Merzouga Dunes — Attraction in Caïdat de Taouz

Erg Chebbi, located near Merzouga, Morocco, is one of the Sahara Desert’s most famous dune fields. Stretching roughly 30 kilometers long and up to 5 kilometers wide, with dunes reaching heights of 150 meters, this landscape offers stunning views and a chance to experience the vastness of the Sahara. The golden sands, shaped by the wind, provide a constantly changing panorama.

Structures and Amenities Despite its remote setting, Erg Chebbi is well-equipped for tourists:

Desert Camps: Several luxury desert camps are located throughout the dunes, combining traditional Berber hospitality with modern comforts. These camps offer private tents with en-suite bathrooms, comfortable bedding, and high-quality meals, allowing visitors to enjoy the desert in style. Camel Treks: Camel treks are a traditional way to explore the dunes. Options range from short rides to multi-day treks, leading travelers into the heart of the desert, often timed to catch breathtaking sunrises or sunsets. Hotels and Guesthouses: In the nearby town of Merzouga, various hotels and guesthouses cater to different budgets. They often feature amenities like swimming pools, traditional Moroccan decor, and convenient access to the dunes. 4x4 Tours: For a more adventurous exploration, 4x4 tours offer an exhilarating ride over the sand dunes. These tours typically include visits to local oases, fossil sites, and Berber villages. Sandboarding: For thrill-seekers, sandboarding allows visitors to surf down the dunes on specially designed boards, offering an exciting desert adventure.

Access and Travel Tips

• Access: The nearest airport is Errachidia, about 130 kilometers from Merzouga. From there, travelers can arrange transfers or rent cars. By road, Merzouga is accessible via a well-maintained route from Rissani, about 40 kilometers away, with regular bus services and private taxis available. • Travel Tips: The best times to visit are spring (March to May) and fall (September to November), when temperatures are more moderate. Summers can be extremely hot, and winter nights can be cold. Essential items to pack include sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and loose-fitting clothing to protect from the sun. For overnight stays, bring a flashlight and warm layers for the cool evenings. Always carry plenty of water to stay hydrated, and consider insect repellent.

Historical Background Formation: Erg Chebbi’s dunes have formed over millions of years due to geological processes and climatic conditions, with wind erosion and deposition creating the impressive landscape seen today. Evidence suggests that this area once had more temperate conditions, with ancient lakes and rivers now long gone.

Tourism History: Tourism in Erg Chebbi began developing in the late 20th century. Initially, it was known mainly to nomadic tribes and explorers. As Morocco expanded its tourism infrastructure, the region became more accessible, transforming Erg Chebbi into a significant tourist destination. The construction of roads and the rise of desert camps have made it a sought-after location for those looking to experience the Sahara’s beauty and Berber culture.

Conclusion Erg Chebbi offers a unique and memorable desert experience. Whether through camel treks, stays in luxury desert camps, or adventurous 4x4 tours, visitors can appreciate the remarkable landscape and rich cultural heritage. The historical development of the dunes and their prominence in tourism highlight Erg Chebbi’s allure as a top...

The Merzouga desert is about 560 kilometers away from Marrakech, and it takes 9-10 hours to arrive by road. This is the most popular desert in Morocco.

The sand dunes that are popular and most visited by tourists is the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. They are in Southeastern Morocco and are very safe. There are no “rebels” in the area. The dunes of Erg Chebbi rise to 150 meters in some places from the surrounding Hamada rocky desert.

We joined a 2 hours camel trip into the dunes to watch the astonishing sunset. We met and mounted trusty camels, aka ships of the desert. It was a mind blogging experience when our camel stood up from its kneeling position and started to walk. We felt like as if we were riding on a fast shooting up elevator and our heart nearly missed a beat. We ventured forth across the sand, crossing dunes and enjoying vast desert views from on high up on our camel. Share some points for desert visit. We were told that when we arrived at the edge of the desert and would be met by a group of desert 4x4 and tried to choose a younger driver. The reason was that they drove faster to reach the camel site. You could then choose a better camel and its guide (the tips is to choose the camels with more teeth and its guide is younger and energetic.) An energetic would guide you to unique instagrammable spots. Unfortunately we arrived not fast enough to choose younger camels and guides. Thank goodness our camels arrived the sand dunes in time for the sunset finale; however we could not have ample time to take more memorable photos. Anyway it was an enchanting and memorable experience. The tour guide showed us how to wrap a turbine in our heads on the way to the desert; it was bit difficult to make a perfect one the first time. After the sunset we need to leave quickly to locate our camel and guide because the dusk was falling rapidly and the temperature dropped drastically. We were a bit panicking to find our camels in the dusk of the serene desert. Thank goodness our camel guide found us. So Keep in mind one very important tip is that you pay the camel guide only after you arrive back from the desert. And you do not pay any extra money more than what was previously agreed. The camel guide also will try to make you buy souvenirs (fake antique fossils etc) from them. Don’t bring too much baggages with you to the camel ride. Wear long sleeves and pants for comfortableness n sunlight protection.

Take particularly striking contrast photos, where the desert background is shaded and the foreground is illuminated by the warm hues of the sunset. Maybe you only visit a desert once or twice in your lifetime, so indulge and relax yourself in the beauty of...

When starting to research an overnight camel trek, it was a little overwhelming to see all the options. My sister received a recommendation for Merzouga Dunes Tours and I immediately began communicating with Rachid over email. He was very responsive and helpful in answering all my questions and the website is also very informative which I really appreciated. He also provided excellent directions to arrive at the guest house and we were able to find it without issue. We started out the trek by having tea before loading up on our camels. Before we arrived, I was worried the tour would feel too commercialized or inauthentic, but Merzouga Dunes Tours did an excellent job.

The camp was not too far and the camel ride was just over an hour which was absolutely perfect. We watched the sun rise and then returned to camp for dinner. I was more than impressed with the spread of dinner. We started with soup and then had a tajine, followed by a yogurt and fruit dessert.. After 2 weeks in Morocco, we were all tajine-d out, but this tajine was the best we had and definitely breathed new life into tajines for us! One tent was a sitting area for dinner which was beautiful and kept the cold desert night winds off you while you ate. They provided more than enough blankets in our sleeping tents and we stayed quite warm overnight.

The next morning we set off and finished with a yummy breakfast at the guest house. Rachid was so kind and informative and we had a lovely time speaking with him.

My only suggestion would be to have the tour start slightly earlier. Even by 30 minutes or so. Once we arrived at camp, it was basically time to watch the sunset and we would have loved a little more time to fool around on the sand boards/skis!

This was my second overnight camel trek (first was in India) and this far surpassed all my expectations and I was thoroughly impressed with the services provided. The attention to detail was perfect and allowed for a very comfortable and...