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5-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech with Three Nights in Merzouga
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. You drive out by Aït Benhaddou and the Dades Valley, and the tour ends in Marrakech or in Fes.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
5-day desert tour from Marrakech at a glance
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Dades · Merzouga · Erg Chebbi · Marrakech or Fes
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
Three nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes
Three nights at the same camp leave two full days for walks, camel rides, reading in the shade and watching the light change on the sand.
On the last day you choose where to finish: back in Marrakech, or north over the Middle Atlas to Fes, which is a slightly shorter drive.
Highlights
- Three nights at the same desert camp
- Two full days in the dunes
- Khamlia village and the Rissani market
- The Dades Valley on the way out
- A choice of ending in Marrakech or Fes
Read more: Erg Chebbi.
Day-by-day itinerary
How the five days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off in Marrakech or Fes.
Day 1 · Marrakech to the Dades Valley
Over the High Atlas past Aït Benhaddou to the Dades Valley.
- Overnight: Hotel in the Dades Valley
Day 2 · Dades to Merzouga
Through the Todra Gorge to Merzouga and a camel ride to camp.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
Day 3 · In the dunes
A free day: walks, a camel ride, Khamlia village.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
Day 4 · In the dunes
Another free day; the Rissani market if it falls on a market day.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
Day 5 · Merzouga to Marrakech or Fes
A long drive to either city, arriving in the evening.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the five days
- Pickup at your hotel in Marrakech and drop-off at your hotel in Marrakech or Fes
- One night: hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner and breakfast
- Three nights: desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner and breakfast
- Camel ride in the dunes
- Fuel and road costs
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees and local guides at the sites
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Pickup, best time to go and what to bring
Pickup points
We pick you up at your riad or hotel in Marrakech at the time you choose. If your riad is in a lane cars cannot enter, the driver waits at the nearest square or gate and someone from the riad walks you there. The tour ends at your hotel in Marrakech or Fes.
Best time to go
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.
What to bring
Layers, with a warm jacket for the desert night from November to March; a hat, sunglasses and sun cream; a scarf against wind and sand; shoes you can walk in on sand; a head torch; a small bag for the camp night, since your main luggage stays in the vehicle; cash in dirhams for drinks and tips; a power bank.
Good to know
Carry cash in dirhams: camps and small villages rarely take cards, and the last cash machines are in towns such as Ouarzazate, Zagora and Erfoud. Phone signal is often weak in the dunes. Camps have toilets and showers, shared at standard camps and private at luxury ones. Keep cameras and phones in a bag when the wind lifts the sand, and ask before you photograph people in the villages. Your main luggage stays locked in the vehicle overnight.
Price, deposit and cancellation
Prices are per person and depend on the size of your group. You book with a 20% deposit by card or PayPal and pay the balance on the first day of the tour.
If you cancel 30 days or more before the start, we refund the deposit in full; after that the deposit is kept. You can change the date once for free if you ask 14 days or more before. The details are in our Cancellation Policy.
Questions about the 5-day desert tour from Marrakech
What do you do with three nights in the desert?
Walk up the dunes at sunrise, ride camels, try sandboarding, visit a nomad family or the village of Khamlia, or rest at the camp. Nothing is fixed, and your driver is there if you want to go out.
Can the 5-day tour end in Fes?
Yes. Merzouga to Fes, by Midelt and the Middle Atlas, is a little shorter than the drive back to Marrakech, so you can choose where the tour ends.
What is the desert camp like?
You sleep in a tent at a camp in the dunes, with dinner and breakfast. Camps range from simple to comfortable tents with a private bathroom; tell us the level you want and we suggest camps that fit.
Can we change the route or the hotels?
Yes. We can add nights, change hotels or swap the order of the stops, since only your group is on the tour. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.
Can we bring children?
Yes. Tell us how old they are and we plan the driving, the stops and the pace around them.
How do I book?
Send an enquiry with your dates and group size and we reply with availability and a quote. When online booking is open for this tour, you can also reserve with a deposit by card or PayPal.
Book this tour
Send your dates and group size and we reply with a quote.
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Route and stays adjusted to you
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