The golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, near the village of Merzouga, are one of the highlights of any trip to Morocco. But Merzouga is far from Marrakech: about 560 km by road, across the High Atlas Mountains. So how many days should you plan?
The route from Marrakech to the Sahara
The road leaves Marrakech and climbs over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, at about 2,260 metres. It then goes down to the kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou and the city of Ouarzazate, continues through the Valley of Roses and the Dades Valley, and passes the Todra Gorge before reaching the desert.
Without stops, the drive takes around 9 to 10 hours. With photo stops, lunch and visits, it is a long but beautiful day.
2 days: possible, but rushed
A 2-day trip goes to the desert and back with one night in a camp. It works if you are short on time, but you spend most of the two days in the car and have little time to enjoy the places on the way.
3 days: the most popular choice
Three days is the best balance for most travellers. On day 1, you cross the Atlas and sleep in the Dades Valley. On day 2, you visit the Todra Gorge, reach Merzouga in the afternoon and ride a camel into the dunes for sunset and a night in a desert camp. On day 3, you watch the sunrise and drive back to Marrakech, or continue to Fes.
Our 3-day Marrakech to Sahara tour follows this route.
4 days or more: the relaxed way
With 4 days or more, you can slow down. Spend more time at Aït Ben Haddou, walk in the Dades and Todra gorges, add a second night in the desert, or visit the nomad families and the fossil workshops around Erfoud.
If you are also visiting Fes, it is easy to combine both: start in Marrakech, cross the desert and finish in Fes, or the other way round. Many of our 6- to 10-day tours do exactly this.
Our advice
If you have only one or two days, consider the Agafay desert near Marrakech instead: it is a stony desert, not sand dunes, but it is just one hour away. For the real Sahara dunes, plan at least 3 days. Tell us how much time you have and we will design the perfect private desert trip for you.
