7-Day Atlas & Sahara Adventure TourReal Trekking, Then the Dunes
7 days / 6 nights·Max 10
About this journey
This extends our 4-day Atlas trekking tour south to the Sahara, for travellers who want real mountain time and the classic desert night in one trip, rather than treating the Atlas as a driving corridor between Marrakech and Merzouga. The first three days are spent around Imlil with proper trekking in the Toubkal foothills, before the route continues south over the Tichka Pass to Ait Benhaddou and on to a Sahara bivouac camp at Merzouga, returning to Marrakech via the Dadès Valley. This suits hikers who don't want to sacrifice the desert experience, and desert-tour travellers who've read that most itineraries barely stop in the Atlas Mountains at all. It's a genuinely different pace across the week — walking days, then driving days, then the dunes. If you only want the mountains, our 4-day version covers the Atlas section alone. If you only want the desert, our small-group Sahara tours skip the trekking entirely.
- Two proper trekking days in the Toubkal foothills before the desert
- Full Sahara experience: sunset camel trek and a bivouac night at Erg Chebbi
- Nights in mountain guesthouses, kasbah hotels and a desert camp
- A local trekking guide for the Atlas days, alongside your main guide
- Loop route back to Marrakech via the Dadès Valley
Day by day
The group meets in Marrakech in the afternoon for a walking orientation of the medina — Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, and enough landmarks to navigate later. Overnight in a Marrakech riad.
- Group meeting and medina walk
A scenic drive climbs into the High Atlas to Imlil, the trailhead village for Jebel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. The afternoon is free to acclimatise before trekking begins tomorrow.
- Drive into the High Atlas
- Imlil village
A local trekking guide leads a route through Berber villages and walnut groves, scaled to the group's fitness. Overnight again in Imlil for a home-cooked Berber dinner before heading toward the desert tomorrow.
- Guided trekking day
- Berber village visits
The drive south crosses the Tichka Pass and continues to Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO kasbah from Gladiator and Game of Thrones, walked before the coach groups arrive. Overnight in Ouarzazate.
- Tichka Pass
- Ait Benhaddou UNESCO ksar
A rose-water cooperative and the Dadès Gorge break up the drive before Merzouga's dunes turn gold. A sunset camel trek brings you to the desert bivouac camp.
- Dadès Valley and Gorge
- Sunset camel trek to bivouac
Sunrise over the dunes, then the long drive back to Marrakech, closing the loop between mountains and desert in one trip. Final group dinner in the evening.
- Sunrise from the dunes
- Final group dinner
The tour ends after breakfast, with airport transfers arranged around your actual departure time.
- Flexible airport transfer
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
- 6 nights accommodation (2 mountain guesthouse nights, 1 kasbah guesthouse, 1 desert bivouac, 2 Marrakech riad nights)
- Transport in an air-conditioned minivan (max 10 seats)
- Licensed English-speaking guide plus a local trekking guide for the Atlas days
- Camel trek to and from the bivouac camp
- 6 breakfasts, 5 dinners including a home-cooked Berber dinner
- Entry fees at Ait Benhaddou and along the route
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches (budget $8–$14/day)
- Personal travel insurance (required)
- Tips for guides and driver
- Specialist trekking equipment (available to rent locally if needed)
Choose your style
Small-Group Tour
- Max 10 travellers
- Local trekking guide plus main guide
- 6 nights accommodation included
- Weekly departures Mar–May & Sep–Nov
What travelers say
“Every other desert tour we looked at treated the Atlas as a two-hour photo stop — this actually let us walk in it, which made the whole trip feel more complete.”
“The contrast between the mountain days and the desert days was honestly the best part — two completely different Moroccos in one week.”
“Trekking guide was excellent and clearly separate from our main guide, which made the mountain days feel properly specialised.”
Why choose AZA Morocco Tours
- Local expert guides — born and raised in Morocco
- Small groups capped at 10 people maximum
- All-inclusive pricing — no hidden fees
- Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure
- Weekly departures year-round (except desert tours Jul–Aug)
- Verified reviews on TripAdvisor
Questions about this tour
Most desert tours cross the Atlas in a few hours as pure transit. This tour dedicates two full days to trekking there before continuing to the Sahara, with a local trekking guide included.
The standard route suits most reasonably active travellers, with a more demanding option for experienced hikers on request.
It's the longest day of the trip, around 7–8 hours including stops, since it covers the same ground as our 3 to 5-day desert tours in a single push.
Yes — our 4-day Atlas Mountains Trekking Tour covers the mountain section alone.
March to May and September to November — this avoids high-Atlas snow and peak Sahara heat, a narrower window than pure desert tours given the trekking.
As a guideline, $8–$10 per traveller per day for the main guide and driver combined, plus a separate smaller tip for the local trekking guide.