A 4-day trip to Merzouga Desert is ideal for travellers who arrive in Fez and return home from Marrakech. As well as visiting these two incredible former Imperial Cities, you will discover the stunning Sahara Desert.
Private Tour: 4 Days in the Sahara Desert
Day 1: Fez – Ifrane – Azrou – Erfoud – Merzouga
Your chauffeur will collect you from your hotel bright and early and you will set off to Merzouga, crossing the Middle Atlas and its beautiful cedar forests, home to the friendly barbary apes.
On the way, you will traverse the small village of Ifrane, popularly known as “Morocco’s Little Switzerland”, one of the most exclusive ski resorts in Morocco. Then, you will drive through Azrou, one of the most famous Berber towns in the country.
Afterwards, cross the Ziz Valley and its jagged gorges until you get to Midelt and Erfoud. From the last village, take a dirt road to Merzouga, a charming village on the edge of the desert.
You will spend the first night in a hotel near the dunes.
Day 2: Enjoying the Erg Chebbi dunes
Spend the whole second day exploring the spectacular Merzouga Desert. Plow through the golden-coloured dunes on an offroading vehicle, visit nomad hamlets, admire beautiful oases and walk along the famous Erg Chebbi dunes.
Next, visit the little village of Khamlia, where the Gnawa live. The Gnawa population are descents of Central African slaves and are famous across the world for their beautiful folk music that combines classic Islamic Sufism with their traditions.
In the evening you will be driven back to your hotel where camels will be waiting for you to take you into the heart of the dunes to spend a night in a Berber tent.
Day 3: Merzouga – Todgha Gorge – Ouarzazate
Wake up in the dark and sit on top of a dune to witness a breath-taking sunrise. Afterwards, climb back on a camel and return to the small village of Merzouga, where you will have breakfast and a refreshing shower (depending on the type of camp, your breakfast and shower might be before the camel ride).
On your way to Ouarzazate you will drive past Rissani and Tafilalet, where the Alaouite dynasty of Morocco are originally from. Next, you will head to the impressive Todgha Gorge, in the Dades Valley, situated in the centre of the High Atlas Mountains.
Leave Dades Valley behind and take the route of the thousand kasbahs, admiring along the way the Valley of the Roses and Skoura’s palm grove. Finally, you will reach Ouarzazate, where you will spend the night.
Day 4: Ouarzazate – Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou – Marrakech
After a filling breakfast, you will be driven to the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, one of the most famous fortified cities in the world. Numerous films have been set in this charming location, including Gladiator. You will walk into the ruins of the kasbah to discover its rich history and secrets.
On our way to Marrakech, you will cross a valley full of almond trees and the picturesque Berber hamlets: Amerzgane, Agouim and Ighrem. Climb up into the depths of the Atlas through Tizi n'Tichka mountain port, 2.260 meters high, and stop to eat a traditional Moroccan meal at Tadart.
After lunch, hop back into the car and return to Marrakech.
Tour Accommodation
We offer this tour with two different hotel categories: standard (2 or 3 stars) and luxury (4 stars).
Standard hotels:
- Merzouga (first night): Riad Mamouche / Dar Tafouyte.
- Merzouga (second night): Desert camp.
- Ouarzazate: Hotel Les Jardins de Ouarzazate / Hotel La Valle / Hotel Saghro.
Luxury hotels:
- Merzouga (first night): Riad Azawad / Merzouga Guest House / Dar el Janoub / Riad Madu / Riad Nezha.
- Merzouga (second night): Luxury desert camp with private bathroom
- Ouarzazate: Kasbah Dar Chamaa / Le Petit Riad / Riad Tama / Riad Bouchedor or similar.
Check out the photos of both camps:
At the camp in Merzouga, the haimas in both categories have private bathrooms. The standard and luxury camps are completely separate, and there are differences in the food and interior decoration of the haimas.
Additionally, during peak season, such as Easter or Christmas, standard category accommodations may include campsites with shared bathrooms.
Both in hotels and desert camps, single rooms are not available. If you book as a single person, a supplement will apply. Under no circumstances will you have to share rooms or haimas with strangers. If you prefer, triple or family rooms and haimas are also available, with the same differences in price depending on the category.
