Private 3-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech — Camel Ride, Sunset Views & Desert Camp Experience
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The 3 Days Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech is one of the most popular desert tours in Morocco, as it allows travellers to experience a wide variety of landscapes and cultural sites in a short time.
This journey takes you through the High Atlas Mountains, the famous Aït Benhaddou Kasbah, Atlas Studios, scenic valleys, and dramatic gorges before reaching the Sahara Desert. The highlight of the tour is a camel trek into the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, where you will spend an unforgettable night in a desert camp under the stars.
This Sahara desert tour from Marrakech is an excellent choice for travellers with limited time who still want to enjoy an authentic desert experience.
Quick Overview: A 3-day Sahara desert tour from Marrakech, including the Atlas Mountains, Aït Benhaddou, camel trekking in Merzouga, and an overnight stay in a desert camp.
This tour is ideal for travellers who want to experience the Sahara in a short time while still visiting Morocco’s most iconic landscapes. It suits couples, small groups, first-time visitors to Morocco, and travellers looking for a private and comfortable journey with authentic cultural stops along the way.
It’s especially recommended for:
The 3-day Marrakech desert tour to Merzouga combines Morocco’s most iconic landscapes with unforgettable desert experiences. From crossing the High Atlas Mountains to spending a magical night in the Sahara, this journey blends culture, adventure, and natural beauty into one perfectly paced trip.
Below is the detailed day-by-day itinerary for your 3-day journey from Marrakech to the Merzouga Desert, including key stops, overnight locations, and included experiences.
Our Marrakech desert tour 3 days will start with a pick up from your hotel at 8 am and departure to Dades Gorges. We will cross the famous twisting curves of the High Atlas, and we will see the mountainous landscape, green and full of Berber villages. The tour to the Merzouga desert will give us a stop during the trip to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. In the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, the village where movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator… were filmed, we will visit its fortress.
Then, we will continue the journey to Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert and also the African Hollywood. Here in the city, we will visit the Atlas Studio, which is considered the largest film studio in the world and the famous Kasbah Taourirt, a Berber palace built with mud and adobe. Then, we will continue travelling until we reach the village in the Valley of the Roses, which is a producer of the damascene rose that serves as the basis for the manufacture of natural cosmetic products, Kelaat M’Gouna.
Then, we will continue to the Dades Valley, the valley through which runs the river of the same name, enclosed between spectacular canyons and gorges. The last stop of the 3-day Sahara desert tour from Marrakech will be a visit to the most beautiful views: the viewpoint of the cliff known as the monkey fingers or brain of the Atlas, and then go to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Dades Gorges.
The 3 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert will be as follows: breakfast at the hotel and a drive to Merzouga in the desert of Erg Chebbi. During our route, we will make several stops to enjoy our trip. In Todgha Valley, we will make a short walk through its famous canyon, and several stops to enjoy its fantastic panoramic views.
Then, we keep on our Marrakech desert trip journey through more Berber villages of Tinjdad and Erfoud: the city, besides being known for its great oasis and also for the cooperatives of the fossils found in the Sahara desert, where we will make a short visit to learn a little more about how this area of the desert was millions of years ago.
Then, we follow our journey until we reach our destination in the afternoon, where our camels will be waiting for us to spend the night in the desert. We will feel the tranquillity and the silence of this landscape. Traditional dinner and overnight in a tent in the desert camp.
Our 3-day desert trip from Marrakech program will be as planned; after a personal shower and breakfast, we will set off to make our way back to Marrakech. During the Marrakech desert trip, we will have views of a desert-mountainous landscape.
We will pass through the famous Draa Valley (the longest river in Morocco and Algeria, with 1,100 km of riverbed that rises in the High Atlas and flows into the Atlantic Ocean). Necessary stops will be made along the way. In the late afternoon, we will be in Marrakech and drop you off at your accommodation or transfer you to the airport and our 3-day Sahara desert tour from Marrakech ends.
If you wish to finish the tour in Fes rather than return to Marrakech, you can consider our 3-day desert tour from Marrakech to Fes.
The journey from Marrakech to Merzouga is around 560 km and takes approximately 9–10 hours with scenic stops along the way. Rather than a direct drive, the route is designed as a travel experience through Morocco’s most spectacular landscapes.
This 3-day desert tour includes all the essentials for a comfortable and worry-free experience:
This tour offers one of the best value experiences in Morocco because it combines:
In just three days, you experience multiple regions of Morocco that would otherwise require separate trips.
The journey is fast-paced but rewarding, ideal for travellers who want to maximise their time.
Tell us your travel date, number of travellers, and we’ll design your perfect 3-day desert excursion from Marrakech.
This tour combines adventure, culture, and scenery, making it one of the most complete short trips from Marrakech.
If you prefer relaxed tours and more exploration time, consider checking our 4-day Desert tour from Marrakech or 5-day tour from Marrakech.
⭐ Rated 5 stars by travellers from over 20 countries
If you’re looking for a different duration or itinerary, explore our other desert tours departing from Marrakech, including shorter trips and extended Sahara adventures.
Yes, it’s ideal for travellers who want to experience the Sahara in a short timeframe. The tour combines mountain landscapes, cultural sites, and a night in the desert, offering a complete experience without needing a longer itinerary.
The total driving time is around 9 to 10 hours, divided over two days. The journey includes scenic stops at the Atlas Mountains, valleys, and historic sites, making the drive comfortable and enjoyable.
Camel trekking is safe and suitable for most travellers. The ride is led by experienced local guides, and well-trained camels are used. For those who prefer not to ride camels, a 4×4 transfer to the camp can be arranged.
The overnight stay is in a traditional desert camp located in the Erg Chebbi dunes. The camp offers comfortable tents, dinner, breakfast, and a unique opportunity to enjoy the desert atmosphere under the stars.
Yes, the tour is private, meaning the itinerary, pace, and stops can be customised based on your preferences, making the experience more flexible and personal.
Comfortable clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat are recommended for the daytime. Since desert nights can be cool, especially in winter, warm layers should also be packed.
Our Morocco tours depart from Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, Rabat, and Errachidia, offering private and small-group desert tours to Merzouga, Zagora and imperial cities. Designed by local experts, our itineraries combine culture, adventure, and comfort.
