3-Day Desert Camp in Merzouga: Camel Ride & Jeep Tour

The Sahara doesn't quiet down at night. It fills with Berber music and a sky so thick with stars you can't count them.

A 3-day desert tour based in Merzouga that combines two nights in a traditional camp on the Erg Chebbi dunes with camel rides at sunset, a full-day jeep tour exploring remote terrain and Berber villages, and sandboarding in the dunes. The camp sits deep in the Sahara, so you wake to sunrise walks and fall asleep to live music and the silence of the desert. Guides speak English, Spanish, Italian or French.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and camel ride to camp

• Meet at Riad Akabar in Merzouga
• Ride camel across Sahara dunes
• Stop to watch sunset in dunes
• Continue camel ride to desert camp
• Enjoy traditional Moroccan mint tea
• Dinner at desert camp
• Listen to local music by campfire

Day 2: Jeep tour and sunset experience

• Take guided Jeep tour of desert
• Visit Berber villages and nomadic families
• Explore black desert and fossil areas
• Stop in Khamlia village for Gnawa music
• Choose sunset quad bike or dune walk
• Admire sunset over Erg Chebbi dunes
• Dinner at desert camp

Day 3: Sunrise walk and departure

• Early sunrise walk into dunes
• Return to camp for traditional breakfast
• Relax and pack belongings
• Return to meeting point by Jeep

The experience

How do you actually spend three days in the Sahara without just sitting in a tent? The first day starts with a camel ride across the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi at sunset. You'll stop to watch the light change, then continue to the desert camp where a guide meets you with mint tea. Dinner is traditional Moroccan food cooked at the camp, and afterward the fire stays lit for Berber music and conversation under the stars.

The second day is the jeep tour, a full exploration of the desert beyond the dunes. You'll visit Berber villages and nomadic families living in the Sahara, stop at the black desert (Hamada), walk through fossil areas, and reach Khamlia village to hear Gnawa music: a spiritual tradition unique to this region. In the late afternoon you choose: ride a quad bike through the dunes at sunset (at an extra cost), or walk deep into the sand on foot for a quieter experience. Either way, you're watching the sun drop over an endless landscape.

On the final morning you wake early for a sunrise walk into the dunes, return to camp for a traditional Moroccan breakfast, then drive back to Merzouga by jeep. Sandboarding is included, so if the dunes call you between the scheduled activities, you have the gear to go.

What’s included

• Camel ride across the dunes at sunset on day one.
• two nights in a private tent at the desert camp.
• traditional Moroccan meals and breakfast each morning.
• jeep tour on day two through Berber villages, nomadic camps, the black desert and fossil areas.
• sandboarding equipment.
• live Berber music and a campfire gathering each evening.
• sunrise walk on the final morning.

Options for this experience

2 options

A jeep tour in Merzouga combined with a two-night stay at a desert campGuide in 4 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 16:00, the last at 18:30

High Standard accommodationGuide in 4 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 16:00, the last at 18:30Luxury camp in the Merzouga desert, with a private tent that has its own bathroom

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 16:00, the last at 18:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (7 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 13.63

Prices and times updated 18 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by 3 days group tour from marrakech to merzouga

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to sleep in the Sahara itself rather than in a town, and if you're comfortable with both camel riding and a full day of off-road driving. The camp sits deep in the dunes, so the trade-off is remoteness. There's no running water or electricity, but that's what makes the silence and the stars real.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 11 years); Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3).

What's the actual accommodation like in the desert camp?

The camp provides a standard private tent on the Erg Chebbi dunes, with traditional Moroccan meals included each evening and breakfast each morning. You're sleeping in the Sahara itself, not in a town nearby.

Do I have to ride a camel, or can I skip it?

The camel ride at sunset on the first day is part of the itinerary. If you have concerns about riding, contact the operator before booking to discuss alternatives.

What's included in the jeep tour on day two?

The jeep tour includes visits to Berber villages, nomadic family camps, the black desert, fossil areas, and Khamlia village for Gnawa music. Your guide is a local who speaks your language. Lunch is not included on this day.

Is the quad bike sunset ride included, or do I have to pay extra?

Quad biking at sunset is optional and costs extra. You can choose that, or walk into the dunes on foot for a quieter sunset. Both options are available on day two.