Exploring the Differences between Zagora and Merzouga Deserts , A lot of people have asked us how to decide between Zagora and Merzouga. So, in this article, we’ll try to help you decide where to go on your trip to the desert.
The Sahara Desert is in the north of Africa. It is in parts of more than ten countries in North Africa. Morocco is one of the easiest and safest places to visit to get to the Sahara Desert. People often think that the desert is full of sand dunes, but this is not true. Most of the desert is made up of rocks and dry land, but there are some beautiful sand dunes.
There are many places in Morocco where you can see sand dunes, but Merzouga is the most well-known and easy to get to. Another place is the province of Zagora, which is farther away from tourist roads and has a small town called Mhamid El Ghizlane. From there, you can travel to parts of the Sahara that haven’t been touched by tourists.
Your trip to Morocco probably won’t just be to the Sahara, so it’s easier to visit the desert in Zagora (for at least one night) as part of a trip of three days or less. If you have more than three days, you can spend 1-2-3 nights in the Merzouga desert.
Spring and fall are the best times to go to the desert. During the summer, it gets very hot, and during the winter, it can be cold even in the middle of the day. Merzouga desert tours
Sahara Desert in Merzouga – Erg Chebbi Dunes
The village of Merzouga is the best place in Morocco to see the dunes of the Sahara Desert, but you will need to spend a lot of time exploring the area to get there. Merzouga and Zagora are both a long way from the major cities in Morocco. Marrakech is 560 kilometers away, and Fes is 460 kilometers away.
The tallest sand dune in Erg Chebbi is about 150 meters high.
There are four main ways to get to Merzouga and see the Erg Chebbi Dunes.
1. Tour on your own
The best way to get to Merzouga and Zagora in comfort and style is to book a private tour. In this case, everything will be set up for you, so all you have to do is watch, relax, and enjoy. The best thing about the first choice is that you can spend all of your time exploring. In other words, you won’t have to worry about where to stay, what to eat, or where to go. Because of this, we have made different private tours, especially for people who love the desert.
2. Trips with a group to Merzouga
This is the best way to see the Erg Chebbi dunes if you don’t have much time. There are different length group tours to the desert that leave from different cities in Morocco. The price of such a tour won’t always be high, and in some cases it will be cheaper than going on your own. Most people on the tour will speak either French or English as their main language.
3. Rent a Car
The easiest and most expensive way to get to Merzouga is by plane (also Zagora). Between Fes and Marrakech, the road is long and will take all day. The beautiful Atlas Mountains are on both routes. You can stop at the fortress of Ait Ben Haddou and the gorge of Dades on the way from Marrakech to Merzouga.
There are a few rules and things to look out for in Morocco. First of all, there are a lot of police officers on the roads who love to check things. So, try not to drive faster than the speed limit, wear a seat belt, and if you get pulled over, don’t say that you know other languages, especially French. So, if you don’t speak French most of the time, the police won’t want to waste their time with you. Most of the roads are good. Only in the big cities is there a lot of traffic. If the above things don’t scare you, check out how much it costs to rent a car in Morocco.
4. How do I take a bus to Merzouga?
Supratours has direct flights from Marrakech and Fes to Merzouga. It will take 12 hours from Marrakech and almost 10 hours from Fes. The cost of a ticket will be about $20. So, if you want to save money, you can take a bus between cities.
Where can you sleep in Merzouga?
You have to stay at least one night in Merzouga to go to the desert. The village of Merzouga is spread out along the highway and the Erg-Chebbi dunes for a long way. There are hotels and riads all over the village, so it’s best to think about where to stay ahead of time.
If you get to Merzouga and want to know where to find the best place to book a night in a desert camp with a camel ride, you might want to check out our page about camel trekking in Morocco.
Activities in Merzouga
Merzouga has both paid and free ways to see the desert. The closest dunes are just a short walk from the village, so walking is an easy option. The most important thing is to live close to where you want to go. Find out more about things to do in Merzouga here!
If you come by car, don’t think you can drive in the desert. You can only do that if you go off-road, and it’s best to have a guide with you. But your car will help you get closer to the interesting dunes, which are spread out over a large area.
There are other ways to see the Sahara Desert (for both Zagora and Merzouga)
- Take a 4×4 tour of the dunes and area around Merzouga.
- Camel ride. You can drive to the dunes to watch the sun go down, or you can drive to a tent camp in the desert and stay there for the night.
- Sandboarding in Merzouga desert. You can rent a board for the day at many hotels and camps.
The Sahara Desert in Zagora Province – Erg Chigaga and Erg Lehoudi Dunes
Tourists don’t go to the Sahara Desert in Zagora as much as they do in Merzouga. There isn’t as much infrastructure there, but on the other hand, the desert landscapes are less changed by people. Near the village of M’Hamid El Ghizlane is where you’ll find the largest dunes in Zagora. The village is 460 kilometers away from Marrakech and 760 kilometers away from Fes. In its neighborhood, there are two beautiful sand dunes.
• Erg Lehoudi dunes, which are about 8 kilometers from M’Hamid village. • Erg Chigaga dunes, which are about 50 kilometers across the desert from M’Hamid village. This is the most interesting and empty spot in the Sahara to visit.
How do I get to the M’Hamid El Ghizlane village and the dunes of Erg-Chigaga?
In the province of Zagora, these are the four cheapest ways to get to the Sahara Desert:
1. Tours on your own
Private tours of the Moroccan desert are always the most popular, safest, and easiest way to see the kingdom. The four big places listed above are the best places to start a trip that you will never forget. Contact us to plan a trip to the Zagora desert that fits your needs.
2. Group Vacations
Joining one of the many group tours is one of the easiest ways to get to the Sahara Desert (see the list of available tours to Erg Chigaga from Marrakech). Different cities in Morocco offer group tours, and the cost can be less than if you planned the trip yourself. The tours are given in the main languages spoken in Europe.
3. By rental car
About the different ways to rent and drive a car in Morocco, I already talked a little bit above on this page, so I won’t say it again. I will talk about the details of the road from Marrakech and Fes to the village of M’Hamid El Ghizlane.
No matter which way you go, whether you start in Marrakech or in Fes, you will go through mountain passes and winding roads. Because of this, I would suggest breaking the route into two parts. The Unesco-listed Ait Ben Haddou Fortress is a great place to stay the night on your way from Marrakech. You can stop in Merzouga or the beautiful Gorges du Ziz on the pass between Fes and Merzouga on the way to or from Fes.
On the way back from Erg Chigaga, keep in mind that it is about 50 kilometers from these dunes to the normal highway, which starts at M’Hamid El Ghizlane. After the tour and an overnight stay in the desert, you won’t get back to your car in the M’Hamid parking lot until 11 or 12 a.m. The Erg Lehoudi dunes are a little bit easier to get to and are close to the village of M’Hamid, but they are not as interesting as Erg Chigaga. It is better to start your trip with them in the desert than to end it there.
4. Buses Between Cities
Village of M’Hamid El Ghizlane is 100 kilometers from the town of Zagora, which is the only place where intercity buses stop. Both Supratours and CTM offer trips from Fes and Marrakech to Zagora.
You have to take a taxi from Zagora to M’Hamid. In Morocco, there are two kinds of taxis: the regular cab, in which you ride alone, and the so-called “Grand Taxi,” which is a car that follows a set route and has 2-3-4 other passengers with whom you share costs. Grand Taxi is not a very comfortable way to go long distances, which is easy to guess.
Where can you stay in M’Hamid El Ghizlane?
If you get to M’Hamid in the afternoon while it’s still light out, the best place to stay the night is in the nearby Erg Lehoudi dunes. The next morning, drive another 50 kilometers to the dunes of Erg Chigaga, which are near M’Hamid.
If you can’t get to M’Hamid during the day, don’t worry. The village has a number of hotels where you can stay the night. Dar M’hamid, Riad Activity Arg, Auberge Kasbah Dar Sahara Tours, and Dar Yaya are some of them. The hosts can help you make plans for the rest of your trip in the desert.
Some campsites in the Erg Lehoudi dunes, which you can go to as soon as you get to M’Hamid if you have time before sunset: Bivouac L’Erg, Nomade moon camp, Majorelle Desert Camp.
In the dunes of Erg Chigaga, you can camp and stay in tents at Atta Desert Camp, Nubia Luxury Camp Erg, Chegaga Desert Excursions, Camp Atlantic Chigaga, Chegaga Berber Camps, Luxury Camp, and Luxury Camp Nubia. By DAR AZAWAD.
How do I plan a trip from M’Hamid El Ghizlane to the desert?
If you don’t want to go on a group tour from Marrakech or Fes to the Sahara, you can get to the village of M’Hamid on your own and then plan a trip through the dunes.
Book campsites at Erg Lehoudi and Erg Chigaga and talk to the owners of the tents about how to get there and back. You will stay in the campsites, which have full meals, and walk around the area on your own.
- In M’Hamid, many people go on hikes in the desert that last for several days. You can sign up at your hotel or a local travel agency for a program to walk from M’Hamid to Erg Lehoudi and then to Erg Chigaga with some guides and camels. You’ll be given gear, food, and local guides, and you’ll walk and ride camels for several days through the desert. It’s about 60 kilometers one way. Off-road 4x4s can be used to get back.
- You can book a private tour of the dunes Erg Lehoudi and Erg Chigaga for a few days at a local travel agency. The tour will cost about 300 euros for two people to go on for three days. Full board is included, as well as transfers.
How Desert Camping Works: In both the Merzouga and Zagora deserts, a desert camp is made up of a number of two-person tents with wooden doors that lock. They are in the lowlands between the dunes, which keep the wind away from them. Sometimes the walls of the tents are made of clay, and only the roof is made of a tent. Most of the time, the tent only has beds, mattresses, bedding, and thick, warm blankets. Even in the summer, it gets cold at night in the desert. If you are afraid of getting cold, you won’t be able to have too much thermal underwear or your own sleeping bag. There is a place between the tents for a campfire and other outdoor gatherings. tour del Marocco
There is also a big tent with a place to eat inside. There are showers and toilets at the campsites, which are set up in permanent clay buildings. The sun heats the water in the showers. At night, they turn on the generator for a few hours so that you can charge your equipment. After dinner, the staff puts on a small concert with live music and folk songs around the campfire.
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