Private Desert Odyssey: Marrakech to Merzouga 3-Day Adventure

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Marrakech, Morocco

3 days (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

What's Included

Accommodation in Dades valley ( ourti hotel ) or similar
Accommodation in Merzouga Sahara desert ( Merzouga dunes luxury camp )
Camel ride in the sunset and sunrise & Sandboarding
Air-conditoned private Transport: Minivan or 4x4 ( fuel included).
Breakfast (2)

Breakfast
Dinner (2)

Dinner

Lunches and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

pick up in Marrakech at 7 am

Operating hours
.8:00 am

Itinerary

Day 1

MARRAKECH - TIZI-N - TICHKA - AIT BEN HADDOU - OUARZAZATE -ROSE VALLY- DADES VALLEY .

1 Stop

Dades Gorges

8 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Accommodation: Accommodation in Dades valley ( ourti hotel ) or similar

Meals: Dinner

Day 2

DADES VALLEY - TODGHA VALLEY & OASIS GORGE - TINEJDAD - ERFOUD - MERZOUGA

1 Stop

Merzouga Desert (Pass By)

Accommodation: Overnight at luxury Berber Camp ( Merzouga dunes luxury camp ) with Camel Ride & 4x4 for luggage

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3

MERZOUGA -ANTI ATLAS - HIGH ATLAS - Marrakech

1 Stop

Marrakech (Pass By)

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Infant seats available
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0

based on 47 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great “Value” Tour

Michael_D, Aug 2024

The side excursions were excellent! If you’re staying in Marrakech, this will be a great way to get out of the city and see other ways of life. It’s wonderful to see The Dades River area and the agriculture as well as the Todgha River. We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou. This is an ancient site since the 11century - although most of the buildings are since the 17th century. The camel ride and sand boarding in the Sahara, while a highlight, what was a surprise is the color of the sand - a pink-reddish hue that is breathtaking. On to the review of things that the tour controls as these other items you’ll have with any tour provider. 1. Value for Money - exceptional 2. Younes our driver for this long trip back and forth from Marrakech was exceptional and one of the highlights. 3. Ourti Dades Hotel (which was advertised - so you know where you’re staying). Is 5+ stars for the Staff and Food. So very nice. However the room was very small, adequate with a very nice balcony view. Overall a solid 3 star accommodation. 1. Dunes Luxury Camp in Merzouga was a disappointment. The word Luxury should not be used. The website shows a pristiine new campsite. However the place is run down. The tents are old, worn and in disrepair. There is no air conditioning. There is no Wifi. Other camps that claim to be luxury have air conditioning and WiFi. It’s quite hot in the tent at night in the summer. When searching for WiFi, I can find 5 campsites near us that offer it. Neither our toilet seat nor seat cover were attached to the toilet just laid on top. Shower head holder for handheld was broken - so it only operates as a handheld The plastic shower curtain is stapled to a header and half of it ripped. The light in the shower had exposed electrical that was frayed and no cover. 4. The staff were also mixed. The camel guide was very good. However when we arrived at camp, there was no one to greet us. Plenty of workers standing around. They directed us to sit in the couches in the middle in the sand with the sun still beating down. No offer of water. Then when 20 min later someone arrived they only offered hot tea. 5. Never did anyone at the staging area or at the camp site provide an orientation. We had to ask questions and you don’t always know what you should ask. For instance, we thought we’d be driven to the campsite and be able to relax then take a camel ride at sunset. No - your camel ride is to the campsite at later afternoon (starting at 6 ish). Not being told we’d have to wait till 6 we arrived at the staging area at 2 and needed to kill 4 hours without a lot of pleasant options. Had we known this by our driver or a better itinerary in the description we would have made adjustments. So overall a solid experience with the exception of the Dunes ‘not-luxury’ Camp.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Thank you for your comprehensive review. It’s great to hear that you enjoyed the side excursions, the stunning landscapes, and the camel ride in the Sahara. I'm glad Younes and the Ourti Dades Hotel contributed positively to your experience. However, I'm sorry to hear about the issues you encountered with the Dunes Luxury Camp. Your feedback on the condition of the tents, the lack of amenities, and the service is very valuable and will be used to address these concerns with the camp management. We aim to provide accurate descriptions and a high standard of comfort, and it's clear that we fell short in this instance. Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention. We’ll work on improving the clarity of our itineraries and ensuring that all aspects of the tour meet the expected standards. If you have any additional comments or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out. Your feedback helps us enhance our services and provide better experiences for our future guests.

Desert

Cam_Y, May 2024

Merzaghou Desert was great and the tour guide was a very good guy. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you very much for your review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your experience in the desert and that the tour guide was a good and friendly person. It’s wonderful to know you thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would recommend it, and we truly appreciate your kind feedback!

A magical tour you won't regret!

George_H, May 2024

We had a wonderful time on our three-day tour from Marrakesh to the Sahara and back again! We would highly recommend it as a great way to see a different side to Morocco beyond the bustling streets of Marrakesh. Life outside the city moves at a gentler pace and it complemented our urban stay nicely. The drive through the Atlas Mountains and then increasingly remote desert towns was unlike anything we had done before and gave us memories that will stay with us for a long time. Thanks to our driver, Haadi (Abdelhadi), for making this trip so special. If you book this trip then you won't regret it! We were initially hesitant about this tour due to the amount of driving involved (~4h, ~5h, ~9h across the three days), but we found that the scenery and towns were so beautiful and interesting that this time flew by. If you haven't visited this type of destination before, then you will likely find the same. In terms of the driving itself, we had been concerned that there would not be many places to stop for the toilet, but in reality this is not the case. For the majority of the drive, there is probably a toilet at most every 30 minutes (often much more frequently). So, don't worry about this aspect of the tour. We were also anticipating the drive across the Atlas Mountains being on dangerous mountain roads, but this also was not the case. The roads in this section (and much of the desert section) of the drive were fantastic and had recently been renovated. There were barriers along the edge of the mountain on most of the more bendy sections of the road. So, again, don't let worries about the safety of the roads put you off this trip. Haadi's driving was great: he clearly knows these roads very well since he himself is from the desert. This is reflected in how he drove - anticipating hazards well before other road users and making the drive much smoother for us! His experience also allowed us to stop at cafes and shops whenever we desired and he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of reasonably priced places to eat and use the toilet etc. He always seemed to anticipate where / when we would want to stop before we did! Haadi was also invaluable for showing us things to do along the way, which allowed us to break the journey. Since he knew what each activity at each stop involved, we were able to tailor the trip according to our interests. Throughout the trip, he taught us about Berber culture and gave a running commentary of the whole region, likely beyond what you get during a group tour. This even included stopping off at his family's home! All the stops he arranged were interesting and we didn't stop anywhere that pressured us into paying money if we didn't want to. Haadi also took care of us in lots of small ways, such as arranging for staff to meet us from the riad when we returned to Marrakesh. We would highly recommend him as a driver. The accommodation for both nights was very nice and fitted the luxury label that came with this package. The food included was tasty and we found good options for lunch along the way. Obviously, the highlight was spending a night in the Sahara, as this was the whole point of this excursion! The camel rides and sunset/sunrise were all magical. The final destination speaks for itself in terms of why you might want to visit, so we just want to reiterate that all the destinations you encounter en route are also well worth visiting. Overall, you won't regret booking this trip! The many hours spent in the car proved not to be a problem (and in fact were an unexpected highlight along with the desert stay). This one will stay with us for many years. And thank you again to Haadi for being such a good driver!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you very much for your incredibly detailed and thoughtful review. We’re thrilled that your three-day tour from Marrakesh to the Sahara was such a memorable experience, giving you a perfect balance of city life, Atlas Mountains, desert towns, and the magical Sahara. It’s wonderful to hear that Haadi (Abdelhadi) provided exceptional service throughout—his knowledge, anticipation, and attentiveness clearly made the journey smoother, more comfortable, and full of enriching experiences. We’re delighted that the stops, accommodations, and meals met your expectations, and that the camel rides, sunset, and sunrise in the Sahara were highlights of your trip. Your feedback about the driving, safety, and availability of stops will surely help future travelers feel confident booking this tour. It’s fantastic that you also appreciated learning about Berber culture, exploring local cafes and shops, and even visiting Haadi’s family home—these unique touches really enhance the experience beyond a typical group tour. Thank you again for your detailed recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back to Morocco for more unforgettable adventures in the future!