Desert round trip · From Marrakech
The High Atlas, a legendary kasbah and a night among the Zagora dunes, all in one weekend.
About this tour
Only two days in Marrakech, but you still dream of a night in the desert? This private trip is the answer. In a single weekend you cross the High Atlas by its highest road, explore Morocco's most famous kasbah village, follow one of the country's great palm valleys and ride a camel into the dunes near Zagora at sunset.
The route is about 360 km each way, far shorter than the road to Merzouga, so the driving days are long but comfortable, with plenty of stops. On the way south you pass through the Drâa Valley, where the longest river in Morocco feeds hundreds of thousands of date palms, earthen villages and crumbling kasbahs such as Tamnougalt. The dunes at Zagora are smaller than the great sand sea of Erg Chebbi, but the sense of space, the silence after dark and the stars above the camp are just as memorable.
You travel in your own air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, who is happy to stop for photos, mint tea or a short walk whenever you like. Dinner, breakfast, the camel rides and your night in a Berber camp are all taken care of.
Best for: Travellers with limited time who want a first taste of the Sahara, and anyone combining a short desert trip with a stay in Marrakech.
Marrakech · Tizi n'Tichka · Aït Benhaddou · Ouarzazate · Tizi n'Tinififft · Agdz · Drâa Valley · Zagora · about 354 km · About 7 hours of driving, with stops
Your driver-guide meets you at your riad at 8:00 am and heads south into the High Atlas. The road climbs through terraced fields and Berber villages clinging to the slopes before reaching the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres. On the far side, the world turns dry and ochre. Late morning you stop at Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed fortified village of earth and straw where many films have been shot; cross the river and climb through its lanes to the hilltop granary for a wide view over the valley. Lunch is in the village or in nearby Ouarzazate.
In the afternoon you cross the Anti-Atlas by the Tizi n'Tinififft pass (about 1,660 metres) and descend into the Drâa Valley near Agdz, an old caravan stop. For the next hour the road follows an almost unbroken ribbon of date palms, with earthen villages and the ruins of Kasbah Tamnougalt along the river. Arriving in Zagora in the late afternoon, you meet your camels and ride into the dunes for sunset. At camp, mint tea is waiting, followed by a tagine dinner and Berber drumming around the fire.
Zagora · Drâa Valley · Ouarzazate · Tizi n'Tichka · Marrakech · about 365 km · About 7 hours of driving, with stops
Get up early to watch the sun rise over the desert, then ride back to the vehicle by camel and enjoy a Moroccan breakfast of bread, honey, eggs and mint tea at camp. The morning drive retraces the Drâa Valley, and the light makes the palm groves and kasbahs look completely different from the day before.
In Ouarzazate, the 'door of the desert', you can visit the Taourirt Kasbah, once a stronghold of the powerful Glaoui family, or the Atlas film studios, where sets from famous productions still stand (entrance fees not included). After lunch the road climbs back over the High Atlas, and you are dropped at your riad or the airport in Marrakech between 5:00 and 6:00 pm.
Every tent is private. Pick the comfort level that suits you; tell us your choice when you book.
Private tents with their own en-suite bathroom, offering a good balance between comfort and the authentic feel of a Berber camp.
Spacious, elegantly furnished tents equipped with air conditioning and heating, so you stay cool on summer nights and warm in winter. Ideal for couples and families.
Absolutely. Every tour is private, so you can add or remove nights, change the camp style, combine routes or start on a different date. Tell us what you have in mind and we will adapt the plan and price.
A private, air-conditioned minivan or 4x4, depending on group size. Our vehicles are under five years old, regularly inspected and insured for tourist transport.
Yes, families travel with us often. Children love the camel ride and the camp. For young children we usually recommend a longer version of the route, with shorter driving days.
Comfortable clothes, a warm layer for the evenings, a hat or scarf, sunglasses, sun cream and closed shoes. For the desert night, a small backpack is enough; your main luggage stays safely in the vehicle.
Both camps have private tents with en-suite bathrooms, hot showers and comfortable bedding. The mid-range luxury camp offers a good balance between comfort and authenticity. The luxury camp adds air conditioning and heating in every tent, plus more spacious, elegantly furnished tents, so you stay comfortable on hot summer nights and cold winter ones.
Before you go
Where the dunes are, the best season to visit and what a night in Erg Chebbi is really like.
Day trips and short escapes from the city, from mountain villages to waterfalls and kasbahs.
A practical packing list for medinas, mountains and a night in the Sahara, with what to wear in each season.
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