7 Days Morocco Tour from Marrakech: Atlas & Sahara
The Complete High Atlas and Sahara Loop: Kasbahs, Gorges, Dunes and Desert Nights.
Tour Overview
A 7-day private loop from Marrakech across the High Atlas and into the Sahara, combining two days in Marrakech itself with a four-day road circuit through Aït Benhaddou, the Dadès and Todra Gorges, a night in an Erg Chebbi desert camp near Merzouga, and a return via the Draâ Valley. Built for travellers who want both imperial-city time and a genuine multi-day desert crossing without cramming the Atlas and Sahara into a rushed overnight trip.
Highlights
Two full days in Marrakech first, with time for the medina, Jemaa el-Fna, and the city’s core monuments before the road trip begins.
Cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2,260m) and stop at Aït Benhaddou, the UNESCO-listed earthen ksar used as a filming location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
Walk beneath the limestone walls of the Dadès and Todra Gorges, two of the most dramatic canyon landscapes in the Moroccan Atlas.
Spend a night in a private desert camp at Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, with a camel trek into the dunes and a sunrise over the Sahara.
Return via the Draâ Valley, Morocco’s longest river valley, passing Zagora’s palm groves and the pottery cooperatives of Tamegroute.
Stop at the Atlas Film Studios near Ouarzazate before the final crossing back over the High Atlas to Marrakech.
Why Choose a Private Tour?
Detailed Itinerary
The Journey
"Airport or hotel pick-up and transfer to your Marrakech riad. The rest of the day is free for a first orientation walk through the medina - Jemaa el-Fna is a short walk from most central riads, and the square is at its liveliest from late afternoon into the evening, with food stalls, storytellers and musicians setting up as the light fades."
The Journey
"A full day covering Marrakech’s core sights: the Koutoubia Mosque (viewed from outside, as it is closed to non-Muslims), the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and the Majorelle Garden. The afternoon moves into the souks of the northern medina - spices, leather, lanterns and textiles - ending back at Jemaa el-Fna as the food stalls open for the evening."
The Journey
"Depart Marrakech in the morning, climbing the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass. Midday stop at Aït Benhaddou, the UNESCO-listed ksar on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. The road continues east through Ouarzazate and the Skoura Oasis before reaching the Dadès Valley for the night."
The Journey
"Morning walk into the Dadès Gorge before continuing to the Todra Gorge, where a paved road runs directly beneath limestone cliffs. The route then drops onto the pre-Saharan plains via Tinghir and Erfoud, reaching Merzouga in the afternoon in time to transfer by 4x4 or camel to the desert camp for sunset over Erg Chebbi."
The Journey
"An early camel ride or 4x4 excursion to watch sunrise over the dunes, then breakfast back at the camp before departure. Rather than retracing the outbound road, the return route runs south-west via Rissani and the Alnif-Tazzarine corridor into the Draâ Valley, Morocco’s longest river valley, with a stop in Zagora and the green-glazed pottery cooperatives of Tamegroute. The drive continues north to Ouarzazate for the night. This is the longest driving day of the trip."
The Journey
"A relaxed morning with an optional stop at the Atlas Film Studios outside Ouarzazate before the final crossing of the High Atlas back to Marrakech, arriving in the late afternoon with time to settle in before dinner."
The Journey
"A free morning - most travellers use it for last-minute souk shopping or a final coffee near Jemaa el-Fna - before an airport or onward transfer at the agreed time."
Trip Logistics & Comfort: What to Expect
Marrakech Pick-up and Return
Your driver-guide meets you at Marrakech Menara Airport or your riad on Day 1, and the tour ends with a drop-off at your Marrakech riad or the airport on Day 7.
Your Private Vehicle
Your Driver & Guide
"Your driver is more than a chauffeur; he is your local host for the full week."
Transparent Pricing & Inclusions
Clear, honest pricing with no hidden fees. Your private tour includes all transportation, fuel, accommodation and the listed experiences. You pay extra only for personal lunches, drinks, monument entrance fees, and discretionary tips.
What is Included
- Private Transportation4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (2022–2025 models) with A/C and fuel included, for the full 7 days.
- Local ExpertEnglish-speaking driver/guide dedicated to your group for the full trip.
- Door-to-Door ServicePick-up from your Marrakech riad or airport and drop-off at the end of the tour.
- Accommodation (6 nights, Half-Board from Night 3)
- • Nights 1 & 2: Marrakech riad or hotel.
- • Night 3: Kasbah hotel, Dadès Valley (Half-Board).
- • Night 4: Private desert camp, Erg Chebbi (Half-Board).
- • Night 5: Riad or hotel, Ouarzazate (Half-Board).
- • Night 6: Marrakech riad or hotel.
- Experiences
- • Aït Benhaddou ksar visit.
- • Dadès and Todra Gorges.
- • Camel trek and sunrise at Erg Chebbi.
- • Draâ Valley and Tamegroute pottery stop.
What is Not Included
- Marrakech monument entrance feesBahia Palace, Saadian Tombs and Majorelle Garden tickets are paid on-site (Day 2).
- LunchesAllow approximately €10–€12 (100–120 MAD) per person, per meal. We stop at clean, local restaurants.
- DrinksWater, soda, and alcohol at hotels.
- TipsDiscretionary tips for your driver and camp staff.
- FlightsInternational or domestic flights.
Booking, Payment and Cancellation
- Price basis
- Prices are per person, based on two travellers sharing. Larger groups pay less per person; a solo traveller pays more. The final price is confirmed in your written quote.
- Currency
- Tour prices are in US dollars. Meals, entrance fees and tips during the trip are paid in Moroccan dirhams (MAD).
- Deposit and balance
- A 15% deposit confirms the booking (PayPal, bank transfer or credit card). The balance is paid on arrival in Morocco.
- Cancellation
- Tell us in writing. Your deposit is fully refundable.
- Travel insurance
- Required, covering medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability.
Full details: booking terms and how tour prices work.
Questions About This Tour
Yes. It starts and ends in Marrakech: two days in the city, then a four-day circuit over the High Atlas to the Erg Chebbi dunes and back through the Draa Valley and Ouarzazate. To see Fes and the north instead of the desert, see the 7 Days Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech.
Days 1, 2 and 7 have no long drives. Day 3 is about 330 km to the Dadès Valley, day 4 about 260 km to Merzouga, day 5 the longest at 7 to 8 hours through the Draa Valley to Ouarzazate, and day 6 about 200 km back to Marrakech.
$1,090 is per person, based on two travellers sharing. It includes the private 4x4 with fuel for 7 days, your driver-guide, six nights of accommodation (Marrakech, a kasbah in the Dadès Valley, a desert camp with an en-suite tent and Ouarzazate), dinner and breakfast from night 3 to night 5, the camel trek and the Tamegroute pottery stop. Entrance fees in Marrakech (Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Majorelle Garden), lunches, drinks and tips are extra.
Rather than drive back the same way, the route returns south-west via Rissani and Alnif to the Draa Valley and Zagora, then north to Ouarzazate. It is 7 to 8 hours on the road, but you see a different side of the south.
March to May and September to November. Marrakech reaches 32 to 36°C in summer and the desert passes 40°C; in winter, nights at the camp drop close to freezing.
Yes. If you can fly out of Tangier, a one-way week adds Fes and Chefchaouen instead of the drive back; if you would rather skip the desert, a week on the imperial cities has less driving. Our 7 day Morocco itinerary guide compares all three routes day by day.
Places on this route: Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Merzouga · Ouarzazate
Tour Details
Fill in the details below. We'll send your personalized itinerary and quote by email (usually within 24h).
Open it in our trip planner: add nights, swap places or change the pace, and see the new plan and price straight away.
Customise this tourRelated Tours
