Errachidia is the closest city and airport to Merzouga and the dunes of Erg Chebbi, only about 130 km (81 miles) away. Where a desert tour from Marrakech needs two long days on the road, from Errachidia you reach the dunes in about two hours, in time for the sunset camel trek.
Our private Sahara tours from Errachidia are built around that advantage: more nights in the desert, fewer hours in the car. Choose a day trip, a classic night in a luxury desert camp, two nights with a 4x4 desert safari, a loop through the Todra and Dades gorges, or a journey on to Fes or Marrakech.
From a one day camel ride to five days across the south to Marrakech. Every tour is private, starts at Errachidia airport or your hotel, and can be adjusted to your flights.
From Errachidia 1 DayRound trip from Errachidia
From US$198 per person
Private day trip from Errachidia to Merzouga: Ziz Valley, Erfoud, Rissani and a camel ride in the Erg Chebbi dunes, back to your hotel or flight.
From Errachidia 2 DaysRound trip from Errachidia
From US$408 per person
Private 2 day Sahara tour from Errachidia: Ziz Valley, sunset camel trek in Erg Chebbi, a night in a luxury desert camp and back to Errachidia.
From Errachidia 3 DaysRound trip from Errachidia
From US$624 per person
Two nights in a luxury Erg Chebbi camp on a private 3 day tour from Errachidia: camel trek, 4x4 desert safari, nomads, Khamlia Gnawa music.
From Errachidia 3 DaysRound trip from Errachidia
From US$708 per person
Round trip from Errachidia: a night in the Merzouga desert, the Todra Gorge and the Dades Gorges, back via Tinejdad and Goulmima. Private tour.
From Errachidia 4 DaysRound trip from Errachidia
From US$912 per person
Private 4 day round trip from Errachidia: two nights in a luxury Erg Chebbi camp, a 4x4 Sahara safari, then the Todra and Dades gorges.
From Errachidia 3 DaysErrachidia to Fes
From US$768 per person
Fly into Errachidia, spend two nights in a luxury Merzouga camp, then cross the Ziz Gorges, Midelt and Ifrane to Fes. Private 3 day tour.
From Errachidia 4 DaysErrachidia to Marrakech
From US$1,008 per person
Private 4 day tour from Errachidia to Marrakech: 2 nights in the Merzouga desert, Todra and Dades gorges, Ait Ben Haddou and the High Atlas.
From Errachidia 5 DaysErrachidia to Marrakech
From US$1,224 per person
Slow private journey from Errachidia to Marrakech: 2 nights in Merzouga, Todra and Dades gorges, a night in Ait Ben Haddou, the High Atlas.
| Tour | Days | In the desert | Ends in | Longest drive | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Merzouga Desert Trip from Errachidia | 1 | Day trip | Errachidia (round trip) | 4h (260 km) | US$198 |
| 2 Days Merzouga Desert Tour from Errachidia | 2 | 1 night | Errachidia (round trip) | 2h (130 km) | US$408 |
| 3 Days Merzouga Desert Tour from Errachidia with 2 Camp Nights | 3 | 2 nights | Errachidia (round trip) | 2h (130 km) | US$624 |
| 3 Days Errachidia Sahara and Todra Gorge Tour | 3 | 1 night | Errachidia (round trip) | 4h30 (280 km) | US$708 |
| 4 Days Errachidia Desert and Gorges Loop | 4 | 2 nights | Errachidia (round trip) | 4h30 (280 km) | US$912 |
| 3 Days Desert Tour from Errachidia to Fes | 3 | 2 nights | Fes | 6h30 (470 km) | US$768 |
| 4 Days Sahara Tour from Errachidia to Marrakech | 4 | 2 nights | Marrakech | 5h45 (330 km) | US$1,008 |
| 5 Days Errachidia to Marrakech Sahara and Kasbahs Tour | 5 | 2 nights | Marrakech | 4h30 (280 km) | US$1,224 |
Same day: land in the morning, camel ride at sunset
A full day via the Dades and Todra gorges
A full day via Ifrane, Midelt and the Ziz Gorges
Usually split over 2 days over the High Atlas
Approximate road distances and driving times to Merzouga, without stops.
Pickup at Moulay Ali Cherif Airport (ERH) or your hotel.
A palm shaded spring and old ksar on the edge of the Ziz Valley.
Miles of date palms and mud brick villages below the road.
Fossil workshops and the date capital of the Tafilalet.
Caravan town, Ksar Ouled Abdelhalim and the cradle of the Alaouite dynasty.
Golden dunes up to 150 m high, your camel and your camp.
Ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes as the sand turns from gold to red, one camel per person.
Private tents with air conditioning, heating and en suite bathroom, dinner under the stars.
The village of Khamlia keeps the music of the Gnawa alive with drums and iron castanets.
Nomad families, old mines and black desert plains around Erg Chebbi with your driver guide.
After the rains a lake appears beside the dunes and flamingos come to feed.
Berber drums around the fire, then one of the darkest night skies in Morocco.
Your vehicle, your driver guide and your itinerary, for your party only. We do not run shared or group departures.
The same English, French, Spanish or Italian speaking driver guide from Errachidia to the last day.
A licensed local agency from the south of Morocco. We plan and run every tour ourselves, with no middlemen.
Hotel and camp taxes included, no hidden charges, and entrance fees simply paid on the spot.
Rated 5.0 out of 5 by 89 travellers. Read our TripAdvisor reviews
Merzouga is about 130 km (81 miles) from Errachidia by road, around 2 hours of driving south through the Ziz Valley, Erfoud and Rissani. Errachidia is the closest city and airport to the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Errachidia Moulay Ali Cherif Airport (ERH) is the closest airport to Merzouga. It has Royal Air Maroc flights from Casablanca and Rabat, Ryanair flights from Marrakech and seasonal Transavia flights from Paris Orly. Schedules change by season, so check them when you plan.
Yes. Because the dunes are only two hours away, our 1 day Merzouga trip from Errachidia includes the Ziz Valley, Erfoud, Rissani and a camel ride in Erg Chebbi, and brings you back the same evening. To see the sunset and sunrise in the dunes, a night in the desert camp is worth it.
From Marrakech the drive to Merzouga is about 9 hours and from Fes about 6h30, so classic desert tours spend most of their time on the road. Starting in Errachidia you reach the dunes in 2 hours and can give that time to the desert itself: a second night in camp, a 4x4 safari or the gorges.
Yes. You can return to Errachidia, or travel on: our 3 day tour ends in Fes and our 4 and 5 day tours end in Marrakech, crossing southern Morocco through the gorges, the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs and Ait Ben Haddou.
We use luxury camps at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Each tent has a real bed, air conditioning, heating and its own bathroom with shower and toilet. Dinner and breakfast are included, there is live Berber drum music around the fire, and drinks can be ordered at the camp.
October to April is the most comfortable season, with warm days and cool to cold nights. March, April, October and November are ideal. In June, July and August days in Merzouga often pass 40°C, so we plan the camel rides early in the morning and at sunset.
Yes, every tour is private for you and the people you travel with. Prices are per person based on two travellers, families and larger parties pay less per person, and every itinerary can be adjusted to your dates, flights and pace.
Tell us your flight times and how many nights you would like in the dunes. We reply with a private itinerary and a clear price.