Red cliffs, a green river valley and two gorges between Ouarzazate and the desert. This is where almost every Merzouga tour sleeps on night one — and where the road is at its best.
The Dades Valley runs east from Ouarzazate along the southern edge of the High Atlas — the road people call the "road of a thousand kasbahs", because the villages are made of them. Boumalne Dades is the town where the Dades Gorge starts; Tinghir, an hour further, is the town at the mouth of the Todra Gorge. Both gorges are river-cut canyons with cliffs of 200–300 m, and both are on the way to Merzouga. On our 3-day tours you arrive in the Dades Valley in the evening of day one, sleep in a riad or kasbah by the river, drive the Dades hairpins after breakfast, and walk in the Todra Gorge before lunch on day two. It is the part of the trip that surprises people: they came for the desert and remember the valley.
After a long day over the Atlas, a courtyard, a hot shower and dinner on a terrace facing the cliffs. Most of our riads here are family-run.
A short detour up the gorge to a viewpoint above a stack of switchbacks in the red rock. Ten minutes, and everyone gets out of the car.
The narrowest part is 10 m wide with cliffs 300 m high. A 30–45 minute walk along the river, in shade until late morning.
Skoura, Kelaat M'Gouna (the rose valley), Boumalne, Tinghir: a string of oases and earth villages, best seen slowly from a private car.
You arrive around 18:00–19:00 after roughly 320 km from Marrakech. Dinner is at the riad (tagine, soup, salad, fruit; vegetarian on request). Rooms are simple to comfortable depending on the tour tier; nights are cool all year and cold from November to March, with heating or extra blankets.
Breakfast at 07:30, then the Dades Gorge viewpoint (a detour of about 30 minutes) and the drive to Tinghir. The Todra walk is about 45 minutes; wear shoes you can walk in. Lunch in Tinghir or at the gorge, then the road to Erfoud and Merzouga (about 3 hours).
Eroded rock formations along the Dades that look like a row of knuckles. A photo stop on most tours; a two-hour walk with a guide on private tours if you ask.
SharedSmall group, fixed 07:00 departure, standard camp included.
PrivateYour own vehicle and driver-guide, pick-up at your door.
SharedSmall group, fixed 07:00 departure, standard camp included.
PrivateYour own vehicle and driver-guide, pick-up at your door.
PrivateYour own vehicle and driver-guide, pick-up at your door.
SharedSmall group, fixed 07:00 departure, standard camp included.
Also: Private 3-Day Marrakech to Fes · Private 4-Day Marrakech to Fes · Shared 3-Day Fes to Marrakech · Private 3-Day Fes to Marrakech · Private 4-Day Fes to Marrakech · Shared 3-Day Marrakech to Agadir · Shared 3-Day Agadir to Marrakech · Shared 3-Day Ouarzazate to Marrakech · Private 4-Day Agadir to Merzouga · Private 4-Day Casablanca to Marrakech · Private 4-Day Marrakech to Casablanca · Private 5-Day Toubkal Trek & Sahara · Private 6-Day Marrakech to Chefchaouen · Private 6-Day Casablanca to Marrakech · Elite: Sahara by Moonlight
| From | Road time | How our tours do it |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | ~320 km · 6–7 h | Day 1: Tichka, Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Skoura, arrive evening |
| Ouarzazate | ~120 km · 2 h | Via Skoura and Kelaat M'Gouna |
| Merzouga | ~240 km (Tinghir) · 4–5 h | Day 3 of Fes/Marrakech loops, or day 2 in reverse |
| Fes | ~470 km · 8 h via Midelt | Not direct on our tours (we go via Merzouga) |
| Agadir | ~490 km · 7 h | Via Taroudant, Taliouine, Ouarzazate |
Aït Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate — earlier the same day
Skoura & Kasbah Amridil — the palm oasis between Ouarzazate and Dades
Merzouga & Erg Chebbi — the next day
Ziz Valley & Middle Atlas cedars — the road north to Fes
Every Marrakech to Merzouga tour sleeps here. The question is three days or four, shared or private. Tell us your dates.
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