TAKE THIS CLASSIC FOUR-DAY TOUR ACROSS THE HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS TO THE “MOROCCAN SAHARA” FOR A CAMEL RIDE ACROSS ERG CHEBBI AND AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT CAMPING RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE SAND DUNES UNDER THE STARS
This is an unforgettable desert adventure, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the air crisp, clean and clear and the stars so close that you feel you could almost touch them, the silence is almost overwhelming. Ride a camel across the dunes, watch a breath-taking sunset, spend a night at our camp in a Berber tent, and then watch the sun rise again over the dunes the following morning. Even more than this, on our way to the desert from Marrakech, we first cross the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka Pass, drive through the astonishing “Valley of 1000 kasbahs”, then take a short walk in the Todra Gorge, while on the return we break our journey with an overnight stay at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Aït Benhaddou.
Morocco
Erg Chebbi (Merzouga)
Duration
4 days
& Culture Tour
Leisurely
Intro to Erg Chebbi Desert Trip (Option 2)
This is an unforgettable desert adventure, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the air crisp, clean and clear and the stars so close that you feel you could almost touch them, the silence is almost overwhelming. Ride a camel across the dunes, watch a breath-taking sunset, spend a night at our camp in a Berber tent, and then watch the sun rise again over the dunes the following morning.
Even more than this, on our way to the desert from Marrakech, we first cross the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka Pass, drive through the astonishing “Valley of 1000 kasbahs”, then take a short walk in the Todra Gorge, while on the return we break our journey with an overnight stay at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Aït Benhaddou.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cross the High Atlas Mountains via the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass
- Spend a night in the beautiful Dades Gorge
- Take a short walk in the spectacular Todra Gorge
- Enjoy a camel ride in the dunes of Erg Chebbi
- Sleep right on the edge of the dunes of Erg Chebbi in a traditional Berber tent or under the stars
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Aït Benhaddou
PLACES TO BE VISITED
- Marrakech – Tizi n’Tichka – Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Merzouga – Erg Chebbi – Aït Benhaddou – Marrakech
KEY INFORMATION
- Pick-up from your Marrakech accommodation on Day 1 at 7.00am
- You can start your tour on any date you wish
- This trek is available throughout the year
- Blankets provided at the desert camp, although you may bring your own sleeping bag if you prefer
- If this itinerary is not exactly what you had in mind, please do contact us for a discussion as all itineraries can be adapted according to your wishes
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Full escort: our tours are fully escorted by an English-speaking driver and by a guide for your camel trek
- Meals: dinner on Day 1, breakfast and dinner on Days 2 and 3, breakfast on Day 4
- Accommodation: 2 nights in guesthouses and 1 night at a desert camp
- Transport: a modern, air-conditioned minibus or 4×4 vehicle with a professional driver
- Activity: guided camel ride
- Provided documents include a personalised itinerary for your tour and facts about the country
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- International flights
- Sleeping bags
- Travel insurance
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Tips
- Soft drinks & items of a personal nature
PRICES
SOLO TRAVELLER (PRIVATE TREK)
PRIVATE GROUP BOOKING (2-3 PAX)
PRIVATE GROUP BOOKING (4-5 PAX)
PRIVATE GROUP BOOKING (6-12 PAX)
£595
£350pp
£300pp
£250pp
DAY 1
Drive from Marrakech to the Dades Gorge
Your driver will collect you from your hotel in Marrakech and drive you over the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass, the highest motorable road in Morocco, across the High Atlas Mountains.
After lunch, we will pass through many Berber villages and then drive onwards through the Dades Valley, renowned as the “Valley of 1000 kasbahs”, and finally up into the Dades Gorge itself. Overnight in the Dades Gorge.
DAY 2
Drive from Dades Gorge to Erg Chebbi via Todra Gorge and ride camel to camp
After breakfast we drive onwards to Todra Gorge. Following a short stop here, with time to walk between its spectacular vertical rock faces, we continue to Merzouga and our auberge on the edge of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, arriving at around 4.00pm.
After a short break, we set off on a one-hour camel ride across the dunes to our camp, right on the edge of the dunes themselves. Local guides will teach you how to mount and dismount your camel and how to tie a turban to keep the desert sun off your face.
Once arrived at camp, enjoy a warm welcome and enjoy a beautiful sunset followed by a traditional dinner under the stars. There will be time to hear stories about life in this region and perhaps, if we are lucky, to be treated to some traditional music on the drums.
Please note: there will be a chance to repack your belongings at the auberge before the camel ride as we should each only take an overnight bag to the camp. The accommodation on the dunes is basic, with four people per tent, while some prefer to sleep outside under the stars. Bathroom facilities are also basic and shared. Mattresses with a sheet and blankets are provided. For winter months (November to April), we recommend bringing a sleeping bag for additional warmth. There will be the chance to shower at the auberge upon your return to Merzouga the following morning.
DAY 3
Ride camel from camp and drive to Aït Benhaddou
We wake up early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise over the dunes, then once more ride our camels across the dunes and finally back to the auberge where we take breakfast and a shower. From here it will be a long day driving back the spectacular UNESCO World Hertiage site of Aït Benhaddou. This traditional fortified settlement (or ksar), is surrounded by high walls and impressive corner towers, and is the best-preserved example of a ksar in Morocco.
DAY 4
Drive from Aït Benhaddou to Marrakech
After breakfast, we drive back to Marrakech, again crossing the High Atlas Mountains via Tizi n’Tichka pass, reaching Marrakech early in the afternoon.
Erg Chebbi Desert Trip (Option 2)
With all the trimmings
Erg Chebbi Desert Trip (Option 2) tour is also available with add-ons – with all the trimmings – which include:
- Airport pick-up upon arrival and transfer to a riad in the medina of Marrakech
- 1 night’s accommodation with breakfast in a riad in Marrakech before your tour
- 1 night’s accommodation with breakfast in a riad in Marrakech at the end of your tour
- Transfer back to the airport for your departure from Morocco
- All transfers are taken in a modern, air-conditioned minibus or 4×4 vehicle with professional driver.
PRICES
WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS
SOLO TRAVELLER (PRIVATE TREK)
PRIVATE GROUP BOOKING (2-3 PAX)
PRIVATE GROUP BOOKING (4-5 PAX)
PRIVATE GROUP BOOKING (6-12 PAX)
£695
£430pp
£370pp
£320pp
If this itinerary is not exactly what you have in mind, please do contact us for a discussion as all itineraries can be adapted according to your wishes