Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape
Traveler rating
4.5/5
Based on 80 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape worth booking?
Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape is a 72-hour experience in Marrakech, Morocco, from $25 per person. It scores 68 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.5/5 rating across 80 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 68 / 100
- Rating
- 4.5/5 (80)
- Duration
- 72 hours
- From
- $25 per person
Discover the edge of the Sahara Desert on a 3-day budget tour from Marrakech, and explore the dramatic landscapes of the Dades Valley and Kasbah of Ouarzazate. Ride across the dunes of Erg Chebbi by camel, and sleep at a
What you get
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Accommodation for 2 nights, and the camel Ride from and to the camp..
- Driver, guide in todra and A/C vehicle
About this experience
Discover the edge of the Sahara Desert on a 3-day budget tour from Marrakech, and explore the dramatic landscapes of the Dades Valley and Kasbah of Ouarzazate. Ride across the dunes of Erg Chebbi by camel, and sleep at a desert camp surrounded by high dunes.
What's included
Included
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Accommodation for 2 nights, and the camel Ride from and to the camp..
- Driver, guide in todra and A/C vehicle
Not included
- guide pour la Kasbah d'Ait ben haddou
- déjeuners et Boissons.
- transfert a fès
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Marrakech
The Meeting Point is conveniently located near the vehicle entrance to Jamaa el-Fna Square. Just look for one of our friendly representatives at the Ola Energy Services Gas Station, which is right across from the square’s entrance. We look forward to seeing you there!
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 45 minutes before departure.
Ends at
The Meeting Point is conveniently located near the vehicle entrance to Jamaa el-Fna Square. Just look for one of our friendly representatives at the Ola Energy Services Gas Station, which is right across from the square’s entrance. We look forward to seeing you there!
Options you can book
Shared Sahara trip 3 days
Pickup included
The New Year's Eve Sahara Trip
luxurious Hotel and Camp: Enjoy your first night in a hotel and camp 5 stars, provided with a sweam pool and all features for a beautiful night. New Year's Eve Night Party: The second night will be under the stars, with beautiful sightseeing and a big event waiting for you! Book your event now. VIP All Meals included custom itinerary Luxurious Private Car Best Deal For Friends: You are 2, 3, or 4 ...... friends and you don't have a place to spend new year's eve? what about Sahara? this is your chance. Pickup included
Only for you
VIP Accommodation: This trip will be more interesting with those two magical nights in a specific VIP room hotel and a luxury tent. VIP personalized itinerary A/C private van Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- ar, de, en, it, fr, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Great Travel Morocco
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 80 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
7 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
4 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Pace and timing
2 mentionsSeveral reviewers found the schedule tight or the day long.
Small groups
2 mentionsThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Traveler reviews
80 verified traveler reviews for Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Exelent trip to sahara. Great organization and everithing planed. Nice sleeping in teents and riding camels.
The trip was very well planed and organized. Great driver Ashraf Great expiriense in the desserd, sleeping in teents, riding camels and driving bugies.
via Tripadvisor
Highly recommended, once in a lifetime experience!
Just came back from the most amazing trip of my life! Tired, but oh so happy 😁 We got to see so much of beautiful Moroccan landscape and learned about the culture and the kind people of Morocco. But the BEST part was of course the Sahara desert, the peace and serenity is like nothing I have ever experienced, we rode camels, danced by the fire with the locals and other travellers, laid in the soft sand all night and just watched the stars 🤩 in the morning we drank tea with the Nomad people that live in the desert and then sped through the sand dunes in 4x4 Jeeps, that was just amazing 😍 Special thanks to our guides in the villages and an EXTRA special thanks to our wonderful driver Ismael, so helpful, kind and funny and of course an excellent driver! Thank you so much again for everything ❤️ I highly recommend this trip, it's definitely a once in a lifetime experience ❤️
via Tripadvisor
Economy tour with no extras.
I give this tour three stars only because, technically, they deliver on the basics. You get driven out to the desert (which is amazing) stopping at some interesting sites along the way. You get a bed and a few barely adequate meals, and transport back to Marrakech. But don’t expect anything above and beyond. Very poor communication, frequent late starts, meager meals, and numerous (although small) extra charges were the main deficiencies. Perhaps all these shortcoming were captured in the terrible planning of the third day. At the oasis in the desert on the second night, we are told to report to the main tent at 4:30 am for breakfast so we could be in the desert for sunrise. We all dutifully showed up and then waited half a hour for breakfast, which consisted of… bread with jam and honey, and black coffee or tea. That’s it. Then more delays until we finally headed into the desert shortly before 6. We got on the bus to head back to Marrakech a little after 7:30. Other than a bathroom break when we could grab a few snacks like chips and cookies, we were trapped on the bus with no access to food until we finally stopped for lunch at 2:00 So after getting up at 4:30 am, we didn’t get a real meal for more than 9 hours. I don’t mind roughing it in simple accommodations. (I slept on the ground when hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.) And I recognize the very low price of this tour. But better communication and planning, and larger portions at dinner and breakfast (you pay for your own lunch all three days), would have gone a long way to earning this deal an extra star.
via Tripadvisor
Not recommended
No heat or aircon in van; Dangerous van driver; Driver barely spoke English and made no effort to tell us even the minimum of what the next stop would be; Several stops on itinerary not made and instead many stops to push poor quality souvenirs; Expensive set menu lunches with mediocre food; Aggressive camp owner in Merzouga; Inhumane treatment of camels; Tips and good reviews expected at the end with no concern for our comfort or enjoyment during the trip; Definitely would not recommend this company
via Tripadvisor
A huge disappointment
Things to beware of with Great Travel Morocco for their Sahara 3days/2nights mini circuit from Marrakech: 1. Although they advertise airconditioned vehicle, our van did not have functioning air-conditioning or heating. We were freezing cold most of the time. The driver brushed us off when we asked for more heat. 2. We booked an English tour but our driver Abdul barely spoke English. He spoke French to the one French speaking tourist and provided her with a personal tour while the rest of us were left in the dark. 3. We were all disappointed with the lack of effort by Abdul the driver. He was disengaged and preferred to chat with the local shop and restaurant owners at each stop instead of inquiring about the wellbeing of his group. He made no effort to keep us together and on-time. We were with him for 3 days and he did not even try learn our names, referring to us instead by our Nationalities eg: ‘Where are the Japanese?’ when referring to a group of people of Chinese descent who clearly stated to him that they were from Germany. 4. The minimal responsibility of a driver is to tell us what our schedule is for the day, where we are going, how long it will take to get there and how long we have at each stop. Abdul did not do this. He seemed annoyed when asked for this information. 5. Despite having a van of 15 people, Abdul drove dangerously close to vehicles in front of him. He had to stop so abruptly on one occasion when a car in front slowed for a speed bump that we were all thrown forward and several of us had neck pain that evening. He admitted to not being able to see the speed bumps clearly. He also drove very fast on the notoriously dangerous Tizi n'Tichka high mountain pass. 6. Our driver Abdul only asked us once if we were enjoying the trip, at the very end, right before giving us a card and asking for a good review. 7. Lunches were a set menu, mediocre and expensive (at least 100 dirham each). You don't have to eat at these restaurants. Walking away and eating at another local restaurant will save you money if you are on a budget. This angered Abdul our driver. 8. Many stops were made exclusively in attempt to sell you souvenirs. The company gets a cut of the profit when souvenirs are purchased so too much time is spent at these souvenir stops in hopes that guests will make purchases. We had an unscheduled stop prior to the desert where we were dressed up in traditional clothes. People were buying souvenirs, which is fine, but Abdul did not tell us that if they didn't hurry up then we would miss the sunset. We were the last group to arrive at the desert and had only 15 minutes to view the rapidly fading orange colours of the sand before walking for an additional 45 in the dark on camels to the camp. This was hugely disappointing as it was meant to be the highlight of the trip. 9. Tizi n Tichka (Touama village): this is just a stop at small café at the side of the road with a view of some partially obscured mountains in the distance. Other tour groups stopped further along the road when you have an astounding view of the deep valley. 10. Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou: a guide hired by the tour company will be waiting and you will be asked to pay 3 euros for his services. You can choose to explore the kasbah on your own which most of us did. 11. Ouarzazate: although this is listed as a stop, Abdul only slowed down in front of one of the film studios for us to attempt to take a picture through the van's windows. 12. Roses Valley: you would picture a valley full of fields of roses according to the tour description but in reality, your stop will be at a shop on the main road with a toilet that sells rose products. So don't get your hopes up. 13. Dades Gorges: 3 stops are listed (Dades Valley, Kasbah ait youl, Monkey Rocks) here but as we arrived after dark, no stops were made. We were dropped off at 3 different hotels and only those staying at the furthest hotel were given the opportunity to see the Monkey Rocks the following morning. Hotel: You need to pay 10 euros if you want to use the heater in the room. There was no hot water and it was very cold at night. Wifi only worked in the dinning room and not in the rooms. 14. Merzouga Desert: Although there were many tents available and the description of the tour states 'Private Tent', the camp owner attempted to cram us all into a smaller number of tents. He stated 'What's the problem?' when a couple of young girls expressed their displeasure of being forced to share a tent with men. Expect to pay an additional 120 dirham per person if you want to take a Jeep back to Merzouga instead of the camel. 15. Inhumane treatment of camels: The camel I was on had its synthetic rope tied so tightly to its mouth that the area was bleeding. I alerted the camel driver and he just ignored me. 16. Alnif: the trip description states we will have ‘other stops to take pictures in really interesting places’. There was only 1 stop made chosen by the driver, a water collecting system which most of the group was not interested in. 17. Agouim: Trip description: ‘restaurant in front of a picturesque view overlooking villages surrounded buy mountains’: there was absolutely no view from this restaurant. It was right on the side of the highway. 18. Ait Barka: Trip description: ‘our last stop for this excursion will be in Ait Barka Village: there was no stop here. 19. 18. Marrakech: Trip description: ‘at 07:30pm the driver will drop off travelers in their hotels’: we arrived closer to 9pm and we were told this is the normal arrival time. Hopefully this review will dissuade you from choosing Great Travel Morocco and prompt this company to make changes on how its tours are run and to improve the quality of its drivers. The company needs to change its trip descriptions to clearly reflect what the experience will be and to provide drivers who can, at the very least, stick to the trip schedule and keep guests informed.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 72 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $25 to $800
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 28
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Why this scores 68
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Marrakech.
How much does Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape cost?
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Prices start at $25 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Marrakech usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape take?
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Plan for about 72 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Marrakech is not rushed.
Is Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 68 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.5/5 across 80 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Marrakech, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 72-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape?
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Around 28 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Marrakech can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Marrakech and add a light layer if any part of the 72-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Beyond the Dunes: 5Days Royal Merzouga Luxury Escape start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Marrakech within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Marrakech?
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On Outty we rank every Marrakech experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Agafay Desert Quad Bike Camel Ride and Dinner Show, Best Marrakech to Fes Sahara Desert Tour with Camp & Camel Trek, 3 Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour Camel Rides and Overnight. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Marrakech?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Marrakech?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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