What a luxury desert camp in Merzouga is
A luxury desert camp is a small group of permanent, furnished tents set among the dunes of Erg Chebbi, where each tent has its own bathroom. The camps sit a short distance from the village of Merzouga, which is where the paved road ends.
Best Morocco Travel, which runs our tours, offers three levels of desert camp: standard, comfort and luxury. The step that guests notice most is the bathroom. In a simple camp you may share a block of toilets and showers. In a luxury camp the bathroom is part of your tent.
Standard camp vs luxury camp
The difference is space and privacy, not location: both kinds of camp are in the same dunes under the same sky. Details vary from camp to camp, so the table gives the usual pattern and the questions to ask.
| Standard camp | Luxury camp | What to ask | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tent | Smaller, simply furnished | Larger, furnished, with rugs and lamps | Is the tent for our party only |
| Bathroom | Often shared with other tents | Private, inside or attached to your tent | Is there hot water, and at what times |
| Beds | Simple beds with blankets | Proper beds with heavier bedding | Double or twin, and extra beds for children |
| Heating and cooling | Do not expect either | Varies by camp. Not guaranteed | What the tent has for the month we travel |
| Power | Limited | Usually lighting and somewhere to charge a phone | Is power available all night |
| Meals | Dinner and breakfast | Dinner and breakfast | Any dietary needs, told in advance |
| Access | Camel ride, or 4x4 if you prefer | Camel ride, or 4x4 if you prefer | How far the camp is from the road |
Dinner, breakfast and the camel ride are included at every camp level on our tours. Drinks are extra.
What a night at the camp is like, hour by hour
The night follows the sun. You arrive in time for sunset, eat after dark, and get up before dawn. Times shift with the season, so treat this as the order of events and not a timetable.
- Late afternoon: arrive in Merzouga. After the drive from the Dades Valley and Todra Gorge, about 265 km, your driver brings you to the edge of the dunes. Pack a small overnight bag so the main luggage can stay with the vehicle.
- About an hour before sunset: the camel ride. A camel handler leads you into the dunes on foot. The ride takes roughly an hour. If you would rather not ride, ask for a 4x4 transfer.
- Sunset: on a dune. You stop to climb a ridge and watch the light change on the sand. The climb is short and steep, and soft sand makes it harder than it looks.
- Dusk: reach camp. You are shown to your tent. In a luxury camp this is the moment for a shower before dinner.
- Evening: dinner. A Moroccan dinner is served in the dining tent or outside in mild weather.
- After dinner: fire and stars. Many camps light a fire, and the staff often play drums. Walk a few minutes away from the lamps and the sky is very dark and very full.
- Night: sleep. The desert is silent. In the cooler months it is also cold, so use every blanket.
- Before dawn: sunrise. Someone wakes you, or you set an alarm, and you climb the nearest dune to watch the sun come up.
- Morning: breakfast and return. After breakfast you ride or drive back to Merzouga, where your driver is waiting for the day's road.
When to go
October to April is the comfortable season, with spring and autumn the most popular months. The seasons change what the luxury level is worth to you.
| Season | What it is like | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| March to May | Warm days, cool nights | The busiest time. Luxury camps fill early, so book ahead. Spring winds can lift sand |
| June to August | Extreme heat in the afternoon | The hardest season in a tent. Ask what cooling the camp has before you choose this period |
| September to November | Warm days, cool nights | Popular again from October. A good balance of temperature and light |
| December to February | Mild, sunny days and cold nights | Nights can fall close to freezing. Bring warm layers whatever the camp level |
Our prices are the same all year. What changes is availability, and the busiest weeks, such as New Year, fill first. See the best time to visit Morocco and what to wear in Morocco.
What luxury does not fix
A better tent changes your comfort inside it and nothing outside it. It is worth knowing the limits before you pay for the upgrade.
- Cold nights. A tent is still a tent. In winter the air inside cools quickly after dark, and getting out of bed for the sunrise is cold. Good bedding helps. It does not make the tent a heated hotel room.
- Sand. Fine sand reaches bags, shoes, phones and cameras at every camp. On a windy day it gets everywhere. Bring a sealable bag for electronics.
- Distance. Merzouga is about 560 km from Marrakech. Reaching it means two days on the road each way or a one-way route to Fes, and a luxury camp does not shorten the drive.
- One night goes fast. You arrive near sunset and leave after breakfast. To enjoy the camp itself, add a second night in the dunes.
- Other people. Erg Chebbi is the most visited dune field in Morocco. A luxury camp is quieter than a large simple one, but you will see other caravans at sunset in peak months.
- Connection. Phone signal and wifi in the dunes are unreliable. Plan to be out of touch for the night.
If quiet matters more to you than facilities, read Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga. The more remote dune field has fewer people and simpler camps.
How to book a luxury camp with a tour
You book the camp as part of a private tour, by choosing the luxury accommodation level when you ask for a quote. The camp, the transport and the hotels on the way are then priced together.
- Pick a route. The 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour has one camp night. The 4-day Fes to Marrakech desert tour includes a full day around Merzouga.
- Tell us the level. Ask for luxury for the camp only, or for the hotels as well. You can mix levels.
- Read the quote. It names the camp and gives an exact price. Look the camp up.
- Ask your questions. Bathroom, hot water, heating or cooling for your month, bed layout, and camel or 4x4.
- Confirm. Nothing is paid before you have agreed the itinerary.
Private 3-day tours cost €500 to €800 per person and 4-day tours €600 to €900. Luxury camps and hotels put the price towards the top of each range, and a larger group brings the cost per person down. Longer trips with luxury riads throughout are on our luxury Morocco tours page.
Questions people ask
Do luxury desert camps in Merzouga have private bathrooms?
Yes, a private bathroom is the main feature of the luxury level. Ask us to confirm hot water arrangements for the camp named in your quote.
Are luxury desert camps heated or air-conditioned?
It depends on the camp, and you should not assume either. Ask what your tent has for the month you are travelling, and pack warm layers for winter nights regardless.
Do I have to ride a camel to reach the camp?
No. The camel ride is included on our desert tours, but you can ask for a 4x4 transfer to the camp if you prefer.
Is one night in a desert camp enough?
One night gives you sunset, dinner, the stars and sunrise, which is what most travellers come for. Two nights gives you a free day in the dunes and time to use the camp you paid for.
Can I book a luxury camp without a tour?
We arrange camps as part of a private tour, with transport and the nights on the way included. If you only need a camp night, contact us and we will tell you what is possible.
Is a luxury desert camp suitable for children?
Yes. Families often find a private bathroom and proper beds make the night much easier. Tell us the ages so the tent layout and the length of the camel ride can be planned.
What should I pack for a night in the camp?
A small overnight bag, warm layers for the evening, closed shoes or sandals for sand, a scarf for wind, sunglasses, a torch or phone light, and a sealable bag for your camera.
