Sahara 3days/2nights mini-circuit

Badge of Excellence

Marrakech, Morocco

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

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Overview

Explore the Sahara desert on a three-day two-night mini-circuit. Ride across the dunes and discover the dramatic landscapes as you appreciate the beauty of the Sahara. On the first day, you'll explore Touama, Tizi N'Tichka road, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate city, Roses Valley, and Dades Gorges. The second-day adventure covers Tinghir, Merzouga. Have a nice time camping in the desert surrounded by high dunes.

Go on a budget tour to the Sahara desert from Marrakech
Explore beautiful places around the Sahara for three days
Enjoy camel rides to and from camp
Sleep at a desert camp for two nights

What's Included

Driver, guide in todra and A/C vehicle
Accommodation for 2 nights, and the camel Ride from and to the camp..
Dinner (2)

Dinner
Breakfast (2)

Breakfast

guide pour la Kasbah d'Ait ben haddou

€3.00 per person
déjeuners et Boissons.

€13.00 per person
transfert a fès

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We are happy to share that pickups from your riads and hotels start at 7:00 AM and usually take around 45 minutes. If you're staying within the designated area, we'll happily collect you from your accommodation and take you to the meeting point in the medina. For those staying outside this area, please feel free to meet us directly at the meeting point or contact us to discuss any additional pickup fees, since the departure time will be 45 minutes later. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to welcoming you!

Meeting point

Station Service Ola Energy
J2F5+8QF, Rue Moulay Ismail, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
The Meeting Point is conveniently located near the vehicle entrance to Jamaa el-Fna Square. Just look for one of our friendly representatives at the Ola Energy Services Gas Station, which is right across from the square’s entrance. We look forward to seeing you there!

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Day 1

Marrakech-Ait ben haddou-roses valley-dades gorges.

7 Stops

Tizi n Tichka

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Tizi n Tichka

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Maroc

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Vallee Des Roses

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dades Gorges

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dades Gorges (Pass By)

Accommodation: 1 night on a hotel provided By private room, private toilet and hot shower, wi-fi and electricity to charge phones.

Meals: Dinner

Day 2

boumalne dades-tinghir et gorges de todra-Merzouga.

2 Stops

Tinghir

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Merzouga Desert

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Accommodation: 1 night in a Camp standard provided by Private tent, electricity to charge phones and collective toilets.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3

Merzouga-Marrakech

5 Stops

Merzouga Desert

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Alnif

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Agouim

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Ait Barka

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Marrakech

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infant seats available

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

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

4.5

based on 79 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

A huge disappointment

Bal_A, Dec 2022

Things to beware of with Great Travel Morocco for their Sahara 3days/2nights mini circuit from Marrakech: 1. Although they advertise airconditioned vehicle, our van did not have functioning air-conditioning or heating. We were freezing cold most of the time. The driver brushed us off when we asked for more heat. 2. We booked an English tour but our driver Abdul barely spoke English. He spoke French to the one French speaking tourist and provided her with a personal tour while the rest of us were left in the dark. 3. We were all disappointed with the lack of effort by Abdul the driver. He was disengaged and preferred to chat with the local shop and restaurant owners at each stop instead of inquiring about the wellbeing of his group. He made no effort to keep us together and on-time. We were with him for 3 days and he did not even try learn our names, referring to us instead by our Nationalities eg: ‘Where are the Japanese?’ when referring to a group of people of Chinese descent who clearly stated to him that they were from Germany. 4. The minimal responsibility of a driver is to tell us what our schedule is for the day, where we are going, how long it will take to get there and how long we have at each stop. Abdul did not do this. He seemed annoyed when asked for this information. 5. Despite having a van of 15 people, Abdul drove dangerously close to vehicles in front of him. He had to stop so abruptly on one occasion when a car in front slowed for a speed bump that we were all thrown forward and several of us had neck pain that evening. He admitted to not being able to see the speed bumps clearly. He also drove very fast on the notoriously dangerous Tizi n'Tichka high mountain pass. 6. Our driver Abdul only asked us once if we were enjoying the trip, at the very end, right before giving us a card and asking for a good review. 7. Lunches were a set menu, mediocre and expensive (at least 100 dirham each). You don't have to eat at these restaurants. Walking away and eating at another local restaurant will save you money if you are on a budget. This angered Abdul our driver. 8. Many stops were made exclusively in attempt to sell you souvenirs. The company gets a cut of the profit when souvenirs are purchased so too much time is spent at these souvenir stops in hopes that guests will make purchases. We had an unscheduled stop prior to the desert where we were dressed up in traditional clothes. People were buying souvenirs, which is fine, but Abdul did not tell us that if they didn't hurry up then we would miss the sunset. We were the last group to arrive at the desert and had only 15 minutes to view the rapidly fading orange colours of the sand before walking for an additional 45 in the dark on camels to the camp. This was hugely disappointing as it was meant to be the highlight of the trip. 9. Tizi n Tichka (Touama village): this is just a stop at small café at the side of the road with a view of some partially obscured mountains in the distance. Other tour groups stopped further along the road when you have an astounding view of the deep valley. 10. Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou: a guide hired by the tour company will be waiting and you will be asked to pay 3 euros for his services. You can choose to explore the kasbah on your own which most of us did. 11. Ouarzazate: although this is listed as a stop, Abdul only slowed down in front of one of the film studios for us to attempt to take a picture through the van's windows. 12. Roses Valley: you would picture a valley full of fields of roses according to the tour description but in reality, your stop will be at a shop on the main road with a toilet that sells rose products. So don't get your hopes up. 13. Dades Gorges: 3 stops are listed (Dades Valley, Kasbah ait youl, Monkey Rocks) here but as we arrived after dark, no stops were made. We were dropped off at 3 different hotels and only those staying at the furthest hotel were given the opportunity to see the Monkey Rocks the following morning. Hotel: You need to pay 10 euros if you want to use the heater in the room. There was no hot water and it was very cold at night. Wifi only worked in the dinning room and not in the rooms. 14. Merzouga Desert: Although there were many tents available and the description of the tour states 'Private Tent', the camp owner attempted to cram us all into a smaller number of tents. He stated 'What's the problem?' when a couple of young girls expressed their displeasure of being forced to share a tent with men. Expect to pay an additional 120 dirham per person if you want to take a Jeep back to Merzouga instead of the camel. 15. Inhumane treatment of camels: The camel I was on had its synthetic rope tied so tightly to its mouth that the area was bleeding. I alerted the camel driver and he just ignored me. 16. Alnif: the trip description states we will have ‘other stops to take pictures in really interesting places’. There was only 1 stop made chosen by the driver, a water collecting system which most of the group was not interested in. 17. Agouim: Trip description: ‘restaurant in front of a picturesque view overlooking villages surrounded buy mountains’: there was absolutely no view from this restaurant. It was right on the side of the highway. 18. Ait Barka: Trip description: ‘our last stop for this excursion will be in Ait Barka Village: there was no stop here. 19. 18. Marrakech: Trip description: ‘at 07:30pm the driver will drop off travelers in their hotels’: we arrived closer to 9pm and we were told this is the normal arrival time. Hopefully this review will dissuade you from choosing Great Travel Morocco and prompt this company to make changes on how its tours are run and to improve the quality of its drivers. The company needs to change its trip descriptions to clearly reflect what the experience will be and to provide drivers who can, at the very least, stick to the trip schedule and keep guests informed.

Thank you Mustafad and Mohammed from the camping in the Desert

Phillip_G, Sep 2021

I would like to thank Mustafad and Mohammed, the very locals that hosted us on the camping in the desert. Felt genuinely welcomed with the music and food they prepared at night there in camping and want to give this positive feedback. Hope one day I will go back to this place.

Think twice before you chose this.

Sora_J, Sep 2021

It was quite horrible trip. We normally do not do tour but we chose this with high expectation by reading good reviews. Please aware there is no guide along whole tour but you will get the driver until you get dump off at certain spots for extra pay guide for castle(not optional. You must pay) and guide included in tour for berber village. All the things that along the way to dessert and even camel ride seemed not prearranged by tour at all. It kinda looked like whenever we get to the spot, whoever-tour guide/dessert base camp is available, that is the person or spot we would get. The location of hotel for the first night was unnecessarily far. There was so many hotel we passed to get to this hotel. I noticed 1hour driving back to the town that goes to dessert on following morning. Funny thing was the hotel owner told us that we were the first guests after 2years of closing. Oh there was an AC but no remote. We were willing to pay extra for it then the hotel said the ac is too old and not working well at all😅 I believe everyone opened their balcony door to sleep. Any food that included in the tour actually was worse than the over priced dish from medina at Marrakech. No drinks are included in any of dinners(dessert and hotel) Dessert tour guy was incredibly horrible and upselling to take his 4x4 instead of camel back in the morning. The breakfast will be offered in the hotel(?) with only bread, cheese, jams, tea and coffee. Everyone along the way we passed wanted tips. Camel ride guy insisted to put the money down. We were going to give anyway but it was more like forcing to take my money out of people's pocket. I did not take bus back to the Marrakesh, so I only know the partially. But i regret not taking bus directly to the Merzouga and find dessert tour myself. The tour spots that was included in this trip was not the "must see" places. Tour bus is out dated and not sure the driver is cheap or the bus is too old to go up the hill if AC is on. he only turned on few times😇 we set all the way front seats and had a window but i dont know how people at the back was not complaining about heat. I have a lot of things to say but i think this review is enough not to choose this tour. Please spend little more money to have private tour to pick and choose what you want to do or consider to go directly to dessert by public bus.

À faire

Sophia_M, Dec 2019

Nous sommes plus qu heureux d avoir choisi cette excursion, qui nous a fait découvrir de merveilleux paysages ! Je vous conseille vivement déprendre des vêtements très chauds pour le désert ! Concernant les points négatifs je n ai pas apprécié qu on nous dépose dans des restaurants attrape touristes, chers et pas forcément bon (8-10euros le plat) je vous conseille de regarder les avis sur Google et parfois quelques mètres plus loin vous mangerez bcp mieux et bcp moins cher.