Sample Itineraries for Tours in Morocco
Erg Chebbi Desert Tours
Camel Trekking in Morocco at Erg Chebbi, Merzouga (1 Night+ )
Visit the dunes of the Erg Chebbi sand sea, close to the traditional desert village of Merzouga, and take time out to relax to the pace of desert life. Safely wander into the immediate dunes to watch the sunset or camel trek with a local guide to sleep under the stars in a nomad tent.
If you don't have your own transport, we can organise a private desert tour from Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca or elsewhere on request. Your local driver will meet you, in a private 4x4 with aircon, to transport you across Atlas mountain passes and through rose-filled valleys in Spring; along oasis gorges and past one thousand Kasbahs to watch the sunset over the sands of the Sahara.
Our private 4x4 tours and excursions in Morocco, in maintained vehicles with a local Moroccan driver, are suitable for independent travellers and family tours. Tours, customised to suit your dates and timescales, include the highlights of your choice.
Quick Links for Desert Tours and Camel Treks in Erg Chebbi
- The Erg Chebbi Dunes at Merzouga
- How to get to Erg Chebbi at Merzouga
- The Desert Village of Merzouga
- Merzouga Tours - What to do and What to see in Merzouga
- Erg Chebbi Camel Treks - Camel Treks from Merzouga
- Private 4x4 Camel Trekking Tours to Merzouga
- Tour Price Guide
- Testimonials
The Erg Chebbi Dunes at Merzouga
Of all the deserts in Morocco, the Erg Chebbi at Merzouga is one of the highest and most easily accessible as the surfaced road runs all the way to the base of dunes. Although the sand sea looks quite small and distinct on the map, it is worth noting that this is relative to the enormity of the Sahara desert. The Sahara is the only true desert to be found along the 0° meridian line and also happens to be world's largest. It covers most of North Africa, more than a third of the continent, and an area roughly the same size as the United States of America. It is a desert of extraordinary beauty and variety; all the standard desert landscape types are present from great fields of shifting sand dunes to vast plains filled with rocks.
How to get to Erg Chebbi at Merzouga
Erg Chebbi and Merzouga can be reached by hire car or public transport and we are happy to meet you on arrival in Rissani or Erfoud. However, if you have limited time, hiring a 4x4 and driver is the most relaxed way to travel.
In a 4-wheel drive vehicle, with an experienced local driver who knows the routes, you can avoid the busy tourist routes and travel off-road across the unsurfaced roads (pistes) to experience the hospitality and traditional lifestyle of the Berber people. See 'Tea in the Sahara Desert Tours' for more information.
The Desert Village of Merzouga
Merzouga is a sizeable, and growing, desert village with a palmerie and gardens where crops are grown e.g. dates, cereals, mint and alfalfa. Close by are two seasonal lakes, a favourite spot for migrating birds in February and March, where Dayet Srji flamingos can sometimes be seen.
For most of the year it is a sleepy place where young men make a living by guiding tourists to local hotels or selling fossils that are locally mined and polished. There is, however, another side to this sleepy village and, in the summer months, it fills with Moroccans who come here to bathe in the sand. Sand bathing is a traditional treatment for rheumatism and arthritis and, along with the sand bathers, come the street traders and Merzouga transforms into a bustling desert experience.
Merzouga Tours - What to do and see in Merzouga
- Search for a fossil in the fossil beds near Erfoud
- Listen to Gnawa musicians and whirl to the rhythm of the desert
- Visit the desert nomads and drink tea in the Sahara
- Visit the Souk in Rissani and the Apothecary for spices & saffron
- Sit in a café and watch the world pass by
- Camel trek in Erg Chebbi and overnight in a nomad tent
- Walk through palmerie gardens where crops are grown
- Visit the seasonal lakes, perhaps see flamingos in spring
- Take a day-trip to the Ziz Valley Gorge
Erg Chebbi Camel Treks - Camel Treks from Merzouga
Camel Trekking in Morocco conjures up an image of a camel caravan majestically gliding across the sands of the Sahara. Have a Sahara experience in Morocco and camel trek in the Erg Chebbi at sunset, with your guide, enjoying the play of light across the dunes as you journey to your shelter in the desert: a private Berber tent in a desert camp. The camels are hobbled, on arrival, and mint tea is served while your evening meal is prepared. After dinner it is usual for the guides to drum and sing Berber songs under the stars.
Wake early, to climb the dunes and watch the sunrise, and camel trek back across the dunes to breakfast and depart; or continue camel trekking in Erg Chebbi with your guide for another day or days.
Private 4x4 Camel Trekking Tours to Merzouga
We run private tours, customised to suit your dates and timescales, from Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca, Tangier or elsewhere on requests. Tours can start and end in the same city e.g. Marrakech to Marrakech or we can drop you off in another city e.g. Marrakech to Fes. Because of the distances and drive times to reach the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga we recommend a minimum of 3 days for a tour. See 'Tea in the Sahara Desert Tours' for more information.
Tour Price Guide
The cost of a private tour, in your own 4x4 with aircon and a local Moroccan driver, depends:
- The number in your party e.g. couple, group of friends or family
- The number of days
- Preferred hotels and activities
- Family rates available
Price guide per person for private tours:
- 1 day tour with private 4x4 and driver from 500 Moroccan Dirhams
- 2 day tour with private 4x4 and driver from 1500 Moroccan Dirhams
- 3 day tour with private 4x4 and driver from 2800 Moroccan Dirhams
- 4 day tour with private 4x4 and driver from 3400D Moroccan Dirhams
- 5 day tour with private 4x4 and driver from 4100 Moroccan Dirhams
- Contact us or a free ‘no-obligation’ quote
To convert Moroccan Dirhams into the currency of your choice: 'Currency Converter'.
Testimonials
"Thank you so much for organising such a fabulous trip. We both loved every minute. Visiting the nomads was very special - we both think Morocco is a fabulous country and one of the friendliest we have visited. Thanks again for organising everything so perfectly for us.”
"We had a fantastic time and would like to pass on our thanks for a very well organised tour. Our driver was very friendly and couldn't do enough for us and we were able to explore and absorb the experience at a pace that suited us. Camel trekking and sleeping under the stars in the desert was definitely the highlight for us, however the ride across the Atlas mountains and Berber villages were also very interesting and unique. Once again, thanks for everything and rest assured we will be recommending you to any friends and family that visit Morocco in the future.”
"The whole trip was fantastic. I think I can speak for Claire and I in saying the afternoon/night/morning in the Sahara was a highlight, so vast and so many stars. After that I was really taken by the palmeries and kasbahs, and the scenery was beautiful, also a lot more varied than I was expecting. Claire really enjoyed getting a bit closer to the Berber culture than possible in the cities. Ali was a real star as well, good humoured, patient and informative. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your trip, or to do a different one with you in the future. A happy customer.”
"The Medina in Fes overwhelmed the senses, the Sahara Desert awakened the soul and calmed the spirit. The trip was fabulous! Our driver was helpful, informative, friendly, accommodating and a safe driver. Once he understood that we preferred to eat and visit where the locals frequented we were in-sync; he took us to his sister´s home and we were very grateful for a look at Moroccan home life and honored to meet his family. What a treat! Your instructions on what to bring were very useful and I would also suggest a ‘Camel Back’ because it maintains a cooler water temperature and is much easier to carry, especially when riding a camel. I also wish I had remembered to bring ‘slightly used’ tshirts as gifts for the numerous people that were helpful; anything from the US was very appreciated."
"The trip was fantastic. In particular: Bara Ouassou, the guide and driver of our car was fabulous - such an enthusiastic, kind hearted and friendly person. I would very much recommend using him wherever possible. We very much gelled with the rest of the group and had a lot of fun. The extra day in Merzouga proved to be very interesting - we went to a lake, lead mine and quad biking - well worth suggesting to others. Thanks again for co-ordinating this. The holiday was a fantastic one."
