2-Day Sahara Tour to Zagora & Ait Ben Haddou

Short on time but keen to sleep in the desert? This two-day trip takes you from Marrakech to Zagora and back, with one night at a Berber camp. It is the quickest way to combine the High Atlas, the kasbah road and a desert evening in one trip. You are picked up from your hotel or riad in the morning and head up into the mountains over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, with stops at viewpoints along the way. The first big visit is Ait Ben Haddou, an earthen ksar listed by UNESCO, where you have time to walk its lanes and climb for the view. After passing Ouarzazate, the road turns south into the Draa Valley, a long ribbon of date palms, rivers and old fortified villages. Entry to the village of Aït Ben Haddou is free. A local guide is optional and paid on site; some houses charge a small fee to visit inside. You reach the Zagora desert in the late afternoon and continue by camel to the camp as the sun goes down. Dinner is a traditional Moroccan meal, followed by music around the fire. You sleep in a tent at the camp, which has access to shower and toilet. On the second morning you can catch the sunrise from the dunes, have breakfast at the camp, ride a camel back at sunrise and then drive back towards Marrakech, with a stop in Ouarzazate and a lunch break in the mountains, arriving in the late afternoon or evening. Good to know: Zagora is a stony desert with smaller dunes than Merzouga. If tall golden dunes are your priority, choose a three-day tour to Merzouga. The drive is long, around seven hours each way, with regular breaks. Desert nights can be cold, so bring warm clothes, along with closed shoes, sun protection and cash for lunch, drinks and tips. The programme can change slightly because of weather or road conditions.