Seven camel programmes, all at Merzouga on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes: a sunset or a sunrise ride, a night in a Berber camp reached by camel, and programmes of two to five days that combine camel rides with 4×4 and quad outings, nights in camp and nights in a Merzouga hotel. Each one starts in Merzouga, so you arrive by your own transport or on one of our desert tours.
Choose a programme
Pick by how much time you have at Merzouga; each card opens the programme's details.
To the foot of a high dune, then the last stretch on foot.
An early ride to a dune for the sunrise.
Ride to the camp, spend the evening there, ride back after breakfast.
A night in camp, then nomad families by camel or a 4×4 tour.
Camp, a camel ride to a nomad family, then a day by 4×4.
A sunset ride, quads, camping at Sefsaf, the souk and Erfoud.
Camp, the Rissani souk, the mines, Sefsaf and a quad ride.
Our desert tours drive you there from Marrakech, Fes and other cities, each with a camel ride to a camp.
How it works
We meet you at an agreed point in Merzouga and store your car and heavy luggage in the village, so you only take a small bag to the camp. Our camel men help you mount, explain how to sit securely before the camel stands up and lead the caravan, stopping as often as you like for photographs.
Every overnight programme follows the same evening at the camp: mint tea when you arrive, free time on the dunes with sandboarding for those who want it, a Moroccan dinner, drums and Berber music around the campfire, and breakfast before the camels take you back.
We store your car and heavy luggage in the village; you take a small bag.
About an hour and a half by camel to the camp, with stops for photographs.
Mint tea, the dunes or sandboarding, a Moroccan dinner, drums and Berber music by the fire.
Breakfast, then the camels take you back.
Full list: what to expect on a Sahara desert tour. Temperatures at Merzouga through the year: Morocco weather by month.
The camps are Berber tent camps reached by camel; some have a shower you can use in the morning, but not every camp does, so ask when you enquire if it matters to you. On the longer programmes the nights in Merzouga itself are in a hotel.
Short rides · no night
On the sunset and sunrise rides the camels stay at the foot of the dune and you climb the last stretch on foot, where a blanket is waiting.
We meet you at an agreed point, store your car or bags, and ride towards the highest dune we can reach. The camels wait at the foot while you climb the last stretch; at the top a blanket is waiting and you watch the colour of the dunes change as the sun goes down. Then the camels take you back to the starting point.
Book by the day before you reach the desert
An early start, a ride to a good spot on a dune for the sunrise, a blanket at the top and time to take photographs before riding back. The ride ends with a drop-off at an agreed place.
Book by the day before you reach the desert
Shortest overnight · 1 night
The shortest overnight programme begins when you reach Merzouga; come early if you want the sunset from the camp, otherwise the camel men stop on the way.
You ride to the camp, spend the evening there and ride back after breakfast.
2 to 5 days
The longer programmes fill the days in between with 4×4 or quad outings to nomad families, the Gnaoua village of Khamlia, the Rissani souk, the M'Ifiss mines, the Sefsaf area near the border and the fossil workshops of Erfoud.
Our tours are private: your party travels with its own dedicated driver and is not combined with other travellers. On these programmes the camel rides are led by our camel men and the nights are in Berber tent camps and Merzouga hotels; the private tours page explains what private covers.
Already at Merzouga
These programmes are for travellers who are already at Merzouga or want to spend several days around the dunes.
Starting from a city
If you are starting from a city, our Morocco desert tours drive you to the Sahara from Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca, Tangier or Agadir, and each includes one camel ride to a camp; the shortest are the three-day loop from Marrakech and the two-day trip from Fes. The two-day Zagora trip from Marrakech has a sunset camel ride in the smaller Zagora dunes; Merzouga or Zagora compares the two deserts.
In Merzouga. We meet you at an agreed point in the village and keep your car and luggage there while you are in the dunes.
From a sunset or sunrise ride to five days and four nights. The overnight programmes spend one to two nights in a camp; the four- and five-day programmes add nights in a Merzouga hotel and a night camping at Sefsaf.
On these programmes the camel ride is how you reach the camp. If someone in your group would rather not ride, say so when you enquire.
Yes. Families ride and camp with us; tell us the children's ages when you enquire.
Let us know the day before you reach the desert at the latest, so the camels and the camel men are ready.
Get a free quote
Tell us which programme, your dates and the size of your group, and we'll reply with availability and a price.
Tell us about your trip and we'll get back to you with more information.
