2 days2-Day Marrakech to Zagora Desert Trip
A quick desert taste from Marrakech: Ait Ben Haddou, the Draa Valley and a camp near Zagora – smaller dunes, shorter trip.
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Drâa-Tafilalet / Draa Valley
Zagora
Zagora offers a taste of the desert closer to Marrakech than Merzouga. The dunes here are smaller than Erg Chebbi, but the Draa palm groves and kasbahs along the way are beautiful.
About Zagora
Zagora is famous for its old sign showing ‘Tombouctou 52 jours’ — a reminder of camel caravans to Timbuktu. Around the town, palm groves line the Draa River.
Small dunes and camps lie near Zagora, while the larger Erg Chegaga dunes are further south beyond M’Hamid and require more travel.
Top things to do
- Draa palm groves. Walk among palms and kasbahs along the river.
- Tamegroute. Green-glazed pottery workshops and a historic Quranic library.
- Desert camp night. A night in small dunes near Zagora.
- The ‘Tombouctou 52 jours’ sign. A famous photo stop on the caravan legacy.
- Jebel Zagora. A hill above town with wide views over the valley.
Outdoor activities
- Palm-grove walks
- Camel rides into the dunes
- Photography in the Draa Valley
Getting there & best time
Getting there
- From Marrakech: approx. 6–7 h.
- From Ouarzazate: approx. 3 h.
- To Merzouga: approx. 5–6 h via Tazzarine and Alnif.
Best time to visit
October to April. Summers are very hot.
Day trip or overnight? Zagora is not a day trip from Marrakech — allow at least 2 days (1 night). Merzouga is 5–6 h away and is best visited on a multi-day route.
Tours
Tours including Zagora
2 days
5 days5-Day Southern Morocco Discovery
A gently paced loop from Marrakech with a night at Ait Ben Haddou, oasis walks, two gorges, a desert camp and the Draa Valley.
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12 days12-Day Morocco Discovery Journey
From the Strait of Gibraltar to Marrakech in twelve unhurried days, with two nights in Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga and Marrakech.
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