A Marrakech and Sahara private tour Marrakech & the Sahara
- days
- 9
- nights
- 8
- stops
- 8
- guests
- Max 14
- start → finish
- Marrakech → Marrakech
9 days · High Atlas, kasbahs, Erg Chebbi
Two nights in the Red City, then over the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou, the Roses Valley and the gorges, and a sunset camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Out by the Dades and Todgha gorges, back by the Draa Valley, Telouet and the Tizi n'Tichka pass: two different roads between the Red City and the dunes.
How booking works
- 1 Request your dates Choose a start date and party size in the booking window.
- 2 We confirm the details The team checks availability and confirms the arrangements with you.
- 3 Confirm and pay Once everything is agreed, you confirm and pay securely.
- 4 Set off Airport reception in Marrakech.
The essentials
- Duration
- 9 days and 8 nights
- Route
- Marrakech, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Dades Gorge, Todgha Gorge, Erg Chebbi dunes, back to Marrakech
- Group size
- Limited to 14 guests
- Transport
- Private luxury SUV, or a deluxe coach for groups of more than four, with fuel included
- Guides
- English-speaking driver guide throughout, plus a licensed local guide in Marrakech
- Meals
- Breakfast daily and four dinners, in Ouarzazate, at Dades Gorge and in the Sahara
- Accommodation
- Based on two guests sharing a room
- Start and finish
- Marrakech Menara Airport
Read the full description
9 Day Private Marrakech and Sahara Desert Tour in Morocco
Marrakech frames this nine-day private tour, with the High Atlas, the kasbah country and the Sahara dunes in between. You travel in your own vehicle with an English-speaking driver guide, and a licensed local guide leads the walk through Marrakech. Breakfast is included every day, dinner is included on four evenings, and the group is limited to 14 guests.
Itinerary
Two nights in Marrakech open the tour, with a private walk through the Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace, the medina and Djemaa el-Fna. On Day 3 the road crosses the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate, then runs through the Roses Valley, Skoura, Dades Gorge and Todgha Gorge to a Berber village near Tinghir.
Day 5 reaches the Erg Chebbi dunes for a sunset camel ride and a night in a desert camp. The return takes a different line, through the Draa Valley to Ouarzazate, then the Ounila Valley, Telouet and the Tizi n'Tichka pass back to Marrakech, where a free day closes the tour before your departure on Day 9.
Location
The tour starts and ends in Marrakech, the red city at the foot of the High Atlas. Between the two, the route heads south-east along the old caravan road between Marrakech and the Sahara, where mud-brick kasbahs and fortified villages still line the valleys.
Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has served as a film backdrop, including for Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Further east, the Dades and Todgha gorges cut between steep cliffs, and Erg Chebbi near Merzouga is the field of tall golden dunes where the tour spends its desert night.
Prerequisites
No particular skills are needed. Most of each day is spent in the vehicle, with stops to walk around kasbahs, gorges, palm groves and villages, and one camel ride at the dunes on Day 5.
Some days involve long stretches on mountain and desert roads, so a steady tolerance for time in the vehicle helps. If anyone in your party has limited mobility, a health condition or dietary needs, tell the team when you enquire so the days can be planned around them.
Why Choose Us
You travel with the same English-speaking driver guide from Marrakech to the dunes and back, in a private luxury SUV with fuel included, or a deluxe coach when the party is larger than four. In Marrakech a licensed local guide takes you through the sights in private, and the entrance fees that day are covered.
A dedicated concierge is on call 24 hours a day and can help with dinner reservations and special requests. Typical stays include La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa in Marrakech and a luxury camp in the Sahara, and the group is limited to 14 guests.
How it's priced
Along the way
Hover to see a second frameDay by day
- Marrakech
- Ait Ben Haddou
- Ouarzazate
- Dades Gorge
- Tamtatoucht
- Erg Chebbi
- Agdz
- Telouet
- 1 Day
Arrival in Marrakech
Your English-speaking driver meets you at Marrakech Menara Airport and takes you to your riad or hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the area around your stay. You spend the night at La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa.
Tonight La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa
- 2 Day
Marrakech with a licensed guide
A licensed local guide leads a private tour of the main sights: the Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque. You then explore the medina, the souks and the medersas, and finish the day at Djemaa el-Fna square. You stay again at La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa.
Tonight La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa
- 3 Day
Over the High Atlas to Ouarzazate
The road crosses the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified village of mud-brick buildings on the old caravan route to the Sahara, where you stop at the kasbah. You then continue to Ouarzazate and check in at Le Petit Riad.
Tonight Le Petit Riad
- 4 Day
Roses Valley and the gorges
The route runs through the Roses Valley and the palm-filled village of Skoura. You stop for lunch at Dades Gorge, explore Todgha Gorge and the town of Tinghir, then continue to the Berber village of Tamtatoucht, where you stay at Hotel Baddou.
Tonight Hotel Baddou
- 5 Day
Into the dunes
You drive to Tinghir and walk among its palm groves and olive trees before reaching Merzouga, at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. In the late afternoon you ride a camel to watch the sun set over the sand. The night is at Sahara Stars Camp, a luxury desert camp.
Tonight Sahara Stars Camp
- 6 Day
Sunrise, then the Draa Valley
Watch the sun rise over the dunes before you set off. The road passes through Tazzarine and the Draa Valley, with lunch in Nakob and a visit to the Kasbah of Tamnougalte and the town of Agdz. You return to Ouarzazate and Le Petit Riad for the night.
- 7 Day
Telouet and the Tizi n'Tichka pass
The way back to Marrakech follows the Ounila Valley, with red canyons and Berber villages along the old caravan trail. You visit the Kasbah of Telouet and have a fig tajine for lunch, then cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass. You arrive in Marrakech and stay at La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa.
Tonight La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa
- 8 Day
A free day in Marrakech
The day is yours. Options include the souks and museums, a cooking class, a hammam and massage, or a hot air balloon ride. These are optional extras, and the concierge can help arrange them. You stay at La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa.
Tonight La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa
- 9 Day
Departure
A driver takes you to Marrakech Menara Airport for your flight, with help through the formalities and a farewell.
Places on the way
- Ait Ben Haddou
- A UNESCO World Heritage ksar of mud-brick buildings and kasbahs on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, and a backdrop for films such as Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
- Ouarzazate
- The gateway to the Sahara and Morocco's cinematic capital.
- Roses Valley
- Rose fields that bloom each spring, with an annual Rose Festival celebrating local traditions and artisanal rose products.
- Skoura
- A palm oasis of ancient kasbahs, the Amridil Kasbah among them.
- Dades Gorge
- A canyon of winding roads, red rock formations and panoramic viewpoints.
- Todgha Gorge
- Limestone cliffs above a river, with walking trails.
- Todgha Valley
- A lush oasis of palm groves and traditional Berber villages that leads to the Todgha Gorge.
- Erg Chebbi Dunes
- Towering golden dunes near Merzouga, known for sunsets, camel treks and a night in a desert camp.
- Ounila Valley
- Red canyons, ancient kasbahs and Berber villages along the historic caravan route, once a vital trade passage, to the Kasbah of Telouet.
- Tizi n'Tichka
- A pass through the High Atlas with hairpin bends, from rugged peaks to fertile valleys, connecting Marrakech to the Sahara.
Where you'll sleep
Four of the eight nights are in Marrakech at La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa. The other four are at Le Petit Riad in Ouarzazate for two nights, Hotel Baddou in the Berber village of Tamtatoucht, and Sahara Stars Camp, a luxury camp at the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Rooms are arranged for two guests sharing. Dinner is included on four evenings, in Ouarzazate, at Dades Gorge and at the desert camp, where the night follows a sunset camel ride. These are the usual stays for this route, and the team confirms the exact properties at booking, depending on travel dates, budget, party size and availability.
Included
- Eight nights' accommodation, based on two guests sharing
- Breakfast every day
- Four dinners, in Ouarzazate, at Dades Gorge and in the Sahara
- Private luxury SUV, or a deluxe coach for groups of more than four, with fuel
- English-speaking driver guide throughout the trip
- Licensed local English-speaking guide in Marrakech, with all entrance fees
- Airport pickup and drop-off in Marrakech
- 24-hour support with a dedicated concierge for dinner reservations and special requests
Not included
- International flights
- Meals not listed above
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities such as a hot air balloon ride, a cooking class, a hammam, or a tour of the Majorelle Gardens and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum
- Transport to and from the meeting point
Optional activities
Not part of the price above. Ask the team to add any of these when you book.
- An early-morning hot air balloon flight in Marrakech
- A tour of Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum
- A cooking class with a local family or in a commercial kitchen
- A hammam at La Maison Arabe
A balloon flight with a reserved compartment can be booked on its own: VIP Balloon Flight
What to pack
- Comfortable walking shoes for kasbahs, gorges and medinas
- Layers, as mountain passes and desert evenings are cooler than the daytime
- Sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- A light scarf for sun and sand at the dunes
- Modest clothing for visits to religious sites
- A small daypack and a refillable water bottle
Getting there
- Start and finish
- Marrakech Menara Airport
- Meeting point
- Airport reception in Marrakech
- Book ahead
- At least 24 hours before departure
Good questions
Where do we sleep each night?
Nights one, two, seven and eight are in Marrakech at La Maison Arabe Hotel and Spa. The others are at Le Petit Riad in Ouarzazate (nights three and six), Hotel Baddou in the Berber village of Tamtatoucht (night four) and Sahara Stars Camp at the Erg Chebbi dunes (night five).
Rooms are arranged for two guests sharing. The exact properties depend on your dates, budget, party size and availability, so the team confirms them with you when you book.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast is included every day. Four dinners are included, in Ouarzazate, at Dades Gorge and at the Sahara camp.
Lunches, drinks and any dinners not named in the plan are paid for separately. Planned lunch stops on the route include Dades Gorge on Day 4, Nakob on Day 6 and a fig tajine at Telouet on Day 7.
What vehicle do we travel in, and who drives?
You travel in a private luxury SUV with fuel included, or in a deluxe coach when the party is larger than four. The same English-speaking driver guide stays with you throughout the trip.
In Marrakech on Day 2 a licensed local guide joins you for the sights, and all entrance fees for that day are covered. On the road days your driver guide looks after the route and the stops.
How many people travel together?
The tour is limited to 14 guests, and the vehicle is private to your party. Day-to-day timings are planned around the route rather than a shared timetable.
Prices are based on two guests sharing a room. If you are travelling alone or want a different room arrangement, ask when you enquire so the team can confirm what is possible.
What happens on the night in the Sahara?
On Day 5 you reach Merzouga and ride a camel to watch the sun set over the Erg Chebbi dunes. You then spend the night at Sahara Stars Camp, a luxury desert camp, with dinner included.
The next morning you watch the sun rise over the dunes before the drive back towards Ouarzazate on Day 6. A light scarf and warm layers are worth packing for the evening and the early start.
How do the airport transfers work?
On Day 1 an English-speaking driver meets you at Marrakech Menara Airport and takes you to your riad or hotel. Share your flight details when you enquire so the pickup can be timed to your arrival.
On Day 9 you are driven back to Marrakech airport, with help through the formalities. Pickup and drop-off are part of the tour.
What can I do on the free day in Marrakech?
Day 8 is left open. Options include the souks and museums, a cooking class with a local family or in a commercial kitchen, or a tour of the Majorelle Gardens and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
A traditional hammam and massage, or an early-morning hot air balloon ride, are also possible. These are optional and not included, and the concierge can help you arrange them.
What is not included?
International flights, drinks, tips and meals not named in the plan are not included. Optional activities on the free day, such as a balloon ride or a cooking class, are also extra.
Transport to and from the meeting point is not included either, although airport pickup and drop-off in Marrakech are part of the tour.
Is there support during the trip?
A dedicated concierge is available 24 hours a day throughout the trip. They can help with dinner reservations and special requests.
Your English-speaking driver guide is also with you on every day of the route, so questions about timings, stops or changes can be raised on the spot.
Are the hotels fixed, or can they change?
The properties listed are the usual stays for this route. The team suggests the exact accommodation based on your budget, the number of people, your travel dates, your preferences and availability at each stop.
If availability is limited at a stop, the team proposes an alternative. Ask for the confirmed list of stays when you book.
Wonders of Morocco
A film by Top Travel on YouTube, not footage of this journey
