"I enjoyed it SO much and it is definitely worth it for the price. They take you all around Morocco. They start at the touristy Hollywood sets and then you have a truly authentic experience getting a tour of the towns. Last the camel ride is amazing and I payed extra the next morning to ride the ATVs which were so worth it. Our guide/driver Houssain El was amazing as well. We unfortunately got caught in a flash flood due to the weather. So the drive back jumped from 7 hours to 19 (As we had to drive around the damaged roads). He was so positive and kind and truly kept the energy high. Overall it was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone."
Marrakech · Kelaat M'Gouna · Merzouga
Merzouga Desert Tour From Marrakech
Three days and two nights: 292 km over the High Atlas to a hotel at Kelaat M'Gouna, 265 km on through the Todgha gorge to the Erg Chebbi dunes for a sunset camel ride and a night in a desert camp, then 553 km back to Marrakech.
From
$117
per person (Option 1: shared tour, standard camp, the same for one, two or four adults; the luxury camp, Option 3, was US$196, checked November 2026)
on promotion, usually $134
Free cancellation
- 4.6 / 5 15541+ Reviews
- 3 days Duration
- Sunset & Sunrise Camel Rides in Erg Chebbi
- Standard or Luxury Tent, Your Choice
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Merzouga Desert Tour Includes
The featured trip's own list: the road south, the gorge walk, both camel rides and the night in the dunes.
Highlights
- Ride camels through the stunning dunes of Merzouga Desert at sunset and sunrise
- Spend the night in a Berber desert camp with music and dinner under the stars
- Explore the UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, seen in Gladiator and Game of Thrones
- Walk through the towering Todgha Gorges and enjoy scenic photo stops
- Travel the Road of 1001 Kasbahs and cross the High Atlas Mountains
What's Included
- Hotel or riad pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned transportation
- Driver-guide
- Dedicated Desert tour accompanist (available on-site)
- Onboard Wi-Fi
- 1 night hotel stay in an AC room-suite with private bathroom
- 1 night in a Standard or Luxury desert tent (based on selected option)
- 2 Breakfasts (Dietary options available)
- 2 Dinners (Dietary options available)
- 3 Lunches (included with selected option only)
- Sunset and sunrise camel rides
- Sandboarding
- Live Berber drumming and music at the camp
- Luggage handling and storage
How the Merzouga Desert Tour Works
Three days, from a 7:00 am pickup in Marrakech to a drop-off at about 8 pm on day three.
The evening before: your pickup time
The exact pickup time and place reach you by WhatsApp and GetYourGuide chat between 5 and 6 pm the evening before. You are collected from your hotel or riad in Marrakech, or the nearest point a vehicle can reach.
Day 1: over the Atlas to Kelaat M'Gouna
292 km by road over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, with Ait Benhaddou, a photo stop outside the Atlas film studios at Ouarzazate, and the Valley of Roses road to a hotel night at Kelaat M'Gouna, dinner included.
Day 2: the Todgha gorge, then the dunes
A walk in the Todgha gorge at Tinghir, then 265 km on to Merzouga, a camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, sandboarding when conditions allow, and dinner with Berber drumming at the camp.
Day 3: sunrise, then the long road back
Climb a dune for the sunrise, ride back to the auberge for breakfast, and drive 553 km back to Marrakech, with a lunch stop, arriving at about 8 pm at your pickup point or another address in the city.
Photo Gallery
The Road to Merzouga in Photos
The High Atlas, the kasbahs of the road south and the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Pick a date on the calendar. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
3-Day Merzouga Desert Tours Compared
The featured round trip, a second round trip with a cheaper luxury tent, and the one-way trip that ends in Fes. All three start in Marrakech at 7:00 am and spend the second night in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
| Feature | RECOMMENDED Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari | 3-day Merzouga Desert Tour with Camel & Quad | Marrakech to Fes: 3-Day Sahara Tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ends in | Marrakech, about 8 pm on day 3 | Marrakech, about 7:30 to 8:30 pm on day 3 | Fes, about 8 pm on day 3 |
| Night 1 | Hotel at Kelaat M'Gouna, private bathroom | Hotel at Tinghir | Hotel or riad at Tinghir, private room and bathroom |
| Night 2 | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi | Desert camp in Merzouga | Desert camp in Erg Chebbi |
| Standard tent | Your own tent, shared bathroom | Shared bathroom outside the tent; solo travellers share with someone of the same gender | Private tent, shared bathroom |
| Luxury tent | Option 3: private bathroom and hot shower, US$196 | Luxury camp option: private bathroom, US$184 | Deluxe tent: private shower and toilet, US$202 |
| Meals | 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners; 3 lunches only with Option 2 | 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners; lunch and drinks extra | 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners; lunches extra on every option |
| Camel rides | Sunset and sunrise, or a 4x4 transfer booked a day ahead | Sunset and sunrise, one camel per person | Sunset and sunrise, or a free 4x4 transfer on request |
| Starting Price | From $117/per person (Option 1: shared tour, standard camp, the same for one, two or four adults; the luxury camp, Option 3, was US$196, checked November 2026) on promotion, usually $134, checked November 2026 | Standard camp US$120 per person for 12 November (checked November 2026) | Standard camp US$110 per person for 12 November (checked November 2026) |
| Rating | 4.6/5 from 15,541 reviews | 4.8/5 from 538 reviews | 4.8/5 from 3,962 reviews |
| Best for | The classic round trip, with the tent class as your choice | A luxury tent for less, or a quad ride on the premium option | Travellers going on to Fes, who skip the 553 km back |
| Check Availability | View This Trip | View This Trip |
Compare Merzouga Trips
Other Merzouga Desert Tours From Marrakech
Another round trip with a luxury-camp option, two one-way trips that end in Fes, and a camp night that starts in Merzouga itself.
LUXURY CAMP OPTIONFrom Marrakech: 3-day Merzouga Desert Tour with Camel & Quad
ENDS IN FESMarrakech to Fes: 3-Day Sahara Tour, Camel Ride & Camp
STARTS IN MERZOUGAMerzouga: Overnight in a Luxury Camp with Dinner & Camel Trek
3 DAYS, ROUND TRIP3-Day Merzouga Sahara Desert Tour From Marrakech
3-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga Camel Trek • Desert Camp • Atlas Mountains • Kasbahs • Sahara Sunrise & Sunset Discover the best 3-day Sahara …
ENDS IN FESFrom Marrakech To Fes: 3-Day with Luxury Camp, Desert Tour
The Merzouga Guide
Merzouga From Marrakech: How the Three Days Really Run
Why it takes three days, where each night is spent, which tent to book, and when to finish in Fes instead.
A Merzouga desert tour from Marrakech is three days on the road for one night in the dunes. Merzouga, the village beside the Erg Chebbi sand sea, is 553 km from Jemaa el-Fna by road, so the trip spends day one crossing the High Atlas to a hotel, reaches the dunes late on day two for a camel ride at sunset and a night in a desert camp, and drives the whole 553 km back on day three after the sunrise. You are among the dunes from the sunset ride to breakfast the next morning. If that evening and that sunrise are the picture you came to Morocco for, the long road is the price of them. The featured trip is rated 4.6/5 from 15,541 reviews, and the per-person price of its shared tour with a standard camp (Option 1) was $117 on promotion, usually $134, checked November 2026.
See dates for the 3-day Merzouga tour
Why it takes three days, not two
The two-day desert trips from Marrakech go to Zagora, whose dunes are closer and smaller. Erg Chebbi is too far for that: 553 km is a full day’s drive each way before you count a single stop. A three-day trip splits the outward road over two days, with a night in a hotel in between, so the second afternoon still has light left for the dunes. Our Merzouga or Zagora guide sets the two deserts side by side, and the distance guide goes leg by leg through the road itself.
The three days, stage by stage
Day 1, Marrakech to Kelaat M’Gouna, 292 km. The pickup is at 7:00 am. The road climbs the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka pass and drops to Ait Benhaddou, the earthen ksar on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1987, where the group stops for lunch (paid on the day, except on Option 2). Past Ouarzazate there is a short photo stop outside the Atlas film studios, then the Valley of Roses road to Kelaat M’Gouna and the night at Hotel Kelaa Mgouna, in a room with its own bathroom, dinner included.
Day 2, Kelaat M’Gouna to Merzouga, 265 km. The morning stop is Tinghir and a walk into the Todgha gorge, with free time and lunch, before the last long stretch to Merzouga. The camel ride out into the dunes is timed for the sunset, with sandboarding if conditions allow, and the night is at a Berber camp in the dunes: dinner under the sky and live drumming by the fire. If you would rather not ride, a 4x4 transfer to the camp replaces the camel, requested at least a day ahead.
Day 3, Merzouga to Marrakech, 553 km. You climb a dune for the sunrise, ride back to the auberge for breakfast, and set off. The drive back runs through Ouarzazate with a lunch stop and ends at about 8 pm at your original pickup point, or at another address in Marrakech. Leave a wide margin before any flight that evening: traffic and the mountain road can make the arrival late.
Not every trip sleeps at Kelaat M’Gouna. Some, including two of the trips compared below, push on to Tinghir on the first evening, which adds about 74 km to day one and shortens day two.
Standard or luxury tent
The camp is where the price changes. On the featured trip the camp class is the option you book, and the price is per person, the same for one, two or four adults when checked in November 2026:
| Option on the featured trip | The camp night | Meals | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option 1: shared tour, standard camp | Your own tent, shared bathroom | 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners | $117 on promotion, usually $134, checked November 2026 |
| Option 3: luxury desert camp | Your own tent with a private bathroom and hot shower | 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners | US$196 |
| Option 2: standard camp with 3 lunches | Your own tent, shared bathroom | 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners | US$202 |
Option prices for one adult on 12 and 24 November 2026, checked November 2026; each date has its own price on the calendar.
Two things in that table are worth a second look. First, Option 2 costs about US$85 more than Option 1 for three lunches, while travellers on the other options pay for lunch at the stops, about €10 to €13 a meal in cash. Second, a solo traveller gets a tent of their own on every option of the featured trip. That is not true of every Merzouga trip: on From Marrakech: 3-day Merzouga Desert Tour with Camel & Quad, a solo traveller on the standard option shares the hotel room and the tent with another traveller of the same gender.
The luxury tent is the upgrade most people weigh. It buys a bathroom inside your tent, which matters most on a cold night, when a shared bathroom means getting up and going outside.
Which Merzouga trip fits you
All four of these reach the Erg Chebbi dunes. They differ in where they end, which tent you sleep in, and where they start:
Round trip, standard camp
Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari
Back in Marrakech at about 8 pm on day three, with a hotel night at Kelaat M'Gouna and your own tent in the camp. The luxury tent is Option 3 on the same calendar, US$196.
See dates →Luxury tent, for less
3-day Merzouga Desert Tour with Camel & Quad
A round trip from Marrakech that sleeps at Tinghir on night one; its luxury option gives you a tent with a private bathroom in Merzouga. The quad ride is included only with the premium option, US$235; otherwise it is arranged on site as an extra.
See the luxury option →One way, ends in Fes
Marrakech to Fes: 3-Day Sahara Tour
It does not come back to Marrakech: day three runs north from the dunes through Erfoud, the Middle Atlas cedar forest and Ifrane to a drop-off at your hotel in Fes at about 8 pm. A deluxe tent with its own shower is US$202.
See dates to Fes →Already in Merzouga
Overnight in a Luxury Camp with Camel Trek
For drivers and anyone who reaches Merzouga on their own: a camel ride out at sunset, a luxury tent with its own bathroom, dinner, Berber music, the sunrise and the ride back. One night can be booked by one adult; two nights were US$168 each and need at least two people.
See camp dates →Prices, ratings and review counts checked November 2026, for one adult on 12 November unless stated. Operators price by date and season, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote; each calendar shows the live price.
Round trip, or finish in Fes?
If your trip continues to Fes, the one-way route saves you the 553 km back. The Marrakech-to-Fes trips cover the same first two days, the Atlas, Ait Benhaddou, the Todgha gorge and the camp night, then leave the dunes north through Erfoud and the Middle Atlas instead of west. The Marrakech to Fes guide compares the one-way trips in detail. Starting from Fes instead? merzougadesert.org covers the Fes road to the dunes in depth, with the two-day trips that leave from there.
Weather on the road: what the nearest stations say
The nearest weather station with official averages is at Errachidia, north of the dunes; with the one at Ouarzazate, on the road south, it gives the shape of the year. These are town readings, not readings from the camps:
| 1991 to 2020 average | Errachidia, day / night | Ouarzazate, day / night |
|---|---|---|
| January | 15.9 / 2.0 °C | 17.3 / 1.8 °C |
| April | 26.1 / 13.0 °C | 26.7 / 11.9 °C |
| July | 39.5 / 25.8 °C | 38.8 / 22.7 °C |
| October | 26.8 / 14.2 °C | 27.5 / 13.3 °C |
| November | 20.6 / 7.7 °C | 21.7 / 7.2 °C |
Mean daily maximum and minimum, 1991 to 2020, from Morocco’s national weather service (Direction de la Météorologie Nationale) via the WMO World Weather Information Service, read November 2026.
Spring and autumn give the mildest days. In July the average afternoon at Errachidia passes 39 °C, and in January the average night falls to about 2 °C, which is the month a private bathroom in the tent earns its price. Whatever the season, pack a warm layer for the night in the camp. The Sahara weather guide goes month by month.
Before you book
- The pickup time and place come by WhatsApp and GetYourGuide chat between 5 and 6 pm the evening before, so keep your phone on.
- Luggage: big suitcases stay in the van. Take a small backpack for the camp night.
- Cash: bring euros or dirhams for lunches, drinks and tips. There are no cash machines in the desert.
- Your passport comes with you (a copy is accepted).
- Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later.
- The trip is not suitable for pregnant women.
For every kind of desert trip from Marrakech, from one evening to four days, start at the Sahara desert tour home page. For the three days to Merzouga, check availability for your dates.
Guest Reviews
What Merzouga Travellers Say
4.6/5
from 15541 verified guests
"MAZOUZI – NUMBER ONE IN THE DESERT! A+ WITH HONORS We went on the desert excursion with Mazouzi as our driver, and we couldn't have asked for anything better. He was simply NUMBER ONE. It was a long trip, hours on the road, but with him everything was perfect: very safe driving, a clean and very comfortable car, extremely punctual and super professional. He always stops at the right places, explains everything to you, and never lets you want for anything. In the desert, he was fantastic. He let us enjoy the experience to the fullest with his unique kindness and helpfulness. Always with a smile, always ready to help us, he made us feel like family from the very first minute. There are many drivers in Morocco, but there is only one MAZOUZI. If you book the desert excursion, ASK FOR MAZOUZI – he's a sure bet. It wouldn't have been the same without him. Thank you so much, Mazouzi – you're the best!"
"Mohamed was honestly the best driver we’ve had during our entire stay in Morocco! He drove incredibly well and always made sure we felt safe. We got caught in the flooding in Merzouga and ended up stuck in traffic for over 6 hours. Mohamed left at 8 AM & didn’t get back to Marrakech until 2 AM, making it an 18-hour day! Despite how exhausting it must have been... he stayed calm, focused & drove incredibly well the entire time. He was also funny, kind & so easy to get along with!!My friend and I have never felt so well taken care of during a trip. He always made our safety a priority during every activity. 🙏🏽 Even though our desert experience didn’t go as planned because of the weather, we still left with beautiful memories thanks to Mohamed and the connection we built with him and the other travelers. He really made a difficult situation so much better & we're so grateful we had him as our driver and couldn’t recommend him enough! ❤️❤️"
"I had a wonderful three days. Our guide, Fatima, was very knowledgeable and always ready to answer any questions we had. The driver, Abdelaali, was very friendly and attentive to all our needs. The stops at the various sites were perfectly organized. The desert was something truly unique, with camels at sunset, sandboarding and quad biking at sunrise. Everything was perfect. Thank you very much, and see you next time."
"10/10 experience. It exceeded our expectations. Highly recommended. We traveled with Fatima and Bellhaded, and they were very kind and explained things to us well. The experience of sleeping in the middle of the desert was very interesting, as there was a rainstorm 😂."
"Our 3-day desert trip was an absolutely incredible experience, and a huge part of that was thanks to our driver, Mozaz! From the very beginning, he was much more than just a driver. He was friendly, welcoming, funny, professional, and always made sure everyone felt comfortable, safe, and happy throughout the entire journey. His positive energy, kindness, and genuine care for the group made every moment even more special."
"An absolute 10/10 experience from start to finish! My friend and I recently did this Sahara trip, and we both absolutely loved it. Every single detail was handled perfectly. The accommodations were excellent - both the hotel on our first night and the Standard Camp tent on the second night were incredibly spacious and comfortable. We also really appreciated how seamless the organization was. We were always kept fully informed about the next activity and felt completely taken care of, meaning we never had a single moment of confusion about where to go or what was happening next. All of the guides were incredibly friendly, but a special shoutout must go to our driver, Hicham. Despite the long drive, he made the entire journey so much fun. It genuinely felt like a road trip with close friends! Beyond all the amazing activities, getting to learn about and experience the Amazigh culture was unforgettable. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone!"
"An extremely well-organized activity with a kind, friendly driver and local tour guides. I would be happy to recommend it to others."
Read all 15541 verified reviews
See All ReviewsBook the 3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour
Pickup in Marrakech, the High Atlas, Ait Benhaddou, the Todgha gorge, sunset and sunrise camel rides in Erg Chebbi and a night in a desert camp, with your choice of a standard or a luxury tent. Rated 4.6/5 from 15,541 reviews (November 2026). Starting from $117 per person (Option 1: shared tour, standard camp, the same for one, two or four adults; the luxury camp, Option 3, was US$196, checked November 2026) on promotion, usually $134, checked November 2026.
Check Availability & BookCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Dates and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Merzouga Desert Tour: Questions Before You Book
What people ask Google about Merzouga and the trip from Marrakech, answered.
553 km by road from Jemaa el-Fna to the village of Merzouga, or about 382 km in a straight line. The 3-day trips split the outward road into two stages, 292 km over the High Atlas to Kelaat M'Gouna on day one and 265 km through Tinghir to Merzouga on day two, then drive the whole 553 km back on day three, arriving in Marrakech at about 8 pm. The route map on this page shows the three stages.
For tall sand dunes, Merzouga: the Erg Chebbi dunes beside the village are the big orange sand sea most people picture when they think of the Sahara in Morocco. Zagora is closer to Marrakech, so it fits into a 2-day trip, but its dunes are smaller. If you have only two days, Zagora is the realistic choice; if you can give it three, Merzouga is the one to pick. The Merzouga or Zagora guide sets the two trips side by side.
For sand dunes you can reach from Marrakech, Erg Chebbi at Merzouga, which Morocco's national tourist office calls one of the gates of the Sahara: a small village in the middle of the sands, with dunes, palm groves and tracks around it. The two nearer options trade the dunes for time. Zagora has smaller dunes two days away, and the stony Agafay plateau outside Marrakech gives you a desert evening without sand dunes. The Sahara day trip guide explains what a single day can reach.
From Marrakech, the 3-day round trip to Merzouga is the classic: two days out over the High Atlas with a hotel night at Kelaat M'Gouna, a sunset camel ride into Erg Chebbi, a night in a desert camp and the drive back on day three. The featured trip is rated 4.6/5 from 15,541 reviews; its shared tour with a standard camp was US$117 per person and the luxury camp US$196 on the November 2026 dates checked. If you are travelling on to Fes, a one-way 3-day trip ends there instead. Check the dates for the round trip.
The mildest months are in spring and autumn. At Errachidia, the nearest weather station to Merzouga with official averages, April and October average about 26 to 27 °C by day and 13 to 14 °C at night (1991 to 2020). July averages 39.5 °C by day there, and January nights about 2 °C, which is when a warm layer and a tent with its own bathroom make the most difference. The weather table on this page adds Ouarzazate, on the road south.
The UK government's travel advice for Morocco has three points that matter on this trip. The land border with Algeria is closed and must not be crossed. Heavy rain can cause flash floods in winter, especially in the mountains and near rivers, and mountain roads are hazardous in bad weather. Quad rides, sold as extras on several of these trips, call for a helmet and an insurance policy that covers them, since some policies do not. On a tour, the mountain pass and the desert driving are left to the driver-guide rather than to you.
By road. From Marrakech it is 553 km over the High Atlas, and from Fes about 461 km through the Middle Atlas. Most visitors go on a multi-day tour that covers the transport, a hotel night on the way and the camp night in the dunes. If you drive yourself or arrive by other means, you can book only the desert part: one-night camp stays start in Merzouga village, with a camel ride out to the camp at sunset. The distance guide goes through the road from Marrakech leg by leg.
Yes, and at Merzouga the camp night is the point of the trip: the camps stand among the Erg Chebbi dunes, and the tours ride out to them by camel at sunset. On the featured trip you choose the class when you book. The standard camp gives you your own tent with a shared bathroom, US$117 per person in November 2026; the luxury camp adds a private bathroom and hot shower inside the tent, US$196. Both include dinner, live Berber drumming and breakfast. The comparison table sets three trips' tents side by side.
Yes, if the tall dunes are what you came for, and if you accept the road. A round trip from Marrakech spends most of three days in a vehicle for one evening and one sunrise in Erg Chebbi, and the last day is 553 km in one go. The road itself is part of the trip: the High Atlas, Ait Benhaddou and the Todgha gorge. If you would rather spend less time driving, the one-way trips that end in Fes skip the long day back, and the 2-day Zagora trips trade the big dunes for a shorter road. See dates for the 3-day trip.
On the featured 3-day trip, the shared tour with a standard camp was US$117 per person, the luxury camp US$196 and the standard camp with three lunches US$202, the same per person for one, two or four adults (one adult, 12 and 24 November 2026, checked November 2026). Lunches on the other options are paid on the day, about €10 to €13 a meal, plus drinks and tips. Another round trip, which sleeps at Tinghir on the first night, was US$184 with its luxury camp. The comparison table lists what each price includes.
Yes. The one-way 3-day trips start in Marrakech at 7:00 am, follow the same road to the dunes for the camp night, and on day three drive north through Erfoud, the Middle Atlas cedar forest and Ifrane, ending at your hotel in Fes at about 8 pm. The one compared on this page was US$110 for its standard camp and US$202 with a deluxe tent on 12 November 2026; lunches are extra on every option. The Marrakech to Fes guide compares the one-way trips.
From Marrakech, every 3-day trip already has just one night in the desert: the other night is a hotel on the way. If you are already in Merzouga, for example on your own road trip, one-night camp stays start in the village in the afternoon: a camel ride out at sunset, dinner and music in the camp, the sunrise and the ride back. The one compared on this page, with a luxury tent and its own bathroom, was US$84 for one night for one adult in November 2026; its two-night stay needs at least two people. The choice cards in the guide link to it.
Still have questions? Email us at info@marrakech-sahara-desert-tour.com