Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps

Two camps in the erg

Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps brings together two camps in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. The main camp has 26 tents; alongside it, the Private Luxury Camp, by The White Camel Acacia, has just five tents in Berber style, for those who want a camp of their own.

All tents follow the same template: a 35 m² khaima (large Berber tent) for up to three guests, with a king-size or twin beds, a Moroccan seating area, a desk, a private terrace facing the dunes and a private bathroom. Air conditioning, electricity for charging a phone and Wi-Fi are provided; the camp warns that the connection is slow and intermittent.

Which one to choose

• Experience Tent: the main-camp tent, for a couple or three guests.
• Serenity Tent: the main camp's upper category, presented as a retreat for couples seeking privacy. It has the same published size and equipment as the Experience Tent.
• Private Luxury Camp: a separate camp of five tents; online booking covers up to five tents, and larger bookings go through the camp directly. This is the option for an extended family or a group of friends.

A third guest in a tent pays a supplement. Children under 5 stay free; from 5 to 12 a supplement applies; from 13, the adult rate.

Arrive before sunset

The camp is reached from a meeting point in Merzouga, in front of the Morocco National 4x4 Auto Museum: from there, 15 to 20 minutes by 4x4, or about 40 minutes by camel. Only 4x4s can handle the sand tracks; the camp arranges the transfer.

Arrival is in daylight. From September to May, check-in starts at 15:00; from 1 June to 30 August, at 18:00. The camp sets a latest arrival time that follows sunset, from 16:30 in September–October to 19:00 in July–August. Check-out is at 11:00. All times are local.

From Marrakech or Fes the drive takes about nine hours: the camp advises leaving around 6 am, or breaking the journey with a night on the way. Most guests travel by 4x4 with a driver; you can also drive yourself to Erfoud and hire a 4x4 with driver there.

What is included

Dinner and breakfast are included. The food is Berber, served by candlelight in the restaurant tent facing the dunes, from recipes handed down through generations; vegetarian menus and special diets are catered for if requested in advance. In the evening, mint tea, music and stories are shared around the fire. The camp also has a bar.

Activities are extra: camel rides, sandboarding, 4x4 outings, buggy and quad rides, a walk up the highest dune, sundowners, and a private four-course dinner under the stars.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples and families for one or two nights in the desert, groups who want a private camp.

Strengths: 35 m² tents with terrace and private bathroom; a private camp of five tents; easy access from Merzouga, a quarter of an hour by 4x4.

Good to know: a 30% non-refundable deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due 30 days before arrival, and any cancellation within 30 days is charged in full, so travel insurance is useful. The 7.9/10 score on Booking.com rests on only 11 reviews. Taxes are not stated in the published prices. In winter, the camp advises bringing warm clothes.