Merzouga desert tourby private minibus,3 days

What is the day-by-day itinerary for the Merzouga desert tour?

The Merzouga desert tour runs three days and 1,120 km, for 17 hours of driving. The first day, as far as Ouarzazate, is identical to the Zagora desert tour. The two following days push on alone to Erg Chebbi, the real dunes of the Sahara.

1. Day 1

   Marrakech → Tizi n’Tichka → Aït-Ben-Haddou → Ouarzazate → Roses Valley → Dadès Gorge

   330 km5 h 30

   The Tizi n’Tichka pass climbs to **2,260 metres** on the N9 road linking Marrakech to Ouarzazate. The Aït-Ben-Haddou ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987, is a short detour before Ouarzazate. The Roses Valley, around El Kelaâ M’Gouna, comes before the Dadès Gorge, a canyon cut by the Dadès river, marking the overnight stop.

   Dadès

2. Day 2

   Dadès → Todgha Gorge → Tinghir → Erfoud → Merzouga

   231 km4 h

   The Todgha Gorge is a limestone canyon **300 metres deep**, between Tinghir and the High Atlas plateau. Erg Chebbi is a 28-kilometre dune field rising to 150 metres, the only true sand sea on the tour. Camels replace the minibus for the final stretch to the desert camp.

   Merzouga, camp on the edge of Erg Chebbi

3. Day 3

   Merzouga → Rissani → Alnif → Tazzarine → Agdz → Ouarzazate → Marrakech

   559 km7 h 30

   Rissani is the old caravan town of **Sijilmassa**, which controlled the trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt from the 8th century. The road then runs through Alnif and Tazzarine, two towns before Agdz. The tour rejoins the N9 at Ouarzazate for the direct drive back to Marrakech.

   Evening return to Marrakech

• 3days
• 1,120 kmtotal distance
• 17 hof driving