Overview
If you have two days in Morocco and you want to sleep in the Sahara, this is the trip. It covers around 470 km each way from Fez to Merzouga, crossing three landscapes in a single morning, and ends with you on a camel walking into the dunes of Erg Chebbi as the sun goes down. It is intense, it involves real driving hours, and almost nobody regrets it.
Day one, the road south
You leave Fez early and climb into the Middle Atlas: Ifrane with its pitched roofs, then the cedar forests beyond Azrou where the Barbary macaques live. The road crosses the high plateau to Midelt, the apple town below Jebel Ayachi, and then threads the Tizi n Talghemt pass into the Ziz Valley, where a river of date palms runs between red cliffs for kilometre after kilometre. The viewpoint over the Ziz gorges is the photograph everybody stops for. Through Errachidia and Erfoud, the land flattens, the colour drains to grey and black hammada, and then, quite suddenly, the dunes are on the horizon.
Into the dunes
At Merzouga you leave the vehicle and meet your camels in the late afternoon. Erg Chebbi is a 28 km field of dunes rising to around 150 metres, and the trek in takes about an hour and a half, which is long enough for the silence to settle. You reach camp in time to climb the ridge behind it for sunset. Dinner is tagine and bread around a low table, then drums and Amazigh songs by the fire, and when the fire dies the sky is as full as you have ever seen it. Camps are traditional nomad-style tents with proper beds, blankets and shared or private facilities depending on the standard you choose.
Day two
You will be woken before dawn, because sunrise over the dunes is the reason people come. Breakfast at camp, then the camels take you back out to Merzouga and the long drive home to Fez along the same route, with different light and different stops. We arrive in Fez in the evening.
Be honest with yourself about the driving
Two days means roughly nine hours in the car on day one and nine on day two. If that sounds like too much, the three-day version splits the same route in half, adds a second desert night and a Berber village visit, and is the one we recommend to most people. We will tell you honestly which suits your group.
Highlights
- Erg Chebbi, the great dune field at Merzouga, up to 150 metres high
- A camel trek into the dunes for sunset and out again at sunrise
- A night in a traditional desert camp with dinner, drums and Amazigh songs
- The Ziz Valley gorges and the palm river between red cliffs
- The Middle Atlas cedar forests and the Barbary macaques near Azrou
- Tizi n Talghemt pass, Midelt and the black hammada before the sand
- Private transport from Fez, an experienced Amazigh guide and all camp meals
Itinerary
- 07:00 - Departure
Pickup in Fez and climb into the Middle Atlas via Ifrane.
- 09:00 - Cedar forest
The forest beyond Azrou and the Barbary macaques.
- 12:30 - Midelt
Lunch below Jebel Ayachi, on your own account.
- 14:30 - Ziz Valley
The Tizi n Talghemt pass and the viewpoint over the Ziz gorges and palm groves.
- 17:00 - Camel trek
Meet your camels at Merzouga and ride about 90 minutes into Erg Chebbi.
- 18:30 - Sunset and camp
Climb the dune behind camp for sunset, then dinner, drums and stars.
- 05:30 - Sunrise
Wake before dawn for sunrise over the dunes, then breakfast at camp.
- 08:00 - Trek out
Camel ride back to Merzouga and into the vehicle.
- 13:00 - Lunch
A stop on the road north, on your own account.
- 19:00 - Arrival
Back in Fez in the evening.
What's included
- Private air-conditioned transport Fez to Merzouga and back
- Experienced Amazigh (Berber) driver and guide
- Camel trekking into Erg Chebbi at sunset and sunrise
- One night in a traditional desert camp with blankets and beds
- Dinner at camp and breakfast the next morning
- Hotel or riad pickup and drop-off in Fez
- All fuel, tolls and parking
- Lunches on both days and drinks
- Entrance fees and optional activities
- Sandboarding or quad biking at Merzouga
- Tips for guide, driver and camp staff
- Personal purchases
Good to know
Is the price per person?
Yes, from $160 per person. Your total for the group is confirmed in writing before you book.
How much driving is there?
Roughly nine hours each way, about 470 km. It is a long trip. If that is too much, the three-day version splits the same drive and adds a second desert night.
Do I have to ride a camel?
No. A 4x4 can take you to camp instead, at no extra cost. Tell us when you book.
What is the camp like?
Traditional nomad-style tents with real beds, mattresses and heavy blankets. Standard camps have shared bathrooms; luxury camps have private ones. Tell us which you prefer and we will quote both.
How cold is the desert at night?
Colder than people expect, especially from November to March when it can approach freezing. Bring a warm layer, a hat and closed shoes. Camps provide plenty of blankets.
When is the best time to go?
October to April is ideal. July and August are very hot by day, though the nights are pleasant and we start and finish the treks around the heat.
Is there electricity and wifi at camp?
Most camps have limited solar power for lights and basic charging. Wifi and phone signal are patchy to non-existent, which is part of the appeal.
Do I pay online?
No. Send a request, receive your confirmed price, then pay as agreed.
