Private 7-Day Tour · From Marrakech
7-Day Atlas Trek & Desert Adventure
Two days on foot among the Berber villages of the High Atlas, then the great road south — kasbahs, gorges and a camel trek into the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi for a night under the Saharan stars.
- Duration7 days / 6 nights
- Start & endMarrakech
- Trekking2 days, High Atlas
- Desert1 night in Erg Chebbi
- LevelModerate
- Tour type100% private
Tour overview
Mountains on foot, dunes by camel
This private adventure combines Morocco’s two great landscapes in a single week. You begin in Imlil, the trekking capital of the High Atlas, walking ancient mule paths between walnut groves and earth-built Berber villages, with Jebel Toubkal — North Africa’s highest peak at 4,167 m — rising above you.
From the mountains, your private driver takes you over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to the UNESCO-listed ksar of Aït Benhaddou, through the Dades and Todra gorges and on to Merzouga, where a camel caravan carries you into the Sahara at sunset. The return loop crosses wild southern pistes and the palm groves of the Draa Valley before bringing you back to Marrakech.
Every night, every activity and every pace can be adjusted — add a Toubkal summit, an extra desert night or a lighter walking day.
Tour highlights
Eight moments you’ll remember
Trek in the High Atlas
Mule paths, Berber hamlets and the Tizi n’Mzik pass.
Toubkal views
North Africa’s highest peak, 4,167 m, from the trail.
Berber hospitality
Mint tea and nights in a family-run mountain guesthouse.
Aït Benhaddou
The UNESCO-listed ksar seen in countless films.
Dades & Todra gorges
Monkey Fingers rocks and 300-metre canyon walls.
Sunset camel trek
Ride into the dunes of Erg Chebbi as the sand turns gold.
Night in the Sahara
Camp dinner, Berber drums and a sky full of stars.
Desert pistes
Off-road tracks and the palm groves of the Draa Valley.
Day-by-day itinerary
Your week, day by day
Marrakech to Imlil & the Mizane ValleyMarrakech → Asni → Imlil
Your driver collects you from your riad or hotel in Marrakech and heads south across the Haouz plain towards the snow-capped wall of the High Atlas. After a short stop in the market town of Asni, the road climbs into the mountains to Imlil (1,740 m), the gateway to Toubkal National Park.
Meet your mountain guide over mint tea, then set out on a gentle acclimatisation walk through the Mizane Valley — terraced fields, walnut and cherry orchards and the stone-and-earth village of Aroumd, with the first views of the Toubkal massif. Evening in a family-run Berber guesthouse.
- Drive approx. 1.5 h
- Walk 2–3 h, easy
- Overnight Mountain guesthouse, Imlil
- Meals Lunch & dinner
High Atlas Trek over the Tizi n’Mzik PassImlil → Tizi n’Mzik (2,489 m) → Imlil
A full day on foot with your certified mountain guide. Leaving Imlil after breakfast, you follow an old mule trail that zig-zags up through juniper and scree to the Tizi n’Mzik pass at around 2,489 m. From the top, the panorama opens over the Toubkal massif and the remote Azzaden valley.
Enjoy a picnic lunch prepared by your guide, then descend by a different path through quiet Berber hamlets, where you may be invited in for tea. Back in Imlil, relax on the guesthouse terrace as the light fades over the peaks.
- Walk 5–6 h, moderate
- Ascent approx. 750 m
- Overnight Mountain guesthouse, Imlil
- Meals Breakfast, picnic lunch & dinner
Over the Tichka Pass to Aït Benhaddou & OuarzazateImlil → Tizi n’Tichka → Aït Benhaddou → Ouarzazate
Today you cross the High Atlas by road on the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka pass (2,260 m), with hairpin bends, argan and walnut trees and mountain villages clinging to the slopes. On the southern side, the landscape turns red and dry.
Explore the fortified ksar of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the backdrop to films such as Gladiator, climbing to its granary for a sweeping view. Continue to Ouarzazate, the “door of the desert”, with time to see the Taourirt Kasbah or the film studios if you wish.
- Drive approx. 5 h with stops
- Overnight Hotel, Ouarzazate
- Meals Breakfast & dinner
Skoura, the Rose Valley & the Dades GorgesOuarzazate → Skoura → Kelaat M’Gouna → Dades
Follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs east through the palm oasis of Skoura and its crumbling earthen fortresses, then on to Kelaat M’Gouna in the Valley of Roses, famous for its rosewater and spring rose festival.
In the afternoon, enter the Dades Valley for a guided hike among the Monkey Fingers — a maze of smooth, rounded red-rock formations and narrow passages. End the day at a kasbah hotel overlooking the gorge.
- Drive approx. 3 h
- Walk 2–3 h, easy to moderate
- Overnight Kasbah hotel, Dades
- Meals Breakfast & dinner
Todra Gorge & Camel Trek into the SaharaDades → Todra Gorge → Erfoud → Merzouga
Drive to Tinghir and walk through the narrowest section of the Todra Gorge, where sheer limestone walls rise around 300 m above the river — a favourite spot for climbers. Continue across the desert plains via Erfoud, known for its fossils, to Merzouga at the edge of Erg Chebbi.
In the late afternoon, your camel caravan sets off into the dunes with a local guide. Watch the sunset from the crest of a dune before arriving at your desert camp for a traditional dinner, Berber drums around the fire and a night beneath an extraordinary sky.
- Drive approx. 4.5 h
- Camel trek approx. 1.5 h
- Overnight Desert camp, Erg Chebbi
- Meals Breakfast & dinner
Sahara Sunrise & Desert Pistes to the Draa ValleyMerzouga → Alnif → N’Kob → Draa Valley
Wake early to watch the sunrise paint the dunes, then ride back to Merzouga for breakfast. If you like, add a morning of quad biking or sandboarding before leaving the desert.
Head west along wild southern routes and off-road tracks through Alnif, the mineral-rich Tazzarine plains and the kasbah village of N’Kob, below the volcanic Jebel Saghro. Arrive in the Draa Valley, a ribbon of date palms and earthen villages stretching towards the Sahara.
- Drive approx. 5 h with stops
- Overnight Kasbah hotel, Draa Valley
- Meals Breakfast & dinner
Return over the Atlas to MarrakechDraa Valley → Agdz → Ouarzazate → Marrakech
Follow the palm groves north to Agdz, then climb the Tizi n’Tinififft pass with its views of layered desert mountains. After a lunch stop in Ouarzazate, cross the High Atlas once more via the Tichka pass.
Arrive in Marrakech in the late afternoon, where your driver drops you at your riad or hotel — with a week of mountains and desert behind you.
- Drive approx. 6 h with stops
- End Drop-off in Marrakech
- Meals Breakfast
Photo gallery
What you’ll see along the way
What’s included
Everything taken care of
Included
- Pick-up and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver, fuel and tolls
- Certified local mountain guide for both trekking days
- 6 nights’ accommodation: mountain guesthouse (2), hotel, kasbah hotels (2) and desert camp
- Breakfast and dinner daily, plus lunch on Day 1 and a picnic lunch on the trek
- Sunset camel trek and overnight in an Erg Chebbi desert camp
- Guided walk in the Todra Gorge and the Monkey Fingers hike
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Lunches other than those listed, and drinks
- Monument and kasbah entrance fees
- Optional activities: quad biking, sandboarding, film studios
- Tips for guides, drivers and camp staff
Good to know
Questions about this tour
Can’t find your answer? Message us on WhatsApp and a local expert will reply quickly.
How fit do I need to be for this tour?
A good, regular level of fitness is enough. The main trekking day is 5–6 hours on mountain paths with about 750 m of ascent, at a steady pace with plenty of breaks. The other walks are easy. If you prefer, we can shorten the trek or replace it with a gentler valley walk.
Can I add a Toubkal summit to this tour?
Yes. Reaching the 4,167 m summit of Jebel Toubkal takes two days from Imlil, with a night in the mountain refuge. We can replace the Tizi n’Mzik trek with the ascent and extend the tour by one day.
What happens to my luggage during the trek?
Your main luggage stays safely with your driver or at the guesthouse in Imlil. On the trail you only carry a small daypack with water, layers and sun protection.
What is the desert camp like?
The camp is set among the dunes of Erg Chebbi, with private Berber-style tents, proper beds and bedding, and dinner served in a communal tent or under the stars. Upgrades to luxury tents with private bathrooms are available.
When is the best time to do this tour?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal for both trekking and the desert. In winter the High Atlas may have snow, so we adapt the trekking route; in summer the mountains are pleasant but the desert is very hot in the middle of the day.
Is this tour private, and can it be customised?
Yes. The tour is entirely private for you and your group, with your own driver and guides. You can change the start date, add nights, upgrade accommodation or finish in Fes instead of Marrakech.
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Reserve your private 7-day tour
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- Tour7-Day Atlas Trek & Desert Adventure
- DepartureAny day, from Marrakech
- GroupPrivate — your group only
- CancellationFree within seasonal notice
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