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Marrakech Desert Tours to the Sahara, 2 to 9 Days
A Marrakech desert tour takes at least two days, because the nearest dunes are a full day’s drive south over the High Atlas. Our private desert tours from Marrakech go to three areas: Zagora and M’hamid in the Draa Valley, the high Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, and the remote dunes of Erg Chigaga.
23 desert tours
Two days to nine, all private.
Which Sahara desert tour from Marrakech suits you?
The answer depends on how many days you have and which dunes you want to see. Here are the four ways to do it, with the tours for each.
2 days: Zagora and the Draa Valley
The shortest desert trip. You cross the High Atlas by Aït Benhaddou to a camp near Zagora and drive back the next day. The dunes are small, and the drive is about seven hours each way.
3 to 5 days: Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
The high dunes most people picture. Merzouga is about 560 km from Marrakech, so three days is the minimum, with a night in the Dades Valley on the way; four or five days make the driving easier or add nights in the desert.
2 to 6 days: Erg Chigaga
A wide, quiet field of dunes beyond M’hamid, reached only by 4×4. Two days is possible by the fast route across Lake Iriki; five or six days give you two or three nights in the dunes.
One way: finish in Fes, Agadir or Essaouira
Cross the desert and end somewhere new, with a flight home from Fes or Agadir or a few days by the sea in Essaouira.
2-Day Desert Trips from Marrakech
One night in the desert, back in Marrakech the next evening.
- Draa Valley
2-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Zagora
2 days / 1 night · Marrakech, round trip
A 2-day desert tour from Marrakech is the shortest way to spend a night in the desert, and Zagora is where it goes.
- Draa Valley
Erg Lihoudi and M'hamid, 2-Day Desert Trip from Marrakech
2 days / 1 night · Marrakech, round trip
Erg Lihoudi is a field of dunes just outside M’hamid El Ghizlane, the last village at the end of the Draa Valley road.
- Erg Chigaga
Marrakech to Erg Chigaga in 2 Days, via Foum Zguid and Lake Iriki
2 days / 1 night · Marrakech, round trip
The fastest way from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga, also spelled Erg Chegaga, goes over the High Atlas and south to Foum Zguid, then across the dry bed of Lake Iriki by 4×4.
Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi Dunes
The tallest dunes in Morocco, reached on paved roads by the Dades and Todra gorges.
- Erg Chebbi
3-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga
3 days / 2 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our 3-day desert tour from Marrakech crosses the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou, goes through the Dades and Todra gorges and reaches the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga on the second afternoon.
- Erg Chebbi
4-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga and Zagora
4 days / 3 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our 4-day desert tour from Marrakech goes out to Merzouga through the Dades and Todra gorges and comes back by another road, over the Saghro foothills to Zagora and the Draa Valley.
- Erg Chebbi
5-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech with Three Nights in Merzouga
5 days / 4 nights · Marrakech to Marrakech or Fes
This 5-day desert tour from Marrakech spends three of its four nights at one camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga, for people who want more time in the desert and less on the road.
- Erg Chebbi
Morocco 7-Day Itinerary from Marrakech, with Merzouga and Fes
7 days / 6 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This Morocco 7-day itinerary starts and ends in Marrakech and covers the south and the north in one loop.
- Erg Chebbi
Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour, 4 Days with a Luxury Camp
4 days / 3 nights · Marrakech to Fes
This Marrakech to Fes desert tour crosses Morocco by way of the Sahara in four days, privately, with a kasbah hotel in Skoura and two nights at a luxury camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Erg Chigaga Desert Tours
The remote dunes past M’hamid, by 4×4 across the desert.
- Erg Chigaga
Erg Chigaga in 5 Days, with Three Nights in the Dunes
5 days / 4 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Erg Chigaga in 5 days gives you three nights at a camp in the dunes and two full days to walk, ride and rest.
- Erg Chigaga
Erg Chigaga Tour from Marrakech, 6 Days via the Dades and Todra Gorges
6 days / 5 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This Erg Chigaga tour from Marrakech links the gorges of the south with the dunes in six days.
One-Way Desert Tours to the Coast
Start in Marrakech, cross the desert and finish by the Atlantic.
- Erg Chigaga
Marrakech to Agadir Desert Tour, 4 Days via Erg Chigaga
4 days / 3 nights · Marrakech to Agadir
Our Marrakech to Agadir desert tour is a four-day, one-way trip with two nights in the Erg Chigaga dunes.
- Erg Chigaga
Marrakech to Essaouira Desert Tour, 5 Days via Erg Chigaga
5 days / 4 nights · Marrakech to Essaouira
Our Marrakech to Essaouira desert tour goes to the coast the long way, in five days.
- Atlantic Coast
Southern Morocco Tour from Marrakech, Coast, Anti-Atlas and Sahara in 7 Days
7 days / 6 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This southern Morocco tour is a seven-day loop from Marrakech through the coast, the mountains and the desert.
Camel Tours in Morocco: Treks, Sandboarding and Quads
Longer days on a camel, on a sandboard or on a quad, with nights at desert camps.
- Erg Chigaga
Camel Trek in Morocco, 9 Days on Foot from M'hamid to Erg Chigaga
9 days / 8 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This camel trek in Morocco spends seven days walking through the desert from M’hamid to Erg Chigaga and back, with camels carrying the gear and a nomad team cooking for you.
- Erg Chebbi
Sandboarding in Morocco and a Camel Trek in Merzouga, 4 Days from Marrakech
4 days / 3 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Erg Chebbi has some of the tallest dunes for sandboarding in Morocco, and this four-day trip from Marrakech gives you two nights there.
- Erg Chigaga
Camel Trekking Tour in Morocco's Erg Chigaga, 4 Days from Marrakech
4 days / 3 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our 4-day Morocco camel trekking tour from Marrakech gives you two nights at a camp in Erg Chigaga, a half-day camel trek and an afternoon on a sandboard.
- Erg Chigaga
Morocco Adventure Tour in Erg Chigaga, 5 Days of Camel, Sandboard and Quad
5 days / 4 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our Morocco adventure tour gives you five days from Marrakech with three nights at a camp in Erg Chigaga and something to do every day.
- Erg Chigaga
Quad Biking in Morocco's Sahara, 7 Days from Marrakech
7 days / 6 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This week of quad biking in Morocco gives you three days of guided riding in the desert south of M’hamid, from the dunes of Erg Lihoudi to Erg Chigaga.
Desert Tours for Families, Events and by Helicopter
Trips planned for children, timed to a desert event, or with a flight to the dunes.
- Erg Chebbi
Morocco Family Tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes, 6 Days from Marrakech
6 days / 5 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This Morocco family tour takes six days to reach the Erg Chebbi dunes and come back, so no day in the car is too long for children.
- Erg Chigaga
Family Desert Tour in Morocco, 5 Days from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga
5 days / 4 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our family desert tour in Morocco goes to Erg Chigaga in five days, with shorter driving days for young children.
- Erg Chebbi
Marathon des Sables Spectator Trip from Marrakech, 3 Days
3 days / 2 nights · Marrakech, round trip
This Marathon des Sables spectator trip takes you from Marrakech to the race area in the Moroccan Sahara to watch the start or the finish.
- Draa Valley
Nomads Festival in M'hamid, Morocco, 7-Day Trip from Marrakech
7 days / 6 nights · Marrakech, round trip
The Nomads Festival in Morocco’s far south, held in M’hamid El Ghizlane, brings three days of music, camel races and nomad crafts to the end of the Draa Valley; in French it is the Festival des Nomades.
- Erg Chebbi
Marrakech Helicopter Tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes, 2 Days
2 days / 1 night · Marrakech, round trip
This Marrakech helicopter tour flies you over the High Atlas to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, a trip of about ten hours by road.
What every Marrakech desert tour includes
- A private car or 4x4 with your own driver
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel
- Nights in hotels or kasbahs on the way, with dinner and breakfast
- One or more nights at a desert camp, with dinner and breakfast
- A camel ride on most tours
- Fuel and road costs
Lunches, drinks, entrance fees, tips and travel insurance are not included. Each tour page has the full list.
How far is the Sahara from Marrakech?
The dunes are south of the High Atlas, and every route crosses the Tizi n’Tichka pass. These are approximate road figures without stops.
| Dunes | From Marrakech | Driving time | Shortest tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zagora (small dunes) | about 360 km | about 7 hours | 2 days |
| Erg Lihoudi, M’hamid | about 450 km | about 8 hours | 2 days |
| Erg Chigaga, via Foum Zguid | about 6 hours of road, then a 4×4 track | about 9 hours | 2 days |
| Erg Chebbi, Merzouga | about 560 km | 9 to 10 hours | 3 days |
Best time for a desert tour from Marrakech
October to April is the most comfortable time. Days are warm and nights cool, and in December and January the desert can drop close to freezing at night. From June to August the afternoons are very hot, so we start early and rest in the middle of the day.
Questions about desert tours from Marrakech
Is a desert tour from Marrakech worth it?
Yes, if you have at least two days. On the way you cross the High Atlas and see Aït Benhaddou and the palm valleys, and a night at a camp in the dunes is quiet and dark in a way few places are. With three days or more you reach the high dunes of Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga.
Can I see the Sahara on a day trip from Marrakech?
Not the dunes. The nearest sand dunes are about seven hours away, so a day trip would be almost all driving. For a desert evening close to the city, the Agafay desert is 40 km away, a stony desert without dunes.
Standard or luxury desert camp?
Standard camps have simple tents, often with shared bathrooms. Luxury camps have proper beds, a private bathroom with a shower and more space between tents. Tell us which you prefer when you enquire; our luxury Morocco tours use luxury camps throughout.
How cold is the desert at night?
From November to February nights in the desert can fall close to freezing, even after a warm day. Camps give you blankets, but bring a warm jacket. From May to September the nights are mild.
Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga?
Erg Chebbi, at Merzouga, has the taller dunes and a paved road to its edge. Erg Chigaga is wider and lower and only reached by 4×4, so it is quieter, with fewer camps.
Read more: Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou on the UNESCO World Heritage List and Erg Chebbi.
More Ways to Travel in Morocco
- Riads and camps
Luxury Morocco Tours
Luxury camps, kasbah hotels, short drives
- Near Marrakech
The Agafay Desert
A stone desert 40 km from the city
- Around Marrakech
Day Trips from Marrakech
Atlas valleys, Ouzoud, Essaouira, the city
- For two
Morocco Honeymoons
Riads, kasbahs and a tent in the dunes
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