3-Day Desert Trek in Merzouga with Wild Camping

Merzouga trekking at its most honest means three days on foot, two nights sleeping out in the dunes and no permanent camp waiting for you at the end of the day. On this Sahara trek you walk around Erg Chebbi with a nomad guide and a cameleer, while the camels carry tents, food and water. Each evening the team sets up a small bivouac wherever the sand is sheltered, cooks over a fire and leaves nothing behind in the morning.

Tour overview

Expect to walk between four and six hours a day, split by a long midday rest. The route circles parts of Erg Chebbi, a sea of dunes about 22 km long whose highest ridges rise to around 150 m, and dips onto the stony hamada and the palm gardens at its edge. Nights are spent wild camping in the Sahara: low nomad-style tents or simply mattresses and blankets under the open sky if the weather allows. No showers, no electricity, no generator: just a fire, a pot of tea and an enormous sky.

If you are new to walking holidays in Morocco, our article on things to know before trekking in Morocco is a useful read before you come.

Highlights

• Three days walking through Erg Chebbi with a guide from a local nomad family
• Two nights of wild camping in a simple bivouac, set up fresh each evening
• Camels carrying the luggage, so you walk with only a daypack
• Bread baked in the embers and tagines cooked over the fire
• Visits to nomad families and a desert well used by herders

Itinerary

Day 1: Merzouga to the heart of the dunes (about 4 hours walking)

Meet your guide and cameleer at your hotel in Merzouga or Hassi Labied at around 8:30. You then walk east into the erg. The first hours are gentle, following sandy valleys between the dunes. Lunch and a rest in the shade of a tarpaulin or tamarisk trees take you through the hottest part of the day. In the late afternoon you walk on to the first bivouac site, chosen for shelter from the wind. Dinner is harira soup and a tagine, eaten by the fire.

Day 2: High dunes and nomad country (about 5–6 hours walking)

Wake before dawn to climb a nearby crest for sunrise, then breakfast on fresh bread, jam and coffee. This is the longest and most varied day. You head south through the tallest part of Erg Chebbi. Around midday you stop near a well used by herders and, if they are camped nearby, share tea with a nomad family. The afternoon brings you towards the southern edge of the erg, near Khamlia, for your second night under the stars.

Day 3: Back along the western edge (about 4 hours walking)

An easier final morning follows the western side of the dunes north again, with the palm groves of Merzouga coming slowly into view. You arrive back at your hotel in the early afternoon, around 13:00, in time for a long shower, a late lunch and onward travel. If you are heading back to Marrakech, the drive is about 560 km and takes 9–10 hours, so most guests stay one more night in Merzouga.

Options and prices

The 3 days / 2 nights wild camping option is a small-group trek: you share the guide, cameleer and cook with a few other walkers, which keeps the atmosphere sociable. The 3 days / 2 nights with private guide option gives your own party a dedicated team, so you set the pace, change the route on the day and choose when to stop. Both include the same food, camels and camping kit. Prices are per person. The live price for your group, date and option is shown in the booking form below, and you secure the booking with a 10% deposit.

What’s included

Included

• Local nomad guide and cameleer for three days
• Camels to carry luggage, water and camping equipment
• Two nights of wild camping with tents, mattresses and blankets
• All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 3, plus tea and drinking water
• Pick-up and drop-off at hotels in Merzouga and Hassi Labied

Not included

• Transport to and from Merzouga
• Hotel nights before or after the trek
• Sleeping bag (bring your own or ask us to rent one)
• Travel insurance and tips for the team

Good to know

You should be able to walk for several hours on uneven ground; regular hikers find it very manageable. We recommend a minimum age of 12. The best season is October to April; we do not run the full trek in July and August because of the heat. The guide may adjust the route for wind or sandstorms, always keeping well away from the border zone.

To get to Merzouga, add the trek to our 3-day desert tour from Marrakech or a longer Sahara desert tour. Short on time? Try the one-day desert walk in Merzouga. You can also compare our wider desert trekking programmes, the full range of hiking tours in Morocco and other activities in Merzouga.

Frequently asked questions