Best Marrakech Desert Tours:
Unforgettable Morocco Sahara Trips

Marrakech is the most popular departure point for Morocco desert tours. From the medina it is a four-hour drive to Ait Ben Haddou, six hours to Ouarzazate, and eight hours to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga. Every Morocco desert tour from Marrakech crosses the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass, one of the most dramatic mountain roads in North Africa.

Pro Morocco Tours has been running the best Marrakech desert tours since 2010. Every Sahara trip below is personally driven and tested by Hassan, born and raised in the desert south of Marrakech, before it appears on this page.

Private or shared Marrakech desert tour?

Every Morocco desert tour from Marrakech runs as a private departure for your group only, or as a shared Sahara trip joining a small group of up to 8. Private tours give you full control of pace and stops. Shared tours are more affordable and a good option for solo travellers and couples.

What is included in a Marrakech desert tour?

Every Morocco desert tour from Marrakech includes: private air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking driver-guide, all overnight accommodation, sunset camel trek at Erg Chebbi, dinner and breakfast at the desert camp, and all fuel and tolls. Entry fees to monuments and personal expenses are not included.

Which Marrakech desert tour is right for you?

If you have 2 to 3 days, the round trip to Merzouga is the best Morocco desert tour option. If you have 4 to 5 days, a round trip with more stops or a one-way to Fes gives you a fuller Sahara experience. Seven to ten days covers the best of Morocco: desert, imperial cities, and the Atlantic coast.

The High Atlas crossing

Every Marrakech desert tour crosses the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 metres. The road switches back and forth across the mountain face with views across the full Atlas range. In winter there is snow at the summit. In spring the slopes are covered in wildflowers. It is one of the best drives in Africa and a defining part of every Morocco desert tour from Marrakech.

Ait Ben Haddou

Every Marrakech desert tour stops at Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed pisé ksar on the other side of the High Atlas. It has appeared in more films and television productions than any other location in Morocco. A 45-minute walk through the ksar and up to the granary gives the full circuit. It is a natural stop on every Morocco desert tour south from Marrakech.

Erg Chebbi and the Sahara

The Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga are the centrepiece of every Marrakech desert tour. At 150 metres at their highest point, they are the most dramatic sand dunes in Morocco. Every Sahara trip includes a sunset camel trek into the dunes, dinner at the desert camp, and a sunrise from the top of the dune the following morning. No Morocco desert tour from Marrakech is complete without them.

Todra Gorge

Every Marrakech desert tour of three days or more passes through Todra Gorge: a 300-metre limestone canyon where the walls narrow to just a few metres at the base. A 40-minute walk along the canyon floor is flat, accessible, and one of the most striking landscapes on any Morocco Sahara trip.

Dades Valley

The Dades Valley runs east from Ouarzazate through rose gardens, ancient kasbahs, and the dramatic Monkey Fingers rock formations. Many Marrakech desert tours spend a night here, using it as a base for the Dades Gorge walk before continuing east to Merzouga. It is one of the quieter, more beautiful stops on any best Morocco desert tour from Marrakech.

Private vs shared Marrakech desert tours

Pro Morocco Tours runs every Marrakech desert tour as both a private and a shared departure. Private tours give your group a dedicated vehicle and guide — you set the pace and the stops. Shared Sahara trips join a small group in a comfortable minibus. Both use the same routes, the same desert camps, and the same quality of guide. Contact us to check shared departure dates from Marrakech.