Overview of This 2 Day Desert Trip from Marrakech
Our 2-day Zagora desert tour leaves Marrakech over the High Atlas, stops at Ait Ben Haddou, follows the Draa Valley palm groves to Zagora and ends the day with a camel ride to a desert camp, returning to Marrakech the next evening with your own driver.
Zagora is the closest real desert to Marrakech, about 7 hours by road, which makes it the only desert you can reach and return from in two days without spending most of the trip in the car overnight. The dunes here are smaller than Erg Chebbi at Merzouga, but the road is one of the most varied in Morocco: mountain passes, a UNESCO ksar, and 100 km of palm oasis along the Draa river. If the tall dunes matter most, choose our 3-day Merzouga tour instead.
- The Tizi n’Tichka pass over the High Atlas
- Ait Ben Haddou, the fortified village listed by UNESCO
- The Tizi n’Tinifift pass and the first view of the Draa Valley
- The palm groves and mud-brick villages of the Draa
- Camel ride at sunset and a night at a desert camp
Your 2-Day Desert Trip, Day by Day
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Day 1: Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou, the Draa Valley and Zagora
About 7 h driving · 360 kmWe collect you from your riad or hotel early, around 7 am. After the hairpins of the Tizi n’Tichka, you stop at Ait Ben Haddou to walk up through the ksar. South of Ouarzazate the road crosses the Anti-Atlas at the Tizi n’Tinifift, then drops into the Draa Valley: a green band of date palms, kasbahs and villages between bare mountains. Near Zagora you meet your camels and ride into the dunes for sunset, dinner and a night at camp.
- Stops
- Tizi n’Tichka, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Agdz, Draa Valley
- Overnight
- Desert camp near Zagora
- Meals
- Dinner
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Day 2: Sunrise in the Dunes and Back to Marrakech
About 7 h driving · 360 kmWatch the sunrise from the dunes, ride back and have breakfast at camp. The drive north retraces the Draa Valley with time to stop at the Tamnougalt kasbah near Agdz, then crosses the Atlas again. You reach Marrakech in the early evening, with a lunch stop on the way.
- Stops
- Tamnougalt kasbah, Agdz, Tizi n’Tichka
- Overnight
- Arrival in Marrakech
- Meals
- Breakfast
Route Map: Marrakech to Zagora
About 720 km in two days, the same road out and back. Both days have about 7 hours of driving, broken with regular stops.
What’s Included in This 2 Day Desert Tour
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for 2 days
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- 1 night at a desert camp near Zagora
- Dinner and breakfast at camp
- Camel ride to and from camp
- Pickup and drop-off at your Marrakech riad or hotel
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches and drinks
- Monument entrance fees
- Tips for driver and guides
- Travel insurance
Where You’ll Stay
You spend the night at a desert camp in the dunes near Zagora. We send you the camp options for your dates with the quote, from standard tents to tents with a private bathroom.
- Zagora · 1 night Desert camp Options sent with your quote
2 Day Desert Tour Prices
Every private tour is priced for your group, so we quote it rather than list one fixed price. Three things set it:
- Group sizeThe vehicle and driver cost the same whatever the size of your party, so the more of you travel, the less each person pays.
- Hotel levelComfortable riads and hotels, or a step up to superior riads and a luxury desert camp.
- SeasonSpring and fall are the busiest months for riads and desert camps.
Customize This Tour
Want taller dunes? Our 3-day tour goes to Merzouga and Erg Chebbi. You can also upgrade to a more comfortable tent or add a night in Ouarzazate on the way back.
Customize This 2-Day Tour
Your driver/guide
One professional, English-speaking driver/guide for all two days, in an air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan depending on your group size. Other languages are available on request.
Meet our drivers and guides2-Day Desert Tour FAQ
Can you see the Sahara in 2 days from Marrakech?
Yes, at Zagora. It is about 7 hours each way, so both days have long drives. Merzouga, with the tall dunes of Erg Chebbi, is too far for two days; it needs at least three.
Is the Zagora desert tour worth it?
If you have only two days, yes: the drive through Ait Ben Haddou and the Draa Valley is a highlight in itself. The dunes are smaller than at Merzouga, so choose 3 days if the dunes are the main reason for your trip.
What is the camp like on a 2 days desert trip from Marrakech?
Camps near Zagora have fixed tents with beds, a dining tent and a campfire. Some have tents with private bathrooms; we confirm the exact camp with your quote.
When is the best time for a Zagora desert tour?
October to April. Zagora is hotter than Merzouga in summer, so from June to August we suggest the Agafay desert near Marrakech for a shorter trip instead.
