# Merzouga and Erg Chebbi Merzouga, a village in south-eastern Morocco, sits at the foot of Erg Chebbi, a dune field 22 km long and 5 km wide whose dunes rise to 150 m. For one or two nights in the desert, in a camp or a kasbah, at the end of a road trip from Marrakesh or Fez. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/morocco/merzouga-erg-chebbi/ ## A dune sea at the end of the road Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco's two great Saharan dune fields, with Erg Chigaga further west. It covers about 110 km², about 22 km long and 5 km wide, and its dunes rise to 150 m. The tarred road runs right to the edge of the sand: Merzouga and neighbouring hamlets such as Hassilabied line up kasbahs and guesthouses facing the dunes, and the camps are set up inside the erg. That is what sets Merzouga apart: you can go from a kasbah pool to the top of a dune on foot or by camel, without a 4x4. The sand changes colour through the day, from ochre to gold, then copper at sunset, and the night sky, far from any lights, is good for stargazing. This is the Tafilalet, old caravan country: according to the Moroccan National Tourist Office, caravans set out from here to Timbuktu and came back again. ## Getting there, and how many nights Merzouga is far from everything, and that is part of the journey. - **By air.** The nearest airport is Errachidia, about 2 hours by road. - **By coach.** From Marrakesh or Fez, allow 9 to 10 hours. - **By the kasbah road.** Most travellers arrive from Marrakesh over two days, via the Tizi n'Tichka pass, Ouarzazate, the Dades Valley and the Todgha Gorge. This is the format of three-day tours from Marrakesh, with a night in the Dades and a night in the desert. From Fez, Sabaro recommends breaking the journey with a night on the way. Routard recommends at least one to two nights. Sabaro recommends two: the first in the dunes, the second at the foot of the erg, for a day around Merzouga without getting back on the road the same day. A single night means arriving late and leaving early, after several hours' driving on either side. ## Camp, kasbah, or both The two ways of staying complement each other. - **The camp in the dunes.** Khaima tents (Berber tents), dinner, music and a fire in the evening, dunes when you wake up. Camps range from a simple bivouac to luxury camps with private bathrooms. Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps, part of the Sabaro selection, offers 35 m² tents for up to three people, with a bathroom, dinner and breakfast included. Sabaro recommends checking the heating in winter and the air conditioning in summer. - **The kasbah at the foot of the erg.** A solid room, a pool, and the dunes a few minutes away. Riad Madu, in Hassilabied, is a family-run kasbah of eighteen rooms in rammed earth and tadelakt (polished lime plaster); the family also runs its own bivouac of fifteen tents, about an hour away by camel. Kasbah Hotel Tombouctou, larger, has seventy-seven rooms, with a pool and spa, and rooms for up to four people. - **Both.** One night in the camp, one night in a kasbah: the formula Sabaro recommends for families. ## The rhythm of a desert day The desert is lived at both ends of the day. - **At sunrise**, you climb a dune near the camp or set off by camel. The sand is cool, the light low. - **The middle of the day** is for shade, the kasbah pool or trips around Merzouga by 4x4 with a driver. - **In the late afternoon**, the camel caravan heads to the camp for sunset; you can also slide down the dunes on a board, sandboarding, open to all levels. - **At night**, the sky. Bring light long-sleeved clothes, closed shoes, a hat and a warm jacket: nights are cool even in summer. ## Around the dunes - **Rissani**, about 40 km away, is the cradle of the Alaouite dynasty, which reigns over Morocco. Its souk is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; the town keeps old ksour (fortified earth villages) and the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, ancestor of the dynasty. - **Khamlia**, a few kilometres from Merzouga, is a Gnawa village: its people, descendants of former slaves brought from sub-Saharan Africa, keep alive a spiritual music. - **Dayet Srji**, a salt lake that is often dry, fills after autumn and winter rains; flamingos and migratory birds stop there. - **The "black desert"**, around the erg, is visited by 4x4. - Further afield in the region, the **Meski blue spring** and the **El Kheng gorges** complete the picture. In Erfoud, between Errachidia and Merzouga, the International Date Fair is held every autumn, at harvest time, generally in late October or early November. ## Seasons The best periods are March to May and September to November. From June to August the heat is extreme: in Errachidia the average high reaches 39.5 °C in July. From December to February the days stay mild, around 16 °C at Errachidia in January, but nights in the dunes are very cold. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many nights do I need in Merzouga? At least one, ideally two: a night at a camp in the dunes, a night in a kasbah at the foot of the erg. A single night leaves little time on the spot after the drive. ### When should I go to Merzouga? From March to May and from September to November. Summer is very hot, with an average July high of 39.5 °C in Errachidia; in winter the days are mild but the nights very cold. ### Do I need a 4x4 to reach the dunes? No: the tarred road reaches the foot of the erg, and camps are reached by camel or by the operator's 4x4. A 4x4 is mainly useful for trips around the erg, to the black desert or Khamlia. ### How do I get to Merzouga? Fly to Errachidia, then about 2 hours by road; by coach from Marrakesh or Fez, 9 to 10 hours; or on a tour along the kasbah road, over two days from Marrakesh. ### Camp or kasbah? The camp for the night in the dunes, dinner around the fire and the sunrise; the kasbah for the pool, a solid room and rest. Sabaro recommends combining both over two nights.