What you see and do
- Drive the Tizi n'Tichka pass twice, once in each direction, at about 2,260 m.
- See Ait Ben Haddou on the way out and again on the way back, when the light and the crowds are different.
- Pass the Skoura palm grove and the Valley of Roses before a night in the Dades Valley.
- Walk the floor of Todra Gorge, then ride camels into Erg Chebbi for sunset and a night in a desert camp.
- Return through Rissani and the date palms of the Draa Valley.
- Stop at Telouet Kasbah, the former mountain seat of the Glaoui family, on the last day.
Day-by-day itinerary
4 days, about 1,154 km by road. Tap a day to open it.
Day 1Marrakech to the Dades Valley332 km
Day one is identical in shape to the 3-day tour, and it is the busiest day of the four. Your driver picks you up at your riad or hotel in Marrakech and heads south-east into the High Atlas. The climb to the Tizi n'Tichka pass is slow and full of bends, so there are several pauses for photos and fresh air.
The main stop is Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified village built of packed earth that has been used as a film location many times. You walk its lanes on foot. You will be back here on day four, so there is no need to see every corner today.
In the afternoon the road runs past Ouarzazate, through the palm grove of Skoura and the Valley of Roses, and reaches the Dades Valley late in the day. Dinner and the night are at a hotel among the rock formations.
Day 2Dades Valley to the Erg Chebbi dunes265 km
The morning follows the Dades River for a while, past palm plots and small Amazigh (Berber) villages, then turns up to Todra Gorge. The canyon is narrow, the walls are high and the walk along the bottom is flat, so it suits everyone in the party.
After the gorge the hills fall away and the land turns to open, stony desert. The dunes of Erg Chebbi come into view as you approach Merzouga.
Camels are waiting at the edge of the sand for the ride to camp, timed for sunset. You can try sandboarding on the dunes near camp if you want to. Dinner is at the camp, followed by drumming and music.
Day 3Merzouga to Ouarzazate by Rissani and the Draa Valley362 km
This is the day the fourth day pays for. It starts before dawn if you want to see the sun rise over the dunes, then breakfast at camp and the trip back to the vehicle.
The first town is Rissani, an old trading centre on the edge of the desert. If your dates fall on a market day, the souk is worth half an hour: dates, spices, cloth and livestock, sold to local people and not to visitors.
From there the road heads west to the Draa Valley, a long ribbon of date palms and earth kasbahs. It is still the longest drive of the tour, but it ends in Ouarzazate in time for dinner. On the 3-day loop you would be only two thirds of the way home at this point.
Day 4Ouarzazate to Marrakech by Ait Ben Haddou and Telouet195 km
The last day is the shortest. After breakfast there is time to look around Ouarzazate, a town known for its film studios. Studio visits are optional and tickets are paid on the spot.
You then call at Ait Ben Haddou a second time. A return visit lets you take the photos you missed, or simply look at the ksar from across the river without climbing it again.
The road back over the High Atlas includes a stop at Telouet Kasbah, a partly ruined palace that once belonged to the Glaoui family, who controlled this mountain route. From there you cross the pass and come down to Marrakech, where your driver takes you to your accommodation.
Price and what changes it
This 4-day private tour costs €600 to €900 per person. Every trip is tailored, so the final price depends on your group size, hotel and camp level, and what you add.
- What the extra day costs. Compared with three days you add one hotel night with dinner in Ouarzazate and one more day of vehicle and driver. Nothing else changes.
- Group size. The vehicle and driver are shared across your party, so the price per person falls as the group grows. A solo traveller pays the most.
- Accommodation level. There are two hotel nights and one camp night, each available at standard, comfort or luxury level. The camp is the choice that changes the experience most: see desert camps in Merzouga compared.
Other lengths are priced on the Morocco tour cost page.
Included and not included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for the four days
- English- or Spanish-speaking driver
- Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation in Marrakech
- One night in a hotel in the Dades Valley
- One night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi
- One night in a hotel in Ouarzazate
- Camel ride in the dunes
- Breakfasts and dinners
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Tips
- Flights
Is this the right tour for you?
It suits you if
- You looked at the 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour and the 553 km final day put you off.
- You are travelling with children or older relatives who cope better with three medium drives and one short one than with one very long one.
- You want to arrive back in Marrakech with some of the day left, not late in the evening.
- You would like to see the Draa Valley and Telouet, which the shortest loop has no time for.
Think twice if
- You want more time in the dunes. This tour still has only one night at Erg Chebbi. The 5-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour has two nights and a full day there.
- You dislike repeating places. Ait Ben Haddou and the Tizi n'Tichka pass appear on both day one and day four. We can swap the second visit for more time in Ouarzazate if you ask.
- You have only three days. The shorter loop reaches the same camp, and the extra day here is a comfort choice, not a necessity.
- You are heading north afterwards. A one-way route ending in Fes avoids driving back to Marrakech at all: see the 3-day Marrakech to Fes desert tour.
Places on the route
What travellers say
★★★★★
“Everything was seamless, well-organized, and thoughtfully planned.”
Questions about the 4-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour
Is 4 days better than 3 days for Merzouga from Marrakech?
For comfort, yes. Both tours give you one night in the dunes, but four days splits the return into 362 km and 195 km instead of a single day of about 553 km. If your time is tight, three days still works.
Does the 4-day tour include two nights in the desert?
No. The standard route has one night in a camp at Erg Chebbi, one in the Dades Valley and one in Ouarzazate. If you would prefer a second desert night in place of Ouarzazate, tell us and the route can be rearranged.
What vehicle will we travel in?
A private, air-conditioned vehicle sized to your group, with your own driver. Nobody outside your party travels with you.
Is the camel ride suitable for children and older travellers?
The camels walk slowly in a line led by a handler on foot, and most people manage it without trouble. Anyone who would prefer not to ride can usually reach the camp by 4x4, so mention it when you enquire.
When is Rissani market held?
The souk in Rissani is busiest on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you pass through on one of those days, your driver can stop so you can walk around it.
Can I add days to this tour?
Yes. The most common changes are an extra night at Merzouga or ending the trip in another city. Send us your dates and Best Morocco Travel will reply with a route and an exact price.
