Marrakech Desert Trips

Marrakech Desert Trips

Marrakech Desert Trips
4.7
About
Marrakech Desert Trips offers day trips and excursions to Morocco Sahara desert, the Atlas Mountains and Essaouira, as well as quad biking and camel trekking activities in the palm grove at the outskirts of Marrakech
Marrakech, Morocco
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Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024

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4.7
4.7 of 5 bubbles921 reviews
Excellent
757
Very good
99
Average
24
Poor
21
Terrible
21

ianandcarol
Fife33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2025 • Couples
We did the 4 day private tour from Fes to Marrakesh via Mergousa. The whole experience was marvellous. The first day our driver/guide, Abdel, picked us up from our Fes Riad and we headed south east into the snow covered mountains. Abdel ensured we stopped in the best spots to take photographs of the stunning scenery and monkeys! The long distances between locations were filled with a running commentary from Abdel and singing along to recorded local music. Our first night we spent in the Kasbah Tombouctou luxury hotel where we enjoyed good food and drink. The following day the wind blew up a sandstorm which limited visibility but we spent time visiting local artisans before heading to Mergousa to ride camels across the dunes to our luxury desert camp. We enjoyed local food and danced to local music under the stars until the weather turned bad with strong winds and heavy rain. We stayed warm and dry in our tent. The next morning the weather was calm and clear and enabled a clear view of the sun rising across the desert dunes. We then drove on to visit the Todra and Dades Gorges before staying overnight in the Babylon Hotel. Our last day was spent visiting the Atlas film studio at Ouarzazate and crossing the Atlas Mountains before being dropped off at our Marrakesh Riad. In between all the major stops Abdel stopped to introduce us to local characters who all had interesting tales to tell and to encouraged us to try local food and drink. For us Abdel made the trip particularly pleasant. He is very attentive, well informed and a skilful assertive driver . We felt very safe with him.
Overall the trip was well worth the money and we would highly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing some of and learning about the fascinating country of Morocco.
Written 3 March 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matt M
11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Couples
Me and my girlfriend took the private 4 day Marrakech to Fes desert tour and it was incredible! Our guide Abdollatef was an excellent driver and English speaker and gave us a fantastic trip where we felt really looked after.
He picked us up from Marrakesh, took us across the Atlas mountains, visited Ait Ben Haddou, visited Berber villages, saw Morroco's lush valleys, listened to traditional music, and best of all walked across the desert sand dunes. We stayed in hotels each night (except for the luxury camp) and all staff were very hospitable and helpful. The food was good - especially at the local restaurants Abdollatef took us to (you must try Berber pizza!) - and we were given plenty of it. My girlfriend is vegetarian and she felt well accommodated wherever we went. Despite the distances and travel times (which are significant if you're from the UK like us) the tour was very well organised and we didn't feel rushed.

Now that I've listed all of the positives, here would normally be the part where I list the negatives however looking back, there aren't really any significant ones that come to mind. We paid more for the private tour and overall we thought it was great value. Another thing that may have helped is that we went in mid December when it felt less touristy - none of the hotels felt too busy and we were really able to spend some precious time on our own in the evenings - walking along the sand dunes at night under the stars was very romantic.

The best advice I would give is to make the most of the 'private' aspect of the tour.. For example, we wanted to explore Ait Ben Haddou alone without a guide - we asked for this and it happened. We asked to stay a little longer in some places and because it was a private tour we had this flexibility. If you're unsure about Morocco customs (where and how much to tip, how to dress in religious areas etc) then ask your guide, they can help you with this. Lastly, my advice is before you go - try and bring lots of small notes in Dinar - you will meet some amazing people that you will want to tip and breaking down larger notes (and using your credit card) is not always easy.

Thanks Abdollatef and Morocco Desert Trips for so many great memories!
Written 8 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jorgero8
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
Me and my wife did a private tour from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert finishing in Fes (4 days) with Lahcen, our driver/guide. The tour was amazing and it would have not been that way with out Lachcen. He was very professional and you can tell he knows Morocco like the palm of his hands. He took us to incredible local places that you can tell not a lot of other tour companies take you. He made us feel very comfortable, safe, and welcome. The trip itself is a lifetime experience going through the sahara villages and the desert. The hotels the company booked us were all great, same with all the meals we had. The 4x4 SUV was very comfortable with AC when needed. Also, when you see everything you get throughout the 4 days you realize that the price for the tour is very good and we highly recommend spending a bit more and doing it private. Very worth it. Thanks Marrakech Desert Trips and a very special thank you to Lahcen for such an unforgettable experience. Highly recommendable.

Jorge & Stephanie
Written 2 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ross B
Chesham, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Simple way to summarise; posy holiday, we all independently selected the best experience of our Moroccan adventure and ALL 4 of us selected the desert tour!

As a family of 4, which includes a 6yr daughter and 10yr son we took some time prior to our trip to research a number of tour companies offering private tours. We settles on Marrakech Desert Trips. We never regretted this decision! Communication prior were excellent throughout.

To our tour, especially our private tour guide for 4 days, Lahcen which we learned to be a very experienced guide (both worldly and domestically within Morocco) who appeared to know everyone, everywhere! As such, we experienced and witnessed so many things along the way. Lahcen was great company throughout, the kids especially grew fond of him during the trip. Nothing was ever too much bother, such as toilet breaks, general stretching of the legs or photo opportunities, of which there are too many! Lahcen was a big part of this tour being such a memorable experience.

Private Vs Group was an easy one for us; we didn’t want any compromise during our trip. We and our tour guide drove the agenda of the trip, therefore the increased cost which all in was 1050 Euros was worth every penny, in our opinion.

The duration; there is a lot of driving approx. 1400km in total. PLEASE don’t let this put you off as the experience in the Sahara Desert is worth every km. We selected the longer 4 day tour over the 3 day which provided a stop on our return rather than a large 9-10hr return from the desert to Marrakech. The drive is made all that more easier with the many experiences and mini tours along the way all under the guidance of Lahcen. These are all detailed on their website.

The Sahara Desert experience was out of this world. What made it more special was doing in out of season (when it’s HOT!) so there was an unbelievable peace in the desert with hardly any other groups/tours. Yes, it was HOT but we found manageable as a family. The camel ride in the desert to our camp was lovely, our 6yr daughter needed to be with a parent. We paused for an incredible sunset. The camp was basic but fine with good food provided. I will not lie, the tents were HOT so this created another experience….the few groups staying at the camp site pulled out their mattresses onto the sand and slept under the stars ….. our kids are still talking about this. Then a 5am start for sunrise on the camels ……. Again, nothing like it!

The hotels along the way were simple but effective and had pools which provided a respite from the heat daily.

This tour will provide a long lasting memory to the entire family.

PS don’t ignore the small coffee offerings along the way out of peoples cars / vans. Yes they look basic but the coffee is top stuff!
Written 12 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RajaPNYC
San Francisco, CA11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Solo
What an amazing experience. We had the best time touring Morocco with our guide Lhsan on our private tour (just me and my wife). We chose the 6 day tour which covered AitBen Haddou / Tinghir / Merzouga / Todra Gorge / Fes / Chefchaouen and back to Marrakech.

We loved all the food, from the multiple styles of Tajin, Berber Pizza, Argan oils, and fresh fruit.
Mint tea along the way at every stop was a plus, as was a fresh juice stand looking over the Atlas Mountains.

Timing was perfect in every location. Having a full day to take in the sights of Chefchaouen and experience the beauty of this mountain town was just right. Every Riad we had the opportunity to stay in was breathtaking.

Highlights were
1. ATV’s and Camel riding through the Sahara desert
2. Exploring the blue city of Chefchaouen
3. Visiting the many historic sights of Fes and having an in-depth tour of the various craft houses especially the ceramics and tile shop of Art Naji. The various crafts including leather making, brass, and textile weaving are all prominent in Fes.
4. Visiting the local Berber Tapestry and Rug store at a local Berber village with our guide in Todra Gorge

It is best to prepare for the long drives in between stops. If you manage those expectations, the trip, it was perfect. It was especially great because we had the best guide could possibly ask for in Lhasan. He is a skilled driver and knows each and every part of the country and every place we stopped.
We are very interested to take his in his personalized trekking tours he leads in the Atlas Mountains.

Overall, what a wonderful place. The hospitality of the Berber people and their warm and inviting nature was so refreshing. We can’t wait to get back here, and feel so inspired after seeing such wonderful art and history.

If you like a well rounded tour with a penchant for adventure and art, this is the one to be on. Thank you Marrakech Desert Trips and especially Lhsan for making this one of the best my wife and I have been on.

Pro Tip: Consult with a local guide/your guide before making any purchases within store to get accurate pricing for craftwork.
Written 24 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Erin Marie
Camillus, NY27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2025 • Family
We took the 3-day, 2-night trip from Marrakech to Fes with one night in the desert camp. It was a really great experience. Our motivation for choosing this itinerary was the night at the camp, which was absolutely incredible. I have never seen the night sky like that- littered with stars and planets which are never visible to us at home with city lights.

Our driver Abdulilah was great. It was just our little family of three- he was great with our daughter, took us to all the great photo spots, and arranged for our bags to be carried by our final hotel. He was always on time, navigated the wild roads of Morocco, and was an all-around nice human. Highly recommend.

The first night’s hotel stay was a little roughy- the bed was extremely firm, and we’ve noticed some hotels don’t really have toilet privacy. This hotel room’s toilet had no door so that was awkward.

The desert camp was amazing. The service, the drum performance at the camp fire, Hassan (our camel ride guide) was so funny and even jumped on a FaceTime call with family. It was a LONG drive to get there but we had lots of stops and it was nice to relax in the car.

All in all, I would recommend anyone to do this trip.
Written 24 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael N
World1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
We had a great trip from Marrakech to Ourika Valley on the private tour with my family (children aged 11 and 8). Abdullatef was a great driver and guide for us as he was very friendly, arrived promptly and drove very safely.
We stopped off at a pottery and women’s cooperative. At both of these places we were told in advance that there was no obligation to buy anything and that was confirmed by the sellers as well, which was a nice touch and meant we could enjoy just looking and drink the tea at first, although we did buy a few gifts anyway!
The walk up the waterfall was great and the children managed it fine, although it was fairly physical to get to the top and climb over the many rocks.
The meal by the river at the Belle Rose Restaurant at the end was wonderful and probably one of the best meals we ate during our stay.
Written 2 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul L
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Couples
We booked three day Mount Toubkal trek as it’s our first experience at this altitude so didn’t want to rush to give us the best opportunity of succeeding. All communication before the trek right up to the pick up time from Marrakech was excellent. We were picked up on time and started our trek with our guide Abdul. His English was basic but much better than my Moroccan so we were fine. He kept saying about coming back down “tomorrow “ and we assumed it was a language barrier so just continued on our way. It became clear when we made it all the way to the refuge on the first day that we were in fact on the 2 day trek.
We did succeed and reach the summit the next day and Abdul was great with my partner who struggled towards the top. I can’t fault the guide, the muleteers, the food or anything about the trek, it was all fantastic. Our only gripe was we’re not told it was now a 2 day trek not 3 day trek, which we found out when we returned to Imlil it was due to a landslide on the route to what would have been the first day’s stop. The payment for the trip was altered accordingly to what we’d done so like I’ve said apart from that little lack of communication everything was excellent and would definitely recommend, an amazing experience!!
Written 3 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Will H
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Friends
Would highly recommend the desert tour if visiting Morocco. Went as a private group of 4 friends and all loved it. It involves lots of driving which was made easier by a large minibus, a/c, and plenty of stops at amazing places such as mountains/valleys/shops etc. A great way to view Morocco.
You get to see lots of Moroccan history, culture, food (breakfast and dinner), nature, landmarks and there are plenty of activities such as chats with locals, entertainment, camel rides, sandboarding, and quad biking (atvs are extra cost).
The actual desert camp was also high quality and the a/c was nice to have. The rooms are very clean and don’t feel like you’re in a desert at all. All the staff are lovely there too.
It was cloudy during the last couple days which meant sunrise/set wasn’t as visible but was also cooler temperature which may be something to bear in mind. It also rained during the last day which involved slightly longer routes/stops but was cool to see and Hassan was prepared for this.
Hassan was an amazing driver and knew all the best spots for stops and photos. Also very responsive so can tailor your trip how you would like e.g. we skipped Atlas Studios but stopped at other places. Thank you Hassan!
Written 23 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mass007boston
boston26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
Excellent 3 day trip from Fes to Marrakech via 2 nights stay ( 1st night at the Sahara desert on camp) and 2nd night at hotel panorama near Dades Gorge.

1. The views of the desert including camel rides were amazing. The facility at the desert camp, food etc and service was excellent. The staff were very friendly and attentive.
2. The 3 day package was well planned out with about 7 hours drive each day. What was amazing was the magnificent landscape of Morocco that blew us away in those 3 days. Driving through mid atlas, Sahara, Berber establishments, Kasbahs, dades gorge, high atlas and Tizi pass.

3. Special mention to our driver and guide ‘Youssef’ who was phenomenal. The trip wouldn’t have been so special without his attentiveness, care and extra efforts to make sure we were comfortable and having a great time. He would make every efforts to make necessary stops for photos or detours. Not only he is a very good drive but also extremely well informed about the area and would constantly explained us about the places as we drove through or stopped by. We cannot recommend Youssef enough.
Written 14 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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