A shared desert tour puts you in a minibus with up to about 15 to 20 other travellers on a fixed programme, while a private tour gives your group its own car and driver, flexible timing and usually a better camp. Shared tours are cheaper; private tours cost more but feel like a different trip, with stops where you want, no waiting for others and a pace adapted to you. Here is what really changes, and how to choose.
Side-by-side comparison
Shared tour
Private tour
Group
Strangers, often 15 to 20 per minibus
Only your family or friends
Vehicle
Minibus
Air-conditioned car, van or 4x4
Pickup
Meeting point or a fixed time
Your hotel or riad, at a time you choose
Stops
Fixed, often at partner shops and restaurants
Where you want, as long as you want
Camp
Usually standard, shared facilities
Standard or luxury, your choice
Changes
None
Route, pace and length can be adapted
Price
Lower
Higher, but cheaper per person in a group
What you gain on a private tour
Time. No waiting for 15 people at each stop, no detours to collect others at hotels across the city.
Freedom. Want 20 extra minutes in the Todra Gorge or a photo stop at a viewpoint? Just ask your driver.
Comfort. A smaller, quieter vehicle on long driving days, which makes a real difference on the 9-hour route to the dunes.
A better night. You choose the camp level, including luxury tents with private bathrooms.
A local contact. Your driver knows the region and becomes your guide to its people and customs.
When a shared tour makes sense
If you travel alone on a tight budget, are happy to follow a fixed programme and want to meet other travellers, a shared tour can be a good choice. Just be clear about what is included, because the low price often hides extras.
A private desert camp, one of the main differences on a private tour
Hidden costs to check
When you compare prices, ask whether each tour includes:
Lunches (rarely included on either type of tour)
Dinner and breakfast at the camp and the hotel
The guided visit of Aït Benhaddou or the Todra Gorge
A private tent, or a shared one
A private bathroom at the camp
Hotel pickup in the medina, or a meeting point
A shared tour that looks very cheap can end up close to a private tour once you add the extras and the time lost at shopping stops.
How much does a private desert tour cost?
Our private tours from Marrakech start at €135 per person for 2 days to Zagora, around €212 per person for 3 days to Merzouga, and from €365 for 5 days. The price per person drops as your group grows, because the car and driver cost the same for two or six people. For a couple or a family of four, the difference with a good shared tour is often smaller than expected. Compare routes on our Sahara desert tours from Marrakech page or our broader Morocco tour packages.
Questions to ask before you book any desert tour
Is it private or shared? How many people maximum?
What vehicle, and is it air-conditioned?
Exactly what is included: meals, visits, camp type, bathroom?
Where and when is the pickup?
Which camp, and can I see photos of it?
How do I pay: deposit, balance, and what happens if I cancel?
A serious operator answers all six clearly and in writing. For official tourism information about Morocco, see Visit Morocco.
Our honest recommendation
Couples, families and friends: private. The comfort and freedom are worth it, and the price per person is reasonable.
Solo traveller on a tight budget: a shared tour can work; read the inclusions carefully.
Short on time: private, because you avoid waiting and detours.
Travelling with children or older relatives: private, to adapt breaks and pace.
For couples, families and groups, usually yes. You get your own vehicle and driver, flexible stops and a better camp, and the price per person becomes reasonable as soon as there are two or more of you.
Often 15 to 20 people in a minibus, sometimes more in high season, and the group may be mixed with other minibuses at the camp.
Our private tours start at €135 per person for 2 days to Zagora and around €212 per person for 3 days to Merzouga, including transport, driver, nights, dinners and breakfasts.
Yes. On a private tour you can change the route, add a night, slow down or add stops. Tell us before departure, or ask your driver on the road.
