5 days · Marrakech
5-Day Sahara and Nomad Tour from Marrakech
Overview
This loop from Marrakech gives the Sahara the time it deserves. Two nights in a desert camp, a full day meeting nomad families and Gnawa musicians around Merzouga, then a slow return through the Draa Valley and Ouarzazate. You choose how long your camel trek lasts, from ten minutes to two hours.
Best for: Travellers who want the desert's people, not only its dunes.
Highlights
- Tizi n'Tichka pass, Aït Benhaddou and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
- Todra Gorge and a fossil workshop in Erfoud
- Two nights in a private tent in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Tea with a nomad family and Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Rissani, once the trading hub of the salt caravans
- Draa Valley, Agdz and the Ounila Valley
Day by day
Marrakech – Aït Benhaddou – Skoura – Dades Valley
Your driver-guide picks you up and heads for the High Atlas. You cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m, past villages of packed earth and stone. Lunch and a walk at Aït Benhaddou, then the Skoura palm oasis and the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, past M'Goun fortress and riverside adobe villages. Night in the Dades Valley.
Dades – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga desert camp
After breakfast, on to Tinghir's oasis and the narrow canyon of the Todra Gorge. East through the palm groves of Tinjdad and Touroug, with a stop at a fossil workshop in Erfoud. In Merzouga you freshen up at a kasbah, then choose a camel trek (10 minutes to 2 hours) or a short 4x4 transfer to camp. Sunset photos, dinner, music by the fire, and stargazing.
Nomads, Gnawa music and Rissani
Watch the sunrise, try sandboarding, then explore by 4x4. In Khamlia village you hear Gnawa music, brought here by people whose ancestors came from West Africa. You visit nomads in their tents, the lake of Merzouga with its birdlife, and Rissani's souk, with a Berber pizza for lunch. Tea at the kasbah, then back to camp for a second desert night.
Merzouga – N'kob – Draa Valley – Agdz – Ouarzazate
After breakfast you head west through N'kob and the Draa Valley, past an ocean of date palms, to Agdz, an old stop on the caravan road to Timbuktu. Afternoon by the pool in Ouarzazate, Morocco's film town. Night in a hotel.
Ouarzazate – Ounila Valley – Marrakech
Visit the cinema museum, then drive up the Ounila Valley with wide views before the Tizi n'Tichka pass. Past Berber villages and farmland, you're back at your riad in Marrakech by early evening.
What's included
- Private air-conditioned car with your own English-speaking driver-guide, pickup and drop-off at your riad
- 2 nights in hotels, kasbahs or riads, 2 nights in a desert camp (private tent)
- Breakfast and dinner every day
- Camel ride, one camel per person, length of your choice
- 4x4 day around Merzouga, sandboarding and live music at the camp
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
Flights, lunches, drinks, entrance fees, tips and personal expenses.
Questions about this tour
Is this tour good for families?
Yes. The shorter camel option and the 4x4 day suit children well, and the car is yours, so you stop when you need to.
Do we stay in the same camp both nights?
Ask us when booking. We can keep you in one camp or move you deeper into the dunes.
What should we pack for the desert?
Layers. Desert nights are cold from November to March, even when days are warm.
Where would your road take you?
Tell us your dates and group size. Abdou or one of the team will reply with a route and a price within 24 hours.