Sahara Desert Trips

Merzouga is the gateway to the tall Erg Chebbi dunes, while Zagora and M’Hamid open the way to the remoter Erg Chigaga. Ouarzazate, the ‘door to the desert’, is the film-studio town and a base for excursions, and the Draa Valley links them with palm groves and kasbahs. The desert is the southern end of a wider trip, so it slots into the full range of guided Morocco tours.

Most trips centre on a camel trek into the dunes and a night at a desert camp, often with 4x4 desert drives, sandboarding and quad biking alongside. Visits to Berber villages, kasbahs and the studios at Ouarzazate add the cultural side and fit into broader cultural sightseeing tours.

For an active way to explore southern Morocco and the landscapes near the desert edge, explore our Morocco cycling guide.

Timing a visit to the Sahara Desert is crucial for comfort. The best times are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) when the temperature is more bearable. Summer months should be avoided due to extreme heat, while winter offers cool nights and comfortable daytime temperatures.

1. Erg Chigaga Sahara Camel Trek: Explore the majestic Erg Chigaga dunes on a traditional camel trek, offering an authentic glimpse into the desert lifestyle and landscapes.
2. Ouarzazate Film Studios Tour: Explore the "Hollywood of Morocco," visiting the film studios in Ouarzazate where many famous movies and TV shows were filmed, blending culture with cinematic history.
3. Sahara Desert 4x4 Safari: Embark on an exhilarating 4x4 safari across the vast desert landscapes, exploring remote areas that are inaccessible by traditional means.

The two dune fields suit different trips. Erg Chebbi, reached from Merzouga, has the taller, more photographed dunes and the easiest access, with sealed roads almost to the sand and a wide choice of camps; it works well on a shorter three- or four-day loop from Marrakech or Fes. Erg Chigaga, beyond Zagora and M’Hamid, is larger, remoter and quieter, reached over rough 4x4 tracks, which makes it the pick for longer camel treks and a wilder feel. Several trips here join a desert leg to an Atlas trek, so they also sit within guided Morocco trekking tours.

Almost every Sahara trip crosses the High Atlas to reach the dunes, so the desert pairs naturally with guided Atlas Mountains tours, from Toubkal treks to Berber valleys. The arid pistes around Jebel Saghro and the Draa make the south a mountain-biking destination too, covered by guided Morocco bike tours, and the whole country sits within the wider Africa tours hub.