Sample Itineraries for Tours in Morocco
Camel Trekking in Morocco
Morocco Camel Treks & Camel Trekking Tours (1 Night - 5 Days +)
Guided desert camel treks, to spend a night under the stars in a Berber tent in the desert dunes, are the highlight of our Moroccan desert tours and Sahara excursions from Marrakech and Fes etc. In addition to Erg Chebbi camel treks from Merzouga we also offer desert tours and camel trekking in the Erg Chigaga dunes from Mhamid.
Include a guided camel trek on a 2, 3, 4 or 5 day desert tour from Marrakech, Fes, Ouarzazate, Casablanca or elsewhere on request. We will meet you at your riad in a private 4x4 with aircon and local driver to transport you across the High Atlas and along the valley of one thousand kasbahs, past lush palmeries and through Berber villages. Arrive at the edge of the Sahara to safely camel trek with a local guide and experience the desert at the leisurely pace of a camel.
Quick Links - Sahara Camel Treks in Morocco
- Deserts of Morocco - Zagora vs. Merzouga vs. Mhamid
- Erg Chebbi Camel Treks - Camel Trekking from Merzouga
- Erg Chigaga Camel Treks - Camel Trekking from Mhamid
- Marrakech to Marrakech Sahara Trips and Marrakech to Fes Desert Tours
- Fes to Fes Sahara Trips and Fes to Marrakch Desert Tours
- What to Wear and Take on a Camel Trek in Morocco
- Desert Sandboarding, Duneboarding and Quad Biking
- Tour Price Guide
- Testimonials
Deserts – Zagora vs. Erg Chebbi vs. Erg Chigaga
We are often asked 'where are the best dunes for camel trekking in Morocco?' and our answer is 'each desert area of Morocco has its merit depending your holiday timescales and what you want to experience'.
There are two accessible sand seas (ergs) with significant sand masses and high desert dunes where you can safely camel trek with a local guide: Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga and Erg Chigaga dunes at Mhamid. There are smaller dunes at Zagora.
The advantages of camel trekking in the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga are the rolling golden dunes, the tarmac road that runs to the base of the dunes and the 70+ hotels along the dune line. Hotels offer en-suite rooms and and you can safely wander into the immediate desert without a guide.
The advantage of camel trekking in the Erg Chigaga dunes from Mhamid is that the desert wilderness with its traditions and culture, has been preserved and accommodation is in desert camps and bivouacs. This is the region where the Ait Atta Berber nomads live and raise their families and herds of wild camels. To reach the Erg Chagaga dunes from Mhamid requires a 4x4 or takes 2 days on a camel.
The advantage of visiting Zagora, if you have limited time, is that these small dunes can be reached in a 2 day trip from Marrakech. They do not however offer a 'real desert experience'.
Note: See 'Morocco Camel Treks' for my personal experience of Camel Trekking in Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga.
Erg Chebbi Camel Treks - Trekking from Merzouga
Sunset Camel Treks in Erg Chebbi are suitable if you want a short camel ride to see the sunset with an overnight in a hotel on the dune line close to the village of Merzouga; hotels are presented in typical Moroccan style with the choice of en-suite rooms or nomad tents.
Overnight Camel Treks in Erg Chebbi with a sunset and morning camel ride fulfil a dream of camel trekking in Morocco and sleeping in a nomad tent under the stars. Wake early to greet the sunrise and camel trek back across the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Extended Camel Treks in Erg Chebbi with a desert guide allow you to safely wander like a nomad in the Sahara and live the simplicity of desert life; we offer camel treks for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days:
- Travel, as desert dwellers have traveled for untold generations, across the soft curves of sandy dunes and the flatness of the hammada as dust devils whirl and mirages shimmer
- Sip mint tea with desert nomads, draw water from a nomad well and embrace the timeless quality of desert life
- You will hear the words ‘Inch Allah’ (if God wills). A nomadic life is one of surrender and acceptance: surrender to the elements and daily events; acceptance of what is and what will be.
See 'Tea in the Sahara Desert Tours' for desert tours that include camel trekking in Erg Chebbi.
Erg Chigaga Camel Treks - Trekking from Mhamid
The dunes of Erg Chigaga offer a unique experience. The desert adventure starts where the road ends in the dusty desert frontier town of Mhamid and the dunes can only be reached in a 4x4 or on a 2 day camel trek each way.
Some clients prefer to take a 4 or 5-day camel trek from Mhamid and others prefer to continue, in their private 4x4 with local driver, across the desert wilderness to a desert camp in the sand dunes. From your desert camp you can safely walk into the immediate dunes without a guide and camel trek with a desert guide for a day or at sunset and sunrise.
Our comfortable desert camp, where the tented dwellings are made of adobe walls and reinforced camel-hair roofs to offer protection from sandstorms, have facilities including hot showers and flushing loos closeby.
See 'Off the Beaten Track Tours in Morocco' for desert tours that include Erg Chigaga camel treks.
Marrakech Sahara Trips and Marrakech to Fes Tours
We often get requests for 1 day camel tours from Marrakech but, to reach the tall Sahara dunes of Erg Chebbi at Merzouga and have a real desert experience, you need 3 full days. In 2 days you can reach the small dunes at Zagora:
- 2 day Marrakech to Zagora Desert Tours include sunset and morning camel rides and overnight in a nomad tent. The drive from Marrakech to Zagora includes the Draa River Valley, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou and the Berber village of Telouet.
- 3 day & 4 day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Excursions include sunset and morning camel treks in Erg Chebbi and a night in a nomad tent under the stars. The drive from Marrakech to Merzouga includes Skoura, Rose Valley, Todra Gorge, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou and the Atlas village of Telouet.
- 5 day Marrakech to M'hamid Desert Safaris include a sunset camel ride in Erg Chigaga and two nights in a desert camp in the dunes. This trip is more ‘off the beaten track’ and involves 4x4 off-road driving. The drive from Marrakech to Mhamid includes the Draa River Valley, Zagora, Iriqui salt flats, Foum Zguid oasis, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou and Telouet.
- 4 day Marrakech to Fes (Fez) Desert Tours include camel trekking from Merzouga into Erg Chebbi and an overnight in the dunes. The drive from Marrakech to Fes includes Telouet, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, Skoura, Rose Valley, Todra Gorge, Ziz Gorge, Azrou and the cedar forests where Barbary apes live.
Note: 4 day Marrakech Desert Tours travel at a more relaxed pace to include more of the sites of Morocco. See 'Berber Trail 4x4 Tours in Morocco' for more information
Fes Sahara Trips and Fes to Marrakech Desert Tours
It is not possible to take a 1 day camel trek from Fes as the closest dunes of Erg Chebbi at Merzouga are a day’s drive; to camel trek from Fes we recommend at least 3 days:
- 3 day Fes to Merzouga Desert Tours include one night in a hotel on the dunes and an overnight camel trek in Erg Chebbi to sleep in a Berber tent in the desert; overnight desert tours include sunset and sunrise camel treks in the Erg Chebbi.
- 4 day Fes to Merzouga Desert Excursions give you an extra day to break the journey from Fes to Erg Chebbi and give you more time to explore Merzouga e.g. fossil beds, Gnawa musicians, seasonal lakes etc. The drive from Fes to Merzouga includes Ifrane, Azrou, the cedar forests where Barbary apes live and Ziz Gorge.
- 4 day Fes to Marrakech desert tours include an Erg Chebbi camel trek with an overnight in the dunes and, in addition to the highlights between Fes and Merzouga, the drive includes Todra Gorge, Rose Valley, Skoura Palmerie, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou and Telouet.
What to Wear and Take on a Camel Trek in Morocco
- Comfy, baggy clothes are recommended for camel treks in Morocco and, in winter months, warm layers and wind-proof jacket
- Blankets are provided but, for your comfort, we recommend a sleeping-bag liner (summer) and sleeping bag (autumn through late-Spring)
- See 'Camel Treks Morocco' for recommended packing
Desert Sandboarding, Duneboarding and Quad Biking
Boards for sandboarding and duneboarding in the desert dunes are available for hire locally.
Quad bikes are also available for local hire in Merzouga although you are encouraged not to disturb other clients who may be visiting the desert for peace and tranquility.
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 400 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
“The tour and my dealings with you were brilliant, I must say Authentic Morocco was very efficient and the sights superb; the highlight of the holiday was the camel trip into the desert and it was just fantastic."
“The Mhamid and Erg Chigaga leg of our trip was phenomenal. The desert was beautiful and peaceful, and a real treat lay in spending the day with an Ait Atta semi-nomadic family and learning just a little of how to survive and thrive in such a seemingly hostile environment; the tour was the highlight of our time in Morocco. Would we recommend the desert in mid-July? Absolutely! We were in very safe hands with Authentic Morocco.”
“First off, I want to say that our whole experience with Authentic Morocco was great. Our trip would not have been the same without the experience you afforded us. I feel that the itinerary you created for us, based on what we said we were looking to experience, really allowed us to explore the country in a way that I suspect most visitors to Morocco never get the chance to do. Your suggestion about the Gnawa musicians was fantastic and I was blown away. Sitting there in the mud walled room with the light streaming in from the windows, feeling the drum beat literally in my chest and seeing their faces ... I was nearly overwhelmed, it was that moving and intense. I felt like I was transported to another place and time."
“We had an absolutely fantastic time, thank you so much! Our driver was great – so friendly and helpful and really looked after us. He took us to some great, rustic restaurants in the little villages along the way that we never would have experienced otherwise and it gave the whole experience a really ‘authentic’ feel and not too touristy at all which was what we wanted. The camel trek from Zagora was amazing and the night in the nomad tent in the desert with our Berber guide was simply incredible – hard to put into words. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and it really was a very special trip. Thank you again for all your help in arranging this and making it so special. I would definitely recommend your service to anyone I know who is thinking of traveling to Morocco.”
“Thank you for our 3 day camel trek to Erg Chagaga. The guides were kind and helpful, and funny, I haven't laughed like that in a long time. You took us to some very special places - thank you. I adored the serenity of the travelling, the desert is just so beautiful. I loved camel trekking through the dunes but I also found something quite magical in my solitary walking across the open desert. I appreciated your advance information about what to expect - it helped me be prepared for cold nights and early mornings - and so little washing!"
