Round trip from Marrakech · 6 days · 5 nights
Book a private 6-day tour from Marrakech with three nights at the Merzouga dunes: the Dades Valley, a camel ride, two full days in the Sahara, Ouarzazate and the High Atlas, with a driver and a local guide.
Duration
6 days, 5 nights
Route
Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Dades Valley - Merzouga (3 nights) - Ouarzazate - Marrakech
Guides speak
English and Spanish
Price
On request, free quote with no obligation
Tour overview
The 6-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, spends three nights in a Sahara desert camp at Merzouga with a camel ride at sunset and two full days in the dunes, and returns through Ouarzazate and the Tizi n'Tichka pass 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 6-day tour is for travellers who want the desert to be the main part of the trip. Most tours give you one night in the Sahara. This one gives you three nights beside the Erg Chebbi dunes, so you can ride a camel at sunset, add a quad or buggy ride, take a 4x4 trip with the nomads and still have time to rest.
You cross the High Atlas and visit Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley on the way out, and return through Ouarzazate. Book your private tour: tell us your dates and group size and we send a free quote with no obligation. For a shorter trip see our 5-day desert tour.
Photos
Highlights
Itinerary
About 330 km
About 300 km
Merzouga
Merzouga
About 380 km
About 200 km
Route map
The route crosses the High Atlas to the Dades Valley, goes on to the Erg Chebbi dunes and returns through Ouarzazate and the Tizi n'Tichka pass.
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.
Dades Valley
First night on the road, with the hairpin road, rock formations and kasbahs.
Todra Gorges
Tall canyon walls near Tinghir, on the way to the dunes.
Merzouga
Camel ride at sunset, two full days in the desert and three nights in a camp.
Ouarzazate
The gateway to the Sahara, with its kasbahs, on the way back to Marrakech.
Why this route
If the desert is why you are travelling, three nights at Merzouga let you slow down: sunrise and sunset on the dunes, activities when you want them and no packing up every morning.
The return through Ouarzazate gives you a different road from the way out, with the kasbahs of the south and the High Atlas pass at the end.
Morocco tour package
Compare tours
All options are private, with a driver and a local guide.
| Tour | Length | Best for | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 6-day Merzouga tour | 6 days, 5 nights | Three nights in camp and two full days 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 presents the 6-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour by Highlights Morocco Tours, a private round trip with three nights in the Sahara and two full days in the dunes. It covers the daily route, who it suits, seasons, packing and how to request a quote.
The 6-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is a private Morocco tour package by Highlights Morocco Tours, with a driver and a local guide who speaks English or Spanish. You cross the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley, then spend three nights in a desert camp at Merzouga, with a camel ride at sunset and two full days around the Erg Chebbi dunes. The return goes through Ouarzazate and the Tizi n'Tichka pass.
Day 1: You leave Marrakech, cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass, visit Ait Ben Haddou and sleep in the Dades Valley after about 330 km. Day 2: You walk or drive among the Dades rock formations, visit the Todra Gorges and reach Merzouga for dinner, music and the first camp night. Day 3: A full day in the Sahara, with sunrise, a walk, the village of Khamlia or optional camel, quad, buggy and 4x4 trips. Day 4: A second full day at your own pace, with Khamlia or the market town of Rissani if you like, and a third night in camp. Day 5: After a last sunrise you drive about 380 km west to Ouarzazate. Day 6: You visit the Taourirt kasbah if you wish, cross the High Atlas with lunch and arrive in Marrakech in the afternoon.
The 6-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is for travellers who want to slow down in the Sahara rather than only visit it: photographers, couples, families with older children and anyone who likes to rest between drives. Two full days at camp make it more flexible than shorter itineraries. Be aware that the days from Marrakech to the Dades Valley, from Merzouga to Ouarzazate and the final return are long on the road.
Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable seasons for the 6-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour, especially with three nights in the dunes. In summer the desert and the inland valleys are very hot, so schedule activities early and late in the day. In winter the desert nights are cold, and snow is possible in the High Atlas around the Tizi n'Tichka pass. Marrakech and Ouarzazate can feel quite different, so ask us about your dates.
For three nights in the Sahara on the Marrakech to Merzouga tour, pack layers, a warm jacket for evenings and a scarf for sun, wind and sand. Bring sun protection, sunglasses and closed shoes for dune walks. Lunches, drinks, entrance fees and tips are not included, so carry enough cash in dirhams, including for optional quad, buggy or 4x4 activities. A power bank, wet wipes and a book or two will make the long camp days easier.
The price of the 6-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour is on request, since it depends on your dates, group size and chosen activities. The quote from Highlights Morocco Tours is free with no obligation. You can ask for it through the contact form, by WhatsApp or by email, and we will send a clear proposal covering the private driver, local guide, sunset camel ride, three camp nights and two nights on the road.
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 the desert is the main reason for your trip. The tour has three nights in a camp beside the dunes and two full days in the Sahara, plus the High Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Valley and Ouarzazate.
The 6-day tour has three nights at Merzouga and two full days in the desert, with no driving on those days. The 5-day tour has two nights and one full day, and the 4-day tour has one night.
You can watch the sunrise over the dunes, ride a camel, add a quad or buggy ride, take a 4x4 trip with the nomads, visit the Gnawa village of Khamlia or simply rest at camp. Prices for activities are confirmed on request.
Marrakech is about 560 km from Merzouga. The 6-day tour splits the distance over several days and has two days with no driving. The longest days are the first one, Merzouga to Ouarzazate and the way back to Marrakech.
You spend three nights in a desert camp beside the Erg Chebbi dunes and two nights on the road, in the Dades Valley and in Ouarzazate. 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.
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.