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.
Other tours you may like
Tell us your dates and group size and we send a free quote with no obligation.
More tours
4 days · 3 nights
More time in the Sahara, at a relaxed pace, with the dunes of Erg Chebbi at sunset.
From €319 per person
Explore Tour
3 days · 2 nights
Cross the High Atlas, stop at Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorges, and spend a night in the dunes.
Price on request
Explore TourContact Us
Tell us your dates and what you would like to see. We will reply with a free, no-obligation quote.
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.