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Sandboarding in Morocco and a Camel Trek in Merzouga, 4 Days from Marrakech
Erg Chebbi has some of the tallest dunes for sandboarding in Morocco, and this four-day trip from Marrakech gives you two nights there. You take a long camel trek across the erg, spend an afternoon sandboarding on its high slopes and drive home through the Draa Valley.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Sandboarding in Morocco at a glance
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Dades · Todra · Merzouga · Erg Chebbi · Alnif · N'Kob · Agdz · Marrakech
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
Camel trek and sandboarding in Merzouga
On most desert trips the camel ride is an hour to camp and an hour back. Here you have a whole day in the dunes, with a camel trek of three to four hours deep into Erg Chebbi with a camel man, a picnic in the shade, and time to sandboard down the big slopes.
You come back by the southern road through Alnif and N’Kob. The last day is long, so tell us if you would like to add a night on the way.
Highlights
- Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes
- A half-day camel trek across the erg
- Sandboarding on the high dunes
- The Dades and Todra gorges
- The southern road home through Alnif and N'Kob
Read more: Erg Chebbi.
Day-by-day itinerary
How the four days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off.
Day 1 · Marrakech to the Dades Valley
Over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Aït Benhaddou and on through Ouarzazate and Skoura to the Dades Valley.
- Overnight: Hotel in the Dades Valley
Day 2 · Todra Gorge to Merzouga
A walk in the Todra Gorge, then east to Merzouga and a camel ride to camp for sunset.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
Day 3 · Camel trek and sandboarding
A camel trek of three to four hours across the dunes with a picnic, and sandboarding in the cooler part of the afternoon.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chebbi
Day 4 · Merzouga back to Marrakech
Through Rissani, Alnif, N’Kob and Agdz, over the High Atlas to Marrakech. A long day of about ten hours.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the four days
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- One night: hotel in the Dades Valley, dinner and breakfast
- Two nights: desert camp in Erg Chebbi, dinner and breakfast
- Camel trek in the dunes with a camel man
- Sandboards
- Fuel and road costs
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees and local guides at the sites
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Pickup, best time to go and what to bring
Pickup points
We pick you up at your riad or hotel in Marrakech at the time you choose. If your riad is in a lane cars cannot enter, the driver waits at the nearest square or gate and someone from the riad walks you there.
Best time to go
October to April is the most comfortable time. Days are warm and nights cool, and in December and January the desert can drop close to freezing at night. From June to August the afternoons are very hot, so we start early and rest in the middle of the day.
What to bring
Layers, with a warm jacket for the desert night from November to March; a hat, sunglasses and sun cream; a scarf against wind and sand; shoes you can walk in on sand; a head torch; a small bag for the camp night, since your main luggage stays in the vehicle; cash in dirhams for drinks and tips; a power bank.
Good to know
Carry cash in dirhams: camps and small villages rarely take cards, and the last cash machines are in towns such as Ouarzazate, Zagora and Erfoud. Phone signal is often weak in the dunes. Camps have toilets and showers, shared at standard camps and private at luxury ones. Keep cameras and phones in a bag when the wind lifts the sand, and ask before you photograph people in the villages. Your main luggage stays locked in the vehicle overnight.
Price, deposit and cancellation
Prices are per person and depend on the size of your group. You book with a 20% deposit by card or PayPal and pay the balance on the first day of the tour.
If you cancel 30 days or more before the start, we refund the deposit in full; after that the deposit is kept. You can change the date once for free if you ask 14 days or more before. The details are in our Cancellation Policy.
Questions about the Morocco sandboarding and camel trek
Do I need experience to sandboard?
No. You start on a gentle slope and can ride standing up or sitting down. There are no lifts, so each run means walking back up the dune.
How long is the camel trek in Merzouga?
Several hours across the erg, with stops in the shade. If you only want a short camel ride to camp, see our 3-day desert tour from Marrakech.
Do I need to know how to sandboard?
No. You start on a gentle slope and the camp team shows you how. Expect to fall in soft sand.
What is the desert camp like?
You sleep in a tent at a camp in the dunes, with dinner and breakfast. Camps range from simple to comfortable tents with a private bathroom; tell us the level you want and we suggest camps that fit.
Can we change the route or the hotels?
Yes. We can add nights, change hotels or swap the order of the stops, since only your group is on the tour. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.
How do I book?
Send an enquiry with your dates and group size and we reply with availability and a quote. When online booking is open for this tour, you can also reserve with a deposit by card or PayPal.
Book this tour
Send your dates and group size and we reply with a quote.
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Route and stays adjusted to you
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