Private 3-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga

3 DAYS PRIVATE TOUR MARRAKECH TO MERZOUGA

Summary

Number of People 1 2 3 4 5 6 7-9 10-13 14-17
Price per person €720 €390 €340 €290 €270 €240 €230 €205 €185

This private 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Merzouga gives you your own air-conditioned vehicle and driver for three days, from your Marrakech hotel to the Erg Chebbi dunes and back. You cross the High Atlas, visit Aït Ben Haddou, sleep one night in the Dades Valley and one night in a private luxury ensuite tent in the Sahara, with a camel ride at sunset. Pickup is at 8:00 from your hotel, the route and stops are yours to adjust, and airport pickup on the day you arrive in Marrakech is free.

Route: Marrakech → Tizi n’Tichka → Aït Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate → Dades Valley → Tinghir → Todra Gorge → Erfoud & Rissani → Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) → Ouarzazate → Marrakech

FREE cancellation before 7 days!

FREE Marrakech airport pick up and transfer to your Marrakech hotel any day you arrive!

MARRAKECH TO MERZOUGA PRIVATE TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Cross the High Atlas Mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka pass
  • Visit the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Stop in Ouarzazate, the “Hollywood of Morocco”, home of the country’s biggest film studios
  • Spend a night in the Dades Valley at Hotel Babylon
  • Walk through the Todra Gorge between its towering rock walls
  • Ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
  • Spend the night in a private luxury ensuite tent with a bonfire and Berber music
  • Watch the sunrise over the dunes, then return by camel or 4×4
  • Drive back through Rissani and the Draa Valley kasbahs of N’Kob and Tamnougalt

What does the 3-day itinerary look like?

Day 1 crosses the High Atlas to Aït Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley, Day 2 goes through the Todra Gorge to the Merzouga dunes for a sunset camel ride and a night at camp, and Day 3 returns to Marrakech via Rissani and the Draa Valley. The longest drive is the return on Day 3, about 9 hours with stops.

  • DAY 1 : MARRAKECH – ATLAS MOUNTAINS- KASBAH AIT BEN HADDOU- BOUMALNE DADES VALLEY

     6 HOURS DRIVE
    Your driver picks you up at 8:00 from your hotel in Marrakech and heads south into the High Atlas. The road climbs through Berber villages to the Tizi n’Tichka pass at about 2,260 metres, and because the car is yours, you stop for photos wherever you like.

    The thrill of this tour starts almost immediately with the long drive to Dades. The journey takes the party over the awesome beauty of the Atlas Mountain range. Eventually the drive will see us descend into the Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou. A World Heritage Site and a place of ancient wonder: the Kasbah contains several small markets or souks within its walled compounds.

    You walk its lanes and small craft shops, then continue to Ouarzazate, the “Hollywood of Morocco” and gateway to the desert. Many Hollywood blockbusters and biblical film settings take place around this city. It is known in Africa as the gateway city to the desert. You and your private party will soon realize why this place is so perfect for the film producers to recreate an ancient feel and setting. The Dades Valley is the next adventure and we are still on our journey within the first day. However, a long and adventurous drive will culminate in a guesthouse overnight stay in Dades valley after a delicious Moroccan evening meal has been enjoyed.

    Accomodation Details:

  • DAY 2: BOUMALNE DADES VALLEY –TINGHIR- TODRA GORGE – MERZOUGA

     4 HOURS DRIVE

    From Dades valley we will begin the day with a traditional Moroccan style breakfast and embark on a four-hour drive to Merzouga desert. The aim for this day is to witness one of the world’s most awesome sights: The Todra Gorge. Flat valley pathways allow the viewer to gaze up to 200 metre high cliffs on both sides in this awesome setting. Todra Gorge feels more like you have landed on another planet than here on earth. Just make sure the cameras are fully loaded and ready to snap. You can walk the flat riverbed between the cliffs before continuing east to Merzouga.
    THE OVERNIGHT STAY UNDER THE STARS

    You reach the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes, which rise up to 150 metres, in the afternoon. Leave your main luggage in the vehicle, take a small overnight bag, and ride a camel for about an hour into the dunes as the sun sets.

    A night under the Sahara stars: at camp you settle into your private luxury tent, then have a Moroccan dinner followed by a bonfire with Berber music. With no light pollution for miles, the sky fills with thousands of stars. Few people can say they have spent a night in the silence of the Sahara.

    Accomodation Details:

  • DAY 3: MERZOUGA – OUARZAZATE- ATLAS MOUNTAINS- MARRAKECH

     9 HOURS DRIVE

    Sunrise over the dunes: wake early and step outside your tent, or climb a nearby dune, to watch the sun rise over Erg Chebbi. After breakfast at the desert camp, ride back by camel or 4×4 to meet your driver at the edge of the dunes. Because the tour is private, there is no group waiting for you, so take your time and enjoy the morning light on the sand.
    The road back to Marrakech: the drive passes the old caravan town of Rissani, the kasbahs of N’Kob and Tamnougalt in the Draa Valley, and Ouarzazate, before crossing the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka pass. Stop for lunch, photos or a mint tea wherever you like along the way.

    You are usually back at your Marrakech hotel around 19:00. If you would rather arrive around 16:00–17:00, tell your driver and he will skip some stops on the way back.

What is included

  • Free Marrakech airport pickup and transfer to your hotel on the day you arrive
  • Pickup at 8:00 from your Marrakech hotel or riad, and drop-off back at your door (or the nearest point a car can reach)
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle with an English and French speaking driver, used only by your group for all 3 days
  • 1 night in a private air-conditioned room at Hotel Babylon, Dades Valley – dinner and breakfast
  • 1 night in a private luxury ensuite tent at our Merzouga desert camp – dinner and breakfast
  • Sunset camel trek to the camp and sunrise trek back (or a 4×4 transfer if you prefer)
  • Sandboards at the camp
  • Free cancellation up to 7 days before departure

What is not included

  • Lunches and drinks
  • Entry fees and local guides at monuments (if you want one)
  • Optional activities: quad biking in the dunes
  • Tips for your driver

FAQ – PRIVATE 3 DAYS DESERT TOUR

How far is Merzouga from Marrakech?

Merzouga is about 564 km from Marrakech. On this tour the drive is split over two days with a night in the Dades Valley.

Where will you stay?

Night 1 is at Hotel Babylon in the Dades Valley, in a private air-conditioned room, and night 2 is in a private luxury ensuite tent at our desert camp in Merzouga. Both nights include dinner and breakfast.

The luxury tents have real beds, an ensuite bathroom with a shower, and towels and toiletries. Electricity at the camp runs on a generator, so charging is available during generator hours. The only tent upgrade is an air-conditioned/heated luxury tent (+€20 per person, book at least 24 hours before departure), worth it in summer heat or on cold winter nights. For the first night you can also upgrade to Hotel Palm Dades for €40 per person.

Which vehicle will you travel in?

The vehicle depends on your group size: a Toyota 4×4 (Land Cruiser or Prado) for 1–4 travellers, a 7-seat van for 5–7, and a minibus for groups of 8–17. Every vehicle is air-conditioned and used only by your group for the whole tour.

How is the private tour different from the shared tour?

On the private tour the vehicle and driver are only for your party, so you choose the departure time, the stops and the pace. The shared 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour follows the same route at a lower fixed price per person, with up to 17 travellers in a minibus.

  • Who is in the vehicle: private – only your party · shared – up to 17 travellers
  • Vehicle: private – 4×4, van or minibus depending on group size · shared – minibus
  • Pickup: private – 8:00 from your hotel (flexible) · shared – fixed departure time
  • Stops and pace: private – you decide · shared – fixed programme
  • Desert camp: private – private luxury ensuite tent included · shared – see the shared tour page
  • End in Fes: private – yes, arranged in advance · shared – separate shared Marrakech to Fes tour
  • Price: private – by group size, from €185 per person · shared – fixed price per person

Can you change the itinerary?

Yes. Because the tour is private, you can change the stops, spend longer where you like, go to the camp by camel or by 4×4, and return to Marrakech earlier by skipping stops on Day 3. You can also end the tour in Fes instead of Marrakech if you arrange it when booking.

For a slower version of the same trip, the 4-day tour to Merzouga adds an extra night. If you only have two days, the private 2-day tour to Zagora reaches smaller dunes closer to Marrakech.

What should you pack for the desert?

Pack a small overnight bag for the camp, because your main luggage stays in the vehicle during the camel ride. Bring a scarf, hat, sunglasses and long trousers for the camel trek, and warm layers from November to March, when desert nights get cold.

How does booking work?

You choose your date and group size, pay a deposit online, and receive your confirmation straight away. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before departure.

  1. Book online: pick your date, number of travellers and any upgrades.
  2. Pay a deposit: by card or PayPal. BALANCE-PAYMENT-DETAILS
  3. Confirmation: you receive your booking confirmation by email, and our team is on WhatsApp for any questions.
  4. Day 1: your driver picks you up at 8:00 from your Marrakech hotel. Arriving the day before? Your airport pickup is free.

Why book with IGoMorocco?

IGoMorocco is a licensed Moroccan tour operator (licence ODV-12923) that runs its own desert tours from Marrakech. You deal directly with the team that runs your tour, on WhatsApp before and during the trip.

Is the luxury desert camp included?

Yes. The private tour includes one night in a private luxury ensuite tent at the Erg Chebbi camp, with dinner and breakfast. The only upgrade is an air-conditioned/heated luxury tent for €20 per person.

Are there showers and towels at the camp?

Yes. Your luxury tent has an ensuite shower, and towels and toiletries are provided.

Does the Dades Valley hotel have private rooms?

Yes. On the private tour you get a private air-conditioned room, with dinner and breakfast included.

What time do we get back to Marrakech?

Usually around 8 pm. Because the tour is private, you can skip stops on the way back and return around 4–5 pm.

How long is the camel ride?

About one hour each way, at sunset to the camp and at sunrise back, depending on weather and daylight.

Can we join a small group instead?

The private tour is only for your party, priced by group size. For a lower fixed price per person, take the shared 3-day tour (max 17 guests).

Can we bring our luggage?

Yes, your luggage is welcome on the tour. It stays safely stored while you are at the desert camp, so you only need a small overnight bag.

What should we pack for the desert camp?

A small backpack for the night, plus a scarf, hat, sunglasses and long trousers for the camel ride. From November to March nights in the desert are cold, so bring warm layers.

Is it possible to skip the camel ride?

Yes. Because this is a private tour, you choose how to reach the desert camp: by camel through the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, or by 4×4. Just let us know your choice when booking or tell your driver on the day.

Are quad bikes available in Merzouga?

Yes. A one-hour quad bike ride in the dunes is an optional add-on you can choose when booking.

Is there electricity at the camp?

Yes, you can charge your phone and camera at the camp.

Is sandboarding included?

Yes. Sandboards are available free at the luxury camp. Just ask the camp staff.

Can we upgrade the tent?

Yes. You can upgrade to an air-conditioned/heated luxury tent for €20 per person. Please book the upgrade at least 24 hours before departure.

Duration
3 Days
Price
185 €
Availability
Daily
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marrakech desert tours
marrakech desert tours
marrakech desert tours
marrakech desert tours
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