Trekking
Mount Toubkal and the Sahara in One Trip: Can You Really Do Both?
11. September 2026 · 8 min read
Five days, two landscapes, a lot of road. Here is exactly how a Toubkal summit and a Sahara camp night fit together — and who should do them separately instead.
The question behind the trip
Most people arriving in Marrakech for under a week end up choosing: the High Atlas or the desert. Both are long days out of the city in opposite directions, and neither is a half-day add-on.
The combination exists because that choice is annoying, and because both halves are routes we already run. What matters is understanding how they join, because they do not join in the mountains — they join with a night in Marrakech and a change of vehicle.
How five days actually break down
Days one and two are the mountain: transfer to Imlil at 1,740 m, walk up the Mizane valley to the Toubkal refuge at 3,207 m, then a pre-dawn summit attempt at 4,167 m and the descent back to Marrakech.
Days three to five are the desert road: over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate, a night in the Dades valley, the Todra gorge and on east to Erg Chebbi for a camel ride, dinner and a night in a Berber camp, then the long drive back to Marrakech.
| Day | Where you sleep |
|---|---|
| 1 — Marrakech to the Toubkal refuge | Toubkal refuge, 3,207 m |
| 2 — Summit attempt, descent to Marrakech | Marrakech (not included) |
| 3 — Tizi n'Tichka, Ait Ben Haddou, Dades | Dades valley hotel or guesthouse |
| 4 — Todra gorge, east to the dunes | Merzouga desert camp |
| 5 — Dune sunrise, return to Marrakech | — |
Why Merzouga and not Zagora
Zagora is closer to Marrakech and cheaper to reach, and its dunes are much smaller. Erg Chebbi at Merzouga is the tall dune field people picture when they say Sahara, and it is the desert our own three-day route uses.
The trade is distance. Choosing Merzouga in a five-day itinerary means accepting a long final drive rather than a modest one.
The honest drawbacks
There is no acclimatisation day before the summit. You go from Marrakech to the refuge on day one and attempt 4,167 m on day two, which is a demanding way to do it even in good weather. If arriving acclimatised matters to you, take the 4-day Toubkal trek instead and add a desert tour afterwards.
Day five is roughly nine to ten hours of driving back to Marrakech, broken by stops. And the Marrakech hotel night between the two halves is not in the price — we can arrange it and quote it separately, but it is not included by default.
Finally, the summit is never guaranteed. Weather, snow and altitude decide it, and the guide's call is final. The desert half runs either way.
Who it suits
It suits fit, time-limited travellers who would rather see two Moroccos than one, who are comfortable with long transfer days, and who treat the summit as an attempt rather than a promise.
It does not suit anyone whose whole trip depends on standing on the top of Toubkal, anyone who dislikes long drives, or anyone new to walking at altitude.
Packing for a mountain and a desert at once
You are packing for two climates in one bag: broken-in boots, warm insulating layers, windproof shell, hat and gloves for the refuge and summit; then warm layers for the desert night, a scarf for wind and sand, and plenty of sun protection for both.
Bring three litres of water capacity, a headlamp with spare batteries, a small overnight bag for the camp, and cash for lunches and monument entrance fees on the desert days.
Book the combination
Prices are per person in euros. The direct price is the standard 5% saving for booking with us rather than through a marketplace.
Häufige Fragen
- Can you combine Mount Toubkal and the Sahara in one trip?
- Yes, in five days, as two sections run back to back. Days 1–2 are the guided Toubkal ascent from Imlil; day 2 ends in Marrakech; days 3–5 are the road route out to Erg Chebbi and back. Nothing is walked between the mountains and the desert.
- Which desert do you go to?
- Erg Chebbi at Merzouga, the tall dune field in the south east — the same desert our three-day route uses. Zagora is closer but its dunes are far smaller.
- How much driving is there?
- A lot. Day 3 crosses the Atlas to the Dades valley, day 4 continues east to the dunes, and day 5 is roughly nine to ten hours back to Marrakech with stops.
- Is the Marrakech hotel night included?
- No. The refuge night, the Dades valley night and the desert camp night are included; the Marrakech night between the two sections is not, though we can arrange and quote it.
- Is there an acclimatisation day before the summit?
- No. The summit attempt is on day two. If you want to arrive acclimatised, book the 4-day Toubkal trek and add a desert tour separately.
- What if we do not reach the summit?
- The guide turns the group around if conditions require it, and the desert section runs as planned. No summit is ever guaranteed.
- Do I have to ride a camel?
- No. If you would rather not, we transfer you to the desert camp by vehicle.
- Can this run in winter?
- Yes, with winter equipment on the mountain section — crampons and an ice axe are supplied with instruction from December to March.
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