Morocco's desert tours range from a single evening in the stony Agafay plateau, 40 minutes from Marrakech, to overnight trips into the real Saharan sand seas of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and the smaller dunes around Zagora. The deeper you go, the more driving is involved: Merzouga sits roughly 9-10 hours from Marrakech, split over two days via the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), Ait Benhaddou and the Dades Gorges.
How to choose: if you have three days and want tall dunes, take our 3-day Sahara tour from Marrakech to Merzouga. With only two days, the Zagora desert trip gives you a camel ride and a camp night with less time in the vehicle. Short on time? A sunset camel ride and dinner in Agafay fits into one afternoon.
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Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n'Tichka, visit Ait Benhaddou and the Todra Gorge, then ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a night in a desert camp.
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Just 45 minutes from Marrakech: a sunset camel ride across the stony Agafay desert with Atlas views, followed by mint tea and a tagine dinner at a desert camp.
A short desert escape: cross the High Atlas, visit Ait Benhaddou and the Draa Valley palm groves, then ride a camel to a desert camp near Zagora.
A one-way desert crossing from Fes to Marrakech: Middle Atlas cedar forests, a camel trek and night in Erg Chebbi, the Todra Gorge and Ait Benhaddou.
Crossing Morocco from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara: distances, drive times, the stops worth making and why the one-way route saves a day.
How big the Erg Chebbi dunes are, how to reach them, the villages around them and the best things to do in and around Merzouga.
Spring and autumn are the sweet spots, but every season has something to offer. Temperatures, wind, crowds and moon phases for a Moroccan Sahara trip.
