Sahara Desert Tours

Three days is the realistic minimum if reaching Erg Chebbi’s dunes near Merzouga matters to you, since that distance alone, around 560 kilometres from Marrakech, takes most of a day each way. Four to six days allow a slower pace and time to reach the more remote Erg Chigaga; two days is workable but only reaches the smaller dunes near Zagora.

Merzouga sits at the end of a paved road and offers taller, more photographed dunes at Erg Chebbi. Erg Chigaga requires several hours of off-road driving beyond M’Hamid but covers a much larger area with far fewer other visitors. Compare both in detail in our Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga guide.

It depends what you’re after. A 2-day tour delivers a genuine desert night and camel ride near Zagora, but not the tall dunes of Erg Chebbi or the remoteness of Erg Chigaga, both of which sit too far away for a round trip this short.

Yes, many tours run one-way between Marrakech and Fes rather than returning to the starting point, which avoids covering the same road twice and works well for travelers continuing north afterward.

Most standard Sahara desert tours include private or shared transport, a driver-guide, a camel trek into camp, dinner and breakfast in the desert, and return transport. Accommodation level, meals beyond the desert night, and any add-on activities vary considerably between operators, so it’s worth checking the specific inclusions before comparing prices.

Some do, often without stating it clearly in advance. If avoiding scheduled shop stops matters to you, asking directly before booking is more reliable than assuming based on price alone.

March through May and September through November offer the most comfortable temperatures for both the drive and the desert night itself. Summer is workable but hot, and winter nights in the desert get genuinely cold.

Yes. Fes, Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, Ouarzazate and Errachidia all work as starting points, with the route and length adjusting depending on how far that city sits from the dunes. Ouarzazate and Errachidia sit closest; Tangier sits furthest.

Not inherently safer, but private tours put you in direct contact with the person planning your route, which makes it easier to confirm details in advance. Group tours from established operators are generally just as safe, with the added benefit of traveling alongside other people.