5 Days Desert Tour From Marrakech

Our local team shall pick you up from your accommodation in Marrakech after breaking your fast around 9:00. Our journey takes us over the High Atlas Mountains and through the Tizi n'Tichka Pass.

Within an hour, our first stop will be at a panoramic view overlooking Berber villages. Here, you will learn about the Berber lifestyle and appreciate the natural landscape of the Atlas Mountains. Optionally, you can visit a female cooperative of Argan oil.

After several interesting stops, we will arrive in Ouarzazate, often referred to as the Hollywood of Africa and famous for its largest African studios. You will have the option to visit Atlas Studios, where famous movies and shows like Game of Thrones and Kingdom of Heaven were filmed.

After lunch at your leisure in a local restaurant, we continue our spectacular journey along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, passing through skoura oasis and the Valley of Roses. In Skoura, you will visit a pottery clay workshop and the 17th-century Kasbah Amridil. Next, we stop in Kalaat M'Gouna, where an annual festival of roses is held in May. You can purchase rose products here to enjoy during your entire trip.

In the afternoon, we will reach our comfortable accommodation in Dades Valley for an overnight stay. Dinner will be served at your hotel restaurant.

After breakfast at your hotel, we will leave Dades valley and continue our amazing journey to the Sahara desert of Merzouga. The drive spans roughly 4 hours. Along, we stop in the mesmerizing Todra Valley, known for the lush Todra Palmeraie Gorge. Continue along the valley to reach the dramatic Gorges of Todra while making frequent stops for photos, a haven for rock climbers and nature lovers. Your driver/guide will suggest taking a leisurely walk beneath the 300-meter cliffs. Every corner will leave you in awe.

After a traditional lunch, the drive continues to Merzouga desert via some Berber villages and a Palmeraie oasis of Tafilalt. An optional stop will be made in a Berber family shop, where you will dress traditionally and get a henna tattoo for photography. Free of charge, but possible to get the best scarf for your desert experience to protect you from the sand and sunburn.

Arrive at Merzouga desert in the late afternoon, where you will enjoy a peaceful camel ride over the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, led by an experienced camel guide to explore and enjoy the sand sea of Erg Chebbi. The camel guide will make sure to stop in a high dune to watch what may be the best sunset of your lifetime. After the twilight, you’ll get to your featured camp, where you’ll spend your dreamy night. Dinner will be served at the camp, followed by live local music around a bonfire under the blanket of stars.

Break your fast at your camp, then embark on a 4WD journey to explore the hidden gems of the Sahara. Our adventure includes visiting nomadic Berber families, the village of Khamlia, lush oases, seasonal lakes, and the abandoned mines of Miffis.

First, we will visit a Berber nomadic family at their traditional tent in the heart of the desert. Here, you will learn about their unique lifestyle in this vast landscape while sharing a traditional cup of Moroccan mint tea. We then continue to the historic Miffis mines, where you can still find locals working in the ancient kohl (mascara) and mineral stone mines.

Later, head to Khamlia village, famous for the Gnaoua people, whose ancestors originated from sub-Saharan countries such as Sudan, Mali, and Niger. Having beautifully integrated into Berber culture, they are renowned for their soulful music and unique way of life. Nearby, we will enjoy a specialty of the region—Berber Pizza—for lunch at a local restaurant.

Afterward, we continue to Dayet Srji (Merzouga Lake). This seasonal lake attracts diverse birdlife, including migratory flamingos. We will then visit a nearby oasis to see the local community gardens, where we’ll take a gentle walk to learn about the traditional desert irrigation and plantations.

To conclude the day, we will transfer you to your hotel at the edge of the dunes for a relaxing evening, or back to your luxury camp if you prefer to spend a second night under the stars.

Rise early to watch the spectacular sunrise over the sand dunes. After breakfast at your camp, you will have enough time to complete your desert experience with optional extra activities, such as quad bikes or buggies.

Meet your driver and head to the town of Rissani. This town is known for its caravan market, held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Your driver will guide you through this traditional market, where every corner smells of spices and is filled with artisans.

Later, continue to Ouarzazate via Alnif and the Draa Valley. The route is surrounded by acacia trees and black desert plateaus. Here, you’ll have the chance to see herds of nomads. Lunch will be served in a traditional restaurant before we continue to Agdz, where we will admire the beauty of the Draa Valley.

Afterward, we cross the Anti-Atlas Mountains to reach our hotel in Ouarzazate. Recharge and unwind in the garden of your hotel. A delicious meal will be served at the hotel, followed by a restful night.

Leave the hotel and head to the dramatic Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. This well-maintained Kasbah was once one of the main trading points for the caravan route between Marrakech, coastal towns, and Timbuktu in Mali. You will have free time to explore the exterior and interior of the Kasbah. Blockbuster movies such as Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Indiana Jones, and many more were filmed here.

Next, we continue our journey traversing the Ounila Valley in the Atlas Mountains. After multiple stops overlooking the valley, we reach Telouet village. Here, you will visit the Kasbah of Telouet and a nearby salt mine, which was a major trading commodity during the era of the caravanserai.

Afterward, we drive over the High Atlas Mountains again to reach the bustling city of Marrakech. Our driver will drop you off at your accommodation or the nearest accessible point for the vehicle. Thus, our service ends with an experience of a lifetime.