3-Day Sahara Tour from Marrakech: Ouarzazate, Draa River Valley and Sand Dunes

Day 1: Marrakech – Ouarzazate (D)After a morning pickup from either your Marrakech hotel or centrally located meeting point, relax aboard the air-conditioned coach, minivan or sedan – depending on the size of your group – as you travel from the Marrakech Plains through the High Atlas Mountains along the Tizi N´Tichka, the highest mountain pass in North Africa at 7,415 feet (2,260 meters).

Stop in a small town along the way for lunch (own expense) before continuing to your destination: Ouarzazate. Nicknamed the ‘Desert’s Gate,’ this high-elevation capital city lies on a bare plateau south of the mountains. Like the nickname suggests, it's the gateway to the Sahara Desert.

Head to your hotel for check-in and enjoy dinner with your travel companions before your first overnight stay.

Overnight: Hotel Kenzi Azghor (or similar) in Ouarzazate

Day 2: Ouarzazate – Zagora – M'hamid (B,D)Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before embarking on a day trip to Zagora, a town in the Draa River Valley. For centuries this valley served as a link between the Sahara and northern Morocco for the trading caravan routes that passed by the river.

Sit back and soak up the views on the drive through beautiful small Moroccan towns and Berber villages along the river, including Agdz and Zagora. Arriving in M'hamid in the evening, enjoy a 4*4 ride as you head to a Berber campsite. Go for a sunset camel ride and before you will have dinner and stay overnight in traditional tents for a real desert experience.

Overnight: Berber campsite in M'hamid

Day 3: M'hmid – Zagora – Marrakech (B)Rise and shine for an early breakfast before heading to the giant sand dunes of Erg Lihoudi to watch a sunrise over the Sahara Desert. Located near the desert oasis town of M’hamid, the sweeping 328-feet (100-meter) dunes of Erg Lihoudi are an incredible sight, especially at dawn. Don’t forget your camera for this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

After your time at the sand dunes, it’s time to head back to Marrakech, located about 6.5 hours away. Stop in Ouarzazate for lunch (own expense), some free time and a guided visit of the Oscar Studios, before arriving back at your Marrakech hotel at around 8pm.