Trip overview
New Year's Eve among the Merzouga dunes, with a gala dinner and Berber drums by the fire, on a five-day trip from Marrakech through the Atlas, the Dades and the Todra.
- Duration5 days / 4 nights
- Starts inMarrakech
- GroupPrivate or shared · 1–16 people
- DifficultyEasy
- LanguageEspañol
- DeparturesDaily departures all year round
Highlights
- New Year's Eve at a camp among the Erg Chebbi dunes
- Gala dinner with live Berber and Gnawa music
- First sunrise of the year over the dunes
- Camel ride at sunset
- Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley
- Todra Gorge
- Return with a night in Ouarzazate
- Private or shared group
Who it's for
It suits you if…
You're travelling as a couple, with friends, alone or with children who cope well in the car. Tell us how you'd like it when you book.
- Private, with a vehicle just for you
- Spanish-speaking group, cheaper
Pick something else if…
You can't leave on 29 December. We have other desert trips for the rest of the year.
See desert toursWhat New Year's Eve at the camp is like
Each camp organises its own party, but the usual pattern is drinks and snacks at sunset and a gala dinner of several courses (harira, tagine, couscous or roast lamb, and desserts). Afterwards there's Gnawa and Berber music by the fire, and a toast at midnight. Some camps serve alcohol and others don't; we tell you before you book. With young children, or if you'd like a quieter night, we suggest a small, out-of-the-way camp.
Before you book
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: 29 December: Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Aït Ben Haddou – Dades Valley
We leave Marrakech early and climb into the High Atlas over Tizi n'Tichka, whose peaks are usually snow-covered at the end of December. We stop at viewpoints and at a Berber village for tea.
Mid-morning you visit the kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou with a local guide, a mud-brick ksar that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch we continue via Ouarzazate, the Skoura palm grove and the Valley of the Roses to the Dades, which we reach at sunset after about 8 hours with stops. Hot dinner and a night in a hotel in the valley.
Day 2: 30 December: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Merzouga
In the morning we drive through the Dades Valley and up to the viewpoints over its bends. Then we go to Tinghir and walk through the Todra Gorge, between rock walls up to 300 metres high.
In the afternoon we cross Alnif and Rissani and reach Merzouga in time for sunset. Tonight we sleep in a hotel next to the dunes or already at the camp, depending on the option and availability. We do it this way so the 31st starts rested and with no driving. Dinner and overnight at the foot of Erg Chebbi.
Day 3: 31 December: Erg Chebbi and New Year's Eve in the desert
In the morning we take a 4x4 tour around Merzouga: the Gnawa village of Khamlia and its music, the seasonal lake and the tents of nomad families. After lunch, a free afternoon to rest, because it'll be a long night.
Late in the afternoon we ride camels to the camp and watch the last sunset of the year from a dune. The party starts with drinks and snacks by the fire, carries on with the gala dinner and ends with drums and live music. At midnight there's a toast to the new year.
Day 4: 1 January: Merzouga – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate
If the night didn't run too late, we wake you for the first sunrise of the year over the dunes. We ride the camels back to the village, have breakfast and there's a shower before we leave.
Instead of driving straight back to Marrakech, we split the return in two. Today we go via Alnif, N'Kob and the Draa Valley, with its palm groves and kasbahs, and reach Ouarzazate in the late afternoon, after about 6 hours with stops. Time to rest and dinner at the hotel.
Day 5: 2 January: Ouarzazate – High Atlas – Marrakech
After breakfast, if you're interested, you can visit the Ouarzazate film studios, where many films and series have been shot; entry isn't included. Then we cross the High Atlas again over Tizi n'Tichka, stopping at viewpoints and at an argan oil cooperative.
We reach Marrakech in the early afternoon, after about 4 hours on the road, and drop you at your accommodation or the airport. Arriving at that time gives you enough margin to catch an evening flight or spend the last afternoon in Jemaa el Fna square.
What's included
Included (8)
- Pick-up and drop-off in Marrakech
- Transport in a private vehicle or shared minibus, depending on the option
- Spanish-speaking driver
- Four nights' accommodation according to the category chosen
- New Year's Eve gala dinner with live music
- Daily breakfasts and the dinners listed
- Camel ride and 4x4 excursion around Erg Chebbi
- Local guide at Aït Ben Haddou
Not included (5)
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees for monuments and the film studios
- Alcoholic drinks at the gala dinner, if the camp serves them
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Important information (5)
- December nights in the desert can drop to around 0 °C: bring a coat, hat and gloves.
- This is the busiest date of the year; we recommend booking before October.
- Snow can affect the Tizi n'Tichka pass; we adjust timings if needed.
- Not all camps serve alcohol; ask us if it matters to you.
- The trip can be adapted to start in Fez and finish in Marrakech.
Prices per person
Standard
Comfortable hotels and a tent with private bathroom, gala dinner included
Superior
Hotels with character and a luxury camp, gala dinner included
Luxury
Luxury accommodation and a premium camp, gala dinner included
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.
Private: free up to 48 hours before the start. 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
Is it very cold in the desert on New Year's Eve?
During the day the temperature is pleasant, but at night it can drop to around 0 °C. The tents have thick blankets and, on the higher-level options, heating. Dinner and music take place by the fire or in a large marquee. With a good coat, hat and gloves you'll be fine.
Can I do this trip privately?
Yes. The trip comes in two formats: private, with a vehicle and driver just for you and your group, and shared, with other travellers, which is cheaper. The New Year's Eve celebration at the camp is shared with the other guests, although you can ask for a private table.
What if I want to leave on a different day?
We can adapt it to your dates, for example leaving on 28 December to have more time in the desert, or starting in Fez. What doesn't move is the night of the 31st at the camp. Write to us early, because at this time of year the camps have few places left.
