New Year’s Eve in the Moroccan Desert, 3 Days From Marrakech
New Year’s Eve in the Moroccan Desert: 3 Days From Marrakech to Erg Chebbi
Forget fireworks and crowded countdowns. Ring in the new year on the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, with Berber drums, live music, a crackling campfire and a sky so full of stars you will want to stay up for all of it. This 3-day journey from Marrakech takes you across the High Atlas to the Sahara and back, with midnight as the highlight.
This New Year’s Eve tour in the Moroccan desert combines a classic southern Morocco road trip with a celebration you will not forget. On the way you cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass, visit the UNESCO kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, drive through the Valley of Roses and spend your first night in the Dades Valley. On day 2 you walk into the Todra Gorge, reach the edge of the dunes and ride a camel into the Sahara for sunset.
At the Berber camp, the party begins: a festive traditional dinner under the stars, Berber drumming and music around the campfire, and a joyful countdown to midnight in one of the quietest places on earth. Then you can sleep in a comfortable desert tent, or stay up and greet the first sunrise of the year over the dunes. The tour is typically scheduled to depart on 30 December, so tell us your dates and we confirm what is available.
- Duration3 days, 2 nights
- Typical departure30 December from Marrakech (tell us your dates)
- RouteMarrakech, Dades Valley, Todra Gorge, Merzouga, Marrakech
- New Year’s EveBerber camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- CelebrationFestive dinner, Berber drums, music, campfire
- EndsYour hotel, riad or Marrakech Menara Airport
New Year’s Eve Desert Tour Highlights
- Cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass, with photo stops over Berber villages and snow-capped peaks in season
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a favourite filming location
- Drive through the Valley of Roses to the Dades Valley and sleep in a traditional hotel with dinner included
- Walk in the Todra Gorge, where canyon walls plunge straight down to a narrow river
- Ride a camel into the heart of the Erg Chebbi dunes for a golden sunset
- Celebrate New Year’s Eve at a Berber camp with a festive dinner, live Berber drumming and music
- Count down to midnight around the campfire under a Sahara sky full of stars
- Watch the first sunrise of the new year over the dunes
New Year’s Eve in the Desert: 3-Day Itinerary
Each day builds towards midnight on day 2. Day 1 crosses the mountains, day 2 brings you to the dunes and the celebration, and day 3 starts with a sunrise on 1 January.
Day 1: Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate and the Dades Valley
We collect you from your riad or hotel in Marrakech in the morning and set off across the High Atlas Mountains by the legendary Tizi n’Tichka pass, with photo stops overlooking Berber villages and snow-capped peaks in season. We visit the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a favourite filming location, before continuing to Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert and home of the Atlas Film Studios.
In the late afternoon we drive through the Valley of Roses to the Dades Valley. You spend the night in a traditional hotel, with dinner included, surrounded by dramatic rock formations.
Day 2: Dades Valley, Todra Gorge and New Year’s Eve in Erg Chebbi
After breakfast we head to the Todra Gorge, where towering canyon walls plunge straight down to a narrow river, a perfect place for a short walk. We drive on through the palm groves of the Ziz Valley and the town of Erfoud towards Merzouga, reaching the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes in the late afternoon.
Camels are waiting to carry you into the heart of the Sahara for a spectacular sunset over the golden sands. At the Berber camp the celebration begins with a festive traditional dinner under a canopy of stars, live Berber drumming and music around the campfire, and a joyful countdown to midnight. Sleep in a comfortable desert tent, or stay up to welcome the first hours of the new year beneath the Sahara sky.
Day 3: New Year sunrise on the dunes and return to Marrakech
Rise early, if you slept, to watch the first sunrise of the new year over the dunes of Erg Chebbi, a truly memorable way to begin the year. After breakfast at the camp we ride the camels back to Merzouga, where our vehicle is waiting.
We begin the return journey to Marrakech, retracing the route through the Ziz Valley, Errachidia and the High Atlas, with a lunch stop along the way at your own expense. You arrive back in Marrakech in the evening, and we drop you at your hotel, riad or Marrakech Menara Airport.
Why Book This Tour With Visit the Desert
A New Year’s Eve with real atmosphere
Instead of a hotel ballroom, you celebrate in a Berber camp among the dunes, with drums, music, a campfire and a countdown under the stars.
A full classic route on the way
Ait Ben Haddou, the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorge are all part of the journey, so you see the best of the south before the party.
Your dates, your group
Travelling with friends, family or as a couple? Tell us your dates and group size and we adapt the departure, the camp comfort and the pick-up details.
What Is Included in the New Year’s Eve Desert Tour
Included
- Pick-up at your hotel or riad in Marrakech and return drop-off at your hotel, riad or Marrakech Menara Airport
- Transport by vehicle with a professional driver for the whole route
- Night 1 in a traditional hotel in the Dades Valley, with dinner included
- Night 2 in a comfortable desert tent at a Berber camp in Erg Chebbi
- Festive New Year’s Eve dinner at the camp
- Live Berber drumming and music around the campfire
- Camel ride into the dunes at sunset and back to Merzouga the next morning
- Breakfast on days 2 and 3
Not included
- Lunches (own expense, for example on the return day)
- Personal expenses
- Tips for your driver and camp staff
Good to Know Before You Go
Dates and availability
The tour is typically scheduled to depart on 30 December from Marrakech. New Year’s Eve is our busiest night in the desert, so send us your dates early and we confirm the plan.
It is cold at night
Desert nights in late December can be close to freezing. Bring a warm jacket, a hat, gloves, a scarf and layers for the campfire, and expect snow on the High Atlas peaks.
Long driving days
Day 1 and day 3 involve many hours on the road, with regular stops. Keep your flights flexible and plan to arrive back in Marrakech in the evening, not in the afternoon.
Pack light for the camp
Take a small overnight bag for the camel ride and leave the large luggage in the vehicle. A head torch, wet wipes and a camera with a charged battery are very useful.
Celebrate your way
You can stay up around the fire until sunrise, or go to bed in your tent after midnight. Either way, the first sunrise of the year over the dunes is worth an early alarm.
Spend Your New Year’s Eve in the Sahara
Send us your dates in the booking form on this page, or message us to adjust the route, the group size or the pick-up details for New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Eve Desert Tour: Frequently Asked Questions
When does the New Year’s Eve desert tour depart?
The tour is typically scheduled to depart from Marrakech on 30 December, so that you spend New Year’s Eve in the dunes on day 2. Tell us your dates in the booking form and we confirm what is available.
Where do we celebrate New Year’s Eve?
The celebration takes place at a Berber camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. You reach it by camel at sunset on day 2, after the Todra Gorge and the drive through the Ziz Valley.
What happens at the New Year’s Eve party?
The evening includes a festive traditional dinner under the stars, live Berber drumming and music around the campfire, and a countdown to midnight. It is warm, joyful and very different from a city party.
Is it very cold in the desert in winter?
Yes, nights in December are cold, even though days can be pleasant and sunny. Pack warm layers, a hat and gloves for the campfire, and a jacket for the sunrise on 1 January.
Do I have to stay up all night?
No. After the countdown you can sleep in a comfortable desert tent, or stay up around the fire. Those who sleep can wake early for the first sunrise of the year over the dunes.
What is included in the tour, and what is not?
The tour covers your transport with a driver, a night in a traditional hotel in the Dades Valley with dinner, a night at the Berber camp with the festive dinner, and breakfast on days 2 and 3. Lunches are at your own expense.
Can I finish at Marrakech airport?
Yes. We drop you at your hotel, riad or Marrakech Menara Airport in the evening of day 3. For a flight the same night, check the timing with us first, and see our 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour for the regular version.
Can I add more nights in the desert?
Yes, we can adapt the plan with extra nights, a different camp or a longer route, depending on availability around New Year. Contact us with your dates and group size, and we propose the best option.
