8 Day Marrakech Desert Tour– Grand Sahara Expedition

Arrive in Marrakech, where you are welcomed at the airport and transferred to your riad near the medina. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the souks, wander through the alleys or head straight to the famous Jemaa el-Fna square, with its food stalls, storytellers and musicians. This first evening sets the tone: colour, sound and atmosphere before you head for the desert. Overnight in a traditional riad in Marrakech.

After breakfast, you meet driver Rachid and leave Marrakech, climbing into the High Atlas via the scenic Tizi n’Tichka Pass. Enjoy panoramic stops before turning towards the historic Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed ksar famous for its earthen architecture and film appearances. Continue to Ouarzazate, sometimes called the “gateway to the desert”, where you may see the exterior of the Kasbah Taourirt or the film studios, depending on timing. Night in a kasbah-style hotel or riad in or near Ouarzazate.

Today you enter the legendary Draâ Valley, following a ribbon of palm groves, mud-brick villages and old ksour along the river. Stop near Agdz for views over the oasis, then continue towards Zagora, a historic staging post for caravans. A short detour to Tamegroute reveals a traditional green pottery workshop and, if open, the old Quranic library. By late afternoon you reach M’hamid El Ghizlane, literally the “end of the road”, where asphalt gives way to the Sahara. Overnight in a simple but comfortable guesthouse or small camp on the desert edge.

After breakfast, your off-road 4×4 desert tour begins in earnest. With driver Rachid and guide Ali, you head into the Hamada du Draâ, a vast stone desert that gives a real sense of Sahara scale. Pause at the Sacred Oasis for lunch and rest among palm trees and shade, then continue across dunes and plains towards the remote Erg Chegaga, one of Morocco’s largest dune fields. As the sun lowers, you enjoy a sunset camel ride or a walk onto the dunes before reaching your authentic nomad camp under the stars, where dinner and campfire await. Night in en-suite or comfortably equipped tents, depending on the camp chosen.

Wake early to watch the sunrise over the dunes, then breakfast at camp before continuing your off-road adventure. Cross the dry bed of Lac Iriqui, a wide, empty landscape ideal for photography, then rejoin the tarmac near Foum Zguid, a small desert town. From here you travel north towards Taznakht, known as a Berber carpet centre, where you may visit a cooperative to learn about weaving and natural dyes. Overnight in a guesthouse or kasbah-style lodge in or near Taznakht, with a well-earned hot shower and good dinner.

Depending on your interests and whether you already explored Aït Benhaddou thoroughly on Day 2, you may revisit the ksar or spend more time in the surrounding landscapes. The route takes you back towards Ouarzazate, with optional stops at viewpoints or small villages along the way. This is a slightly shorter day to let you rest after the desert and off-road sections, with time to enjoy your riad or hotel facilities. Overnight in Ouarzazate or nearby.

After breakfast, you retrace your path across the High Atlas Mountains, again via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, but with new perspectives and different light. Stops can be made for photos, coffee or short walks as you descend gradually towards Marrakech. Arrival is usually by mid- to late-afternoon; you check back into a riad and enjoy a final evening wandering the medina, visiting a rooftop terrace or enjoying a hammam and spa treatment. Overnight in Marrakech.

Your final day depends on your flight schedule. You might visit the Jardin Majorelle, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, the Saadian Tombs or simply stroll the souks one last time for shopping. At the agreed time, driver Rachid (or another member of the team) transfers you to Marrakech airport, concluding your 8-Day Grand Morocco Sahara Expedition – Authentic Nomad Trails.