6 Days Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech

Answer the call of the dunes on a 6 Days Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech that blends mountain drama, kasbah lore, and the serene silence of the deep south. Cross the High Atlas via the legendary Tizi n’Tichka, step into the storied lanes of Ait Benhaddou (UNESCO), glide through Skoura palmgroves and the Valley of Roses, and trace rivers carved through rock at the Todra Gorges. Then, trade tarmac for sand as you ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a starlit camp night, before venturing even deeper to the otherworldly Ouzina desert on old Rally Dakar tracks.

With a private driver-guide and comfortable A/C vehicle, you’ll enjoy flexible pacing, authentic encounters, and handpicked stays. Expect live Gnawa rhythms, mint tea with nomads, fossil finds near Erfoud, and a tapestry of oases, kasbahs, and Berber villages that make southern Morocco unforgettable.

6 Days Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech — Highlights

• Atlas to Sahara — Scenic crossing of the Tizi n’Tichka Pass with epic photo stops
• UNESCO Ait Benhaddou — Wander Morocco’s iconic ksar and filming backdrop (UNESCO)
• Skoura & Roses — Palm oasis, Kasbah Amridil, and the fragrant Valley of Roses
• Gorge Country — Dades Valley “Monkey Fingers” and the soaring Todra Gorges
• Erg Chebbi Camel Trek — Sunset ride to a luxury camp with sandboarding and stargazing
• Berber Culture — Khamlia Gnawa music, M’Fis mines, tea with nomads
• Ouzina Wild Desert — Remote dunes, acacia oases, and Rally Dakar off-road tracks
• Draa Valley Greenway — Tamnougalt/Agdz vistas, kasbahs, and never-ending palms
• Private & Flexible — Tailored photo stops, pacing, and accommodation level

Itinerary: 6 Days Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech

Day 1: Marrakech → High Atlas → Ait Benhaddou → Ouarzazate → Skoura → Valley of Roses → Dades Valley (6–7 Hours Drive)

We’ll collect you from your Marrakech accommodation at 08:30 and set a course for the High Atlas Mountains. The climb over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass reveals an ever-shifting palette: terraced fields, juniper-studded slopes, and red-earth villages hugging the hillsides. We’ll pause at scenic overlooks and stop by a small argan oil cooperative where Berber women demonstrate centuries-old cold-press techniques and share the culinary and cosmetic uses of this prized oil.

By late morning, the earthen towers of Ait Benhaddou rise from the riverbank — a fortified ksar that has doubled for ancient cities in films from Gladiator to Game of Thrones. Cross the shallow riverbed and wander narrow alleys to the hilltop granary for sweeping views. Over lunch, soak in the scene as the kasbah’s hues shift with the light. Curious what a kasbah is? Read our primer: What is a Kasbah?

We continue to Ouarzazate, nicknamed the “Gateway to the Desert.” Time permitting, explore the elegant Taourirt Kasbah and, if you’re a cinema fan, the Atlas Film Studios. Then roll on to the verdant Skoura Palm Grove, a living museum of date palms, pomegranate trees, and historic dwellings — don’t miss the beautifully preserved Kasbah Amridil. As afternoon softens, we traverse the Valley of Roses, famed for its spring harvest (mid-April to mid-May) and fragrant distilleries. The road winds into the Dades Valley, where sculpted rock formations and ochre cliffs signal your night’s stop. Settle into a kasbah-riad and enjoy a slow-cooked dinner with valley views.

Accommodation: Kasbah Riad in Dades Valley — Half board (dinner & breakfast)

Day 2: Dades Valley → Todra Gorges → Jorf → Erfoud → Merzouga → Camel Trek & Desert Night (4–5 Hours Drive)

After breakfast, follow the “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs” through fortified hamlets and small market towns toward Tinghir. The greenery thickens as we reach the oasis, then the cliffs close in — welcome to the Todra Gorges, where limestone walls soar up to 300 meters. Walk the riverbed as sunlight paints the rock with warm tones and climbers scale the faces above you. It’s one of Morocco’s most theatrical landscapes.

Post-lunch, we roll past Jorf and into Erfoud, a hub for dates and fossil workshops where slabs of ancient marine life are polished into art. By late afternoon, the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi call. At the desert’s edge, leave your main luggage in safe storage, mount a camel, and sway into the sands as the sky turns tangerine. Prefer wheels? A 4×4 transfer to camp is available.

At your luxury desert camp, a warm welcome awaits with mint tea, a hearty dinner under the stars, and live Berber drum rhythms around the fire. Try sandboarding on a nearby slope, trace constellations in pristine skies, or climb a dune for a moonlit panorama before retiring to your private superior tent.

Accommodation: Superior Desert Tented Camp — Half board (dinner & breakfast)

Day 3: Merzouga → Erg Chebbi Off‑Road → Nomads & M’Fis Mines → Khamlia Gnawa → Rock Engravings → Taouz → Jdaid → Ouzina (Off‑Road Day)

Rise early for a spellbinding sunrise as the dunes blush from amber to gold. After breakfast and a quick freshen up at the lodge, our off-road exploration begins. We’ll traverse the backs of the Erg Chebbi dunes, stop at the abandoned M’Fis mines to learn about their 20th‑century borate history, and share tea with a Berber nomad family who’ll offer a window into life lived by the rhythms of the desert.

In Khamlia — known as the “Village of the Blacks” — you’ll be welcomed by Gnawa musicians whose ancestors came from sub‑Saharan Africa. Their hypnotic rhythms and spiritual songs set the tone for a relaxed tasting of Berber pizza and mint tea. We continue onto the old Rally Dakar tracks toward Taouz, scanning for prehistoric rock engravings that reveal an ancient Sahara once roamed by giraffes and elephants.

By late afternoon, the landscapes shift to the quiet dunes of Ouzina, a remote desert where silence feels tangible. Check into your desert kasbah auberge, sip tea on the terrace, and watch the light melt across the orange sands.

Accommodation: Desert Kasbah Auberge (Ouzina) — Half board (dinner & breakfast)

Day 4: Ouzina — Deep Desert Day: Oases, Ruins & Acacia Plains (Off‑Road Exploration)

Today is your desert immersion. We set off across hard-packed plains to find pockets of life: the shady acacias of Oasis Bourika, the quiet ruins of Oubahlou whispering of bygone caravans, and the palm groves that dot dry riverbeds. The Ouzina region offers a full gallery of Saharan moods — from orange dunes and gravel reg to black volcanic hills. The stillness is profound.

We continue south along Rally Dakar pistes toward Ramlia, a remote village where we’ll stop for a rustic lunch and hospitality straight from the heart. Want to dial up the romance? Ask us to arrange an optional picnic in a hidden oasis (book 24h in advance).

As late afternoon approaches, we chase the light across the dunes, returning to your auberge in time for a hot shower, a home-cooked dinner, and another evening of Berber music under Saharan stars.

Accommodation: Desert Kasbah Auberge (Ouzina) — Half board (dinner & breakfast)

Day 5: Ouzina → Dakar Track → Taouz → Rissani Souk → Alnif → Tazarine → Nkob (6–7 Hours Drive incl. visits)

After a Berber breakfast, we trace the Dakar track back toward Taouz, passing scattered hamlets where adobe homes blend perfectly into the land. Soon, the road carries us to Rissani, a historic caravan stop and cradle of the Alaouite dynasty. Wander its souks stacked with dates and spices, peek at the famous “donkey parking,” and sample a local specialty: medfouna, the Saharan stuffed flatbread.

We continue west through Alnif — trilobite country for geology buffs — and on via Tazarine toward Nkob. The scenery shifts from desert plateaus to acacia-dotted plains and isolated palm oases. Nkob appears like a fortress city, famous for its 45 kasbahs and dramatic backdrop. Settle into a kasbah-guesthouse and toast the day with mint tea on the roof as dusk paints the Anti‑Atlas.

Accommodation: Kasbah Guesthouse in Nkob — Half board (dinner & breakfast)

Day 6: Nkob → Draa Valley → Agdz → Ouarzazate → High Atlas → Marrakech (6–7 Hours Drive)

Follow the ribbon of the Draa Valley, Morocco’s longest oasis, where date palms, fields, and mud-brick ksars line the river. We’ll pause for photos at Agdz and, time permitting, visit a kasbah like Tamnougalt to see life inside a traditional fortified village. The road climbs gradually toward Ouarzazate and then back over the Tizi n’Tichka into the High Atlas, with sweeping views that bookend your journey.

Expect arrival in Marrakech by late afternoon or early evening, depending on stops. We’ll drop you at your riad with sand still in your shoes, music in your ears, and the slow rhythm of the Sahara lingering long after the city lights return.

Tour Gallery: 6 Days Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech