2 Days in the M'hamid El Ghizlane Desert

Overview

In short: Private tour · 2 days / 1 night, starting and ending in Marrakech — about 805 km and 9 places, including 1 night in the desert.

Duration

2 days / 1 night

Starts

Marrakech

Ends

Marrakech

Tour type

Private tour

Group size

Up to 50 travellers

Language

Flexible, on request

Distance

≈ 805 km in total

Stops

9 places

The shortest way to see real sand dunes from Marrakech: a two-day round trip to M'hamid El Ghizlane at the far end of the Draa Valley. These dunes are smaller than those of Merzouga or Chegaga, but far more impressive than anything around Zagora.

The trip combines a crossing of the High Atlas, the palm oases of the Draa, a night in a luxury camp with Amazigh music around the fire, and a return via Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou and Telouet.

Highlights

• Tizi n'Tichka pass
• Ouarzazate
• Atlas Film Studios
• Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou
• Kasbah Telouet
• Agdz and the Draa oasis viewpoint
• Draa Valley
• Zagora
• Tamegroute (green pottery)
• M'hamid / Chegaga dunes

Route

• Day 1
• Day 2

Lines join the stops in order; they are not the exact roads. Distances are road estimates. Open the route in Google Maps

Day by day

1. Day 1Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Agdz – Zagora – M'hamid

   Marrakech › Tizi n'Tichka › Ouarzazate › Agdz › Zagora › Tamegroute › M'Hamid

   Hotel pick-up at 7:00 and drive towards Ouarzazate on a mountain road lined with forests, villages and old Amazigh kasbahs, with a stop at the top of Tizi n'Tichka.

   You pass Ouarzazate around 11:00 without stopping, then continue to Agdz for the panoramic view over the Draa Valley palm grove, one of the largest in Morocco. Lunch in a local restaurant.

   Photo stop in Zagora, then a visit to a fully hand-made pottery workshop in Tamegroute. About an hour and a half more takes you to M'hamid and on to the luxury camp.

   On arrival: panoramic photos of the dunes, sandboarding, dinner, then Amazigh music around the fire and stargazing.

   ≈ 415 kmOvernight: Luxury desert campMeals: Dinner
2. Day 2M'hamid – Ouarzazate – Atlas Studios – Ait Ben Haddou – Telouet – Marrakech

   M'Hamid › Ouarzazate › Ait Ben Haddou › Telouet › Marrakech

   Early wake-up for sunrise, then breakfast. You ride back to meet the driver (about 1h30 by quad).

   About 2h30 to Ouarzazate and a visit of the Atlas Film Studios (around 1h30), then the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou with a local English-speaking guide for about two hours.

   Lunch, then Kasbah Telouet, with a stop at a women's argan-oil cooperative. Arrival in Marrakech in the evening.

   ≈ 390 kmMeals: Breakfast

What’s included

Good to know

• Best season for the desert: October to April. In summer daytime heat often exceeds 40°C; in winter nights at camp can drop close to freezing.
• The Tizi n'Tichka pass (about 2,260 m) can get snow or brief closures in winter; the driver adjusts timings to road conditions.
• Pack a small daypack for the camp night (water, charger, warm layer, toiletries). Large luggage stays in the vehicle or hotel.
• Essentials: sunscreen, sunglasses, a scarf/cheche against sand, comfortable shoes and a warm jacket for the evening.
• Mountain roads are winding; bring motion-sickness medication if you need it.
• Carry small dirham notes for tips, purchases and meals that are not included; ATMs are scarce in villages and in the desert.
• Always ask before photographing people, especially women, children and nomad families.

Guided visits on this route

Our local guides also lead these walks and day trips in towns this tour passes through. Ask us to add one.

Read before you go

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