{"id":17979,"date":"2024-11-12T11:54:58","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T10:54:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.justtravelous.com\/?p=17979"},"modified":"2026-08-19T15:44:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T14:44:57","slug":"morocco-desert-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.justtravelous.com\/en\/morocco-desert-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Marrakech Desert Tour: 3-Day vs 4-Day Compared (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Almost everyone booking a Sahara trip from Marrakech is deciding between the same two things: three days or four. Three days gets you to the Erg Chebbi dunes and back. Four adds the Draa Valley, Rissani and Atlas Studios, and turns a lot of driving into an actual trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We went in September and did the four-day version privately, which cost \u20ac480 per person. Having now seen the small-group prices, I would not spend that again \u2014 the same route runs at \u20ac164. Here is how the options compare, and then the full day-by-day of what four days actually looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marrakech Desert Tour: 3 Days or 4?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All four run Marrakech to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga and cover the same headline stops \u2014 the Tizi n’Tichka pass, Ait Ben Haddou, the Todra Gorge and a night in a desert camp. The differences are the fourth day, how much of the car you share, and the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the fourth day buys you:<\/strong> Rissani and its medina, the fossil museum, the palm groves of the Draa Valley, and Atlas Studios at Ouarzazate. All of it is described further down. On a three-day tour you drive back to Marrakech instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tour<\/th>Length<\/th>Price pp<\/th>Style<\/th>Best for<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Erg Chebbi 4-Day Desert Tour<\/strong>
Our pick<\/em><\/td>		4 days \/ 3 nights<\/td>\u20ac164<\/strong><\/td>Small group<\/td>Most people.<\/strong> The full four-day route described below \u2014 Atlas Mountains, Ait Ben Haddou, Todra Gorge and two nights near the dunes \u2014 at a third of the price of going private.<\/td><\/tr>
3-Day Merzouga and Sahara Desert Tour<\/strong>
Best-rated 3-day<\/em><\/td>		3 days \/ 2 nights<\/td>\u20ac118<\/strong>
usually \u20ac125<\/span><\/td>		Shared, private option available<\/td>The best-reviewed three-day option on GetYourGuide. Choose this if you only have three days. You lose the Draa Valley and Atlas Studios day.<\/td><\/tr>
Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari with Food<\/td>3 days \/ 2 nights<\/td>\u20ac104<\/strong>
usually \u20ac120<\/span><\/td>		Shared group, meals included<\/td>The cheapest way to reach the dunes. Meals are included, which closes most of the gap to the option above once you have eaten three days of lunches.<\/td><\/tr>
4-Day Private Atlas Mountains & Desert Tour<\/td>4 days \/ 3 nights<\/td>\u20ac480<\/strong><\/td>Private vehicle and driver<\/td>What we booked. Roughly three times the small-group price, and worth it only if setting your own pace matters more to you than the money. There is a lot of time in the car either way.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Prices per person, correct at the time of writing \u2014 the two sale prices move. All four depart from Marrakech and run to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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\"Berber<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Important Notes for your Morocco Desert Trip:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Along our 4-day journey, the police stopped our car twice to check documents. The driver from the tour had to produce over a dozen documents. This is not a country that I would recommend going on a self-guided tour. It is a country that is worth paying for an official tour of, as the bureaucracy and roads are not easy for a foreigner to navigate. Our tour was fantastic, and we splurged for a private tour to go at our pace. There is a lot of time in the car, so if you can afford it, the private tour was worth the money for setting our own schedule and music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morocco has a lot of bureaucracy and many different entities overseeing its security. You will see this right away at the airport. It will take you at least an hour to land and go through passport control, arrival security, and duplicate checks of passport and security. Leave time in your schedule for a long arrival process at the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We used this time to activate our eSim with Airalo<\/a>. As mentioned before, there is a lot of time in transit, so we were happy to have internet access to pass the time in the car. We definitely needed it for our last few days in Marrakesh, as it is a maze in the city. We are really happy with Airalo <\/a>and have used it in many countries to get a local SIM without wasting time and money when you arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morocco is still a cash culture. Very few places accept credit cards, so get cash out at the ATM in the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marrakech Desert Tour Prices Compared<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our pick \u2014 Erg Chebbi 4-Day Desert Tour (\u20ac164 per person):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by GetYourGuide<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Best-rated three-day option \u2014 3-Day Merzouga and Sahara Desert Tour (\u20ac118 per person):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by GetYourGuide<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cheapest \u2014 Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari with Food (\u20ac104 per person):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by GetYourGuide<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The private option we booked \u2014 4-Day Private Atlas Mountains & Desert Tour (\u20ac480 per person):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by GetYourGuide<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Day 1: From Marrakech to Dades Valley<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We started our adventure in Marrakech, where our driver picked us up directly from the airport. As mentioned above, before you leave the airport, leave time in your schedule for getting through the arrival process at the Marrakesh Airport, get out a lot of cash since it is a cash-heavy culture, and get an eSim <\/a>working before you leave the airport, as you will have a lot of time in the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The driver will take you out of the city and onto the majestic High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi N’tichka pass, the views of the mountains are incredible throughout the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first major stop is the iconic Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its cinematic history\u2014think Lawrence of Arabia <\/em>and Game of Thrones<\/em>. This ancient fortress is a must-visit! The entire town is made out of pressed earth with unique designs and stunning views. Make your way to the top of the casbah for a great view of the surrounding area. We took the private tour and had time to stop for a Moroccan tea and enjoy the view slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tour will also include stays at small boutique hotels called riads, which are stunning. The smell of jasmine greets you in a magical wave. The Raids usually serve dinner and breakfast on-site, so it is very relaxing to enjoy the serenity of the raid.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Historical<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Day 2: Todra Gorges and Riding Camels in the Sahara Desert<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After breakfast at the riad, we started the last part of the drive to Merzouga. We stopped along the way at the breathtaking Todra Gorges. It is a beautiful Gorge with a short walk along the river. Nothing makes you feel smaller than a gorge with rocks towering around you. It was such a beautiful stop along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We finally arrived at the desert! We stopped on the edge of the desert and mounted a dromedary (fun fact: dromedaries have one hump, and camels have 2 humps). A berber guided us in a 45-minute ride to camp. The Berber guide was our photographer, taking so many photos along the way while we rode completely mesmerized by the golden dunes at sunset in all directions. We could not believe how beautiful everything was in the Erg Chebbi Dunes. We climbed one of the dunes to watch the sunset and the last moments of golden hour over the desert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we arrived at the camp, we were completely shocked by its structure. It was an oasis in the middle of the desert with a full bed! They served us a delicious meal, and then we enjoyed some traditional Berber music by the fire with the rest of the campers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stayed after the music to enjoy the stars, some of the brightest I have ever seen, with the Milky Way across the entire sky. The stars were even brighter than our trip to the middle of nowhere Sweden to see the Northern Lights in Kiruna.<\/a> It was truly spectacular to see in Morocco and I would highly recommend the desert trip for this unbelievable night sky. The sunset and stars in the desert were the highlight of our Morocco Desert Tour.- <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"woman<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Day 3: Discover Rissani and the Draa Valley<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We woke up early to watch the stunning sunrise over the dunes, which was just beautiful. After breakfast at camp, we had the choice of a car, a dromedary, or walking back. We chose to walk, and it was absolutely the right choice! The walk goes through a much quieter path, so you can enjoy the walk without the four-wheelers driving around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first stop is Rissani, home to the largest traditional medina in southern Morocco. We enjoyed some traditional Moroccan music there. We then stopped at a fossil museum, which was fascinating.  Morocco is a hotbed of fossils from the original life forms on Earth dating back to Pangea. It was fascinating to learn about the different types of fossils, and they are even affordable to buy and take home. We then ventured into the picturesque Draa Valley, where you can admire the largest lush palm groves in North Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our day concluded in Ouarzazate, where we spent the night in a comfortable Riad that also served a beautiful dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 4: Return to Marrakesh<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After breakfast, we stopped first at Atlas Studios on our final day. It was a surprise to us that Morocco is a big location for filming moves. They call Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco. We took an hour to tour the movie sets at Atlas Studios, and it was really interesting to see how they make movie sets so quickly. I had no idea Morocco had so many movies filmed there, but it was cool to see the sets of Gladiator, The Mummy, Cleopatra, and so many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We drove through the Atlas Mountains again, taking in the breathtaking views of the lush valleys and charming villages. Upon reaching Marrakech, our journey concluded with two nights in Marrakesh to enjoy the main tourist city before we left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Souvenirs on the Morocco Desert Tour<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our driver stopped at a lot of little stops along the way to buy Moroccan Products. The stops that were worth it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n