Is 6 days too long for a first desert trip?

Not at all — the pace is gentle throughout, and the variety of landscape (mountains, hammada, dunes) keeps each day distinct rather than repetitive.

What's the minimum age for children?

Children from 5 years old are welcome with a saddle camel; younger children can sometimes be accommodated — get in touch to discuss.

When is the best time to go?

October to April offers the most comfortable temperatures. Summer months can exceed 45°C in the open desert.

How many people join each departure?

Groups are kept small for an authentic experience, with private departures available year-round.

Do we ride the camels the whole way?

Most guests mix riding and walking, adjusting to comfort each day. Children typically ride more than adults.

Breathable layered clothing, a warm layer for cold desert nights, closed shoes, sun protection and a headscarf. A packing list is sent after booking.

The Call of the Desert - 6 Days

Overview

A longer nomadic trek through the Draa Valley, from stone mountains to the roaring dunes of Erg Zahar. Suitable for families, accessible to children from 5 years old.

Departure City: Marrakech / Ouarzazate

Destination: Draa Valley

Explore more Sahara adventures: Ouarzazate Desert Trip to Erg Chegaga Dunes, Sahara Desert 6 Days, Around the Fire – 5 Days.

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

Accomodation
Fixed camp & nomad tents
Departure City
Marrakech / Ouarzazate / M'Hamid
Arrival City
Marrakech
Guide
Guided
Meals
Full board
Transportation
Private vehicle, camel & 4WD
Wifi
Not available
Destinations
Desert Tours From Mhamid
Trip Type
Mhamid Desert Tours

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

About this journey

The Call of the Desert is our longest classic camel trekking route from the Marrakech and M’Hamid region, built for travellers who want to properly experience how the Draa Valley desert changes character over six days u2014 from stone mountains and hammada plains to the roaring dunes of Erg Zahar.

It’s a family-friendly trek with saddle camels available for children from age 5, guided throughout by nomadic families who still live and travel this stretch of the Sahara. Nights are spent camping under canvas, moving camp most days as the route pushes further from any road.

Looking for something shorter first? Our 5-day Around the Fire trek covers similar terrain at a gentler pace, and you can compare every option on our desert tours page.

Day 1 :

Marrakech to M'Hamid - Over the High Atlas

Marrakech to Tizi n'Tichka Pass to Aït Benhaddou to Draa Valley to Fixed Camp

Setting off early from Marrakech, the road climbs steadily into the High Atlas, passing through Berber villages before reaching the Tizi n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 metres — the highest paved road in Morocco. A stop at Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed ksar of mud-brick towers, breaks the journey well.

From there the road continues through the date palms of the Draa Valley to the edge of the Sahara, where you'll spend the first night at a comfortable fixed camp — a gentle introduction before the trek itself begins.

High Atlas crossing - Aït Benhaddou UNESCO site - Night at fixed camp, Draa Valley

Day 2 :

Into the Desert - Ancient Traces and Sidi Naji

Fixed Camp to Open Desert to Mausoleum of Sidi Naji

Today the camel caravan properly begins, leaving the palm groves behind for open hammada. Scattered across this stony plain are fragments of ancient pottery — remnants of settlements that thrived here long before the desert took over. Lunch is taken in the shade of a lone tree.

By evening you'll reach the mausoleum of Sidi Naji, a marabout still honoured by nomadic families passing through. Camp is set up among the dunes nearby.

First camel day across hammada - Ancient pottery fragments - Sidi Naji mausoleum

Day 3 :

Climbing to the Stone Desert

Dune camp to Mountain trail to Stone desert panorama

Today's route trades sand for stone, crossing the dunes to reach a stretch of rocky mountains. After lunch near a tamarisk tree and a rest through the hottest part of the day, the caravan climbs into the hills, passing traces of old nomadic settlements along the way.

From the summit, the view opens onto the full scale of the Sahara — dunes, plains and mountains stretching in every direction. Camp that night is set at the foot of the dunes.

Crossing to the stone desert - Ancient settlement traces - Mountain summit panorama

Day 4 :

Erg Zahar - The Roaring Dunes

Mountain camp to Mausoleum of Sidi Omar to Erg Zahar

The caravan heads for Erg Zahar, Morocco's dramatic orange dune field. A stop at the mausoleum of marabout Sidi Omar offers shade and quiet reflection before the trail continues along the undulating line of the dunes.

In the evening, climbing the highest nearby dune rewards you with a sweeping view across the entire Draa Valley. Camp is pitched right among the dunes.

Sidi Omar mausoleum stop - Erg Zahar dune crossing - Sunset from the highest dune

Day 5 :

To Erg Aït Ouinir - Wells and Nomad Life

Erg Zahar to Draa Valley well to Erg Aït Ouinir

Leaving Erg Zahar behind, the caravan heads toward Erg Aït Ouinir, stopping along the way at a well in the Draa Valley where nomadic families water their herds — a good chance to meet local shepherds and their camels, and even take a traditional wash.

The evening is spent exploring the dunes at Aït Ouinir before settling in for a night under an open sky thick with stars.

Traditional well stop - Meeting local herders - Night under the stars at Aït Ouinir

Day 6 :

Return to Marrakech

Draa Valley to M'Hamid to Marrakech

The final morning retraces the Draa Valley back toward M'Hamid, marking the return from the desert to more familiar ground.

From M'Hamid, the private vehicle carries you back over the Atlas to Marrakech, arriving in the evening — six days richer in dust, stories and desert light.