Talk to Said – your local expert
Planning your Morocco trip with Tour To Morocco is simple, flexible, and secure. We know every traveler is different, so your journey should feel personal, not fixed.
You can book one of our carefully designed tours, created to show you the best of Morocco. Or, if you prefer something more unique, we’re happy to customize everything for you.
Want to spend more time in the desert? Interested in a camel trek with nomads, a photography tour, or a relaxed journey through Morocco’s cities and villages? Just tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll design the perfect trip for you.
Simply share your travel dates, number of travelers, and your ideas. We’ll take care of the rest and create a tour that fits your style and budget.
Contact us today and let’s start planning your Moroccan adventure together.
Our 3-Day Morocco Student Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga is designed for university students, study-abroad groups, school groups and groups of friends who have limited time but want to experience the Sahara Desert.
Unlike the traditional 3-day Marrakech desert itinerary, this program travels directly to Merzouga on Day 1, allowing the group to spend the entire second day exploring the Sahara.
Students will experience the impressive Erg Chebbi dunes, take a camel ride across the sand, watch the desert sunset, spend a night at a Sahara camp and enjoy a full-day 4×4 excursion around Merzouga. The desert day can include Khamlia village, Gnawa music, local communities, sandboarding and optional quad biking.
This is a private student tour, so your group has its own vehicle and driver. The program can be adapted according to your group size, travel dates and budget.
Your Morocco student desert tour begins early in the morning with pickup from your hotel, riad, hostel or another agreed location in Marrakech.
Leave Marrakech and begin the long journey southeast toward Merzouga. Cross the High Atlas Mountains, following the winding mountain roads and enjoying views of valleys, traditional villages and changing landscapes along the way.
Continue through the Ouarzazate region and travel east toward the Sahara. Because the goal is to reach Merzouga in one day, sightseeing stops will be kept shorter than on a traditional multi-day desert itinerary. Your driver will still make stops for breakfast or coffee, lunch, photographs and rest breaks along the journey.
As you continue east, the mountain scenery gradually gives way to the dry landscapes of southeastern Morocco.
Arrive in Merzouga in the evening after a full day on the road.
Depending on the arrival time, transfer to your desert camp by 4×4. If you arrive early enough, a camel ride into the dunes can be arranged around sunset.
After reaching the camp, enjoy dinner and spend the evening together in the Sahara. Traditional music can be enjoyed around the campfire before you retire to your private tents.
Overnight: Merzouga Desert Camp
Meals: Dinner
Important: Marrakech to Merzouga is a long travel day, so an early departure is recommended.
Wake up early for one of the highlights of the trip: sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes.
After breakfast, begin a full-day exploration of the Merzouga region by 4×4. Having the whole day in the desert is what makes this student itinerary different from many standard 3-day Marrakech tours.
Travel around the Erg Chebbi dunes and discover the contrasting landscapes surrounding Merzouga, from golden sand dunes to rocky desert plains.
Visit Khamlia, a village near Merzouga known for its Gnawa musical tradition. Spend time listening to local musicians and learning about this part of the region’s cultural heritage. Khamlia is a common stop on desert circuits around Erg Chebbi and lies only a short drive from Merzouga.
Continue along desert tracks to explore more remote areas around the dunes. Depending on local conditions and availability, the excursion can include a respectful visit with a nomadic family, offering students an opportunity to learn about life in the desert.
After lunch, return toward the dunes for free time.
Try sandboarding, walk across the sand, take group photographs or simply relax and enjoy the Sahara landscape. Students who want more adventure can add an optional quad-bike or buggy excursion.
In the late afternoon, take a camel ride across Erg Chebbi and stop on the dunes to watch the sunset.
Return to your accommodation after the desert experience and enjoy a relaxed evening in Merzouga.
Overnight: Hotel or riad in Merzouga
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, leave Merzouga early in the morning for the return journey to Marrakech.
Today is another long driving day, so the group will start early and make several practical stops along the route.
Leave the Erg Chebbi region behind and travel west through the changing landscapes of southern Morocco. Along the journey, there will be opportunities to stop for coffee, refreshments, photographs and lunch.
Continue through the Ouarzazate region before beginning the journey across the High Atlas Mountains.
The mountain section provides a final contrast to the Sahara landscapes experienced during the previous two days. When time and road conditions allow, your driver can make short panoramic stops along the route.
Continue toward Marrakech, arriving in the evening.
Your driver will drop the group at your hotel, riad, hostel or another agreed location in the city.
Your 3-Day Morocco Student Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga ends after three intensive days combining a Sahara camp, camel ride, 4×4 desert exploration and a full day around Erg Chebbi.
End of Tour: Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast
Price Includes
Price Includes
| Standard | Mid-range |
|---|---|
| Africa Desert Camp | Ideal Desert Camp |
The main advantage of this itinerary is more time in Merzouga.
Many 3-day desert tours from Marrakech spend the first night in the Dades Valley, arrive in Merzouga late on Day 2 and leave again early on Day 3. This itinerary is different: you travel directly from Marrakech to Merzouga on the first day so that Day 2 can be spent entirely in the Sahara.
This gives student groups time for a 4×4 desert tour, Khamlia, Gnawa music, sandboarding, camel trekking and free time around the Erg Chebbi dunes.
The trade-off is that Days 1 and 3 involve long drives between Marrakech and Merzouga, so this itinerary is best suited to student groups that prefer maximizing their Sahara time and are comfortable with two long road days.
Contact us for a personalized quotation for your school or university group.
Yes, this tour is specially designed for schools, universities, youth groups, and educational organizations. The itinerary combines cultural discovery, history, geography, and adventure.
We can organize the trip for small groups as well as large student groups. Transportation is adapted according to the number of participants.
Yes, private transportation in an air-conditioned minibus or coach is included throughout the tour.
Yes, a camel trek through the dunes of Erg Chebbi is included in the tour price.
Merzouga is approximately 550–560 km from Marrakech by road, depending on the route. Direct driving generally takes around 9–10 hours before longer sightseeing and meal stops.
We recommend comfortable clothing, walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, and a light jacket for the evening, especially during winter months.
Yes, the desert camp is safe, comfortable, and supervised by experienced local staff. It is a popular destination for school and university groups.
Yes, vegetarian and special dietary meals can be arranged upon request. Please inform us in advance.
Wi-Fi is available in most hotels. However, internet access may be limited in some desert areas.
Absolutely. Students will learn about Berber culture, traditional architecture, oasis agriculture, desert ecosystems, Moroccan history, and ancient caravan trade routes.
Yes, the program can be adapted to suit the educational goals, interests, and schedule of your group.
Driving directly to Merzouga allows students to have a complete second day in the Sahara rather than arriving late in Merzouga and leaving again the following morning.
Yes. Quad biking can be arranged in Merzouga as an optional activity at an additional cost.
