5 daysMax 16Available
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.
Price on request
Drâa-Tafilalet, south-east Morocco
Merzouga & the Sahara
Erg Chebbi — real Saharan dunes, camel treks and nights under the stars
About Merzouga & the Sahara
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.
Best for
- Sunset camel trek into the dunes
- A night in a desert camp (standard or luxury)
- Stargazing and astro-photography
- Sandboarding down 100 m dunes
- Aït Benhaddou & Todra Gorge en route
Tours visiting Merzouga & the Sahara
Hand-picked experiences with hotel pickup and free 24h cancellation.
4 daysMax 12Available
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.
Price on request
3 daysMax 12Available
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.
Price on request
Agadir4h 30mMax 100Available
Drive the coast from Agadir or Taghazout to the Timlaline dunes near Tamri, try sandboarding, explore a secret canyon and watch the sun set over the ocean.
From 469 MAD per person
8h 30mMax 99Available
A full day south of Agadir: sea caves and a quiet beach, coastal dunes, birdlife at the Massa River, Tiznit's old medina and lunch in the mountains.
From 644 MAD per person
Agadir9hMax 15Available
A full day from Agadir: swim among the palms in Paradise Valley, then walk the wild beach and dunes of Tamri, with a tajine lunch at a local home.
From 807 MAD per person
Practical info
How to get there
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.
Best time to visit
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.
What to bring
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions travellers ask us most.
Can you visit the Sahara from Agadir in one day?
Not the real Erg Chebbi — Merzouga is 9–10 hours each way, so genuine Sahara trips need 3–4 days minimum. For a one-day taste of dunes near Agadir, our sunset "mini-Sahara" and Timlaline dune experiences deliver golden sand, camels and sandboarding just 30–60 minutes from the city.
What is a Merzouga desert camp like?
Camps sit in the dunes 30–60 minutes by camel from the village. Standard camps have shared Berber tents, proper mattresses, blankets and a fire-lit dinner with Gnawa drumming; luxury camps add private en-suite tents, rugs and hot showers. Both include dinner, breakfast and the sunrise wake-up.
Is the camel trek difficult?
No riding experience is needed — the camels walk in a guided caravan at a gentle pace for 45–90 minutes. It's a rocking motion rather than a bumpy one; anyone comfortable sitting for an hour will manage. Anyone who prefers can swap the camel for a 4x4 transfer to the camp.
Is the Sahara circuit suitable for children?
Yes — families do the circuit regularly. The long drive days are the main consideration (we break them with stops at Aït Benhaddou, gorges and oases). Camps welcome children, and the camel caravan is a highlight for them. October–April temperatures are child-friendly.
Continue exploring
Nearby destinations
Timlaline Dunes
Golden Atlantic dunes hidden between cliffs and a secret canyon — Morocco's sandboarding capital
Marrakech
The Red City — souks, palaces and Jemaa el-Fnaa, three hours from Agadir
Agadir
Morocco's modern Atlantic resort city — gateway to the south