Camel trek into the dunes
A 60–90 minute ride from the village to your camp, timed for late afternoon when the dunes turn copper and the crowds thin.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Erg Chebbi, Merzouga · Photo: cattan2011, CC BY 2.0
Sahara & Merzouga, Morocco
Erg Chebbi is a field of orange dunes beside Merzouga, rising up to 150 m above the stony hammada. From Fes you reach it in two days by road through Ifrane's cedar forests, Midelt and the Ziz gorges, breaking the drive overnight. Plan three days minimum for the camel trek, a camp night and sunrise on the high dune.
- Private or small-group
- A written quote for your dates
- WhatsApp support during your trip
Why go to Sahara & Merzouga
Erg Chebbi — a 22 km field of orange dunes near the village of Merzouga, rising up to 150 m above the hammada — is the Morocco of everyone's imagination. The great advantage of basing in Fes is the approach: the northern route through Ifrane's cedar forests, the apple town of Midelt and the Ziz gorges is shorter and more scenic than the long haul from Marrakech, taking roughly two days down with overnight stops rather than a brutal single push. The reward is the same: one of the most cinematic landscapes on earth, and a night in a tented camp with Berber hosts.
- Best time
- October–April (avoid July–August)
- How long
- 3 days minimum from Fes
- Nearest airport
- Errachidia (ERH), then 2h drive — or Fès-Saïs (FEZ) by road
- Region
- Erg Chebbi · Southeast Morocco
From Fes to Sahara & Merzouga
Out by Bab Ftouh, south-east over the Atlas to the desert: the way the drive leaves the medina walls, drawn schematically from OpenStreetMap.
- Fes, Bab Ftouhباب الفتوح
- Ifraneإفران
- Mideltميدلت
- The Ziz valleyوادي زيز
- Merzouga, Erg Chebbiمرزوكة
What you'll see in Sahara & Merzouga
Luxury desert camp
Canvas suites with proper beds and en-suite bathrooms, a candlelit dinner and gnaoua musicians around the fire under the stars.
Sunrise climb to the high dune
Wake before dawn, climb 150 m of sand and watch the sun come up over the Algerian horizon.
The Fes approach — Ifrane, Midelt & the Ziz
The northern road in is half the experience: cedar forests and Barbary macaques near Ifrane, the apple orchards of Midelt and the Ziz gorges unspooling toward the desert.
Tours that reach Sahara & Merzouga
Each one runs private or small-group and stops properly in Sahara & Merzouga. Open one for the day-by-day plan, then ask us to quote it for your dates.
Before you go
Getting there. From Fes, a 2-day drive south via Ifrane, Midelt and the Ziz (we break it overnight). Or fly to Errachidia, then 2h by road.
What to pack. Layers (cold nights even in summer), scarf for blowing sand, headlamp, slip-on shoes.
Connectivity. Mobile signal at the camp edge, no Wi-Fi at most camps — by design.
Read next. Sahara Desert Camps Explained — Standard vs Luxury, Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga; Can You Do a Sahara Desert Tour from Fes, and How Many Days Do You Need to Reach Merzouga and the Dunes?; Merzouga vs Zagora — Which Sahara Desert Should You Visit?.
Pair Sahara & Merzouga with
The places closest to Sahara & Merzouga, easy to join on one private route.
Questions about Sahara & Merzouga
Read these before you add Sahara & Merzouga to a trip.
How long does the Sahara take from Fes?
Plan three days minimum. Fes is the closest of the imperial cities to Erg Chebbi, but the dunes are still a two-day drive south via Ifrane, Midelt and the Ziz, with an overnight on the way down. A flight to Errachidia and a 2-hour transfer shortens it for those short on time.
Is it too hot in summer?
July–August daytime temperatures regularly exceed 45°C and camps close or move. October–April is the season; March and November are ideal.
Why go to Merzouga from Fes rather than Marrakech?
The northern approach from Fes is shorter and, many think, more beautiful — cedar forests, the apple orchards of Midelt and the Ziz gorges, rather than the long Tizi n'Tichka haul from Marrakech. It also fits naturally onto the end of an imperial-cities and Middle Atlas itinerary based in Fes.
Tell us your dates. We'll plan Sahara & Merzouga with you.
- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.