A private 4-day Sahara trip for student groups, with a full day to explore the desert. The route runs from Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Valley and Merzouga, with a sunset camel trek, a night in a desert camp, a night in a hotel and optional ATV rides.
This 4 day student Sahara tour from Marrakech gives the group a full day to explore the desert around Merzouga. It starts and ends in Marrakech, with one night in the Dades Valley, a first night in a desert camp and a second night in a hotel in Merzouga. It visits Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorge and includes a sunset camel trek, with optional quad bikes on the free day.
This tour is built for student groups, including Erasmus and study abroad programs. Students share rooms, and the driver-guide stays with the group throughout. The best time for this trip is March to May or September to November.
We are a family-run private tour operator based in Marrakech, so your group deals with the same team before and during the trip. Every tour is private, with a driver-guide who stays with the group, and each itinerary can be adjusted to your program calendar. See all our student tours in Morocco, read our guide to Morocco for students, or compare the 3 day student tour, 5 day student tour, 7 day student tour. The ksar of Ait Ben Haddou on the route is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This private student tour is priced per student in US dollars, sharing rooms: $305 for groups of 8 to 14, $280 for groups of 15 to 24, and $255 for groups of 25 or more. Tell us your dates, group size and any changes on WhatsApp or through the enquiry form, and we will confirm a final quote. Every itinerary can be adjusted to your program calendar.
Meet your driver-guide in Marrakech in the morning and head east across the High Atlas Mountains by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, the highest paved road in North Africa at about 2,260 meters. The road climbs through switchbacks and Berber villages, with stops for photos and to stretch your legs.
The first major stop is Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage ksar built from red earth and used as a filming location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Your guide walks the group through the alleys and up to the top granary for the view. Continue through Ouarzazate for lunch (not included), then along the Valley of Roses and into the Dades Valley, arriving in the late afternoon for dinner and a night in a hotel overlooking the valley.
After breakfast, drive along the Dades Gorge and on to the Todra Gorge, a canyon where the rock walls rise about 300 meters on either side. Walk through the gorge with your guide before continuing across the pre-Saharan plains through Tinghir and Erfoud to Merzouga.
In the late afternoon the group climbs onto camels for a sunset trek of about an hour into the Erg Chebbi dunes, among the tallest in Morocco. Arrive at the desert camp for dinner, an evening around the fire, and a night under the stars in shared tents.
Start the day with breakfast at the camp, then spend the morning exploring the area around Merzouga with your driver-guide. Typical stops are the Gnawa village of Khamlia, where local musicians play, and the nearby oasis villages and fossil workshops. Students can also walk up a dune for the morning light or go sandboarding.
In the afternoon, quad bikes (ATVs) through the dunes are available as an optional extra, paid locally. Those who prefer to rest can stay by the hotel pool or on the dunes. Spend the second night in a hotel in Merzouga, with dinner there.
Breakfast at the hotel, then an early start. The journey back is long, so we leave early and cross the Draa Valley, the longest chain of palm oases in Morocco, with stops for lunch (not included) and photos along the way.
The drive crosses the Anti-Atlas and the High Atlas, arriving in Marrakech in the evening. We drop the group at the airport or at your riad, depending on your onward plans.
Is this a private tour for our group?
Yes. Your group travels in its own vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide for all 4 days. We size the vehicle to the group, from a minibus to a coach, and you never share with other travelers.
How many students do you need for the student price?
Student prices start at 8 students. The price per student drops at 15 and at 25 students. Smaller groups can ask for a quote.
What accommodation is included?
Students share rooms in carefully selected hotels and riads, and share tents at the desert camp. Rooms for teachers or group leaders can be arranged on request.
Is it safe for female students and solo travelers in a group?
Yes. Your driver-guide stays with the group throughout and we plan every stop in advance. We recommend light, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees in towns and villages, and a scarf for the desert.
Can the itinerary be customized?
Yes. We can change the start and end city, add a night in the desert or a free day, swap Merzouga for Erg Chigaga or Zagora, and add activities such as sandboarding, quad rides or a hammam. The price is adjusted to the changes.
What is not included?
Flights, lunches, drinks, entrance fees, tips and optional activities are not included, which keeps the student price low and lets each student choose what to spend on.
What is the best time of year for this trip?
March to May and September to November are the most comfortable. From June to August the desert passes 40°C in the afternoon, and from December to February nights in the Sahara drop close to freezing, so bring a warm layer.
Do you pick up groups from the airport?
Yes. We arrange pickup at the airport, hotel or riad at the start, and drop-off at the airport or station at the end.
