Camel trek
Sunset over the dunes.
Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · cattan2011 — CC BY 2.0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jorge Franganillo — CC BY 2.0 · Mike Prince from Bangalore, India — CC BY 2.0 · Mike Prince from Bangalore, India — CC BY 2.0 · Bouchaib1973 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · DRAGANCESTIC — CC BY-SA 4.0
A sea of orange sand dunes on the western edge of the Sahara, east of the village of Merzouga, and one of Morocco's best-known ergs. Some of its dunes rise about a hundred and fifty metres above the surrounding stony hamada, and it stretches some twenty-eight kilometres north to south and five to seven kilometres east to west, along the Algerian border. Its classic experience is a camel ride shortly before sunset, as the dunes turn shades of orange, pink and red, followed by a night in a desert camp of Bedouin tents with dinner, Amazigh music and drums around the fire and a sky full of stars far from city lights, then a climb up a high dune to watch the sunrise. By day you can sandboard, take four-wheel-drive trips around the erg, visit the village of Khamlia, known for its Gnaoua music, and see the seasonal lake that fills after rare rains and draws birds. Walking in the dunes is free, while camel rides, camps and vehicle tours are priced by operators and guesthouses and vary widely, so agree what is included before you set off. Summers are extremely hot and winter nights very cold, so bring warm clothes.
Sunset over the dunes.
Stars and music.
From a dune top.
East of Merzouga, on the western edge of the Sahara near the Algerian border
Spring and autumn, when days are mild; summer is extremely hot, and winter is pleasant by day but very cold at night in the camps.