Merzouga, Dades & Todra Gorges: 5-Day Slow Desert Journey

About the 5-day Merzouga & gorges journey

The 5-day desert tour from Marrakech is for travellers who want to slow down. Instead of a race to the dunes, you spend two nights in the Merzouga area, hike in the Dades Gorge with a local guide, sleep in an oasis kasbah and break the return journey in the Draa Valley.

Every day has a short drive and something to do on foot: a walk through the gardens of Skoura, a half-day hike in the Dades, a stroll in the Todra Gorge, a morning with a nomad family and a camel trek deep into the Erg Chebbi. It is our favourite itinerary for families and for photographers who want good light and fewer people.

As a private tour, it is easy to swap a hike for a cooking class or to add a quad ride in the dunes.

Highlights

• Two nights near the Erg Chebbi dunes
• Half-day guided hike in the Dades Gorge
• Skoura palm grove and Amridil kasbah
• Nomad family and Khamlia Gnawa village
• Draa Valley kasbah night on the way back
• Short driving days

Route map of the 5-day Merzouga & gorges journey

The golden dunes of Erg Chebbi: camel treks at sunset, nights under the stars and Berber music by the fire. All tours in Merzouga

Day-by-day itinerary: 5 days

1. Day 1 Marrakech – Aït Benhaddou – Ouarzazate – Skoura

   ≈ 240 km · 5 h with stops Kasbah guesthouse in the Skoura oasis

   A gentle first day: the Tizi n’Tichka pass, a long visit to Aït Benhaddou and lunch, then a walk through the palm gardens of Skoura and its 17th-century Amridil kasbah. Dinner in a kasbah guesthouse surrounded by palms.

2. Day 2 Skoura – Valley of Roses – Dades Gorge hike

   ≈ 110 km · 2 h Hotel in the Dades Gorge

   Drive through Kelaat M’Gouna, the Valley of Roses, to the Dades Gorge. With a local mountain guide you hike 3–4 hours through the red “monkey fingers” rock formations and down to a Berber village for tea. Easy to moderate, about 9 km.

3. Day 3 Dades – Todra Gorge – Merzouga desert camp

   ≈ 260 km · 6 h with stops Desert camp in Erg Chebbi

   Walk through the Todra Gorge and the Tinghir palm groves, then cross to Merzouga. Camel trek at sunset to camp, dinner and music around the fire.

4. Day 4 Merzouga desert day

   Short 4x4 drives Guesthouse with pool in Merzouga

   Sunrise and breakfast at camp. Visit a nomad family, Khamlia for Gnawa music, Rissani market and the ksar of Ouled Abdelhalim. Afternoon by the pool and an optional sandboard session for a last sunset.

5. Day 5 Merzouga – N’Kob – Agdz – Marrakech

   ≈ 560 km · 9 h with stops End of the tour

   Leave early through the Jbel Saghro, lunch in N’Kob and drive up the Draa Valley via Agdz before crossing the Atlas back to Marrakech for an evening drop-off.

Times and driving durations are approximate and can be adapted. It is a private tour, so you can change stops with your driver-guide.

Prices for the 5-day Merzouga & gorges journey

Your private tour, with prices per group size. All prices are in euros and include everything listed under “What’s included”.

The more you are, the less you pay per person. Children count as travellers when they need a bed.

Where you sleep

• Night 1Kasbah guesthouse in the Skoura oasis
• Night 2Hotel in the Dades Gorge
• Night 3Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
• Night 4Guesthouse with pool in Merzouga

What's included