Merzouga · Erg Chebbi
- From Marrakech
- About 9 hours, split over two days
- The dunes
- The tallest golden dunes in Morocco
- Best for
- First Sahara trip, 3 days or more, or ending in Fes
Sahara Desert Tours from Marrakech
Morocco desert tours to the dunes of Merzouga, Zagora and Erg Chigaga: two to eight days, a camel ride at sunset and a night in a desert camp, planned by our own team in Marrakech.
Rated 5.0 on Googleby our guests
300+ guestssince we started
Planned in Marrakechby our own team
Private luxury transportprepared for your group
50% depositsecure card payment
Our Sahara desert tours
Every desert tour, side by side
From a two-day Zagora night to eight days across the south. Each tour page has the full day-by-day route, what is included and the price.
19 tours
Shared or privateMarrakech Desert Tour to Merzouga
Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Dadès · Merzouga
Choose a shared group, a small group or your own private tour on the classic route.
From$95 shared · $687 private
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Shortest tripZagora Desert Tour: 2 Days, 1 Night
Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Draa Valley · Zagora
A real night in the dunes when you only have two days.
From$425 per person
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Private3-Day Marrakech Desert Tour to Merzouga
Marrakech · Dadès · Todra · Erg Chebbi
The classic private route over the High Atlas to the Erg Chebbi dunes.
From$575 per person
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Luxury camp3-Day Luxury Sahara Desert Tour
Marrakech · Ouarzazate · Merzouga
The same classic route, with a luxury tent and private bathroom in the dunes.
From$895 per person
View tour →Ends in FesMarrakech to Fes in 3 Days
Marrakech · Merzouga · Fes
The short Sahara crossing for travellers continuing north to Fes.
From$375 per person
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Remote dunesErg Chigaga Sahara Tour
Marrakech · Draa Valley · M'Hamid · Erg Chigaga
The wild sand sea beyond the end of the road, with very few camps.
From$1,100 per person
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Both desertsPrivate Desert Tours: Zagora, Merzouga or Both
Zagora · Merzouga · Draa Valley · Dadès
Two days in Zagora, three in Merzouga, or five days that cover both deserts.
From$358 per person
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Private4-Day Desert Tour to Merzouga
Marrakech · Dadès · Merzouga · Draa Valley
An unhurried loop with more time in the dunes and a different road home.
From$685 per person
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Ends in Fes4-Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour
Marrakech · Dadès · Merzouga · Middle Atlas · Fes
Cross the south to the dunes, then north through the cedar forests to Fes.
From$695 per person
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Family pace4-Day Family Desert Tour to Zagora
Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Draa Valley · Zagora
Shorter driving days, a gentle camel ride and family tents in the dunes.
From$445 per person
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For couples4-Day Romantic Luxury Desert Tour
Marrakech · Ouarzazate · Dadès · Merzouga
A private luxury camp for two, sunset in the dunes and dinner under the stars.
From$1,480 per person
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Luxury camp5-Day Erg Chebbi Luxury Desert Tour
Marrakech · Dadès · Todra · Erg Chebbi
Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes in a luxury camp, with time to slow down.
From$840 per person
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Starts in Fes6-Day Fes to Merzouga Desert Tour
Fes · Ifrane · Midelt · Ziz Valley · Merzouga
A desert journey for travellers who begin in Fes, through the Middle Atlas.
From$690 per person
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Coast & desert6 Days: Atlantic Coast & Erg Chigaga
Marrakech · Essaouira · Agadir · Erg Chigaga
The ocean and the remote dunes of Chigaga in one private loop.
From$1,650 per person
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Ends in Fes7-Day Desert Tour: Marrakech to Fes
Marrakech · Atlas · Dadès · Todra · Merzouga · Fes
A full week across the south, with time in the gorges and the dunes.
From$1,500 per person
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One baseOne Week in Morocco: Marrakech & Erg Chebbi
Marrakech · Todra · Erg Chebbi · Marrakech
The Sahara with restful days in Marrakech before and after the desert.
From$2,200 per person
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Blue city8-Day Tour with Chefchaouen, Sahara & Fes
Marrakech · Merzouga · Fes · Chefchaouen
The desert, the imperial city of Fes and the blue town of Chefchaouen.
From$1,890 per person
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Three cities8 Days: Marrakech, the Sahara and Fes
Marrakech · Erg Chebbi · Fes
Three nights in Marrakech, the Sahara, then Fes at the end.
From$2,750 per person
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SeasonalNew Year's Eve in the Merzouga Dunes
Marrakech · Ouarzazate · Dadès · Merzouga
Welcome 2027 in a desert camp, with Gnawa music and dinner under the stars.
From$850 per person
Ask on WhatsApp →Which desert?
Merzouga, Zagora or Erg Chigaga
The three deserts you can reach from Marrakech are very different. This is the quickest way to choose.
Zagora · Draa Valley
- From Marrakech
- About 7 hours
- The dunes
- Smaller dunes, palm groves and kasbahs
- Best for
- Two days, families and a lighter pace
Erg Chigaga
- From Marrakech
- A full day, the last stretch off the paved road
- The dunes
- A wide, remote sand sea with few camps
- Best for
- Travellers who want silence and space
Prices
How much does a Sahara desert tour cost?
Real starting prices from our tour pages, per person, in US dollars.
| Type of tour | From | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Shared group, 3 days to Merzouga | $95 | See tour |
| Small group, 3 days | $355 | See tour |
| Private, 2 days to Zagora | $358 | See tour |
| Private, 3 days to Merzouga | $687 | See tour |
| Luxury camp, 3 days | $895 | See tour |
| Longer desert journeys, 6 to 8 days | $690 | See tour |
What changes the price. Private or shared, the number of days, the camp (standard tent or a luxury tent with its own bathroom) and the size of your group.
What is usually included. Hotel pickup in Marrakech, your private transport, the camel ride into the dunes and your nights in hotels and the desert camp. Each tour page lists exactly what is included.
How payment works. We confirm your dates first. A 50% deposit secures the tour and the balance is due 5 days before departure.
Why Moratra
A desert trip planned by people who live here
Your own tour
Private tours have no strangers in the vehicle and no fixed coach schedule. You stop where you want.
Transport prepared for you
For every journey we prepare your private, luxury transport around your group, your preferences and what the route needs.
Camps chosen for the dunes
From standard Berber tents to luxury tents with a private bathroom, chosen for where they stand in the dunes.
One team, start to finish
Your route is designed in Marrakech by our own team, and we answer on WhatsApp before and during the trip.
Questions
Sahara desert tours: before you book
Straight answers about distance, camps, meals and safety. Anything else, ask us on WhatsApp.
Is it safe to visit the Sahara Desert in Morocco?
Yes. The Moroccan Sahara, especially Merzouga and Zagora, is one of the calmest desert regions for travellers. Our tours use licensed local guides, your own private transport and desert camps we know well.
What is the best time of year for a desert tour from Marrakech?
October to April, when days are mild (20 to 28°C) and nights are crisp. July and August are very hot in the south. Spring and autumn give the best balance of weather and quieter camps.
Is the Sahara Desert in Morocco?
Yes. The Sahara stretches across North Africa and its western edge reaches into southeastern Morocco. The most famous Moroccan dunes are Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and Erg Chigaga beyond M'Hamid, both reached from Marrakech across the High Atlas.
How do you get to the Sahara Desert from Marrakech?
The easiest way is a multi-day tour with hotel pickup. The road crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass, passes Aït Benhaddou and the Dadès Valley, and ends with a camel ride into the dunes and a night in a desert camp.
How far is the Sahara from Marrakech?
Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes are about 8 to 9 hours by road, so we split the drive with stops at Aït Benhaddou, Ouarzazate and the Dadès Valley. Zagora is closer, about 7 hours.
What is the difference between Merzouga and Zagora?
Merzouga has the tall golden dunes of Erg Chebbi and the widest choice of camps. Zagora has smaller dunes and palm groves, and it is closer to Marrakech, which suits two-day trips and families.
Can I do a Sahara tour in 2 or 3 days?
Yes. Two days works for Zagora. Three days is the shortest comfortable trip to Merzouga, with a camel ride at sunset and a night in the dunes.
Are camel rides included?
Every desert tour on this page includes a camel ride into the dunes, at sunset or sunrise.
Do desert camps have private bathrooms and electricity?
Standard camps have clean shared bathrooms and solar lighting. Luxury camps have tents with a private bathroom, hot shower and charging points. Each tour page says which camp is included.
Are meals included?
Breakfast and dinner are included on most desert tours, and dinner in the desert camp is always included. Lunches depend on the tour; each tour page lists exactly what is included.
What should I pack?
Loose clothing, a warm layer for the desert night, sunscreen, sunglasses, a scarf for sand and wind, comfortable shoes and a reusable water bottle.
Do I need a visa or permit for the Sahara?
No permit is needed. Most travellers from the US, UK, EU and Canada enter Morocco visa-free for up to 90 days.
How do I book and pay?
Send us your dates. We confirm availability first, then a 50% deposit secures your tour and the balance is due 5 days before departure.
Sahara guide
Is the Sahara in Morocco?
By Moratra Travel Experts · Last updated
Yes, the Sahara reaches into southeastern Morocco. Morocco's Sahara is the great sand desert of the south, most famously the towering golden dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, plus the quieter dunes around Zagora and Erg Chigaga.
Read the full guide
From Marrakech, Merzouga is about 8 to 9 hours by road, so a Sahara trip is a multi-day journey, usually 3 days and 2 nights or longer. You cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass and stop at the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, and the Dadès and Todra gorges, before a sunset camel trek into the dunes and a night in a desert camp under the stars.
It is a different experience from the Agafay Desert, the rocky stone desert about 45 minutes from Marrakech. The Sahara is the real sand sea, worth the drive for the dunes, the silence and the Milky Way. Our Sahara tours include hotel pickup in Marrakech and desert-camp accommodation, and can be private or shared, from 2 to 8 days.
Not sure which desert tour fits? Tell us your dates.
We will suggest the route, the camp and the number of days that suit your trip.