Night 1
Dades Valley
Kasbah-style guesthouse
A family-run guesthouse or kasbah hotel built in the local earthen style, with en-suite rooms, a terrace over the valley and a home-cooked dinner.
Two nights in the desert are the heart of this honeymoon: one in a luxury camp deep in Erg Chebbi and one at the foot of the dunes, with a free day between them for sunrise, a 4x4 outing and doing very little.





Tour overview
Two nights in the desert are the heart of this honeymoon: one in a luxury camp deep in Erg Chebbi and one at the foot of the dunes, with a free day between them for sunrise, a 4x4 outing and doing very little. Riads with character frame the journey on either side.
Our 5 Day Honeymoon Sahara Tour from Marrakech starts and finishes in Marrakech, covering about 1,200 km by road over five days. Along the way you will experience the Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas, the UNESCO-listed ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Valley and Todra Gorge, a sunset camel trek in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, a night in a desert camp, tea with nomad families and Gnawa music in Khamlia and the palm groves of the Draa Valley. Each stop is a real visit on foot, with your driver-guide explaining what you are looking at and local people adding their own stories.
Accommodation is chosen for character and location rather than size: one night in a kasbah-style guesthouse in the Dades Valley, one night in a luxury desert camp in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, one night in a comfortable hotel in Merzouga and one night in a riad or boutique hotel in Ouarzazate or Ait Ben Haddou. You travel in a private, air-conditioned vehicle, a 4x4 or a minibus depending on the size of your party, with an English-speaking driver-guide who knows these roads well. Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese-speaking guides are available on request.
It is designed for couples: honeymooners, anniversaries, or simply two people who want a few days to themselves. Everything is private, and the accommodation is chosen for atmosphere as much as comfort. The longest day on the road is day 1, with 6–7 hours of driving; every other day is shorter, and all of them are broken up by visits and stops. Like all our tours it is fully private, so the plan below can be lengthened, shortened or rearranged to fit your dates.
Highlights
Detailed itinerary
The two of you set off from Marrakech after breakfast, climbing into the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, with time to stop at every view that tempts you.
Ait Ben Haddou, the famous ksar from so many films, comes next. Wander up its lanes to the granary, then have lunch with the ksar in view.
In the afternoon you follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through Skoura and the Valley of Roses to the Dades, where a charming guesthouse is your home for the night.
After a slow breakfast with a view, you take a short detour up the Dades Gorge to the Monkey Fingers, then drive east to Tinghir.
Todra Gorge is a magical walk for two, between cliffs that seem to touch the sky, with the cold river beside you. Lunch follows nearby.
In the afternoon the road leads to Erfoud and then Merzouga, where camels carry you into the dunes at sunset. Your desert camp welcomes you with dinner, music by the fire and a private tent under the stars.
Wake together for the sunrise, the quietest and most romantic moment of a desert stay. From a dune near your tent you watch the sand change colour, then share a slow breakfast at the camp before returning to Merzouga.
Later in the morning a private 4x4 takes the two of you around Erg Chebbi: Gnawa music and tea in Khamlia, the dark plain of the black desert, and a visit to a nomad family in their woven tent. Your driver can also stop at fossil beds or, after rain, at the lake where flamingos sometimes gather.
The afternoon is unhurried: a swim, a massage or simply a book in the shade. Dinner and the night are at a hotel beside the dunes, or a second night in camp if you prefer.
A last sunrise over Erg Chebbi for the two of you, then breakfast in Merzouga before taking the southern road west.
You pass Rissani, Alnif and Tazzarine, and stop for lunch in Nkob, where old kasbahs stand against the dark Saghro mountains.
In the afternoon you follow the palm groves of the Draa Valley and cross the Tizi n'Tinififft pass, arriving in the evening at a guesthouse near Ait Ben Haddou for a quiet dinner.
A gentle last day. Start in Ouarzazate with a visit to Taourirt Kasbah or the film studios, depending on what appeals to you both.
At Ait Ben Haddou you have the ksar almost to yourselves in the morning. Wander up through its earthen lanes to the hilltop granary, where the view stretches over the river, palm trees and mountains.
After a leisurely lunch the road climbs to the Tizi n'Tichka pass and winds down to Marrakech, where you arrive in time for a sunset drink on a rooftop terrace.
This is the end of the tour: your driver brings you to your hotel in Marrakech. We can also take care of an extra night or the airport transfer.
Good to know
Before you go
We collect you from your riad or hotel in Marrakech, or from Menara Airport, at around 8:00 am. In the medina, where cars cannot reach every door, your driver meets you at the nearest gate and helps with luggage.
The tour ends at your accommodation in Marrakech or at Menara Airport. On tours that arrive in the evening, we recommend booking a flight for the following day.
A different start or end point is rarely a problem. Because every tour is private, we can begin in one city and finish in another; tell us where you are staying and we will adapt the route and the quote.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable seasons for this route. Days are warm and clear, nights are mild, and in April and May the valleys of the south are green and the roses of Kalaat M'Gouna are in bloom.
Winter is a good time for the desert if you bring warm clothes: skies are bright and the dunes are quiet, but temperatures after dark can fall to around freezing and the High Atlas passes occasionally close for a few hours after snow. In July and August the Sahara is very hot in the afternoon, so we shift the camel trek later, start driving earlier and can recommend a camp with air-cooled tents.
During Ramadan the tour runs as normal. Some restaurants close during the day in smaller towns, your driver-guide will know where to stop, and evenings are especially lively after sunset.
Questions and answers
Yes. You travel only with the people in your own party, in a private vehicle with your own driver-guide. That means you choose the departure date, set the pace and can stop wherever you like along the way.
It varies from day to day. The longest stretch is on day 1, with 6–7 hours on the road, and the other days are noticeably shorter. In total the tour covers about 1,200 km. All times are approximate and broken up by visits, lunch and photo stops.
Camps in Erg Chebbi have real beds with sheets and blankets, a dining tent and a fire circle. You choose between two options. Our mid-range luxury camp has private tents with en-suite bathrooms, hot showers and comfortable bedding. Our luxury camp has more spacious tents with air conditioning and heating, high-quality bedding and premium bathroom amenities. Dinner and breakfast are served at the camp.
No. The camel trek is included and most guests enjoy it, but if you prefer, we take you to the camp by 4x4. This is also what we suggest for very young children, pregnant travellers and anyone with back or knee problems.
Yes. The programme on this page is a starting point. We can add nights, swap stops, upgrade accommodation or end the tour in another city instead of returning to Marrakech. Tell us what you have in mind and we will adjust the route and send a new quote.
Yes. Tell us it is your honeymoon and we will arrange a private tent, a table for two away from the other guests and small touches along the way. If you have a particular idea, such as a photographer in the dunes, ask and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
March to May and September to November offer the most comfortable temperatures. Winter is clear and quiet but cold at night in the desert; in July and August the Sahara is very hot, and we adjust the timings accordingly.
Prices are always quoted on request: the price depends on the number of travellers, the season and the accommodation category, so we quote each request individually. Send us your dates and group size by WhatsApp or email and we will reply with a detailed quote. You can ask for as many changes as you need before confirming.
Accommodation
Carefully selected riads, guesthouses, hotels and desert camps. The exact properties are confirmed with your quote, in the category you choose.
Night 1
Kasbah-style guesthouse
A family-run guesthouse or kasbah hotel built in the local earthen style, with en-suite rooms, a terrace over the valley and a home-cooked dinner.
Night 2
Luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi
A luxury camp among the dunes: a spacious private tent with an en-suite bathroom, hot shower, air conditioning and heating, and dinner served by lantern light.
Night 3
Comfortable hotel
A well-located hotel with en-suite rooms, chosen for comfort and convenience after a day on the road.
Night 4
Riad or boutique hotel
A traditional house built around a courtyard, in or beside the old town, with individually decorated rooms and breakfast served on the roof terrace or in the patio.
Your night in the Sahara
We offer two camps in the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Tell us which one you prefer when you enquire.
Available on request
Included in this tour
Gallery
The places you will stand in on this route, in the order you reach them.
Tell us your dates and group size, and we will send you this itinerary with a personal quote. You can change anything you like before confirming.