When we booked our trip to Morocco, I knew I had to find a way to visit the desert even though it’s quite far from any of the major cities. I had seen so many incredible, magical videos of the unique desert camps, sprawling dunes, and stunning sunsets and sunrises, and I wanted to experience it myself. After a bit of research, we decided to visit Merzouga, Morocco, a small village located on the edge of the Sahara Desert. There are numerous desert camps and many things to do in Merzouga, from camel trekking to sandboarding, but where you choose to stay can make or break your experience! This 2-day guide to the best Merzouga, Morocco luxury desert camp will outline everything you need to know for your visit.

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Where to Stay in Merzouga

There are a variety of accommodation options in Merzouga, from budget hostels to luxury desert camps and hotels. For a truly unique experience, stay at a desert camp!

The desert camps offer such an unforgettable experience. You get to be in the middle of the desert, while also enjoying spacious tents, plush bedding, a private bathroom, etc. The desert camps are also a great way to immerse yourself in the desert’s beauty and enjoy the Berber people’s nomadic lifestyle. I love that the camps hire locals from Merzouga village. Many locals work at the desert camps and tourism has provided a lot of job opportunities that were otherwise pretty minimal.

I highly recommend booking the Desert Luxury Camp, the best luxury desert camp in Merzouga, Morocco. The property is about 30 minutes from Merzouga village and is surrounded by beautiful wind-swept desert dunes. You truly feel like you are out in the middle of nowhere.

The tents are large and beautifully decorated with Moroccan furniture and decor. Each room has a private bathroom and all the modern amenities you may need. The property also has various places to hang out and relax, including a pool and a main tent where you eat your meals. Desert Luxury Camp is by far the best luxury desert camp in Merzouga, Morocco!

What to Expect When Visiting Desert Luxury Camp

After traveling so far to get to Merzouga, we couldn’t justify staying just one night and didn’t want to feel rushed on a trip that had a lot of driving and moving around. Even though you can visit Merzouga in one night and two days, we enjoyed a more leisurely pace and spent two nights.

Shortly after we arrived for our first evening at the camp, we experienced the most stunning sunset I have ever seen. The colors of the sky evolve from yellows and oranges to vibrant pinks, reds, and purples. The camps’ Moroccan design aesthetic against the sunset makes for some beautiful photos.

After sunset, the staff puts out lanterns and candles throughout the property, which makes it feel extra magical in the evening. Each night before dinner we sat in the communal areas by the fire and read, or just enjoyed the silence.

Meals & Drinks

The Camp offers traditional delicious Moroccan food, such as tagines, couscous, soups, etc. If you like having an alcoholic drink with dinner, you can bring your own wine as they don’t serve alcohol for purchase. All your meals are included in your stay.

After Dinner Entertainment

After dinner, the staff invites everyone to the center of the camp by the fire and play the drums and sing. After hanging out by the fire for a while, head back to your tent for a good night’s rest. Set an early wake-up call to experience the incredible sunrise.

Tip: Make sure you pack a lot of layers and warm cloths for the evenings and mornings. It get’s really chilly in the desert!

Desert Luxury Camp is truly the best luxury camp in Merzouga, Morocco, and offers a variety of activities to guests.

Best Things to Do in Merzouga

Desert Luxury Camp offers numerous activities included in your stay, and there are also other activities you can coordinate outside the Camp. Here are some of the best activities in and around Merzouga, many of them available through the Camp.

Camel Trekking

One of the most popular things to do in Merzouga is to take a camel trek into the desert. Desert Luxury Camp includes this as part of your stay and will coordinate the best time with you when you arrive. You can choose when and how long you want to go for. This is a great way to see the stunning scenery and experience the nomadic lifestyle of the Berber people. It’s truly an incredible experience walking through the deserted dunes for miles with not a soul in sight.

Dining in the Dunes

While camel trekking you can also opt to have a meal in the dunes. Your guide will bring you to a shaded area for a beautiful Moroccan meal. With nothing but wind-swept sand dunes and camels for miles, enjoy a peaceful meal in the desert.

Sandboarding

Another popular activity in Merzouga is sandboarding. The Desert Luxury Camp has multiple sandboards right outside the tents. You can easily sandboard in the dunes surrounding the camp. This was so much fun and easier to stay up than I thought! Plus, it’s a great workout!!

Stargazing

Take advantage of being so remote from the hustle and bustle of the big Moroccan cities. Merzouga is an incredible place to stargaze because the sky is so dark. On at least one of your evenings, stay up late to experience the endless starry sky.

Magical Sunsets and Sunrises

I have seen thousands of sunsets and sunrises and the ones in Merzouga were definitely in my top 5. The vibrant colors against the expansive dunes are so peaceful. It’s worth catching every single one while you’re there!

Take a Quad Bike Tour

Quad biking was such an adrenaline rush! We booked with a local Merzouga vendor and rode through the Erg Chebi Dunes for an hour. It was SO MUCH FUN and I am glad we did it on our way out of the desert! Going down the steep dunes was scary but exhilarating. Book a Quad Bike Tour in Merzouga.

How to Get to Merzouga Desert Luxury Camp

Sadly there is no easy way to get to Merzouga. But trust me, it’s worth the extra effort! It is about a 9-hour drive to Merzouga from Fes or Marrakech. The journey is part of the experience of visiting the desert and there is a lot to see along the way. The best way to get to Merzouga is to hire a private driver the entire way or from the nearby town of Erfoud (which you can drive to yourself). Once you get to the desert, you have to drive through the dunes for a long time and it’s confusing and disorienting if you don’t know the area.

When we visited, we drove directly there in one day from Fes with a private driver, with many interesting stops along the way. It’s very cool to see how the landscape changes drastically with each passing hour. You drive through mountains, valleys, Berber villages, beautiful rock formations, and valleys before reaching the impressive Erg Chebi dunes.

Staying Overnight in a Kasbah

On the way back, we drove towards Marrakech and stayed for an evening at a beautiful Kasbah to break up the time driving. Kasbah Hnini is a magical little place with incredible views of the palms, mountains, and Draa Valley. The property is very modern and each room is uniquely decorated. It has a lovely infinity pool overlooking the palms and mountains. The staff prepared a romantic candlelight dinner at the pool for just us. I highly recommend making a stop here along the way. You will get to see many of the ancient walls and homes around the Kasbah and get a sense of the daily life in the Berber village.

Here are different options for how to get to the best luxury camp in Merzouga:

1. By Air:
   • Fly to Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) or Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ).
   • From Marrakech or Fes, you can either take a domestic flight to Errachidia Airport (ERH) and then travel for around 2 hours by car, bus, or private transfer. Desert Luxury Camp can also coordinate a private transfer for you.
2. By Bus:
   • Take a long-distance bus to Rissani or Erfoud from major cities like Marrakech, Fes, or Casablanca.
   • From Rissani or Erfoud, you can hire a taxi or use local transportation to reach Merzouga.
3. By Car:
   • Renting a car and driving is another option. The roads into the Desert Luxury Camp are EXTREMELY difficult to drive and you need 4×4. You are basically driving through sand dunes with no markers.
4. Private Tours:
   • We had a private driver and it was the best option. We had a driver through our entire trip in Morocco. There is a lot of driving in Morocco if you want to see everything, so it’s nice to have someone drive you so you can enjoy the scenery and relax. Plus, they know the ins and outs of the traffic, the most efficient routes, and can share details about the country, culture, etc.

I hope you absolutely love the Desert Luxury Camp as much as we did! Comment below if you have been and what your experience was!

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