Desert Tour from Agadir to Merzouga – 4 days

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4-day tour from Agadir to the Merzouga desert – overview:

Morocco is so much more than the coast! So why not add an adventurous desert trip to the Erg Chebbi dunes to your Agadir beach resort holiday?

For a greater insight into Berber life in the south, you will visit Taroudant, called “the little Marrakech”, Talouine, a saffron growing area with a government-run saffron museum, and Taznakht, full of co-operatives selling Berber rugs.

You can catch a glimpse of rural Berber life in the Skoura oasis and Kasbah Amredhil , the Dra’a Valley with its palm trees and ancient kasbahs.  The Damascene rose distillery in the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs offers sweetly scented cosmetic products. The incredible geological surprises can be seen in the Dades Valley and Toudgha gorges.

There is a thrilling camel ride to the top of Erg Chebbi dunes to watch the most wonderful sunset. Dinner is traditional Moroccan cooking, followed by music round a camp fire. Your exotic tent in a luxury desert camp rounds off the evening to perfection.

 

Desert tour from Agadir to Merzouga 4 days – highlights:

  • Photographing the intact city walls of Taroudant and visiting Taznakht, famous for its Berber rugs
  • Visiting the government run saffron museum in Talouine in the main saffron growing area.
  • Exploring the slopes of the UNESCO World Heritage Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
  • Stopping off at Kasbah Amredhil in Skoura, one of many such kasbahs, but most crumbling
  • Purchasing sweetly scented Damascene rose products in the Rose Valley (if desired)
  • Enjoying a sunset camel ride in Erg Chebbi Dunes to watch the slow setting of the sun
  • Sharing an evening of Berber music and drumming around a fire camp after dinner
  • Spending a peaceful night in a private luxury tent camp set among the dunes

 

What is included in this Agadir to Merzouga desert tour:

  • Transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle; 4×4 Toyota Prado TX or deluxe van and fuel
  • Pick-up from and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Agadir
  • Experienced local English/French/Spanish/Italian-speaking Berber and nomad driver-guide
  • Accommodation in air-conditioned rooms/suites with private bathroom
  • Overnight in a luxury camp in a very comfortable tent with private toilet and shower
  • All meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner – with vegetarian and vegan options available
  • A camel ride with a guide. And if you wish to do some sandboarding, just speak to the camp staff!
  • An option to go to and return from the camp by 4×4
  • Luggage service to the camp and all accommodation
  • Berber drumming and music
  • Free time to explore the sites such as Ait Ben Haddou or the saffron museum, for walks, photos, and tea/coffee breaks
  • The opportunity to ask the driver to stop when and where you wish
  • Entrance fees and local guide
  • Tea, coffee and mineral water in the desert

 

What is not included:

  • Drinks
  • Tips
  • Extras

 

Good to know about this Agadir to Merzouga desert tour 4 days:

  • This Agadir Desert trip can be customised to accommodate your areas of interest
  • Activities such as day trips, a full day’s trekking or an extra day in the desert can be added to this desert tour
  • To go to the Erg Chegaga desert, please visit Agadir desert tour to Erg Chegaga 6 days
  • You can choose to go to the camp either on camelback or by 4×4 (then you go for a camel ride from there)
  • Here is a downloadable packing list to help plan for your Moroccan desert tour
  • We require a 30% deposit of the total price to book the car, while the balance is payable to us in the office in Ouarzazate
  • We accept payment through PayPal, bank transfers in Europe, by credit card, or cash (USD, Euro, GBP or MAD)
  • We offer a 25% discount for all children under 12, while, in any one family, one child below 3 can travel free of charge
  • These prices are liable to fluctuation according to the current exchange rate
  • Our prices can be subject to an increase over the busy season, and, in particular, the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period

Prices per person

No Days Meals
All-inclusive
Total price
2 Persons
595 € *
1190 € *
3 Persons
555 € *
1665 € *
4 Persons
545 € *
2180 € *
5 Persons
495 € *
2475 € *
6 Persons
495 € *
2970 € *

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The Sahara trip from Agadir to the Erg Chebbi dunes – itinerary:

1st day: Agadir – Ouarzazate

Morning departure at 8.30 by 4×4 from Agadir to Ouarzazate, passing by Taroudant, known as “the little Marrakesh”, via Taliouine and then Taznakht. From here the road continues to Kasbah Aït Ben Haddou, the most famous Kasbah in Morocco and one of Morocco’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites. After lunch in the village, there is time to visit the Kasbah, climbing to the top to admire the view.
In the afternoon, a visit to the Atlas Film Studios is scheduled. Here numerous Hollywood blockbusters were shot and the sets are still mostly intact (Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Asterix and Obelix, Game of Thrones.) There remain only a few kilometres to the small town of Ouarzazate, where you spend the night in a riad.

2nd day: Ouarzazate – Merzouga

The morning departure takes us from Ouarzazate to the Toudgha gorges via Skoura, travelling off-road to see the Kasbahs, some sadly in a state of disrepair but idyllically placed amongst a large number of palm trees in this magnificent oasis. The most famous of these Kasbahs is Amredhil, which is well-worth stopping at for photos and a quick visit. The main road passes through the Valley of Roses, where the roses are distilled to produce oils, lotions and creams found on sale throughout the country.

From there the next place to visit is the Dades Valley with its green gardens along the river and amazing rock formations. We stop for lunch in the Toudgha Gorges.

In the afternoon, our trip continues to the Merzouga dunes for a camel ride to reach the Erg Chebbi dunes (250m). From the top of the dunes, the sunset is spectacular.

You have dinner and spend the night at a luxury camp with private bathroom, king-sized beds, beautiful Moroccan furnishings and lamps tastefully arranged to enhance your enjoyment of the silence and beauty of the dunes.

3rd day: Merzouga – Agdez

If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight.

After breakfast, the itinerary continues to the Dra’a Valley, the longest valley in Morocco. The road passes through the villages of Rissani, Alnif, Tazzarine and N’Qob, where we stop for lunch.

In the afternoon, the journey takes us to Tansikht across the Dra’a River, sometimes in full spate but often little more than a trickle. Here we turn north to drive off-road along the ancient caravan route, which follows the valley with its huge palm trees and ancient villages. At the end of the afternoon, we stop in Agdez for dinner and a night’s rest.

4th day: Agdez – Agadir

After breakfast, we drive north-west from Agdz to Taznakht, famous for its Berber gelims and carpets. On the way, we follow beautiful landscapes and the Bouazzer mines. This is a secluded part of the country and more off the beaten track.

Later, we continue west to Agadir, crossing the Tizi-n-Ikhsane and Tizi-n-Tighatine passes. We stop to have lunch in Taliouine, the heart of the saffron growing area of Morocco, and where there is an excellent little museum about the art of growing saffron.

In the afternoon, the road takes us on to Taroudant again and follows the often dry Souss River and innumerous argane trees on all the slopes of the hill-sides back to Agadir, which we reach by the end of the afternoon.

Your Agadir to Merzouga desert tour comes to an end around 18:00.

 

Map of Agadir to Merzouga Desert Tour:

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Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Agadir to Merzouga spans a distance of about 650 KM (405 miles) each way. This is broken up by an overnight stay in Ouarzazate on the first day, and an overnight stay in Agdz on the third day. 

The time spent in the car is approximately six hours each day. However, you will have multiple stops at sites of interest, for walks, tea / coffee, and whenever desired or necessary throughout the trip.

We will be pleased to book your preferred selection among our business partners according to availability. If you choose a different option, we will look into securing that for you although it might involve a cost increase. 

Absolutely! You spend the night in luxury desert tents that come equipped with a private bathroom and shower with running hot water.

During the colder months from mid-December to late January, the nights can be chilly, necessitating heating. From June to early September, the southern regions of Morocco, and especially the Sahara Desert, experience high temperatures, so a/c is sometimes a client request. The guest houses/ riads in Ouarzazate and Agdz provide rooms with a reversible a/c. 

However, as only a selected number of camps in Merzouga are equipped in this way, please inform us in advance if you wish to have any of these amenities in your tent. This could mean an increase in the price.

Desert camps in Merzouga are equipped with electricity outlets for charging phones, cameras, and other electronic devices, frequently in the form of USBs. 

The accommodation in Ouarzazate and Agdz is equipped with Wi-Fi connections. However, only a few camps in Merzouga offer Wi-Fi access in communal areas and the signal strength may be limited or intermittent due to the remote location. 

If staying connected is important for you during your desert tour, you might consider obtaining a local SIM card, which is available at the airport upon arrival, or bringing a portable Wi-Fi device.

We recommend choosing a loose, comfortable outfit to prevent chafing. Ensure you have essential items such as a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes.

The standard camel ride lasts around 45 minutes to an hour. It takes you from the edge of the desert to the camp. From here you can climb the nearest dunes for the sunset and the sunrise.

If you are travelling in a deluxe van and wish to skip the camel ride, 4×4 vehicle(s) will be used to take you to the camp.  Otherwise, your 4×4 driver can take you there.

Yes, you can do as much as you want – just ask the camp staff for a board! 

When travelling in Morocco, particularly in rural areas, please be aware of local customs and attitudes towards having your picture taken. Many people may feel reserved or hesitant about being photographed, often due to cultural norms or privacy concerns, especially women.

So it is recommended to ask permission before taking any photos. While some may readily agree others may decline or expect compensation. Demonstrating such respect by seeking consent will definitely be valued.

Please visit our comprehensive frequently asked questions page which covers various topics. 

Alternatively, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly with any inquiries you may have. Our dedicated team of knowledgeable travel specialists is readily available to assist you and provide prompt, personalised responses to your questions.

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