Our Destinations
A short way into the Sahara: two days, one night in the dunes. This private tour leaves Marrakech early, crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass and follows the old caravan road past Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate to the Draa Valley and the dunes near Zagora. A sunset camel trek leads to a desert camp for the night; next morning you ride back at sunrise and drive home to Marrakech.
Tour highlights
- Crossing the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass
- Ait Ben Haddou, with a walk up the hill above the ksar
- Lunch beside the Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate
- The old caravan route over the Tizi n’Tinififft pass to Agdez and the start of the Draa Valley, with the Tamnougalt Kasbah
- The Nkhila dunes near Zagora
- A sunset camel trek to the desert camp, with dinner and a night in a private tent
- Sunrise over the dunes and a camel ride back to your driver
Good to know
- The tour starts early from your Marrakech hotel on day 1 and returns to Marrakech in the early evening of day 2.
- It is a private tour: your own driver and vehicle for both days.
- Day 1 is a long drive with several stops, so the camel trek to the camp takes place at sunset.
- You sleep in a private tent at our own desert camp (Morocco Desert Camp) and can freshen up with a quick shower before the drive back.
- Nights in the desert can be cold in winter and days hot in summer, so pack layers, a scarf and sun protection.
- Send us your dates and group size and we will get back to you with availability and a quote.
Have a third day? The 3 day Erg Chigaga tour and the 3 day Erg Chebbi tour go deeper into the Sahara. You can also ask us to tailor a route, read what past travellers say or get in touch.
Included and Excluded
- Private tour with your own driver
- Pick-up at your Marrakech hotel on day 1
- Sunset camel trek on day 1 and camel ride back at sunrise on day 2
- Dinner and a night in a private tent at the desert camp
- A quick shower before the drive back to Marrakech
- Anything not listed here – please confirm meals, drinks and entrance fees with us when you book
Tour route
- Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Agdez – Zagora – Zagora dunes – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Itinerary
You leave Marrakech early in the morning and cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass. The first stop is Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified ksar that has served as a film location; a short walk takes you to the top of the hill for a view over the whole village. Lunch is in Ouarzazate, next to the well-preserved Kasbah of Taourirt. South of Ouarzazate the road climbs a second pass, the Tizi n'Tinififft, along the old route of the Saharan caravans from Timbuktu, and reaches Agdez, where the Draa Valley begins with its palm groves and kasbahs, among them Tamnougalt. Beyond Zagora you reach the Nkhila dunes, a first taste of the Sahara, and ride out on a sunset camel trek to the desert camp, where dinner is served and a private tent is your bed for the night.
Wake up to sunrise over the dunes, have breakfast and ride the camels back to your driver, with time for a quick shower before you leave. The drive to Marrakech runs back through Ouarzazate, where lunch is in a local restaurant, and over the High Atlas, arriving in Marrakech in the early evening.
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