Camel trek into the dunes
A 60–90 minute ride from the village to your camp, ideally timed for late afternoon when Erg Chebbi turns copper.
Ouarzazate, MoroccoConcierge · 7 Days · 9–21H GMT+1
Erg Chebbi · Southeast Morocco
Sahara & Merzouga, Morocco
Real Sahara: 150m dunes and Berber camps — the prize at the end of the road that runs through Ouarzazate.
Best time
October–April (avoid July–August)
Recommended
3 days minimum from Marrakech
Airport
Errachidia (ERH), then 2h drive
Region
Erg Chebbi · Southeast Morocco
Why Sahara & Merzouga
Erg Chebbi is the Morocco of postcards — a 22km field of orange dunes near the village of Merzouga, rising up to 150m above the surrounding hammada. Every overland route to it from Marrakech runs through Ouarzazate, the staging town where the kasbah road begins; from there it is the Dadès and Todra gorges, the Tafilalt palm oases and finally the dunes. Allowing for the Tizi n'Tichka pass it is roughly a nine-hour drive that no one should attempt in a day — Ouarzazate is the natural first overnight. The reward is one of the most cinematic landscapes on the planet and a night in a tented camp with Berber hosts. The faster alternative is a flight to Errachidia, then a 2h drive.
What to see
Highlights of Sahara & Merzouga.
Berber desert camp
Canvas suites with proper beds, en-suite bathrooms, candlelit dinner and gnaoua musicians around the fire — the payoff for the long road down through Ouarzazate.
Sunrise climb to the high dune
Wake at 5:30, climb 150m of sand, watch the sun come up over the Algerian frontier.
Erg Chigaga (the wilder alternative)
Reached from M'Hamid at the end of the Drâa valley south of Ouarzazate by 4x4 — quieter, fewer camps, harder to get to. The choice for repeat desert travellers.
Itineraries
2 tours that visit Sahara & Merzouga.
Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Sahara & Merzouga. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.
1 daysOases & Valleys
Todra Gorge from Ouarzazate
A full day east to Tinghir and the Todra Gorge, where sheer rock walls rise some 300 metres above a narrow floor and a clear river — the most dramatic canyon in the Atlas, with a palmeraie at its mouth.
from $390view →
3 daysRareSahara
Ouarzazate to Zagora — Sahara Gateway
South from Ouarzazate down the Draa Valley — Morocco's longest river and its greatest palm oasis — to Zagora and the desert beyond, with a camel sunset and a night under canvas in the dunes before looping back through the kasbahs.
from $950view →
Before you go
Practical notes.
- Getting there: 9h drive Marrakech → Merzouga (we split it over 2 days). Or fly to Errachidia.
- What to pack: Layers (cold nights even in summer), scarf for blowing sand, headlamp, slip-on shoes.
- Connectivity: Mobile signal at the camp edge, no Wi-Fi at most camps — by design.
Concierge
Have your Sahara & Merzouga trip designed by a local
Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.
Request a proposalFAQ
Sahara & Merzouga — common questions.
Can I reach the Sahara without going through Ouarzazate?+
Not by road from Marrakech — every overland route to Erg Chebbi or Chigaga passes through or near Ouarzazate, which is why it is the standard first overnight. The only way to skip it is to fly into Errachidia and drive 2h to Merzouga.
Is it too hot in summer?+
July–August daytime temperatures regularly exceed 45°C and camps close or move. October–April is the season; March and November are ideal.
Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga?+
Erg Chebbi (Merzouga), reached via the gorges east of Ouarzazate, is more accessible and has more camps. Erg Chigaga, reached down the Drâa valley south of Ouarzazate by 4x4, is wilder and quieter — better for travellers who have already seen the easier dunes.
Read more
From the journal
Stories and practical guides to plan your time in Sahara & Merzouga and the wider Erg Chebbi · Southeast Morocco.
Closest destinations
Pair Sahara & Merzouga with.
These destinations are closest to Sahara & Merzouga — easily combined on a private itinerary.
32 kmTafilalt oasis · Drâa-Tafilalet
Rissani
Tafilalt gateway to Merzouga — the Alaouite cradle at the far eastern end of the kasbah road that begins in Ouarzazate.
Explore152 kmDrâa-Tafilalet · Todra Valley
Tinghir
Todra-valley overnight two hours east of Ouarzazate — the kasbah-road base for Morocco's most dramatic slot canyon.
Explore171 kmPre-Sahara · Kasbah road
Dadès & Todra Gorges
Towering red canyons and switchback roads — the dramatic core of the kasbah route east of Ouarzazate.
Explore