Merzouga and the dunes of Erg Chebbi, or the more remote Erg Chigaga: a night in the desert is still the picture travellers bring home from Morocco. For a group, it is also the stage where logistics matter most: distances, tracks, the camp, meals, safety. Here are the questions agencies ask most often.
How many days should you allow for the desert?
From Marrakech, Merzouga is a long day's drive away. Most circuits give it at least three days: crossing the Atlas, a night on the way in the Dades valley or near the Todra gorge, then arrival at the camp at the end of the day. A return trip in two days is possible, but it leaves little time there and tires the group.
Which camp suits a group?
Camps range from a simple bivouac to luxury camps with private tents, bathrooms and a restaurant. For a group, check the real capacity (number of tents and beds), the washrooms, the lighting, and whether all or part of the camp can be privatised. A camp that is too small splits the group, which makes the evening harder.
How do you reach the dunes?
The last kilometres are often covered by 4×4, and sometimes by camel for the sunset. So plan a transfer between the coach and the 4×4s, with a clear meeting point and light luggage for the night: large suitcases usually stay at the hotel or in the coach.
What does a DMC actually handle?
- The camp: choosing it, booking it, and a capacity that fits the group.
- The vehicles: coordinating coaches, 4×4s and camels, on the way in and on the way out.
- The meals, special diets included, far from any shop.
- The timings: leaving the hotel, photo stops, sunset, dinner, sunrise.
- The unexpected: a sandstorm, a delay on the road, a traveller who feels unwell.
In the desert, a successful evening often rests on what nobody sees: the timing of the vehicles.
