5 days desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga
5 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert
Book your camel ride and go camping with our 5 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert. Visit Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate and much more with this package.
Note: This tour is customizable, you can end the trip in Fes or Casablanca instead of Marrakech. Contact us for more info
Main info:
Departure location:
Marrakech
Return location:
Marrakech
Departure time:
08:00 AM
Itinerary duration
5 days/ 4 nights
Highlights of our tour:
- Hike up Ait Benhaddou
- Ouarzazate atlas studio
- Camel trekking in Zagora
- Camping in Berber tents
Tour overview:
Our 5 days Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour package is usually started and ended in Marrakech. It is important to note that our five-day trip provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see all of the country’s major attractions in just five days. We’ll spend the night in Gorges Dades after passing through the Atlas Mountains, Ait Benhaddou, and Ouarzazate. We’ll spend the night in the desert as a second excursion. The desert excursion on the third day will give you a completely different perspective on the trip. To make amends, on the fourth day, we will transport you back to Ouarzazate, where you will spend the night. The excursion concludes with a final trip back to Marrakech.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Marrakech – High Atlas – Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate
Pick up at the hotel at 8:00 am to leave for the High Atlas, we will cross the port of Tichka (2,260m), and we will turn towards the OUNILA Valley, to visit the Kasbah of TELOUET. Food and rest. We will continue the road to OUARZAZATE visiting the Kasbah of AIT BEN HADDOU, where the well-known films of Astérix & Obelix and Gladiator were shot, among others. Hotel or Riad accommodation.
Day 2: Ouarzazate – Draa Valley – Nkob – Desert of Merzouga
After breakfast, we will depart to the famous Dra Valley, where we will see one of the longest rivers in Morocco. We will make several stops to see the beautiful adobe kasbahs and Berber villages that dot the route and the wonders of the Draa Valley. After lunch in Nkob or Alnif, we will follow a 3-hour route until we reach the impressive dunes of Merzouga ” Desert of Dunes of fine sand ” accommodation in (Hotel)
Day 3: Merzouga – Village of Khamlia – Nomadic Families – Return of Erg Chebbi – Camels Walk – Night in Camp
This day we will dedicate to explore the Sahara Desert by 4 × 4 car. After breakfast, we will start our trip to the desert: the dunes, oases, and the town of Khamlia, famous for its Gnawa music. We will also visit the Berber nomads in the desert and spend some time with them learning their culture and way of life. In the afternoon we will ride our camels and take a relaxing walk through the desert to the camp where we will spend the night in the shops. Before that, we will enjoy dinner (traditional tajine) and Berber music around the bonfire. This will be an incredible experience that you will not forget.
Day 4: Desert of Merzouga – Rissani – Gorges of Todra – Dades Valley
You are already in the desert! This day, early morning to see the sunrise from the top of the dunes, camels back to the hotel, breakfast, and shower, then we have to say goodbye to the desert and we will go to Rissani where we will visit your market (if we are lucky and it is one of the days of Market: Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday) we will follow the road to Erfoud where there is also the possibility of visiting the fossilized marble factory before continuing to the palm groves of Touroug and Tinjdad. 1 hour later we will arrive at one of the strongest points of the High Atlas: The Todra Gorges. The channel of the Todra River has formed a gorge of vertical walls of enormous proportions and of great beauty; It is a paradise for climbers and a unique place.
Lunch at the site and a half-hour walk would be recommended to see and enjoy the Gorges in detail. In the afternoon we will continue towards the Dadès Valley, accommodation in (Kasbah)
Day 5: Dades Valley – Valley of Roses – Oasis of Skoura – High Atlas – Marrakech
After breakfast, we can enjoy one of the best views of the Dades Valley. We will do it from one of the most strategic places that the mountains offer us. from there we can observe the amount of kasbah that there is and the picturesque of each of them, then exit to a road dotted with various Kasbahs of great interest. After several stops to enjoy the route of the Thousand Kasbah.
Tour includes:
- Pickup and drop off from accommodation.
- Camel for each in Merzouga
- Berber tent accommodation.
- Vehicle with gasoline
- Dinner and Breakfast
Tour excludes:
- Monuments fees
- Lunches
- Tips
- Soft drinks
Testimonials:
Related Morocco tours:
We have customized different tours itineraries from Marrakech, desert tours, and city tours. However, if the plans below do not match what you are looking for, please fill in our contact form with your needs.
Highlights overview:
Ouarzazate and Ait benhaddou
Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour 5 days itinerary to Merzouga is your chance to see the two magnificent sites of Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou. The first stop is the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, located at the highest point of the High Atlas Mountains. Because of the spectacular vistas it offers, it is the first destination and the primary stop station.
Ait Benhaddou is shaped like a ksar, but it is more appropriately called a kasbah. To begin, the term “Ksbahs” refers to anything made of Kasab, or bamboo in English, and Ait Benhaddou is primarily made of bamboo. Ait Benhaddou was a trading post where traders sold their wares during Morocco’s history. They also used to use it as a rest and relaxation stop before continuing their long journeys to Europe or Marrakech.
This location is owned by the El Glaoui family, who were the first to discover it. They were one of the wealthiest families in Moroccan history because they relied on merchant taxes.
On the other side, there’s Ouarzazate, Morocco’s Ouallywood. The Atlas Studios are what set this location apart and make it worthwhile to visit. Aside from the labyrinth of the Touarirt Kasbah and the world’s largest solar energy facility.
In general, these two locations are regarded as ideal for filming movies and television shows. As examples, consider Game of Thrones, The Gladiator, Prison Break, and Kingdom of Heaven.
Rose valley and Todgha gorges
The Toudgha canyons, with 300 meters of rugged peaks, are perhaps the best place for climbers. Toudgha or Todra, located at the highest point of the High Atlas mountains, provides one of the most beautiful and scenic vistas of all time. The river that flows between the Grand Canyons certainly adds to its beauty. There are several small Berber villages nearby that rely on what Toudra has to offer. The majority of them run small businesses in the canyons, selling everything from leather goods to rugs. Many others only have herds of goats and sheep that drink primarily from the canyon springs.
The Rose Valley, on the other hand, exists. We chose to separate it from the other valley because of its significance. This valley benefits the well-known city of Kalaat Mgouna. It supplies them with many different types of roses, allowing them to create cosmetic goods and be the first in the country to do so. This city, like Erfoud, celebrates the roses on a yearly basis. This event drew approximately 500000 people in 2015, demonstrating the importance of this valley and the city of Qalaat Mgouna.
Merzouga desert
There is no doubt that the Merzouga desert is the best place in Morocco to go on a desert adventure. There are some of the best camel rides, camping (glamping), and desert tours in the world. You can also ride through the dunes in a buggy or a quad.
Merzouga is located in Morocco’s far southeast, about 50 kilometers from Algeria. If you want to see the largest and tallest golden dunes in the world, head to Merzouga. The highest point is said to be about 150 meters high, and the dunes stretch for about 30 kilometers. However, if you travel further into the Southeast, you will discover that other deserts may also be a good option.
You may have heard of Hassi Labied, Tanamoust, Khamlia, or other small towns referred to as Merzouga because the Erg Chebbi desert extends into this region. There is, however, a primary small city with a population of around 5000 people. The desert is popular not only with visitors from other countries, but also with Moroccans looking for sand baths. Rheumatism is the most common illness among them, and the best treatment is hot sand.
Merzouga is famous for its camel rides and glamping in the sand dunes. There are, however, other activities available, such as the desert tour, which allows you to go on an exploration excursion to the dunes’ surroundings. You can visit the Berber Nomads, the Gnawa tribe, and many other tribes. You can also rent a quad or a buggy and go see the sunset or sunrise.
Valleys in Morocco
The 5 days Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour package is an excellent way to explore some of Morocco’s most beautiful valleys. Prior to the construction of the road, these valleys were the only way for camel caravans to travel between Marrakech and the Merzouga desert. The first is Draa Valley, which stretches for over 1,100 kilometers and is the country’s largest and longest valley. Several communities along this river have a population of around 225,000 people who rely solely on what this valley has to offer. As previously stated, this valley served as a major route for camel caravans.
Then you’ll travel to the Ounila Valley. On our way to Telouet village, we pass by a rather hidden river. It is, however, visible when touring Ait Benhaddou’s kasbah. It connects the original Kasbahs to the majority of the families’ homes, which are close to the kasbah. Clearly, it adds to the beauty of the Ksar of Ait Benhaddou and gives it a one-of-a-kind touch.
Then there’s the Dades and Toudra valleys. They are situated between the cities of Boumalne Dades and Todra Gorges and offer one of the most beautiful and scenic views in the country.
Above all, these valleys are critical to the people who live along the rivers that run through them. They offer plenty of food, such as dates and olives, as well as breathtaking views.
Desert Cities
Our 5 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour package includes visits to the two main desert cities. They are where the majority of people go to get necessities such as food and clothing. The first and foremost is Erfoud. Between Errachidia and the Merzouga desert, the largest city near the Erg Chebbi dunes is located.
Clearly, it is one of the most important date-producing towns in the country. Every year, Erfoud receives a large quantity of dates from Ziz Valley, Morocco’s largest date supplier. To commemorate this, Erfoud hosts a festival of well-known dates from outside the country every year. There you will find all of the various types of dates. Lmjhoul or Medjool dates are the best and sweetest. In addition, Erfoud is the capital of Fossils in the Southeast. It is home to a plethora of small workshops that produce various types of fossils for residents, visitors, and even export outside of the country.
Rissani, the capital of Tafilalt, is the second largest city. This city was a major stopping point for traders traveling long distances on camels throughout antiquity. It also has one of the country’s largest traditional Souks. People are still using traditional methods to transport and sell their goods. The primary mode of transportation is donkeys. As a result, Rissani’s donkey sanctuary is well-known throughout the country.
The Atlas mountains
The majestic Atlas Mountains are the first stop on our desert adventure. These well-known ranges run through three countries in succession: Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. In reality, the Atlas Mountains are not a continuous chain of mountains, but are separated by vast distances. In each of the three countries, they are divided into three major components. The Middle Atlas Mountains, located in central Morocco, are the first. This latter is notable for being the coldest and having the most rain seasons compared to the others, making it a major source of water in the country. Its tallest peak, Bou Nasser, rises approximately 3,340 meters above sea level.
Finally, there are the High Atlas mountains, which are the largest and longest in the world. They encompass the preceding North African countries. Because they are the longest, they have the most spectacular landmarks and scenery. Furthermore, they are home to Toubkal, the highest peak of all the ranges (4,167m).
When traveling through these mountains, we usually use a unique pass called Tizi Ntichka, which translates as “the col of being lost.” It is the only way to get from Marrakech to the southeast. This winding road offers several breathtaking viewpoints, including its highest point, which is approximately 2260m.