Merzouga is a small village in southeastern Morocco, about 35 km southeast of Rissani, about 55 km from Erfoud, and about 50 km from the Algerian border.
Errachidia is a province located in eastern central Morocco in the region of Dra-Tafilalt. Errachidia is bordered by Algeria to the southeast and by the Moroccan provinces of Figig to the northeast, Midelt to the north, Tinghir to the west, and Zagura to the southwest.
Learn more 8 km away
Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco's several ergs – large seas of dunes formed by wind-blown sand. There are several other ergs such as Erg Chigaga near M'hamid.
Learn more Book this experienceA trip to the desert in Morocco is not complete without a camel trek in the dunes. For those who are fascinated by the caravans which crossed the African deserts between mythical cities transporting wanted products like salt, this is the opportunity to feel like a nomad for one night. Experience Morocco with a camel trek through the dunes of Erg Chebbi Desert on this overnight trip through the Sahara. Try sand-boarding and drumming, then enjoy traditional tagine and sweet mint tea before camping under the stars in a Berber tent. This is a tour created for any quantity up to 50 people.
Book this experience 14 km away
Drâa-Tafilalet is one of the twelve regions of Morocco. It covers an area of 88,836 km² and had a population of 1,635,008 as of the 2014 Moroccan census. The capital of the region is Errachidia.
Learn more 45 km away
Erfoud is an oasis town in the Sahara Desert, in the Drâa-Tafilalet region in eastern Morocco. It is divided into several districts: Hay Salam, Hay Jdid, Hay Ziz, Hay el Bathaa, Hay Annahda, and Hay el Hamri.
Learn more 9 km away
See golden dunes of Sahara desert Merzouga (Erg Chebbi). Take a camel ride and spend unforgettable starry night at the camp in the traditional Berber tents. Enjoy your time with delicious moroccan meals (dinner and breakfast) such as tajin or harrira and drink mint tea. Later try sandboarding and enjoy your evening with Berber music alive on drums. For more details contact us directly via email or whatsapp. We speak in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic.
Book this experienceWe offer best camel trekking experience. And private tent with shower and toilet in luxury desert camp
Book this experienceWe offer luxury camp stay with extra -Explore Merzouga desert and spend an Explore Morocco’s Erg Chebbi dunes—and spend the night under the stars in a Berber-style desert camp—on this overnight tour from Merzouga. Begin with a camel ride across the sand; upon arrival at your camp, take in the sights, try sandboarding, and settle down for a traditional tagine dinner and sweet mint tea. The next day, wake up in time to see the sunrise, and enjoy breakfast before departing. -A traditional dinner, overnight camp stay, and breakfast are included - Get up close and personal with the sights on a camel ride All necessary equipment is included -This tour makes it simple to explore Morocco’s desert scenery
Book this experienceSahara ATV Quad Adventures, is a great daytime activity which combines the excitement of driving a Yamaha 350 4x4 automatic, visiting one of the most beautiful areas of Merzouga desert and very deep Sahara desert. To assure your ultimate all-road experience we use top of the Quad Bike (Yamaha 350) to run these amazing tracks, sand dunes and test your driving skills!
Book this experienceDiscover the best tours and activities around Merzouga, Morocco and book your travel experience today with our booking partners
20 pictures of Merzouga from Francesco Ungaro, Jeff Jewiss, Rubén Bagüés and other travelers
Travel to Merzouga if you like:
️🏜️ Desert 🏖️ Beach 🌲 EcoregionTo get to Merzouga, you have several options. The nearest airport is Errachidia Airport, located about 130 km away. From there, you can rent a car or take a taxi to Merzouga. Alternatively, you can take a bus from major cities such as Marrakech, Fes, or Casablanca to Rissani, a nearby town, and then take a taxi or another bus to Merzouga. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also rent a car and drive through the scenic Atlas Mountains.
It's highly recommended to book a desert tour in advance, as they tend to fill up quickly, especially during peak travel seasons. Most tours include camel treks, overnight stays in desert camps, and visits to local Berber villages. Booking a tour ensures that you have a knowledgeable guide and a memorable experience in the desert.
The costs of visiting Merzouga vary depending on your preferences. Budget accommodations can be found for as low as $15 per night, while more luxurious options can cost upwards of $100. Desert tours can range from $50 to $200 per person, depending on the length and level of comfort.
Among the best things to do in Merzouga are camel treks through the Erg Chebbi dunes, stargazing, and enjoying traditional Moroccan music around a campfire. You can also visit the Dayet Srji Salt Lake, which attracts numerous migratory birds, or explore the fossil-rich black desert nearby.
For dining, Café Restaurant Tenere offers delicious traditional Moroccan cuisine, while Restaurant Mezguito serves a mix of Moroccan and international dishes. For a unique dining experience, visit Restaurant Café Fatima, where you can enjoy Berber pizza – a local specialty.
When it comes to accommodations, Riad Madu provides a luxurious and authentic Moroccan experience, complete with a pool and stunning views of the dunes. For a more budget-friendly option, consider Auberge Camping La Liberté, which offers both private rooms and a camping area. Kasbah Azalay Merzouga is another excellent choice, with its traditional architecture and inviting atmosphere.
Off the beaten path: For a truly unique experience, consider visiting the Gnawa village of Khamlia, located about 7 km from Merzouga. This small village is home to a community of Gnawa musicians, who have preserved their unique culture and music. Visiting Khamlia is a fantastic opportunity to learn about their history, attend a live performance, and even participate in a traditional Gnawa music workshop.
If you pass in the Moroccan South-East, do not miss Merzouga. You will discover sand dunes as far as the eye can see, in the heart of the erg Chebbi, the first real pre-Saharan erg. On the other side of the dunes, there is a rocky desert that leads to the Algerian border. In recent years, the site has experienced a spectacular development, as evidenced by the proliferation of hostels at the foot of the dunes.
Thanks to its wild beauty, Merzouga was once chosen as the location for several scenes in the blockbuster movie 'Aquaman'. Traveling to Morocco to Merzouga, you will experience close to the life of the Berber nomads. From Merzouga you can move to the surrounding villages for fun African-style experiences.
The best time to travel Morocco to Merzouga is from March to June and from September to December every year. If you love festivals, you should definitely come to Merzouga on July 30 because this is when the locals celebrate in celebration of the Ascension Day. You will not be able to ignore the feeling of adventure on the backs of camels. Camel riding is also the best way to explore the lands around Merzouga town. Two attractive tourist destinations for you to explore are Taouz (20km from Merzouga) or Rissani (35km northwest of Merzouga). This place both helps you understand more about the indigenous culture and has a lot of interesting activities.
There is also an extremely unique experience in Merzouga that any visitor must try once. That is sand bath - a very interesting activity to help you have moments of relaxation. You will be completely buried except for the head. In the supine position for 10 minutes, you will be protected from the sun by the staff and given water to cool off. After 10 minutes, you are taken out of the sand bath with your body drenched in sweat. Immediately the staff will wrap blankets to help you cool down. After resting for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, you will have a warm bath and massage with refined camel fat. Sand bath is a very famous form of health tourism here with the effect of treating back pain, rheumatism, cardiovascular, overweight treatment, skin diseases... There are many interesting places in this world but surely Surely traveling to Morocco in Merzouga will bring you an extremely magical experience.
Merzouga is a small town, so there are quite a few guesthouses or hotels for tourists. Make a reservation before the trip to avoid the case that the room is full. Highly recommend Africa Luxury camps, or you can stay at Desert Heart, Desert Berber camp.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/ma/africa-luxury-camp-erfoud.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/ma/bivouac-restaurant-panorama.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/ma/happy-luxury-merzouga-camp.html
After landing at Moulay Ali Cherif airport, you continue to travel by tourist car about 100km north to reach Merzouga.
Discover the best hotels around Merzouga, Morocco and book your stay today with our booking partner booking.com
Click on the pictures to learn more about the places and to get directions
Discover more travel spots to explore around Merzouga
️🏜️ Desert spots 🌲 Ecoregion spots 🏖️ Beach spotsExplore popular touristic places around Merzouga