Taking children to the Sahara costs less than most parents expect, but the budget has different lines. Here is what a 4-day family desert trip actually costs, including the ones nobody lists.
The headline number
Our 4-day family desert tour from Marrakech is
€380 per person, and it is built differently from the standard adult itinerary — not
in what it visits, but in how the days are paced.
What is included
- Air-conditioned minibus or 4x4 for the whole route
- Professional bilingual driver-guide (English/French)
- 1 night hotel in the Dades Valley — dinner and breakfast
- 1 night family desert camp at Erg Chebbi — dinner and breakfast
- 1 night hotel in Ouarzazate — breakfast
- Sunset and sunrise camel rides at Erg Chebbi
- All transfers and access fees
The three-night structure is the point. Merzouga is roughly 560 km from Marrakech, and the
difference between a trip that works with children and one that does not is whether that
distance is broken up or driven in one go.
The costs nobody lists
This is where family budgets go wrong, so here it is plainly:
| Extra | Realistic cost |
|---|---|
| Lunches | €12–15 per person, per meal |
| Atlas Film Studios (optional) | ~€7 per person |
| Travel insurance | Varies — get it |
| Tips | 10–15% of trip cost |
For a family of four across four days, lunches alone are realistically €150–200. That
is not a hidden charge — it is on the tour page — but it is the line most people forget
when comparing quotes.
Why families often pay less per head
Worth understanding before you assume a family trip costs four times a solo one.
The vehicle, the driver-guide and much of the camp cost are per trip, not per person.
Meals and beds are per person. So a family of four spreads the large fixed costs four
ways, where a couple spreads the same costs two ways.
The practical effect: per head, a family of four on this route usually pays noticeably
less than two adults travelling alone. If you have specific ages and dates, message us and
we will quote the real number rather than a per-person estimate.
What children actually make of it
The camel rides at sunset and sunrise are the parts kids remember, and Erg Chebbi's dunes
are effectively the world's largest sandpit. The Dades Valley night breaks the drive at a
point where children are usually done with the car.
The honest caution is the driving. Days one and four have long vehicle stretches through
genuinely spectacular country, but spectacular country still looks like a car window to a
six-year-old. Download things in advance.
Family desert or family trek?
If your children are older and the driving sounds worse than the walking, the
4-day family Atlas trek stays in the mountains with
village guesthouse nights and much shorter transfers. It is the same length and a
completely different rhythm.
Where the money goes
Platform commission of 25–40% on a €380 trip is up to €152 per person leaving Morocco.
On a family of four that is a substantial sum that never reaches the camp, the camel
handlers or the guesthouses. Booking direct keeps it in the country.
👉 See the 4-day family desert tour — €380 per person, three nights, camel rides at Erg Chebbi, paced for children.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a family desert tour in Morocco cost?
Is a desert tour suitable for young children?
Do children pay full price on a desert tour?
What should families budget on top of the tour price?
Trips that go here
Guided by the team who wrote this guide.

Family Desert Adventure — 4-Day Marrakech to Sahara
- A full night on the Erg Chebbi dunes in a family-friendly desert camp
- Camel rides and sandboarding on the dunes for the kids
- Explore the Aït Ben Haddou kasbah — a Game of Thrones and Gladiator film set
€350 / person

Family High Atlas from Marrakech — 4-Day Gentle Trek
- Short, gentle walking days built around a family pace (3–4 hours)
- Village guesthouse nights with Berber families — bread baking, mint tea
- Waterfalls, river pools and walnut groves rather than high passes
€313 / person

Marrakech Desert Grand Tour — 4 Days
- Full night at an Erg Chebbi desert camp — sunset and sunrise camel treks
- Todra Gorge — Morocco's most dramatic canyon (400 m walls, 4 km walk)
- UNESCO Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou — Gladiator and Game of Thrones location
€331 / person
