Is this a camel trek like your other desert trips?

No — this is a private-vehicle road circuit covering a wider range of Morocco, with one night of desert camping and a camel ride near Merzouga rather than a multi-day trek.

How many people can join?

Group size affects the per-person price, from 2 up to 12 travellers; solo travellers can join on request at a custom rate.

Is accommodation included every night?

Yes — one night each in Skoura, Merzouga, Agdz, Taroudant and Essaouira, in a mix of hotels, riads, a kasbah, and a desert camp.

5 breakfasts and 3 dinners are included; lunches and any meals not listed, along with all drinks, are at your own expense.

Can I do only part of this circuit?

Yes — get in touch and we can adapt the itinerary to a shorter loop or different starting point.

Sahara Desert 6 Days - Sahara Marokko

Overview

A private-vehicle circuit from Marrakech through kasbahs, canyons and dunes to the Atlantic coast at Essaouira.

Departure City: Marrakech

Destination: Merzouga, Taroudant & Essaouira

Explore more Sahara adventures: Desert Camel Trekking from Mhamid – 6 Days, Mhamid Camel Trek in the Sahara – 5 Days, The Call of the Desert – 6 Days.

Browse all our Sahara desert tours, or reserve a comfortable stay at our desert camp accommodation before or after your trip.

Accomodation
Hotel, riad, kasbah & desert camp
Departure City
Marrakech
Arrival City
Marrakech
Guide
Guided
Meals
5 breakfasts, 3 dinners
Transportation
Private vehicle
Wifi
Available
Destinations
Desert Tours from Marrakech
Trip Type
Merzouga Desert Tours

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

About this journey

This 6-day circuit is Morocco in miniature, run by private vehicle rather than camel u2014 UNESCO kasbahs, the Todra Gorge, a night camping near Merzouga’s dunes, saffron cooperatives in Taliouine, and a finish on the Atlantic coast at Essaouira.

It’s the right choice if you want to see the country’s range of landscapes in one trip rather than focus purely on the Sahara: mountains, gorges, oases and coastline are all included alongside a genuine desert camping night.

For a trip focused purely on the dunes, see our 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour, or browse the full desert morocco tours list.

Day 1 :

Marrakech to Skoura - Over the Atlas

Marrakech to Tizi n'Tichka to Aït Benhaddou to Ouarzazate to Skoura

The route climbs the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass, passing through small rural villages before reaching Aït Benhaddou — a UNESCO World Heritage ksar and one of the finest examples of Southern Moroccan earthen architecture.

From there, the road continues through Ouarzazate — nicknamed the 'Hollywood of Africa' for its film studios — before ending the day in Skoura, an oasis town wrapped in palm groves beneath the Atlas foothills.

Tizi n'Tichka crossing - Aït Benhaddou UNESCO site - Overnight in Skoura oasis

Day 2 :

Todra Gorge to Merzouga's Dunes

Skoura to Dades Valley to Todra Gorge to Merzouga

The day passes Kasbah Amridil before following the 'Road of a Thousand Kasbahs' through the rugged Dades Valley to Todra Gorge — a limestone canyon rising over 300 metres, often called the Grand Canyon of the Sahara, with time for a short walk between its sheer walls.

By late afternoon you'll reach a desert camp near Merzouga, where reddish dunes rise up to 150 metres. A sunset camel ride precedes a traditional dinner around the campfire.

Kasbah Amridil visit - Todra Gorge walk - Camel ride and desert camp at Merzouga

Day 3 :

Rissani, Alnif and the Road to Agdz

Merzouga to Rissani to Alnif to Nkob to Agdz

Rissani, once the site of the ancient trading post of Sijilmasa, sits at the crossroads of two historic trans-Saharan routes. After a lunch stop in Nkob, the road passes through Alnif — one of the world's richest sites for trilobite fossils.

The day ends in Agdz, at the foot of Djebel Kissane, where a long oasis of palm groves and old kasbahs lines the banks of the Draa River.

Rissani's Sijilmasa history - Alnif's trilobite fossil country - Overnight in Agdz

Day 4 :

Saffron and Carpets to Taroudant

Agdz to Tazenakht to Taliouine to Taroudant

Taliouine, the 'Land of Saffron,' is home to women's cooperatives that process and sell saffron directly, offering a rare look at the harvesting and extraction process. A stop in Tazenakht — known for its handwoven Berber carpets — adds another local craft to the day.

The route ends in Taroudant, a walled market town often nicknamed 'Mini Marrakech' for its ramparts and souks.

Saffron cooperative in Taliouine - Berber carpet weavers in Tazenakht - Overnight in Taroudant

Day 5 :

To the Atlantic Coast

Taroudant to Agadir to Essaouira

Leaving the desert landscapes behind, the route heads to the Atlantic coast via Agadir before continuing to Essaouira — a windswept, UNESCO-listed port city with a very different character from the south.

Overnight is spent at a boutique riad or hotel within Essaouira's walls.