How to get to Merzouga
Merzouga is a 600 km, 9-hour drive east of Marrakesh and about 450 km, 8 hours from Fes, and two hours from the closest airport in Errachidia.
It is the furthest away place you can visit in Morocco, not counting Dakhla.
There are direct flights to Errachidia from Marrakesh and Casablanca, and you can take an affordable bus for the rest of the way or book a private transfer from the airport.
We came to Merzouga from Marrakesh with our rental car as part of our big Morocco road trip on the so-called Route of a Thousand Kasbahs. Before Merzouga, we visited Ait Benhaddou, Skoura Oasis, the Dades Gorge (and Monkey Fingers canyon), and the fascinating Todra Gorge.
Public transport to Merzouga
Bus from Marrakesh: 12 hours
Bus from Fes: 10 hours
Bus from Ouarzazate: 7 hours
Bus from Errachidia: 2.5 hours
Can you visit Merzouga on a day trip?
Because of its far-away location, visiting Merzouga isn’t possible on a day trip from any of the bigger cities like Marrakesh or Fes.
Merzouga is a popular stopover on the so-called Desert Tour, which follows a multi-day itinerary from Marrakesh to Fes, or vice versa. The desert tour through Merzouga means you can visit more places than just the desert, without crazy driving times in between.
However, no matter what type of transport you use, getting to Merzouga means you’ll spend a long time on the road unless you’re flying into Errachidia airport.
Best way to explore Morocco?
RENTING A CAR
We love exploring places at our own pace and on our own time, especially to avoid crowds at popular destinations we visit. Plus, watching sunrises and sunsets at epic locations is a must. ☀
That’s why renting a car for us is a no-brainer, and an unmissable part of most trips. 🚗
We love having the choice to compare prices, choose different pick-up and drop-off locations (one-way rentals), and pay for a reasonable full insurance policy without going broke. 🤑
Is Merzouga really in the Sahara Desert?
What’s most important is that the Sahara Desert doesn’t have set borders like countries do. Technically, Merzouga is indeed part of the Sahara, even though it’s on its edge.
Whether or not Merzouga is part of the Sahara Desert, it’s the best Moroccan destination for seeing super-high sand dunes.
It definitely looks like other parts of the Sahara we’ve visited before in Egypt!
- We answered this question in more detail in our article: Merzouga – Is it really part of the Sahara?
What to see and experience in Merzouga
We came to Morocco’s desert in Merzouga purely to walk the sand dunes and sleep in a desert camp near them.
So there are actually a few things we didn’t experience in Merzouga that you can do if it’s your first time in the desert. Looking back, we also wish we had done more!
1. Walking up to the highest sand dune
The sand dunes in Merzouga are very high, with the Lala Merzouga (grand dune) reaching about 160 meters in height.
The height makes climbing the sand dunes a fun but also challenging adventure. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes to climb some of the highest dunes in Merzouga.
While the highest sand dune in Merzouga is the Lala Merzouga dune, you don’t have to climb that one exactly to experience a high sand dune. Instead, climb the highest one you see, and you’ll get a fantastic view.
We stayed in the northern part of Merzouga, where some of the highest dunes are located, but they are not as popular as the ones just outside the towns of Hassilabied and Merzouga.
Right as we arrived at our camp, we knew we were going to hike up the highest dune we saw, no matter what. We decided to do it at sunrise the next morning, and it was quite an intense exercise! But it was so worth it, and we got fantastic views of the whole area.
However, when we got to the top, we realized there was one more sand dune that’s just a bit higher than the one we climbed. Oh well!
2. Sandboarding
Sandboarding is something we already did in Egypt, and since we didn’t have much extra time, we didn’t end up doing it in Merzouga.
There are sandboard rental places in each town in Merzouga, and depending on where you stay, your hotel/camp might have some for rent as well.
Just be careful how you sandboard, as from what we saw, you can’t really strap your feet to the board, which means you will slide off on a steeper sand dune. The safest way, honestly, is to just sit on the board, and it’s actually quite fun, and you can go further than by standing.
For sandboarding in Merzouga, we recommend choosing a sand dune area where you don’t see quads or buggies driving around, as it’s going to ruin your experience. We recommend taking a few extra minutes to walk farther away.
For example, at Lala Lallia, the highest sand dune in Hassilabied, where we went for sunset, it was so busy with all kinds of vehicles, from 4×4 cars to buggies and quads, as well as dirt bikes.
So we would definitely recommend not going sandboarding there. And it’s the same in the main tourist part of Merzouga town on the approach to the highest dune.
Here is what our sandboarding looked like!
3. Quad and Buggy ride
A super popular activity in Merzouga is riding Quads or Buggies over the sand dunes.
It’s another thing we didn’t really feel like doing, but looking back, we wish we had, as it would have been a great way to see a larger area of the sand dunes than we did.
You can book your ride on the spot, but the price might be higher than if you book a Quad/Buggy ride online in advance. Plus, you can secure your slot/timing for exactly when you want to do it, and read reviews of the company, so you know they’re maintaining their vehicles (super important!).
We found a trusted company in Merzouga that offers Quad and Buggy rides and could be a great option if you’d like to experience them.
We recommend booking the quad ride earlier in the day, when there are fewer people on the dunes. The one we found has an early-morning slot at 7 AM, which is great.
To be honest, from what we saw, the buggies look like more fun and easier to drive. So if your budget permits, go for that.
Alternatively, you can also book a 4×4 desert tour, where a driver takes you around the desert.
Looking back, we are sad we didn’t do some more activities, as that’s the best way to experience the desert.
4. Camel ride
Riding camels isn’t something we feel comfortable promoting, especially since it’s hard to tell which animals are treated well and which aren’t.
However, if you find a good desert camp that has its own camels for rides and takes proper care of them, it’s a good option. We didn’t stay there, but The Desert Palace treats its camels like family!
Otherwise, we can’t really recommend a camel ride in Merzouga.
One important thing you need to know is that camels are one of the main ways to reach your desert camp, though.
That’s why, if you’re staying in a desert camp on the other side of the sand dunes, you can choose to get there by camel or 4×4.
Just keep in mind that if you choose a camel ride to your desert camp instead of a 4×4, it’s going to be much more uncomfortable.
While we hadn’t ridden a camel before, everyone said it was super uncomfortable and that after 10 to 15 minutes they’d had enough (plus a sore butt).
Alternatively, you can also go on a horseback riding tour on the dunes. We saw that exact horse tour at the dunes just outside of Hassilabied, where we watched the sunset, and it looked more fun than the slow camel rides.
Planning an active trip?
Don't risk it without travel insurance
We never travel outside our home countries before getting travel insurance. And sure, we don’t count on anything happening. But it can when you least expect it! 🤕
For example, Arijana twisted her ankle just because she took a wrong step when going down completely normal stairs. 🤦♀️
In those situations (and hopefully nothing worse), travel insurance comes in handy so you don’t have to pay the medical costs.
Plus, since it costs about 3 USD/EUR per day, it’s not a crazy expense, and definitely not something to ignore. 😷
5. Staying in a desert camp with a campfire and music at night
It took us literal days to decide if we actually wanted to stay in a desert camp in Merzouga and, if yes, which one!
In the end, we decided to book a desert camp that’s accessible by regular car. This was great, as we came to Merzouga with our rental car and wanted to be able to go to a restaurant or shop in town if we wanted, rather than being stuck in the camp.
We hit the jackpot, as the desert camp we booked was not only accessible by a regular car like our Dacia Sandero, but it was also super close to some very high dunes. Also, they had their own quads that you could rent. Plus, they offer camel rides, but we’re not sure what their camels are like.
We booked a basic room without a toilet, which was actually fine, as there were enough toilets and showers for all the rooms without. There are also rooms with private bathrooms, and they cost just a bit more.
Otherwise, the camp also offered a set-menu dinner, which, judging by reviews, people like. We wouldn’t know, as we actually ended up eating in the town after sunset, since we made it back to the camp quite late.
Right after they finished serving dinner at the camp, the staff started a campfire. We all gathered around as they sang and played the drums. It was a great end to the night!
Breakfast in the camp was a traditional Moroccan breakfast with eggs, bread, spreads like jam and honey, and tea and coffee. It was simple but tasty and filling, perfect for starting the day.
Since we went to catch the sunrise and walk to the highest dune, we came back just before breakfast finished (around 10, if we’re not mistaken). Luckily, there was still enough food left!
6. Stargazing in the desert
Our favorite thing to do in the desert is to go stargazing. And it’s one of the things we were really looking forward to when visiting Merzouga!
Stargazing was also one of the reasons why we ended up booking a desert camp, so that we could step out into the desert right from the camp and walk the dunes at night.
We went stargazing right after the campfire singing and drumming finished, and had to walk about 10 minutes inbetween the sand dunes, to get away from the lights of the camps around.
It’s a shame that there was a full moon during our visit, so we couldn’t get those crazy good photos of the starry sky.
Also, the closeness of other camps didn’t help, as there were multiple lights still turned on, making it harder to capture the best shots.
7. Sleeping in a bivouac in the middle of the sand dunes
While there are no permanent camps in the sand dunes, you can still spend the night in a tent/bivouac, a kind of wildcamping.
You can organize this by booking a desert trek and camp tour that includes a camel ride or a desert walk, dinner, and a night in a bivouac (a simple mobile tent).
Staying in a bivouac is the only way to spend the night away from towns, vehicles, and countless camps, making it a more intimate, noise-free experience.
There aren’t many of these experiences available online, as they’re usually arranged with locals on the spot, but there is an option to book an overnight bivouac camping trip online.
This is an experience we also had in the White Desert in Egypt, where we explored the whole area in a 4×4, then slept in a makeshift overnight camp rather than an actual permanent one. It was such a great experience, with zero light or noise pollution.
We managed to capture some incredible night shots and truly experience a night in the desert.
Where to stay in Merzouga
The Desert Palace (luxury camp) – our favorite one on the other side of the dunes, not right next to another camp, with camels treated extremely well
Merzouga Activities Camp (budget camp) – where we stayed, accessible by regular car, close to high sand dunes and the town of Hassilabied
Riad Villa Amood – super comfortable luxury hotel with a pool in the town of Hassilabied, very close to the sand dunes
Sahara Sands – budget hotel in Merzouga town, easy access to the highest dune
Auberge Ocean des Dunes – budget hotel right in Hassilabied, also super close to the sand dunes
Important note about Merzouga Desert Camps
In 2026, there are no desert camps right in the middle of the sand dunes of Merzouga, but they’re all located at the edges of the dunes.
Before 2020, there were desert camps right in the middle, but in 2019, the government removed them all.
You must be careful when booking a desert camp, as many are located on the other side of Erg Chebbi and require a 4×4 or a camel ride to reach them, often more expensive than the tent room itself.
Things to do beyond the sand dunes
- Merzouga Lake “Lac Dayet Srij” – a lake that sometimes appears, known for having flamingos
- Gnawa music in Khamlia village – traditional music by inhabitants of Merzouga who are originally from Sub-Saharan Africa (Mali, Sudan, Senegal, Niger)
- Tahiri Museum of Fossils in Erfoud – visit on the way to or from Merzouga.
Where to eat good food in Merzouga
When we arrived in Merzouga, it was already Day 11 of our big Morocco road trip, and we’d already had countless portions of Tagine and Couscous. So we decided to find something different!
In Hassilabied, the town closest to our camp, we ate at Snack Hassi Labied, where we had incredible wraps with fries. They were delicious and exactly what we needed.
The next day, we were craving pizza, so we went to La Grotte Dunes Restaurant in the center of Merzouga town. We saw reviews saying that they make great pizzas, and they really do. Can’t say it was the best pizza of our lives, but it definitely hit the spot.
Want traditional food instead? Both of these restaurants have great options!
Things we were happy we packed for the desert
Most packing lists are generic, but these are the things we actually appreciated having while in Merzouga.
- Powerbank 🔋 – Super important to bring a powerbank, as power is not guaranteed. Our camp didn’t have power in tents at all, so we had to charge everything in the common space. Having a camera, our laptops, phones, and more with us meant a powerbank was a must.
- Hand in hand with the powerbank, a Universal Power Adapter, so you can actually plug your electronics in.
- Sports Sandals 🩴 – We used our sports sandals, which were great for walking on the sand dunes, because they’re comfortable and have a good grip. Plus, the sand went right through them.
- Action Camera 📸 – Preferably on a stick or strap, so you don’t lose it in the sand when running down the dunes.
- Insulated Water Bottle that actually holds temperature 💦 – We spent most of our days outside, so having a good bottle that keeps our water COLD was amazing.
- Waterproof Sunscreen 🧴 – The sun will burn you otherwise.
- Sarong or a similar cover-up 🧣 – With strong wind and the sun beating down on you, it’s a necessity.
Continue planning your Morocco trip
- Marrakesh Travel Guide: THE most famous destination in Morocco – traditional Riad stays, shopping at busy Souks, and exploring the maze that is the old city (Medina)
- Ait Benhaddou Guide: The historic Ksar, a UNESCO site, is a fortified town like no other
- Ouzoud Waterfalls visiting tips: A fascinating set of waterfalls, accessible as a day trip from Marrakesh (it’s even pictured on a banknote!)
- Iminifri Natural Bridge: If hidden gems are still a thing, this is absolutely one!
- Dades Gorge and Monkey Fingers: A typical stopover on a bigger Morocco itinerary (unique rock formations)
- Todra Gorge: Narrow gorge with a nearby oasis, and a stunning hike
