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10 Days / 9 Nights

Drâa to the Dunes

Marrakech — Aït Benhaddou — Drâa Valley — Erg Chigaga — Dades

Marrakech south over the Tizi n'Tichka, a morning at Aït Benhaddou before the buses, three nights in palmery guesthouses down the Drâa Valley, two nights at Erg Chigaga — the dunes most travellers picture when they picture the Sahara. Return via Todra and Dades.

Real Erg Dunes Palmery Guesthouses Named Local Guides 24/7 Concierge Moderate Pace

About This Tour

Drâa to the Dunes is ten days south from Marrakech and back — the classic Atlas crossing over the Tizi n'Tichka, a quiet sunrise at Aït Benhaddou before the day buses arrive, three nights in palmery guesthouses along the Drâa Valley, and two nights at Erg Chigaga, the larger and quieter of Morocco's two great erg dunes (and a four-hour 4×4 drive from the nearest village, rather than the half-hour from Merzouga). Return via Dades. The dunes most travellers picture — the ones you'll actually want to remember.

Highlights
  • Aït Benhaddou at sunrise, before the day buses arrive
  • Three nights in family palmery guesthouses down the Drâa Valley
  • Two nights at Erg Chigaga — four-hour 4×4 in, not the Merzouga half-hour
  • Return via the Dades gorges, the road that closes the loop
Itinerary Overview
  • Day 1
    Arrive Marrakech

    Met at Marrakech Menara airport (RAK). Transfer to a riad in the medina. Welcome dinner. Optional medina walk in the evening. Travellers flying into Casablanca CMN can be met there and transferred to Marrakech on request.

  • Day 2
    Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou

    Early start to clear Marrakech. Drive over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (about 4 hours with photo stops, including the new tunnel section that has shortened the route). Afternoon at the Aït Benhaddou ksar.

  • Day 3
    Aït Benhaddou at sunrise, then south to the Drâa

    Sunrise at Aït Benhaddou before the day groups arrive — coffee on the roof, the ksar in the morning light. Walking tour after breakfast. Drive south via Ouarzazate to the upper Drâa Valley near Agdz.

  • Day 4
    Drâa Valley — slow day

    No driving. Walk among the palms with a regional guide. Visit Tamnougalt kasbah. Walk to a Berber village. Lunch with the host family. Afternoon free.

  • Day 5
    Drâa to M'Hamid, 4×4 into Erg Chigaga

    Long driving day (about 4 hours 30 minutes) down the Drâa to M'Hamid el Ghizlane, the last village before the dunes. Transfer to 4×4 for the off-road approach to Erg Chigaga (about 2 hours).

  • Day 6
    Erg Chigaga

    Sunrise on the highest dune. Late breakfast. Free morning — reading, walking, the silence. Afternoon visit to a nomad encampment if the encampment is in the area that week (camp manager confirms morning of).

  • Day 7
    Erg Chigaga to Dades via Ouarzazate

    Long driving day. 4×4 return to M'Hamid in the morning (about 2 hours 30 minutes). Drive north via the Drâa Valley and Ouarzazate to the Dades Valley (about 4 hours from Ouarzazate).

  • Day 8
    Dades to Marrakech via Skoura

    Drive west to Skoura palmery (about 1 hour 30 minutes). Visit Kasbah Amerhidil. Afternoon drive over the Tichka back to Marrakech (about 4 hours 30 minutes). Final dinner at a riad.

  • Day 9
    Marrakech free day

    No fixed programme. Hammam, the souks, free time. Final dinner.

  • Day 10
    Until you leave Marrakech

    A morning in your own hand — a last walk through the medina or a quiet morning at the riad, perhaps the hammam before checkout. The driver makes the airport transfer at a time chosen by the guests — to Marrakech Menara airport (RAK, about 20 minutes) for the international flight.

Inclusions
  • Nine nights — medina riads, palmery guesthouses, desert camp
  • Lead guide for the duration of the trip
  • Regional guides at Aït Benhaddou and the Drâa
  • Private vehicle & driver, plus 4×4 transfers to Erg Chigaga
  • Onboard WiFi in the tour vehicle
  • Airport pick-up on arrival, airport drop-off on departure
  • Sunrise access at Aït Benhaddou before the day buses
  • Tamnougalt kasbah, Berber village walk, Kasbah Amerhidil
  • All entrance fees to monuments, museums & archaeological sites
  • All breakfasts, most lunches and dinners
  • 24/7 support number throughout your stay
Exclusions
  • International flights to and from Morocco. We can recommend agents in the UK, EU, and US.
  • Travel insurance — required for every guest, sourced separately. We can suggest providers.
  • Visa fees, where applicable. Most passports from the UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not need one for stays under ninety days.
  • Lunches not specifically named in the day-by-day itinerary, so the days have room to drift.
  • Alcoholic beverages and premium drinks. Mint tea and table water are throughout.
  • Gratuities for the lead guide, driver, and regional guides — discretionary, at the end of the trip.
  • Personal expenses — laundry, phone charges, gifts, and anything you choose to buy on the road.
  • Optional activities and upgrades suggested along the way. Always pre-quoted, never assumed.
Departures
Private journeys on your dates, year-round.

Every Sarah Discoveries trip is a private departure for your party — twelve guests at most, the same regional guides, the same standards. Tell us when you would travel and who is coming, and we will reply within twenty-four hours with availability and a draft itinerary.

Group size
Twelve at most
Best months
Mar – May, Sep – Nov
Reply time
Within 24 hours

Traveler Reviews

5.0
Based on traveller feedback
Sophie L.
United States

An unforgettable experience! The guides were knowledgeable, the hotels were stunning, and every detail was perfectly organized. Highly recommend!

James R.
France

From start to finish, everything was exceptional. Morocco is incredible!

Emily T.
Australia

Luxury, authenticity, and warm hospitality. We can't wait to come back!

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Twelve guests at most
Every group, every trip
Founded 1994
Thirty years, one country
Named regional guides
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Morocco only, since the beginning
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We’ll write back the same day with a route worth reading. Twelve guests at most. The brief is yours.

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