Merzouga Desert Journey
Grand Morocco in 14 Days
The Saghro Traverse
Erg Chigaga & Lake Iriki
Southern Atlantic
The Mediterranean
The Grand Atlantic
From Marrakech
From Fes
From Casablanca
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Boutique riads
Luxury desert camps
Nights under the stars
Our story
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5-Day Tour from Errachidia to Marrakech via Merzouga and N'kob
The road our team knows best. After two nights in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, you cross the wild country below the Jebel Saghro to N'kob, the village of kasbahs where our founder Abdou grew up. From there the Draa Valley leads to Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou and over the High Atlas to Marrakech.
Best for: Time in the desert and the quiet south that few tours reach.
Highlights
- Two nights in Erg Chebbi
- Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Fossil country around Alnif
- A night in N'kob, our home village
- The Draa Valley palm groves
- Aït Benhaddou and Tizi n'Tichka
Day by day
Driving times are honest estimates for the time behind the wheel. Stops for photos, tea and lunch come on top, and you can always ask your driver to stop.
Day 1Errachidia – Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Merzouga
Errachidia – Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Merzouga
Your driver-guide meets you at Errachidia airport or your hotel. The road follows the Ziz Valley, one of the longest palm groves in Morocco, with old ksour along the river. In Erfoud you stop at a fossil workshop, then continue to Merzouga. In the late afternoon you swap the car for a camel and ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi for sunset. Dinner, drums by the fire and a night in your private tent.
Day 2A full day in the dunes of Merzouga
A full day in the dunes of Merzouga
No long drive today. Visit a nomad family for tea, listen to Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia and walk the market of Rissani, the old caravan capital of the Tafilalet. Back at camp in time for sandboarding and sunset from the dunes. A second night in your private tent.
Day 3Merzouga – Rissani – Alnif – N'kob
Merzouga – Rissani – Alnif – N'kob
Through Rissani and across open desert to Alnif, a village known for its fossils, with the dark ridges of the Jebel Saghro to the north. In the afternoon you reach N'kob and its old kasbahs. Walk through the village with your guide and share mint tea with local families.
Day 4N'kob – Tansikht – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou
N'kob – Tansikht – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou
West along the foot of the Saghro to Tansikht, then north up the Draa Valley, a long ribbon of palms and ksour, through Agdz and over the Tizi n'Tinififft pass to Ouarzazate. You reach Aït Benhaddou in time for sunset over the ksar.
Day 5Aït Benhaddou – Tizi n'Tichka – Marrakech
Aït Benhaddou – Tizi n'Tichka – Marrakech
Morning in the quiet ksar, then the road over Tizi n'Tichka, at 2,260 m the highest road pass in North Africa, with Amazigh villages and argan cooperatives on the way down. Arrival in Marrakech in the afternoon.
Where you'll stay
These are our usual choices. If one is full on your dates we book a place of the same standard, and you can ask for an upgrade.
Choose your dates by the stars
Your night in the dunes of Erg Chebbi is far from any city lights. On nights with little or no moon, the Milky Way stretches across the whole sky. Pick a month to see the darkest nights.
Moon phases are calculated for each night at 10 pm. Clear skies are most common from October to May.
Price per person
| Room | Per person |
|---|---|
| Double or twin, 2 sharing | €950 |
| Triple room, 3 sharing | €810 |
| Quadruple, 4 sharing | €740 |
| Single room, travelling alone | €1,810 |
Prices include your private car and driver-guide in your language for the whole trip. Your exact quote depends on dates, group size and hotel level, and we confirm it within 24 hours.
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car with your own driver-guide in your language
- Pick-up at Errachidia airport or your hotel
- 4 nights: two in a private desert camp, a kasbah in N'kob and a guesthouse at Aït Benhaddou
- Breakfast every day
- Dinner every evening
- Camel ride into the dunes, one camel per person
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Questions about this journey
Is this a group tour?
No. Every Oasis Roads journey is private: your own car and driver-guide in your language, no strangers, up to 7 travellers per car.
Can you pick us up at Errachidia airport?
Yes. Your driver-guide waits at arrivals with your name, and can drop you back at the airport or your hotel on the last day.
Can we change the route or add nights?
Yes. Because the tour is private, we can add a night, swap a stop or change the end city. Tell us when you ask for your quote.
More journeys
Errachidia to the Dunes
Land in Errachidia, ride a camel into Erg Chebbi the same afternoon and sleep in the dunes.
From €390 per person
Dunes, Gorges and Valleys
A round trip from Errachidia: a night in Erg Chebbi, the Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley.
From €575 per person
Errachidia to Fes by the Dunes
Two nights in Erg Chebbi, then north over the Middle Atlas to the medina of Fes.
From €690 per person
Where will your road begin?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. Abdou or one of the team will send you a route and a price within 24 hours.