Erg Chebbi — real Saharan dunes, camel treks and nights under the stars
Merzouga is the village at the foot of Erg Chebbi, Morocco's most spectacular sand sea — a 22-kilometre sweep of sculpted dunes rising up to 150 metres, glowing orange at dawn and dusk. This is the Sahara of the imagination: camel caravans filing along the crests, Berber camps in the hollows, and a night sky with no light pollution for a hundred kilometres.
Reaching it is a journey in itself. From Agadir or Marrakech the route crosses the High Atlas and threads through Aït Benhaddou's fortified ksar, the Todra Gorge and the palm-filled Drâa and Ziz valleys — which is why Merzouga is done as a multi-day circuit, not a day trip. The classic experience: arrive for sunset camel trek, dinner and drums at a desert camp, sleep under canvas, and climb a dune before dawn for sunrise.
Hand-picked experiences with hotel pickup and free 24h cancellation.
From the red city over the High Atlas to the golden dunes of the Sahara: Aït Ben Haddou, the Dades and Todra gorges, a camel trek and a night in a Berber camp at Erg Chebbi.
Start on the Atlantic coast in Agadir and drive deep into the Moroccan interior — Taroudant, the film city of Ouarzazate, the palm-filled Draa Valley — to reach the great Sahara dunes of Merzouga, with a night in a desert camp.
A three-day loop from Agadir into the deep south — fortified kasbahs, the ksar of Aït Benhaddou, the Dades and Todra gorges, and a night on the Erg Chebbi dunes under the stars.
Discover sandboarding on golden Sahara dunes and explore a hidden canyon on this half-day coastal adventure near Agadir and Taghazout.
A full day of adventure: explore a charming fishing village and hidden caves, ride the dunes along the Atlantic, and discover the golden Sahara near Agadir.
A full day combining the pools of Paradise Valley with the Tamri sand dunes, wild beach, and a traditional Moroccan lunch.
Merzouga is 560 km from Agadir and 560 km from Marrakech — 9–10 hours of driving either way, broken by the sights that make the route famous. Our circuits run it as 4 days from Agadir or 5 days from Marrakech via Aït Benhaddou, the Todra Gorge and the Drâa Valley. There is no practical one-day option to the real Sahara.
October to April. Days are warm (20–28°C) and nights crisp — near freezing December–January, so camps provide thick blankets. Summer (June–August) regularly exceeds 45°C and is best avoided; March–April can bring occasional sandstorm days.
Layers for the day-night swing, a scarf or cheich for sun and sand, sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen, a head torch for the camp, and a power bank (camp electricity is limited to evenings). Soft bag rather than hard suitcase — it rides a camel or a 4x4.
Quick answers to the questions travellers ask us most.
Golden Atlantic dunes hidden between cliffs and a secret canyon — Morocco's sandboarding capital
The Red City — souks, palaces and Jemaa el-Fnaa, three hours from Agadir
Morocco's modern Atlantic resort city — gateway to the south
