Two deserts, one unforgettable private journey. Over ten unhurried, round-trip days from Marrakech with Morocco Boutique Tours, explore the city with a local guide, cross the High Atlas to the Merzouga Sahara Desert, then continue south to the remote dunes of Erg Chigaga via the historic caravan town of Zagora.
Your Morocco Boutique Tours driver-guide meets you on arrival in Marrakech and transfers you directly to your handpicked boutique riad in the heart of the medina. Spend the rest of the day settling in over a glass of mint tea, then step out as evening falls to feel the electric energy of Jemaa el-Fnaa square, just steps from your door.
After breakfast, meet your Morocco Boutique Tours local guide for a tour of Marrakech's landmark sights: the intricately tiled Bahia Palace, the towering Koutoubia Mosque minaret, and the Saadian Tombs. Your guide then leads you through the souks — a maze of spice stalls, textile vendors, and artisan workshops — before leaving you free to explore at your own pace for the evening.
Your Morocco Boutique Tours driver-guide collects you from your Marrakech riad or hotel for an early departure into the High Atlas Mountains, crossing the legendary Tizi n'Tichka pass at roughly 2,260 meters for sweeping views over Berber villages terraced into the hillsides. Descending the far side, you reach Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO-listed fortified kasbah of packed red earth made famous by countless film productions, for a guided walk through its narrow lanes. The route continues through Ouarzazate, Morocco's own "Hollywood," and along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the rose-scented Skoura and Dades valleys, ending among the folded red cliffs of the Dades Gorge.
Leaving the Dades Valley after breakfast, you stop to walk beneath the sheer 300-meter limestone walls of the Todra Gorges, a dramatic canyon favored by climbers and photographers alike. From there the road runs east toward the golden horizon of the Sahara, arriving at the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga in time for a camel trek across the sand waves and a front-row seat for sunset over the dunes. Dinner, a Berber drum circle around the campfire, and a night beneath an extraordinary canopy of stars await at your luxury desert camp.
A full day devoted to the Sahara. After breakfast at camp, a 4x4 carries you off-road across black stone plains and rolling dunes to meet nomadic families still living in traditional Berber tents, where you're welcomed with a glass of mint tea and a glimpse of desert life. In the village of Khamlia you'll hear the hypnotic rhythms of Gnawa music performed by descendants of West African tradesmen, and — water levels permitting — visit Dayet Srij, Merzouga's seasonal flamingo lake, where pink flamingos gather against a backdrop of golden dunes. There's time for sandboarding down the Erg Chebbi peaks before returning to camp for another night of dinner, drumming, and stars.
Depart Merzouga after breakfast and drive south through Erfoud and Rissani before joining the Draa Valley, Morocco's longest river valley, threading between endless palm groves and centuries-old kasbahs on the way to Zagora — once the final stop for camel caravans crossing the Sahara toward Timbuktu.
Continue south past the last palm groves of Tagounite to M'Hamid El Ghizlane, the final outpost before the open desert. From here, a 4x4 carries you off-road across hamada plains to Erg Chigaga, Morocco's largest and most remote sea of dunes — reaching heights of over 300 meters and far removed from the crowds of Merzouga. A short camel trek delivers you into the heart of the dunes for sunset, dinner under the stars, and a night at a private desert camp.
Wake for sunrise over Morocco's most remote dune sea, then spend the day exploring by 4x4 and on foot — visiting nomadic encampments scattered across the desert, climbing the tallest dunes for panoramic Sahara views, and sandboarding down their faces. As night falls, gather again around the campfire for traditional Berber music beneath one of the darkest, clearest skies in Morocco.
Leave the dunes behind after breakfast and retrace the route north through M'Hamid and Zagora, following the Draa Valley's palm oases back to Ouarzazate. Time permitting, stop to see the historic Taourirt Kasbah and the film studios where countless international productions have brought the desert to the big screen, before settling in for the night.
A final look at Ait Benhaddou's fortified kasbah in the morning light precedes the drive back over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, with sweeping High Atlas views the whole way. Your Morocco Boutique Tours driver-guide provides a private drop-off at your riad, hotel, or the airport in Marrakech, bringing your Sahara adventure to a close.
All accommodations listed above are our recommended selections — if you'd like to upgrade to a different property or make any changes, just let us know when you enquire and we'll gladly arrange it.
Price per person, based on the room occupancy selected · private vehicle & driver-guide included throughout
This 10-day Marrakech → Marrakech (Round Trip) journey is entirely private — you'll have your own driver-guide and vehicle for your party alone, from pick-up to drop-off, with no other travelers joining your group.
The €1,573 per person (twin/double share) rate covers your private driver-guide and vehicle, handpicked accommodation each night, daily breakfast and 6 dinners, and all site and monument entrance fees noted in the itinerary. International flights, most lunches, and personal expenses aren't included — see the full breakdown above.
Yes — since it's a private departure, you choose your own start date rather than joining a fixed group. If you'd like the Marrakech → Marrakech (Round Trip) route itself reshaped around your interests, our Tailor-Made service can rebuild it from scratch.
Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) offer the most comfortable temperatures across Morocco, including the Sahara sections of this itinerary. Summer brings intense desert heat, and desert nights turn cold in winter.
No special fitness is required. The camel trek and any walking sections are paced for everyday travelers, and your driver-guide handles the logistics — you're free to go at your own pace throughout the 10 days.
Send us your preferred travel dates and group size — we'll confirm availability and pricing within 24 hours.
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