3 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech, Private

Q: Are meals included in the price?

Both nights are half board : dinner and breakfast are included at the Dades Valley auberge and at the desert camp. Lunches are not included , so you choose the stop and the budget. Allow around 8 to 12 EUR per lunch.

Luxury Private Tour

From€190/ person (14 to 17 pax)

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Why Book the Private Trip

A vehicle for your party only. Air conditioned, door to door from your riad or hotel. No minibus, no waiting for eleven other people.
You set the clock. Leave early to arrive ahead of the coaches, or later if you would rather sleep in. Head back when you are ready.
A guide who knows the ground. Not a driver with a printed script, but someone who knows the places you cross and can answer what you actually want to ask.
No commission stops. The road is lined with cooperatives that pay drivers to bring visitors in. We stop where you want to stop.
One price, agreed before you leave. The table on this page is the full cost per person. Nothing is added on the day.

Three Days to the Sahara, at Your Own Pace

This 3 day desert tour from Marrakech is private from start to finish. Your own air-conditioned vehicle, your own driver-guide for the full three days, and nobody else in the car. You set the departure time, you decide where to stop, and you linger at the places you like instead of waiting for a group to reassemble.

The road crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, reaches the earthen ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, then follows the valleys south through the Dades and the Todra Gorge to the dunes of Erg Chebbi. That last stretch of sand runs about 28 kilometres from north to south, with dunes rising to 150 metres above the surrounding desert. You sleep one night in the Dades Valley and one night in the dunes.

Both nights are half board: dinner and breakfast are included. Lunches are not, so you choose the stop and the budget along the way.

Travelling on a smaller budget, or happy to share the vehicle? Compare with our shared 3 day desert tour to Merzouga. Have another day to spare? The 4 day luxury tour to Chegaga reaches a wilder erg. Or browse all our private Morocco desert tours.

Trip Essentials

Duration: 3 days, 2 nightsDepartures every day, early morning start from Marrakech
Route: Marrakech to Merzouga and backAbout 1,100 km over three days, long driving stages
Group: PrivateYour party only, from 1 to 17 travellers, no other passengers
Nights: Half boardAuberge in the Dades Valley, then an ensuite camp at Erg Chebbi. Dinner and breakfast included
Camel trek: Sunset, about 1 hourInto the dunes and back. A 4×4 transfer is available on request
Price: From €190 per person€788 for one traveller, €190 for 14 to 17. See the full price table

What You Will See and Do

The Tizi n’Tichka pass. The highest paved road in Morocco, at 2,260 metres, winding through walnut terraces and villages built into the hillside. Snow on the peaks in winter, wildflowers in spring. Your driver stops where the view earns it.
The ksar of Ait Ben Haddou. Earth towers and crenellated walls climbing to a hilltop granary, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the old caravan road. A licensed local guide can walk it with you, on request and paid on site.
Todra Gorge, explored at your pace. Limestone walls close to 300 metres high, with a river running along the floor and a road narrow enough to walk. You stay as long as you want, which is the whole point of travelling privately.
Optional fossil workshop and the Rissani souk. The pre-Saharan plateau is thick with marine fossils, and the workshops cut and polish them on site. Rissani holds one of the last true caravan markets in the south. Both are proposed, never imposed.
Sunset camel trek into Erg Chebbi. About an hour each way, leaving the last village behind as the light drops and the dunes turn from orange to deep red. A 4×4 transfer is available instead, on request.
A luxury ensuite camp, dinner and breakfast. A private tent with a real bed and its own bathroom, set among the dunes. Dinner is served at the camp and breakfast the next morning, both included in the price.
Berber drumming and stargazing. Drums around the fire after dinner, then a sky with no town for a hundred kilometres in any direction. Whether you climb the dune for sunrise is up to you.

Departure Time

8 AM

What’s Included & What’s Not

Price Includes

Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in Marrakech.
Private air-conditioned vehicle with an English speaking driver-guide, for your group only.
Two nights half board: dinner and breakfast included at both the Dades Valley auberge and the desert camp.
1 night in a luxury auberge in the Dades Valley, with a view over the gorges.
1 night in a luxury ensuite desert camp at Erg Chebbi, private tent.
Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes, about one hour each way.
Berber drumming around the fire and stargazing at the camp.
Fuel, tolls and all road costs for the three days.

Price Excludes

Lunches and additional drinks, budget around 8 to 12 EUR per lunch.
Monument entry fees: Ait Ben Haddou is tip based, the Ouarzazate film studios cost around 8 EUR.
Licensed local guide at the monuments, available on request.
Optional extras: quad biking, buggy ride, beverages during dinners.
Tips for the driver-guide, at your discretion.

Know Before You Go

Book ahead. Private departures are arranged for your party alone, and the desert camps fill up in high season.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat. The sun is strong even in winter.
Pack a warm layer for the evening. The desert loses its heat fast after sunset, and nights are cold from November to February.
Expect long driving stages. This is about 1,100 km over three days, on mountain and desert roads.
The camel trek lasts about an hour each way. A 4x4 transfer to the camp is available on request.
Bring a small bag for the night at the camp. Your main luggage stays in the vehicle.
Vegetarian and other special diets are catered for, please tell us when you book.
Carry some cash in dirhams for lunches, entry fees and tips. Cards are rarely accepted along the route.

Your 3 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech, Day by Day

Day 1Marrakech, Tizi n’Tichka, Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley

Over the Tizi n’Tichka pass. The road leaves Marrakech and climbs the High Atlas to 2,260 metres, the highest paved pass in Morocco. Walnut terraces, hillside villages, and stops wherever the view earns one.
The ksar of Ait Ben Haddou. A fortified earthen village on the old caravan road, listed by UNESCO. You cross the riverbed and climb through the alleys to the granary at the top. A licensed local guide is available on request and paid on site.
Lunch stop, your choice. Most travellers stop at a terrace facing the ksar. Lunch is not included, so you pick the place and the budget.
Through Ouarzazate and the Roses Valley. Past the film studios and the Taourirt Kasbah, then into the valley where the rose harvest is distilled every spring.
Night in the Dades Valley. A luxury auberge facing the gorges, with dinner and breakfast included. An upgrade to a hotel is available for 40 EUR per person.

Day 2Dades Valley, Todra Gorge, Rissani and the Erg Chebbi dunes

Breakfast at the auberge, then the road north into the gorges.
Todra Gorge, explored at your pace. Limestone walls close to 300 metres high with a river running along the floor. On a private tour nobody calls you back to the vehicle, so you stay as long as the place holds you.
Optional fossil workshop and the Rissani souk. The pre-Saharan plateau is full of marine fossils, cut and polished in workshops along the road. Rissani holds one of the last true caravan markets of the south. Both are proposed, never imposed, and lunch along the way is not included.
Sunset camel trek into Erg Chebbi. About an hour each way from the edge of the dunes to the camp, as the sand turns from orange to deep red. A 4×4 transfer is available instead, on request.
Night at the luxury ensuite camp. A private tent with a real bed and its own bathroom, dinner and breakfast included. Berber drumming around the fire, then a sky with no town for a hundred kilometres. An air conditioned tent is available for 25 EUR per person.

Day 3Merzouga, the Draa Valley, Agdz and back to Marrakech

Sunrise over the dunes, if you want it. The climb up the nearest dune takes a few minutes and the light is worth the early start. Nobody wakes you if you would rather sleep.
Breakfast at the camp, then the southern road back through Rissani and the Draa Valley.
The palm groves of Agdz. A long ribbon of date palms under the Jbel Kissane, with kasbahs built along the riverbank. Lunch stop here, not included.
Over the Tizi n’Tichka again. A last coffee at the pass, then the descent to Marrakech and drop-off at your accommodation in the evening.

3 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech Prices

Note: The prices listed below are per person and apply to a private tour. Two optional upgrades can be added when you book: a hotel for the night in the Dades Valley, and an air conditioned luxury tent in Merzouga.

Number of Participants:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7-9	10-13	14-17
Price per person:	788€	432€	363€	322€	290€	260€	240€	210€	190€

Departures are available every day08:00

The Sahara in Pictures

Mint tea served on rugs and cushions at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes

Gallery

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does the tour start?

You choose. This is a private tour, so the departure time is yours to set. Most travellers leave Marrakech early in the morning to reach Ait Ben Haddou before the middle of the day, but if you would rather start later, tell us when you book.

Are meals included in the price?

Both nights are half board: dinner and breakfast are included at the Dades Valley auberge and at the desert camp. Lunches are not included, so you choose the stop and the budget. Allow around 8 to 12 EUR per lunch.

How long is the camel trek?

About one hour each way, into the dunes at sunset and back the next morning. If you would rather not ride, a 4×4 transfer to the camp is available on request at no extra cost.

Is the camel trek suitable for beginners?

Yes. The camels are led at walking pace by a local camel driver and no experience is needed. Younger children sometimes find the ride uncomfortable, and the 4×4 transfer is there for anyone who prefers it.

What is the desert camp like?

A luxury camp among the dunes of Erg Chebbi. You have a private tent with a real bed and its own bathroom, dinner served at the camp, Berber drumming around the fire and breakfast the next morning. An air conditioned tent is available for 25 EUR per person.

Can I upgrade my accommodation?

Yes, on both nights. An upgrade to a hotel for the night in the Dades Valley costs 40 EUR per person, and an air conditioned luxury tent in Merzouga costs 25 EUR per person. Ask for either when you book.

How much driving is there?

A fair amount. The round trip is roughly 1,100 km over three days, on mountain and desert roads. The longest stages are the first and the last day. Because the tour is private, you stop when you want along the way, which is what makes the distance manageable.

Is a guide included at the monuments?

A licensed local guide at Ait Ben Haddou is available on request and paid on site, it is not included in the tour price. Your driver-guide stays with you for the whole three days and knows the route, the stops and the region.

Is this tour suitable for families?

Yes. The vehicle is yours alone, so you set the pace and the stops, which matters with children. Tell us their ages when you book and we arrange the tents accordingly. The camp has family tents with a double bed and a single.

How many people can join?

From 1 to 17 travellers. The price per person falls as the group grows, from 788 EUR for a solo traveller down to 190 EUR each for 14 to 17. The full table is on this page.

What should I bring?

Comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat, plus a warm layer for the evening: the desert cools quickly after sunset and nights are cold from November to February. Bring a small bag for the night at the camp, your main luggage stays in the vehicle, and some cash in dirhams for lunches and tips.

Are vegetarian or vegan meals available?

Yes, at both the auberge and the desert camp, along with other special diets. Please tell us at the time of booking so the kitchens can prepare for it.

MAP

Route map of the three day trip from Marrakech to Merzouga, with overnight stops in the Dades Valley and the desert

51 Reviews

Sort By:RatingDate

Marco F.

Family Traveller

Un’esperienza indimenticabile per tutta la famiglia. I paesaggi dell’Alto Atlante, Ait Benhaddou e le gole del Todra sono stati splendidi. La serata nel campo nel deserto, con cena e musica berbera, è stata speciale.

August 15, 2026

Sarah C.

Couple Traveller

A beautiful private desert tour. Our driver made the long routes comfortable and shared useful information along the way. The desert camp was comfortable, and watching the sunset from the dunes was unforgettable.

August 15, 2026

Elena M.

Couple Traveller

Nos encantó esta ruta privada. El conductor fue muy amable y nos explicó muchas cosas durante el camino. La noche en el desierto fue fantástica, especialmente la cena, la música y el amanecer sobre las dunas.

August 15, 2026

Romain P.

Group Traveller

Une magnifique découverte du Maroc du sud. Nous avons apprécié les différentes étapes et les explications de notre chauffeur-guide. Le coucher de soleil sur les dunes d’Erg Chebbi était absolument superbe.

August 15, 2026

Pablo R.

Family Traveller

Un viaje muy completo y con paisajes increíbles. La noche en el desierto fue el momento más especial para nuestra familia. El recorrido es exigente por las distancias, pero está lleno de lugares interesantes.

August 15, 2026

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