3 Days Ouarzazate to Merzouga Desert

Departing from Ouarzazate

Three days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga and back is the format that gives you the Sahara with genuine depth — two nights in the desert, a proper exploration of the oases and ksar villages around Erg Chebbi, and time to visit both the Todra and Dades gorges on the way east. Ouarzazate’s position on the south side of the High Atlas means the desert is closer here than from any other major Moroccan city.

Departing from your Ouarzazate hotel, the route follows the N10 through Skoura and into the gorge country. The Dades Gorge — sometimes called the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs — and the Todra Gorge (300m limestone walls, 10m wide at the base) are two of the most photographed landscapes in Morocco, yet they’re often rushed through on Marrakech-based tours. From Ouarzazate, there is time for both. Arriving at Merzouga in the late afternoon gives you the full sunset experience at Erg Chebbi.

Two nights in the desert means a camel trek one evening and a walk in the dunes at dawn the next morning, with time to visit the nomadic Gnawa encampments at the edge of the erg and the black dunes of Erg Lihoudi. Return to Ouarzazate via the N10 or the southern route through Zagora. All accommodation, camel trek, breakfasts, dinners, and private vehicle are included. Request a quote.