Most desert circuits from Marrakech go to the dunes and come back the same way. A 5-day Morocco desert tour lets you do something much more satisfying: a grand loop through the South, out via the gorges of the Dades and the Todra, a night in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, and back through the pre-Saharan landscapes of the Saghro and the palm groves of the Draa valley. Every day brings new scenery, and the driving is spread more evenly than on a four-day return trip.
Here is the itinerary of our 5-day Grand South & Sahara private tour.
Day 1: Marrakech to Ouarzazate via Aït Ben Haddou
You cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka, with time for viewpoints and a mint tea in a mountain village. Early afternoon is reserved for Aït Ben Haddou, the ksar on the Ounila river listed by UNESCO, and the evening for Ouarzazate. If you enjoy cinema, the town's studios are worth an hour — our Ouarzazate film studios guide explains which one to choose. Our things to do in Ouarzazate guide covers the kasbah of Taourirt and the town itself.
Day 2: Skoura, the Valley of Roses and the Dades
A relaxed day of short drives. You walk among the kasbahs of the Skoura palm grove, including the beautifully restored Kasbah Amridil, then continue to Kelaat M'Gouna and the Valley of Roses, famous for its rose water and its rose festival in spring. The day ends in the Dades valley, where the road threads between red cliffs and the eroded rocks nicknamed "monkey fingers". Our Dades and Valley of Roses guide and our feature on the road of a thousand kasbahs give more detail.
Day 3: Todra gorge and the Merzouga dunes
In the morning you walk through the narrow Todra gorge, between walls around 300 metres high, before crossing the plains to Merzouga. A camel ride takes you into the dunes of Erg Chebbi for sunset, and you spend the night in a desert camp. Read our Merzouga and Erg Chebbi guide to prepare this highlight.
Day 4: from the Sahara to Zagora through N'Kob
This is the day that makes the 5-day Morocco desert tour special. After sunrise on the dunes, you leave Merzouga by a road few visitors take: through Rissani, then west along the southern flank of the Jebel Saghro, a volcanic range of black and purple rock. You pass Alnif, known for its trilobite fossils, Tazzarine and N'Kob, a village with dozens of kasbahs, several of them turned into guesthouses. Lunch is often taken in N'Kob, on the terrace of a kasbah guesthouse, with the Saghro peaks on one side and the palm grove on the other. It is one of the quietest, most authentic stretches of road in the country: few coaches, villages where children wave from the roadside, and dry riverbeds where shepherds graze their goats. In the afternoon you reach the Draa valley and Zagora, in time for a walk in the palm grove at sunset.
Day 5: the Draa valley and back to Marrakech
The final day follows the Draa valley north through Agdz, with its palm groves, ksour and the jagged ridge of Jebel Kissane, before crossing the Anti-Atlas to Ouarzazate and the High Atlas to Marrakech. It is a long day, but varied, with plenty of photo stops. Our Draa valley guide lists the best stops.
Why choose a 5-day Morocco desert tour?
| 4 days (Merzouga return) | 5 days (Grand South loop) | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Same road out and back | A loop, no road twice |
| Desert nights | 2 | 1 |
| Longest day | About 9–10 h | About 7 h |
| Extra highlights | Full day around Erg Chebbi | Skoura, N'Kob, Draa valley, Zagora |
If your priority is time in the dunes, the 4-day Merzouga tour with two desert nights may suit you better. If you want to see the whole South with more evenly spread driving, the loop is the winner. And if you have six or seven days, the Sahara and Atlantic coast tour adds the ocean.
Practical tips for the Grand South
- Season: October to April is most comfortable; spring adds roses and green oases.
- Altitude and temperature: you cross passes above 2,000 m and descend to the desert, so pack layers.
- Pace: ask your driver for a long lunch break in the heat of the day — it makes a big difference.
- Money: carry cash for small villages, tips and fossils; card payment is limited outside the towns.
- Accommodation: expect riads and kasbah hotels on the road and a camp in the dunes. Our guide to where to stay in southern Morocco explains the options.
Book your Grand South tour
Our 5-day Morocco desert tour is private and fully adaptable: add a second night in the dunes, a 4x4 visit to the Gnawa village of Khamlia or a hike in the Todra. It is organised by Rouasse Travels with licensed transport partners and accommodation selected to match your budget. Send us your dates on WhatsApp for a tailored quote, or compare every circuit in our guide to multi-day tours from Marrakech.
