4 days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert tour

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Overview of 4 Days Desert Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga

If you love adventure, nature, off-road trails, or if you are a photographer: Then this trip is probably what you need to take to experience the hidden off-roads and Saharan landscapes in southeastern parts of Morocco. 4 Days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert tour that covers many remote regions of the Draa Tafilalt region including Mountains, deserts, valleys, Berber villages, palm groves, rock formations…etc.

This Morocco adventure tour of 4 days starts with the Unesco world heritage site of Ait ben Haddou and the valley of roses trails to Dades gorges after visiting one of the most known Kasbahs including Amridil. you will have the opportunity to experience the Berber cultures, food, and clothes, you will explore the Sahara desert in southern Morocco which is located near the border of Algeria and Morocco, and experience camel rides, desert camps, and Berber music.

Info of 4 days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert tour

+ Duration: 4 Days & 3 nights
+ Departure: 08:00 am
+ Starting location: Ouarzazate
+ Ending Location: Ouarzazate

4 Days Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Desert Highlights

+ Visit the  Unesco world heritage of Ait ben Haddou and Kasbah Amridil
+ drive through roses Valley to Dades Gorge
+ Visit the Todra Gorges and drive via the palms grove Tinghir to Merzouga desert
+ Ride a camel in Merzouga while assisting to a dramatic sunset
+ Sleep under the stars in Erg Chebbi Desert camp
+ drive through the Draa Valley and Nkob, Agdez Back to Ouarzazate

Itinerary of 4 Days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Desert tour

Day 1: Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Skoura - Kasbah Amridil – Valley of Roses – Dades Valley - Todra Gorges

We will start our Tour of 4 Days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Desert from the agreed place in Ouarzazate. The first visit will be the visit to the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, a 13th-century fortified village declared a World Heritage by UNESCO.

A place of great beauty as we will see as we stroll through its narrow streets. As a curious fact, this place has been filmed in films such as Gladiator, Sahara or The Kingdom of Heaven, the continuation of the journey to the oasis of Skoura, where we will visit the kasbah of Amridil, a kasbah in perfect condition where we will learn the meaning and use of these buildings.

Now the route of the thousand kasbahs and the Valley of the Roses will bring us closer to the gorges of the Dades river with its spectacular orography. dinner and accommodation in Todra gorge at a hotel/riad.

Day 2: Todra gorges - Erfoud - Rissani - Merzouga Desert

On the second day of our 4 Days Desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga After breakfast, the trip continues a short distance to Tinghir and the very different Todra Gorges where you can take a short walk to appreciate the steep sides of the gorge and the narrow expanse of the sky above.

From there, you continue to the Erg Chebbi dunes via Tinjdad, and the Oasis of Tatilalet near Erfoud, famous for its Date Festival, and Rissani, which is the seat of the Alaouite family of the present king of Morocco. Erfoud and Rissani.

Between Tinjdad and Erfoud, you can stop to go down into the fascinating underground water channels deep below the earth, which always cool and prevent the evaporation of this source of irrigation, In Erfoud itself, you can stop to see the workings of thousands of fossils made into all sorts of artifacts.

Lunch will be in a Berber village along the way. At the bivouac, you are welcomed with a glass of tea before taking a camel ride to watch the sunset from the top of the dunes.

Later there is dinner and the night in a nomad tent at the foot of the dunes.

Day 3: Visit Merzouga Desert

After breakfast, you will make the large turn of the dunes while passing by: the 2 oases of Merzouga, the wandering deposit, the village of Khamlia (village of the Gnaoua) mines of MIFISS, the plates desert with the meeting of the Berber nomads of the desert, oasis TISSARDMINE, and return to the hotel.

Day 4: Merzouga – Rissani – Nkob – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate

Today the early risers will be able to enjoy a spectacular sunrise in the desert. After breakfast, we will start the way back to Ouarzazate through Rissani.

the origin of the Alaouite dynasty that reigns Morocco, then we will go through the Berber villages of Alnif and N’Kob and through the Draa Valley to Agdez, where we will have lunch. Then we will continue the 4 days Tour from Ouarzazate to the Merzouga desert.

we will arrive in Ouarzazate late afternoon is also possible to arrive with enough time to take your flight, the end of our 4 Days Desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Sahara

What's included in 4 days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert tour

  • Transfers from your hotel, riad, airport, or agreed on the place.  
  • Transportation during the trip in an all-terrain vehicle with AC. 
  • Accompanying driver in your own language.
  • Half board accommodation, breakfast, and dinner.
  • Night in luxury Desert camp with private bathroom
  • Camel excursion through the Erg Chebbi dunes, one camel per person

What's not included in 4 days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert tour

  • Lunches
  • Drinks
  • Tickets
  • Entrance Fees to Monuments

NOTE:

If this 4 Days Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert does not match what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to contact us and we will prepare the trip for your needs and requirements.

4 Days Desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Reviews

4 days Sahara desert from Ouarzazate to Zagora

My family and I spent two weeks in December / January 2019/20 traveling with Hassan. He was an amazing driver and guide and really went above and beyond what was required. He made sure all of our needs were met and were comfortable throughout the trip.
He had a vast knowledge of so many different cities and buildings, and it was very nice to see someone being proud of their country. Their recommendations were always amazing and we never felt pressured to do anything we didn’t want to do. As this was my first time in Morocco I can honestly say this trip exceeded all expectations and could not give it a high enough rating.
We spent an unforgettable 4 days from Ouarzazate to Merzouga and Zagora.

John H. July 2022
★★★★★ 5/5

4 Days desert tour from Ouarzazate with Marrakech Tour Company

My wife and I decided to go in 4 Days Merzouga Desert From Ouarzazate through the desert villages with the Marrakech Tour Company. Our driver was Hassan. After researching a half dozen other companies we decided to go with them as they offered a reasonable price and we are quick and professional in their response. For example, they sent me a Word document of our proposed itinerary instead of just sending it in writing in an email like other companies. Also, note that Marrakech Tour Company also seems to have another name, I think the original Morocco tours, but there is nothing to worry about.

It is the same company. The company was flexible with our request: we booked all the accommodations and only needed a driver and a car to take us.

We finally realized that this option is a bit more expensive than following a route prepared by the company (since we have stayed in Riads without working with the company) but it did not bother us to be able to control our accommodation. Hassan, our driver, was a fantastic guide. I highly recommend it if you can.

He was very professional the entire time and he was very respectful of times when we wanted some peace and quiet. He drove safely and stopped whenever we wanted to take a break or take a photo. Hassan also gave us some helpful tips when shopping for local souvenirs, especially if the goods were known to be poor quality or fake. He did not pressure us to stop at certain times to buy gifts, unlike other companies that were highly appreciated. He only stopped if we wanted to.

The car they were using was very good too – we were assigned a brand-new Ford pickup that was super roomy and comfortable. Finished, an unbeatable and highly recommended company.

General Comments on Morocco for First-Time Travelers: Perhaps one thing to consider, which is in no way business-related, is the food situation. Then I realized within a few days that all the restaurants that cater to foreigners outside the big cities (all tour guides take tourists there for various reasons) have a fixed price between 90 or 100 dirhams / 9 or 10 euros.

So be sure to budget for this as we figured we didn’t need such a high budget for food. As a first-time traveler to Morocco, it was interesting to see that the total cost of the trip to Morocco is higher than most of Europe. Much of it is structural and is nothing tourists can’t do, but something first-time travelers should be aware of.

Wangtimo253. September 2022
★★★★★ 5/5

The best 4 Days Desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Sahara.

Hassan was the main guide and the main driver for a tour where I was. He was extremely professional, friendly, well organized, and helpful! He worked with our guide to create a fascinating geological itinerary in southern Morocco, and during the 4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate To Merzouga and Zagora, he kept us on time, well-fed, and well housed. He always took into account our needs and his organizational skills allowed us to be fully involved in the geological and cultural wonders that we were experiencing. I would gladly travel with Hassan again. An expert in your field!
4-day desert tour from Ouarzazate to Zagora and Merzouga.

Anna G. November 2022
★★★★★ 5/5

Places to see in Your 4 Days Desert Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga

Todra Gorges:

Todra Gorge is a trench of giant rock faces that change color and pass through the Great Atlas mountains creating a very cool scene. Many Moroccan travelers visit the Strait of Todra crossing the south on the “A Kabba Road”, a road from Warzazat to Irvod where these ancient fortifications are still of the century.

Tinghir Mining City is the main city to visit Todra Gorge. The gorge is impressive and easy to walk with many places to stop filming along the well-maintained dirt road. Part of the spectacular scene includes an opportunity to learn how the local Berbers live like nomads, they wander through the gorges with many winding paths that hang their beauty.

Ouarzazate ( Hollywood of Morocco ):

A military post isolated during the years of the French protectorate, Ouarzazate, which means “without noise” in the Berber Tamazight language, has long filled its name. Today, however, the city is the Hollywood of Morocco, and filmmakers can regularly find the creation of shops at this desert crossroads with wide boulevards lined with palm trees.

Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Samuel L, Brad Pitt. Jackson, Cate Blanchett, and many others have honored the suites and streets of Ouarzazate, and a film school offers training in film arts for Moroccan and international students. However, despite the atmosphere of Tinseltown and the huge movie trays accessible to the public, Ouarzazate retains a relaxed atmosphere, making it an ideal place to sit in a café on the sidewalk, have a black coffee, and see celebrities visiting, Or at least chat with the locals, who will gladly share their experiences working as extras on the set (at its peak in the late 1990s, the film industry provided casual work to almost half of the local population).

It is not surprising, however, that the main attraction remains the surrounding cinematic terrain that made Ouarzazate a pillar for filmmakers first: namely the red kasbah in Aït Ben Haddou; the snowy High Atlas, and the Sahara, with huge cannons, Gorges, and lunar steppes in the middle.

Merzouga Desert:

On the edge of the Sahara desert is the small village of Merzouga located between the sand dunes. With a taste of traditional Berber life, the secluded village attracts travelers to enjoy and experience life in the desert.

Merzouga is a dream desert destination full of camel rides and ethereal desert beauty.

Erfoud:

Popularly known as the Sahara Gate, the city of Erfoud has much more to offer than the first breathtaking views of the largest desert on the planet. The city is full of ksars (ancient fortified villages), the largest is Maadid, whose lively streets and picturesque houses are a pleasure for the photographer.

The sand and dunes of Erfoud have been the scene of many Hollywood adventure films. Not only the serene desert, the region also enjoys remarkable vegetation and fertility of nearby oases and precious mineral fossils on the road to Merzouga.

Discover the energy of a traditional Moroccan market in the souk of Erfoud, where you can buy Berber crafts or dates and fresh olives. Also visit the nearby royal palace, famous as the only castle in the Sahara Desert, and East Bur Hill which offers picturesque views of the city below.

Draa Valley:

The Draa Valley is considered the longest Moroccan river. Taking its source in the High Atlas, it drains painfully at the end of its journey to its estuary on Cape Draa, near Tan-Tan.

The endemic scarcity of rainfall in southern Morocco means that, from the dry lake of Iriki, the Wadi Draa has trouble spawning its river bed in these desert and arid areas. Some writings of Roman times mention that its banks were populated by crocodiles.

After leaving the lake formed by the El Mansour Addahbi dam, the Draa runs a little south of the village of Agdz. From there, its waters manage to irrigate the long and narrow valley, bordered by the Jbel Bani and the Sagho, which forms up to Mhamid, the gates of the Saharan desert, where its flow becomes ghostly.

From Rabat, through the Jbel Kissane, to Tamegroute, its route manages to cover with its benefits this beautiful valley of Drâa, its small cultivated oases where the crops of vegetables, Cereals abound among many birds.

Its descent to Mhamid is a succession of palm groves as magnificent as the others. Equipped with kasbahs and Ksour elders, they tell through their typical architecture, the history of the Moroccan south, and the various populations who stayed there.

4 Days Tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga Desert's FAQs:

What is the best desert in Morocco?

Merzouga Desert:

It is the most popular desert in Morocco and the most visited by travelers who have a little more time to invest in this adventure. Hiking in the desert of Merzouga involves the use of at least 3 days and 2 nights

How do you get to the Sahara Desert?

To get there by car from the Ouarzazate to Merzouga desert you must take the N10 road. The journey takes approximately 5 hours. During the tour, you will pass through magical places of the Dades Valley and you can visit the Todra Gorge, considered one of the most beautiful areas of the country.

How to go to Merzouga on your own?

There are 2 possibilities to visit it from Marrakech: Reach the Merzouga desert with an organized tour from Marrakech. Or go for free to the dunes of Erg Chebbi, hiring a rental car from Marrakech. Another option is from Ouarzazate, the gateway to southern Morocco.

What is the closest desert to Marrakech?

If you want to go to the Moroccan desert from Fez, the nearest desert is Merzouga. To Fez of the desert of Merzouga, they separate it some 8 hours of road, with which this allows us to offer him the route in only 2 days 1 night.

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