Student offer: 4-day desert trip from Marrakech
Home ❯ Student offer: 4-day desert trip from Marrakech
Student offer: 4-day desert trip from Marrakech
- Morocco, Marrakech
Duration
4 days / 3 nights
Starting point
Marrakech
End point
Marrakech
Book now
Description
Special offer for students: 4 days to the Sahara desert from Marrakech for only 260 € per person, sharing the trip with other travellers. You’ll cross the High Atlas, visit the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorges, and reach the Merzouga dunes for a camel ride at sunset and a night in a desert camp under the stars.
With one more day than the 3-day offer, you’ll have time to watch the sunrise over the dunes and meet nomad families and the village of Khamlia. Transport, 3 nights’ accommodation, breakfasts, dinners and the camel ride are all included. Perfect for exchange and Erasmus students or groups of friends.
Highlights
- Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, UNESCO World Heritage Site and setting of famous films
- Dades Valley and Todra Gorges, dreamlike landscapes and Berber villages
- Merzouga dunes, dromedary ride and an unforgettable sunset
- Meeting nomad families and Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Quad ride through Erg Chebbi, adventure and panoramic desert views
The route
- MarrakechStart
- TelouetStop
- Ait Ben HaddouStop
- OuarzazateStop
- Todra GorgesStop
- MerzougaStop
- MarrakechFinish
By shared air-conditioned minibus, with photo stops along the way.
Tour itinerary
Day 01: Marrakech – Telouet – Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou – Ounila Valley – Ouarzazate
Breakfast at our riad in Marrakech and departure in a shared minibus towards Ouarzazate crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka pass, at 2,260 m, one of the highest road passes in the country, where we will enjoy incredible scenery and make several stops to photograph the Berber villages.
Then we will turn onto a small road, enjoying the beautiful surrounding landscapes, until we reach the Kasbah of Telouet; we will visit the kasbah and enjoy a typical local lunch.
In the afternoon we will continue through the Ounila Valley among Berber villages where families live in adobe houses lost in the mountains, until we reach the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, where we will visit its famous kasbah (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987). Famous films such as Gladiator, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra and Sahara with Penélope Cruz have been shot in this spectacular setting. After visiting the kasbah we will leave for Ouarzazate, considered the great gateway to the desert, and in the evening we will reach our hotel in the Dades Valley to rest and enjoy the magical views from the terrace of our riad. Dinner and overnight at the riad.
Day 02: Dadés Valley – Todra Gorges – Merzouga Dunes – Night in nomad tents
After breakfast, we will enjoy one of the best views of the Dades Valley from one of the most strategic viewpoints in the mountains. From there we will see the many kasbahs and how picturesque each of them is. After several stops along the way, we will reach the Todra Gorges. Located near the town of Tinghir, they open the way to the desert. Surrounded by a valley full of palm trees and adobe villages, these are the mountains most prized by climbers. The Todra and Dades gorges
are the best known and the most impressive in Morocco. After a walk in the Todra Gorges and lunch in Tinejdad or Touroug, we leave for the desert to reach the impressive dunes of Merzouga, where we set off on a dromedary caravan for about an hour to reach our nomad tents in the middle of a sea of dunes (Erg Chebbi), and watch one of the most impressive sunsets you have ever seen. Dinner and night in nomad tents in the heart of the desert under a spectacular blanket of
stars.
Day 03: Merzouga Desert – Nomad Families – Khamlia Village – Quad ride
Today is a full desert day. «A date with the sunrise»: since you are in the desert, it is worth getting up early to enjoy the sunrise around the tents and this relaxing landscape. We will return to the village of Merzouga to begin our 4×4 route around Erg Chebbi, the sand sea where Morocco’s Great Dune rises more than 250 meters high, following tracks that were part of the old Paris-Dakar rally, with the mountains on the Algerian border in the background.
We will continue to a nomad settlement where we will learn some of their secrets and customs. Then we will stop at a viewpoint to see Erg Chebbi as a whole. We will reach the village of Khamlia, whose people originally came from Mali, where we will relax with tea while enjoying a small concert of spiritual Gnawa music. Back at the hotel, after a rest, we will set off on quads for an adrenaline-filled ride across the desert of Erg Chebbi and enjoy the sunset from the top of the dunes; then return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 04: Merzouga – Marrakech
After breakfast at our riad, it is time to say goodbye to the desert and start our journey back to Marrakech. On the way we will stop in the Draa Valley, the largest valley in Morocco, more than 240 km long with over 10 million palm trees. Then we will cross the Anti-Atlas mountains to reach Ouarzazate, where we will stop for lunch; after lunch we will cross the High Atlas Mountains to reach Marrakech, transfer to your riad/hotel and end of our services, hoping you have had a wonderful time.
Included / Not included
The price includes
- Transport for the 4 days in a shared air-conditioned minibus
- Pick-up and drop-off at Marrakech airport or your accommodation
- 3 nights' accommodation in hotels or riads and a desert camp
- 3 breakfasts and 3 dinners
- Camel ride at sunset in the Merzouga dunes
The price does not include
- Lunches and drinks
- Quad bike ride (optional)
- Monument entrance fees and local guides
- Tips and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
Accommodation
All 3 nights are included in the price, with dinner and breakfast.
Hotel or riad
- Simple and comfortable, on the southern route
- Dinner and breakfast included
Desert camp in Merzouga
- Traditional tent in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Dinner and breakfast included
Hotel or riad
- A rest before heading back to Marrakech
- Dinner and breakfast included
Route map
Good to know
- Shared trip: you travel with other travellers in the same minibus.
- Students only: please show a valid student card.
- Book early: places are limited.
- Vegetarian or special diets: let us know when you book.
- Bring warm clothes: desert nights are cold.
Frequently asked questions
Who can book this offer?
Any student with a valid student card (university, Erasmus, language school…).
Is the trip private?
No, it is a shared trip with other travellers. If you prefer to travel only with your group, see our private 4-day route.
What does the 260 € price include?
Transport for the 4 days, 3 nights' accommodation, 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners and the camel ride.
Is there a group discount?
Yes: groups of 6 to 9 get 10% off; from 10 people, 1 free place for every 10. Message us and tell us how many you are.
Do you pick us up at the airport?
Yes, we pick you up at Marrakech airport or your accommodation. Send us your flight number when you book.
How do I book?
Message us on WhatsApp or by email with your dates and the number of students.
Are you a student and want to see the desert?
Tell us your dates and how many you are. We'll confirm your places quickly.
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