Trip overview
For school classes, university groups and Erasmus students: airport pick-up, a night in the Dades, camels and a tent in Erg Chebbi, and a last night in Marrakech. 250 € per student.
- Duration5 days / 4 nights
- Starts inMarrakech
- GroupSmall group · 1–50 people
- DifficultyEasy
- LanguageEspañol
- DeparturesDaily departures for student groups
Highlights
- We meet you at Marrakech airport on the day you land
- Crossing the Tizi n'Tichka, the highest pass on the road south
- A night at a hotel inside the Dades Valley
- Sunset camel ride across the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Dinner with drums and a night in a desert tent
- A walk through the Todra Gorge and a stop at Aït Ben Haddou
- Triple or quadruple rooms to keep the price down
- Departures any day, from one student up to groups of 50
- Duration
- 5 days, 4 nights
- Places
- 1 to 50 students
- Departures
- Every day
- Rooms
- Triple or quadruple
Accommodation and meals night by night
What the teacher needs to prepare
Documents come first: a valid passport for every student and, for minors travelling without their parents, the authorisation their country requires. Check it with months to spare. Next comes the rooming list (who sleeps with whom) and the list of diets and allergies, which we use to brief each place you stay. We also recommend travel insurance for every student and a copy of all passports on the group leader's phone.
For the night in the dunes a backpack with a head torch, charger and warm clothes is enough; we go into detail in what to pack for Morocco. Offers for schools and paying in instalments are covered on student trips.
Other options and contact
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Landing in Marrakech and transfer to the hostel or riad
A driver meets the group outside arrivals at Marrakech-Menara airport holding a sign with the name of the school or group leader. Depending on traffic, it takes 20 to 30 minutes to reach the hostel or riad, inside the medina or very close to it. If the flight lands early, the afternoon is free to walk over to Jemaa el Fna square together. Dinner at the accommodation. Before bed, the group leader goes over the next morning's departure time with us, as it is an early start.
Day 2: Over the Tizi n'Tichka to the Dades Valley
We leave around 7:30. The N9 winds up the High Atlas to the pass, which sits at over 2,200 metres, and at the top we stop to stretch our legs and take photos. Anyone who gets carsick should take something before setting off and sit at the front.
We drop down to the south and have lunch in Ouarzazate (not included). In the afternoon we pass the Skoura palm grove and Kelaat M'Gouna, the rose town, where cooperatives sell rose water and creams; nobody has to buy anything. The Dades hotel is 7 to 8 hours from Marrakech, counting stops. Students are split into rooms with three or four beds. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in the valley.
Day 3: On to Erg Chebbi and a night in a desert tent
After breakfast we drive a little further up the valley to see the rock formations known locally as monkey fingers and to look down on the hairpin bends from a viewpoint. Then we head east through Tinghir, Tinejdad and Erfoud: about 5 to 6 hours with stops to Merzouga.
There the suitcases are stored and everyone goes up to the camp with just a small backpack. In the late afternoon, depending on the season, the group mounts the camels and reaches the tents after 60 to 90 minutes, pausing on the crest of a dune as the sun goes down. Dinner in the camp, drumming by the fire and a night in shared tents. The toilets are basic and it gets very cold at night, even in spring.
Day 4: Back to Marrakech via the Todra, Aït Ben Haddou and the Atlas
This is the toughest day of the trip. You get up early for sunrise over the dunes, the group rides back down on the camels and has breakfast in Merzouga, where there are showers for anyone who wants one. Around 8:30 we set off west.
We get out for a good while at the Todra and walk between rock walls that almost meet overhead. We carry on through Boumalne and Ouarzazate, stop for lunch on the way (not included) and pull over at Aït Ben Haddou for a view of the ksar from the roadside viewpoint. Then it is back over the Tichka. With stops, the day adds up to around 9 to 10 hours of travel, and you reach Marrakech after dark. Bring water, snacks and a charged phone. Dinner and overnight in Marrakech.
Day 5: Free morning in Marrakech and departure
After breakfast the day is free until you have to leave the rooms, usually around midday. It is a good moment to wander the souks, haggle for a souvenir or visit the Majorelle Garden or the Bahia Palace (entrance fees not included). If the group would like an official guide for the medina, we can book one separately. The airport transfer is not part of the base price: tell us your flight time and we will send you the cost. There is no dinner on this day.
What's included
Included (5)
- Transfer from Marrakech airport to your accommodation on arrival day
- Transport by minibus or coach with driver, depending on the number of students
- Four nights in triple or quadruple rooms: hostel or riad in Marrakech (night 1), hotel in the Dades (night 2), camp in Erg Chebbi (night 3) and Marrakech (night 4)
- Breakfast on days 2 to 5 and dinner on days 1 to 4
- Camel ride to the camp and back from Merzouga
Not included (8)
- Flights
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees for monuments, kasbahs and gardens
- Optional local guides in the Marrakech medina, the Todra and Aït Ben Haddou
- Airport transfer on departure day
- Optional activities in Merzouga (sandboarding, quad bikes, 4x4)
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Important information (6)
- Each departure needs a minimum number of students. When you book, we confirm in writing if your date runs or if we add you to another group travelling those days.
- The 250 € is per student in a triple or quadruple room. Double or single rooms, which teachers usually ask for, are priced differently.
- If minors are travelling without their parents, check with the authorities in your country which authorisation they need. Requirements change, so look into it months ahead.
- Send us the group's allergies, intolerances and diets in advance so we can let each hotel and the camp know.
- You go up to the camp with a small backpack; suitcases stay in Merzouga until the next morning.
- Between November and March nights in the Dades and in the dunes are cold: pack a fleece, a hat and thick socks.
Prices per person
Student place
Price per student in a shared triple or quadruple room
Fixed price per person, whatever the size of your group.
Payment and cancellation
You pay a 15% deposit when you book. The rest is paid on the first day of the trip, in cash or by bank transfer. You can also pay it by PayPal or card, with a 5% surcharge.
Group: free up to 10 days before departure. If you cancel in time, we refund the full deposit.
Extras you can add
Chosen when you book and added to the total. You can also ask for them later, subject to availability.
Quad bike in the Merzouga dunes
Guided quad ride around Erg Chebbi, helmet included
Dune buggy in Merzouga
Two-seater buggy with a guide through the dunes, helmet included
Upgrade the accommodation
More characterful hotels and riads, and a superior desert camp
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Leave a reviewFrequently asked questions
Can a student sign up alone?
Yes, places are sold from one person. If you come alone or with a couple of Erasmus friends, you travel with other students leaving on the same date. A whole class or a large university group can have its own vehicle. We confirm the details when we confirm the booking.
Do teachers pay the same?
The 250 € is the student price in a shared room. For teachers and group leaders, who normally prefer a double or single, we quote a separate price. Schools and universities travelling as large groups have their own terms, which we explain on the student trips page and confirm in the quote.
What documents do students under 18 need?
Every student needs a valid passport and, if travelling without their parents, the exit authorisation their country requires. Rules vary by country and age, so the school or the families should confirm them with the official body before buying flights. We do not handle these permits.
Is the trip very tiring?
There are two long days. Day 2 is around 7 to 8 hours to the Dades and day 4 between 9 and 10 hours to get back from the dunes, always with stops. The other days are short. If the group has an extra day, we can split the return with a night in Ouarzazate.
What if someone has allergies or a special diet?
Tell us when you book, with each student's name and what they cannot eat. We let the hostel, the Dades hotel and the camp know. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals can be prepared; for serious allergies, the student should carry their medication and a medical note.
