4-Day Ouarzazate to Marrakech Desert Tour with Two Desert Nights

Four days from Ouarzazate gives you two nights in the Sahara and a whole day to explore it. This private tour starts on the desert side of the High Atlas, follows the kasbahs and gorges east to Erg Chebbi, and then slows right down. The first night is at our luxury camp after a sunset camel ride; the next day, a 4x4 excursion takes you to nomad families, an abandoned mining village and Gnawa musicians, before an afternoon of rest at a riad at the edge of the dunes. On the last day you return west along the Draa Valley and over the mountains to Marrakech.

It’s the version of the Ouarzazate loop we recommend to anyone who doesn’t want to leave the dunes at dawn after only one night.

The route at a glance

• Day 1: Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Skoura → Valley of Roses → Dades Valley (about 210 km)
• Day 2: Dades Gorge → Todra Gorge → Merzouga, then by camel to camp (about 290 km)
• Day 3: Erg Chebbi by 4x4: nomad family, Mfis, Khamlia and Dayet Srij in season, then a riad by the dunes (about 60 km)
• Day 4: Merzouga → Alnif → Draa Valley → Agdz → Ouarzazate → Tizi n’Tichka → Marrakech (about 560 km)

Day 1: from Ouarzazate to the Dades Valley

We meet you at Ouarzazate Airport or your hotel. A short drive takes you to Ait Ben Haddou, the fortified earthen village that has stood above the Ounila river for centuries and starred in films from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator. Take your time to wander up through its alleys to the old granary on the hilltop.

In the afternoon you follow the valley east on the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. The palm grove of Skoura shelters some of the finest family kasbahs in the south, and the fields around Kelaat M’Gouna are lined with the damask roses that give the Valley of Roses its name. You reach the Dades Valley in the late afternoon and check in to a kasbah hotel for dinner and the night.

Day 2: gorges and a camel ride

After breakfast, you drive up the Dades Gorge to see the curious rock formations known as “monkey fingers” and the dramatic hairpin road that climbs the canyon wall. Then it’s east to Tinghir and into the Todra Gorge, where you walk between rock walls around 300 metres high.

In the afternoon, the road crosses the flat, stony plateau to Merzouga. The dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon, orange against the sky, and at their edge your camels are waiting. Ride into the sand for the sunset and continue to camp for dinner and an evening of drumming under the stars.

Day 3: a full day around Erg Chebbi

This is the day that makes the 4-day tour different. Start with the sunrise from a dune above camp, then enjoy a relaxed breakfast. Your driver then takes you out by 4x4 on a loop around the dunes.

• A nomad family. Near the Algerian border, you share tea with a family who still live in a tent and move their animals with the seasons.
• Mfis. This lead-mining village was abandoned when the mines closed, and its empty houses and rusting machinery stand silent in the desert.
• Khamlia. The village’s Gnawa musicians descend from West Africans who came north with the caravans, and their drums and chants are unlike any other music in Morocco.
• Dayet Srij. From February to April, when there has been rain, a seasonal lake forms north-west of the dunes and flamingos gather to feed.

By early afternoon you’re at your riad at the foot of the dunes. Rest through the heat of the day, then walk out onto the sand in the evening for one more desert sunset.

Day 4: the Draa Valley and the High Atlas

The last day takes the southern route west. You pass Alnif, a town known for its trilobite fossils, and cross a wild landscape of black volcanic hills to reach the Draa Valley, the longest river valley in Morocco and an ancient caravan route. Around Agdz, the valley is lined with palm groves and the ruins of fortified kasbahs.

After lunch in Ouarzazate, you climb into the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, at 2,260 metres, and descend to Marrakech, arriving in the evening at your riad or at the airport.

Breaking up the last day

Day four is long, about nine hours with stops. If you’d rather not do it all at once, we can add a night in Ouarzazate or at Ait Ben Haddou, where you can watch the sunset light up the ksar, and continue to Marrakech the next morning. We can also end the tour back in Ouarzazate if you’re flying out from there.

Travelling with children

The 4-day tour works well for families. The first two days are moderate, and the third, spent entirely around the dunes, gives children a break from the car: camels, sandboarding, nomad tents and a riad with space to play. Family tents with extra beds are available at the camp on request, and children who don’t want to ride can go to camp by 4x4 instead, at no extra cost. Tell us your children’s ages and any dietary needs when you book, and we’ll plan the stops, meals and timings around them. If the last day feels too long for young travellers, we can split it with a night in Ouarzazate or Ait Ben Haddou.

Where you’ll sleep

• Dades Valley (1 night): a kasbah hotel with a private room and bathroom.
• Erg Chebbi camp (1 night): our luxury desert camp, with a private tent for your booking, en-suite hot shower and flushing toilet, comfortable beds and electricity for charging. Heavy blankets are provided in winter, and family tents are available on request.
• Merzouga riad (1 night): a riad at the foot of the dunes, with a private room and bathroom.

Dinner and breakfast are included every night. If you’d like both desert nights at the camp, just ask.

Best time to go

Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant weather. Spring is also the season for the roses and the Dayet Srij flamingos. Winter is sunny and quiet, with cold desert nights. In summer, the full desert day is planned around the heat, with the 4x4 excursion in the early morning and a long afternoon rest at the riad.

Who this tour is for

Travellers starting in Ouarzazate who want more than a single evening in the dunes, with a full day to experience the Sahara and its people. It suits families and couples who prefer a slower pace.

Good to know

• The last day is long (about 9 hours with stops). If you’d prefer, add a night in Ouarzazate or Ait Ben Haddou to split it.
• Nomad visits are informal. Families welcome visitors for tea; a small tip or a gift of tea and sugar is appreciated but never expected.
• Best months: March to May and September to November.
• Adventure extras: quad biking or a buggy session in the dunes can be added on day three.