Marrakech to Merzouga: A 3-Day Desert Tour Review for 2025

Frankly, thinking about a trip from the wild streets of Marrakech out to the huge, quiet sands of the Merzouga desert is, well, something that gets you excited. At the end of the day, you picture camels, unbelievably big dunes, and a sky just packed with stars. I actually went on this three-day tour, and honestly, it’s one of those things you sort of carry with you for a long time. This is pretty much an open book about what the trip felt like, you know, from leaving the city’s noise to hearing the absolute quiet of the Sahara. You will really get a feel for what to expect on what I think is a must-do trip for anyone visiting Morocco.

Day 1: Winding Through the Atlas Mountains to Ait Benhaddou

Okay, so the first morning, you basically get picked up super early, when Marrakech is still a bit sleepy. It’s honestly a bit of a shock leaving the city behind because, like, the scenery just totally changes. You start going up, and the roads, you know, they twist and turn a lot. We were going over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, which is apparently one of the highest in North Africa, and it really feels like it. I mean, the air gets cooler, and the views out the window are just incredible, showing little Berber villages kind of stuck to the mountainsides. It’s pretty much a whole different world from the city you just left.

By the afternoon, as a matter of fact, we got to Aït Benhaddou. Honestly, you’ve probably seen this place before in movies and stuff, but seeing it for real is sort of different. It’s basically this massive fortified village made from mud and straw that kind of rises out of the ground. Walking through its narrow lanes, well, it’s almost like stepping back a few hundred years. You can just about feel the history in the walls. We learned it was, you know, a big stop for caravans carrying salt and gold. Frankly, spending the late afternoon there as the sun started to set, giving everything this sort of deep orange color, was a really special moment.

Day 2: From Gorges to the Edge of the Sahara

Alright, so day two is, I mean, another day with a lot of driving, but the stuff you see is just completely different again. First, you kind of go through Ouarzazate, which they call the ‘door of the desert,’ and it has these big movie studios. Then the drive continues along what’s called the ‘Road of a Thousand Kasbahs,’ and honestly, you see these old fortresses pretty much everywhere. The land is really dry, yet you pass through these surprisingly green valleys, like the Dades Valley, where everything is just so full of life.

The main event for the first part of the day is, obviously, the Todra Gorge. This place is seriously awesome. Basically, a river has carved this massive canyon through the rock, and you can, you know, get out and walk right at the bottom of it. You look up, and these cliffs are towering over you; it sort of makes you feel really small, but in a good way. The sound of the running water and the coolness in the air is such a nice change from the car. Frankly, it’s one of those spots that pictures just can’t really capture, you have to sort of stand there yourself. After that, well, the drive to Merzouga begins for real, and you can just feel the Sahara getting closer as the landscape gets sandier and sandier.

The Erg Chebbi Experience: Camels, Dunes, and a Sky Full of Stars

So, arriving at the edge of the desert is, at the end of the day, a moment you won’t forget. This is basically where you say goodbye to the van and hello to your camel. I was honestly a little nervous, but these animals are so calm and, you know, used to it all. The ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes starts as the sun begins to lower in the sky. I mean, it’s pretty much silent except for the soft sound of the camels’ feet on the sand. The dunes are these huge, flowing waves of orange sand that seem to go on forever. You just sit there, on your camel, watching the colors change from bright orange to soft pink and purple as the sun sets. It’s actually a very peaceful feeling.

When you get to the desert camp, it’s honestly like a little haven among the dunes. You’re greeted with some sweet mint tea, which is pretty much the welcome drink everywhere in Morocco. We had a really good tajine for dinner, and then everyone gathered around a campfire. Our guides, who were local Berber guys, started playing drums and singing. You just sit there, listening to the music under this unbelievable sky. You know, with no city lights around, the stars are so bright they almost look fake. You can clearly see the Milky Way, and it’s just one of those humbling moments where you sort of think about how big everything is. Sleeping in a tent in the middle of the Sahara is, I mean, an experience you’ll be telling stories about for a long, long time.

Day 3: Sunrise Over the Dunes and the Long Road Back

Alright, so they wake you up very early on the last day, well before the sun is up. Frankly, getting out of your warm tent into the cold desert air is a bit of a shock, but it is completely worth it. You just climb up the nearest high dune, sit in the soft, cold sand, and wait. And then, I mean, it starts. You see the horizon begin to glow, and then the sun peeks over the dunes, lighting up the whole landscape in this amazing golden light. The shadows of the dunes are super long, and the silence is, you know, just absolute. It’s a seriously beautiful and calm way to start your day.

After the sunrise, you pretty much have a quick breakfast back at the camp. Then it’s time to get back on the camels and ride out of the dunes to meet your driver. As a matter of fact, the trip back to Marrakech is a long one; there’s no getting around that. You pretty much spend the whole day in the car, watching the scenery change back from desert to rocky mountains and then back to the plains near the city. It gives you a lot of time to sort of process everything you’ve seen. Honestly, you’re a little bit tired, but you’re also just full of these new memories of a completely different part of the world.

What You Should Honestly Pack and Prepare For

Okay, so being prepared can honestly make your trip that much better. I mean, it’s not a luxury getaway, but that’s kind of the point. At the end of the day, here is what you really need to think about packing:

“To be honest, the best advice I got was to just go with the flow. The drives are long, the camp is basic, but the experience is so real and incredible. Just enjoy it for what it is.”

• Layers of Clothes: Seriously, the desert gets pretty cold at night, even in warmer months. So, you will want a warm jacket or fleece for the evening and early morning.
• A Good Scarf: Like, not just for fashion. A scarf or a shesh (a traditional Tuareg turban) is amazing for keeping the sun off your head and neck, and you know, for keeping sand out of your face if it gets windy.
• Sun Protection: I mean, this is an obvious one. Sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses are absolutely necessary. The sun is really strong out there.
• Comfortable Pants: Frankly, you’ll be sitting in a car and on a camel, so you want something comfortable. Jeans are fine, but something looser might be even better.
• Cash: Basically, you will need some cash for lunches, drinks, and any souvenirs you might want to buy. You won’t really find ATMs along the way.
• Camera and Power Bank: You’re going to take a ton of pictures, so you’ll want your camera. A portable power bank is also a good idea to keep your phone and camera charged, as electricity at the camp can be sort of limited.

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