Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp
One of the most exciting things on my journey to Morocco was definitely a trip to the Sahara desert. It was a long drive but full of wonderful views and incredible landscape. I was so excited to visit Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp and enjoy different activities from sand boarding, dunes walking, quad driving and camel riding. Read about different desert tours in this article.
Location
Sahara desert is a long drive away from Marrakech. Your guide will pick you up early in the morning from your riad and take you to a nine-hour drive to your camp in Erg Chebbi desert. You will make a few stops to see the most interesting spots along the way and to get a small insight into Berber culture.
Journey
We started early in the morning and went through Tichka Mountain pass, had a shortstop to stretch our legs and continued the journey to Ouarzazate. We stopped at Ouarzazate to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou. This giant fortification, which is made up of six Kasbahs and nearly fifty ksars and has been featured in many famous movies. Most notably, it set the scene for both Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. Then we left Ouarzazate and drove along the huge palm grove of Skoura, before crossing the Roses Valley and Todra Valley. We arrived at Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp in the evening.
Camp
Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp is strategically located in the middle of the big dunes of the Erg Chebbi Desert. We arrived in the evening and the whole camp was litten up with candles, making the atmosphere so romantic. Lovely dinner was waiting for us and afterward, we sat by the fire, observing the stars in the sky. It was the most unforgettable experience ever.
The next morning we were woken up early to see the amazing sunset. And this was the first time that we could really appreciate the camp. The camp had only five tents, which were unique because of the ‘KHaimas’ – traditional tents made of camel skin typically used by nomadic people. All tents were white and had a large king size bed, small sitting area and private bathroom inside the tent. The camp itself had many spots where you could relax and enjoy the spectacular sand dunes. We were blown away by the beautiful colors and the landscape.
Dining
All the meals in the desert were fantastic. Breakfast was delicious with lots of choices to choose from. Yogurt, pastries, fruit, jams, honey, bread, coffee and tea and the best Berber omelet we have ever tasted. Dinner was cooked in the desert and it combined the best dishes of Moroccan cuisine. It was always freshly prepared and the food tasted incredible. We were served with different dishes and enjoyed every meal. A starter, soup, couscous, tagine, a choice of fruit and dessert were waiting for us every night.
Activites
There are quite lots of activities offered in the desert. You can choose to ride a camel, go sandboarding, have a picnic, take a quad or buggy ride through the dunes or simply walk around the beautiful desert.
We had a quite busy day planned. After the breakfast, we tried sandboarding in our own camp. It was a fun experience and we had a great time. Afterwards, we booked a two hour quad safari tour and had the best time ever. Our guide picked us up and off we went around the dunes of Erg Chebbi. This attraction was paid extra, but it was worth every penny. (2 hours – €120). When we arrived back to the camp our driver was waiting for us and took us to a small Berber village and to the beginning of Erg Chebbi desert. We bought some souvenirs and went back to the camp for lunch. Before the dinner, we booked a camel sunset ride through the dunes and this was the perfect ending to our day.
Conclusion
Situated in the quiet and idyllic sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp is something you can not miss. It is the perfect getaway for honeymooners, individuals and small groups seeking uncompromising privacy and solitude. Get away for a day or two and indulge in the luxury atmosphere in one of the most enchanting deserts in the world. Experience a camel ride at sunset and sunrise from the top of the dunes, enjoy an authentic Berber dinner and stay in a luxury tent beneath the sky of Sahara desert.
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We would like to thank Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp for welcoming this review. The opinion is as always our own. All photos are courtesy of Our World Travel Selfies and Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp.
