Merzouga, the complete guide
Written by our team, born among the dunes: everything you need to plan your days in Merzouga and Erg Chebbi.
Merzouga and the dunes of Erg Chebbi
Merzouga is a small village in the south-east of Morocco, at the edge of Erg Chebbi, the most famous sea of sand in the country. The dunes stretch for about 28 kilometres from north to south and rise up to 150 metres, changing colour from gold to deep orange with the light of the day.
Around the dunes there is much more than sand: the black stony plain of the hamada, nomad families with their herds, the Gnawa village of Khamlia and, less than an hour away, the market town of Rissani. It is the best base in Morocco to live the Sahara.
The best time to visit Merzouga
October to April is the most pleasant season: warm days, clear skies and cool nights, ideal for camel treks and long rides in the dunes. Winter days are sunny but the nights are cold, so the tents in our camp have warm blankets.
In summer the middle of the day is very hot. Then we ride at sunrise and sunset, when the desert is cooler, and rest in the shade at midday. The sky is clear almost all year, perfect for watching the stars.
How to get to Merzouga
By car it is about 8–9 hours from Marrakech and around 7 hours from Fez, crossing the Atlas mountains and beautiful palm valleys. The nearest airport is Errachidia, about two hours away, and there are also buses from Fez and Marrakech to Merzouga.
We pick you up wherever is easiest for you: at Errachidia airport, at the bus stop or at your hotel. From Errachidia we also run private tours of two or three days that end in the dunes, with a night in our camp.
What to do in Merzouga
The classic is a camel ride at sunset or a night in a desert camp, but the dunes are also perfect for adventure: quad bikes, buggies, KTM enduro motorbikes and 4x4 tours around Erg Chebbi. For something calmer there is sandboarding, a stargazing night, a day with a nomad family or Gnawa music in Khamlia.
Most of our guests stay two or three nights: one in the desert camp and the others in Merzouga, with a different activity every day. All our experiences are private and can be combined as you like.
Places to visit around Merzouga
Khamlia is a small village of Gnawa families, descendants of people from West Africa, who welcome visitors with music, tea and rhythm. Rissani, the old caravan capital of the Tafilalet, has a lively market of spices, dates and donkeys and the ruins of ancient Sijilmassa.
To the south, the hamada is a plain of black stones where nomad families still live with their herds, and the road continues towards Taouz, a land of fossils and old rock engravings. All these places can be visited in one day by 4x4 with our team.
Where to sleep: a night in the dunes
You can sleep in a hotel in the village, but the real experience of Merzouga is a night inside Erg Chebbi. In our camp you arrive by camel at sunset, have dinner by the fire, watch the Milky Way and wake up for sunrise over the dunes.
Our tents have a real bed and a private bathroom with hot shower. If you prefer something simpler, our nomad camp is closer to the way our families have always lived in the desert.
Practical tips from locals
Wear light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, a scarf or turban against the sun and the sand, sunglasses and good sun cream. Bring a warm jacket for the evening, comfortable shoes for the dunes and a torch for the night.
Bring cash in dirhams or euros: in the desert, card payments are rare. Ask before taking photos of people, and leave nothing behind in the dunes: we want them as clean as we found them.
More from our blog
- Erg Chebbi: Everything About the Great Dunes of Merzouga
- Best Time to Visit Merzouga and the Sahara Desert
- How to Get to Merzouga: All the Ways to Reach the Sahara Dunes
- The 12 Best Things to Do in Merzouga
- Stargazing in the Sahara: Why Merzouga Has One of the Best Skies in the World
- What to Pack for the Sahara Desert: Our Practical List
- The Todra and Dades Gorges: A Guide to Morocco’s Great Canyons
Questions
How many days do I need in Merzouga?
Two or three nights is ideal: one night in a desert camp in Erg Chebbi and one or two more to enjoy the activities, the villages around and the sunsets without hurry.
When is the best time to go?
October to April is the most pleasant. In summer we ride at sunset and sunrise, when the desert is cooler. Winter nights are cold, but the tents have warm blankets.
How do I get from Errachidia airport to Merzouga?
It is about two hours by road. We can pick you up at the airport and take you to Merzouga or straight to the camp, or make it a two-day tour with stops on the way.
Do I need a guide in the dunes?
It is much better: the dunes all look alike and it is easy to lose your way, especially at night. All our experiences include a local cameleer, guide or driver.
Are the experiences private?
Yes. Every camel ride, activity and tour is only for your group, with your own cameleer, guide or driver, so the pace is always yours.
The dunes are waiting
Write to us on WhatsApp and get your plan in a few hours.