04Experiences

Experience

A night in the Sahara

The best-known trip in southern Morocco is a night among the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Small caravans leave Merzouga on camelback before sunset and wind between dunes up to 150 metres high; the whole sea of sand is only 5 to 7 kilometres wide, so camp is never far. The camps are permanent, on the outer edges of the erg, and there you watch the sun go down from a dune crest, then spend the evening around the fire with traditional music, in the manner of the nomadic Amazigh way of life. In the morning climb up early to watch the sun rise over the sand. Many private tours from Marrakesh or Fez include a night in a camp near Merzouga, and the road from either city is long, so plan several days rather than a single night. The best season is October to April, and winter nights are cold, so pack warm clothes. Choose a licensed camp: unlicensed ones were closed in 2019 to protect the dunes from waste and water overuse.

0 m

Height of the tallest dunes

5–7 km

Width of the erg