Frequently asked questions about sleeping in the desert
The questions we get on WhatsApp every week, answered.
Sleeping in the Merzouga desert: the essentials
Sleeping in the Merzouga desert means spending the night in a tent pitched on the sand, among the dunes, far enough from the road that the last stretch can only be done by 4x4. There is no village around, no street lights, no traffic. What there is, is silence and, once the fire dies down, a sky that surprises almost everyone.
Beyond that, the experience varies enormously from camp to camp. Some have fifty tents and shared bathrooms; others have ten, with the bathroom inside the tent. We are the second kind: ten tents at Erg Znaigui, close to Erg Chebbi, twenty minutes from the centre of Merzouga, each with a toilet, a hot shower, air conditioning and heating.
Below are the questions that reach us every week on WhatsApp, grouped by topic. If yours is not there, write to us and we will answer the same day.
Before you book
Is it cold at night in the desert?
It depends on the season. In spring and autumn nights are cool, around 15 °C, and from November to February they get considerably colder. That is why the tents have heating. Still, bring a warm layer for sitting out by the fire.
Do the tents have air conditioning?
Yes. Every tent has air conditioning and heating. It is not something you find in most desert camps.
Does the tent have its own bathroom?
Yes. Each of the 10 tents has a private bathroom with a toilet and a hot shower. Nothing is shared.
Do we need a car?
No. We come and get you and drive the last few minutes over sand by 4x4. It is included in your stay, both ways. If you are flying in, we also arrange the private airport transfer.
Are you open all year?
Yes, all year except July, when we close because of the extreme summer temperatures.
Is there electricity and wifi?
Yes. There is electricity in the tents for charging your phone and camera, and wifi at the camp: it works for messages and email, but do not count on watching video. Mobile signal comes and goes, and for many people that is part of what they came for.
Is it safe to sleep in the Sahara desert in Morocco?
Yes. The team is at the camp through the night and the Merzouga area is quiet. If you want to walk out at night, tell us and someone will go with you.
How long is the camel ride?
Long enough to reach the dunes and watch the sunset without rushing. If you would rather go by 4x4 because a camel is not for you, that works too.
Is the price per person or per tent?
Per tent, per night, according to its occupancy. A double tent is €200 a night for two people, not €200 each. Dinner, breakfast, the sunset camel ride, Berber music, sandboarding and the 4x4 transfer are all included.
Is there a supplement for extra nights?
No. Every additional night is charged at the same rate for your tent’s occupancy.
How do we book and pay?
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and we confirm availability. We then explain payment methods and the cancellation terms.
Is alcohol served at the camp?
Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you.
What is the cancellation policy?
Ask us: we explain the terms when we confirm your booking.
How do I pay for the booking?
Ask us: we explain the payment methods when we confirm your booking.
Do you host weddings or events?
Yes. Every wedding or event is different, so we plan it with you: message us on WhatsApp with the date, how many of you there will be and what you have in mind.
Can I give a night in the desert as a gift?
Yes, with a gift voucher. We arrange it on WhatsApp or through the contact form on the website: message us and we’ll explain how it works.
Getting here and when to come
Where exactly is the camp?
At Erg Znaigui, close to Erg Chebbi, twenty minutes from the centre of Merzouga on the N13 road towards Taouz. It is an area with very few camps, which is precisely why there is not a single light to be seen at night.
When is the best time to sleep in the desert?
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable: mild days and cool nights, around 15 °C. From November to February the nights get a good deal colder, but the tents have heating and the sky is at its clearest. We close in July because of the summer temperatures.
How long does it take from Marrakech?
Between 10 and 12 hours by road, over the High Atlas. There are direct Supratours and CTM buses, almost always overnight, and many people split the journey over two days via Ouarzazate or the Dadès valley.
And from Fes?
Between 8 and 10 hours via Ifrane, Midelt and Errachidia. CTM runs buses to Rissani and straight through to Merzouga.
Which is the nearest airport?
Errachidia, a little over two hours from the camp, with domestic flights. It is the way to save yourself a lot of road. If you fly in there we will arrange the private transfer to the camp: send us your flight and we will be waiting at arrivals.
Do I need to rent a car or drive on sand?
No, and this is the question we get most. We pick you up wherever you are and do the last stretch, about ten minutes over sand, ourselves by 4x4. It is included both ways, and your luggage comes with you all the way to the tent.
What time should we arrive?
In the afternoon, with time to spare before sunset: that gives you room to settle in and head out with the camels towards the dunes, which is the first thing on the programme. If your transport gets in later, tell us and we will rearrange it.
How many nights are worth staying?
One night gets you the sunset, dinner, the fire and the sunrise, which is the full run. Two gives you time for a 4x4 or quad excursion, time at the camp without watching the clock, and no need to spend the next day driving.
What the night at the camp is like
What happens between arriving and going to bed?
When you arrive there is mint tea and we show you to your tent. Before sunset the camels head out towards the dunes, and you come back in the dark. Then dinner is served in the restaurant tent and the fire is lit, with Berber music played live by the team. After that, everyone turns in when they feel like it.
Can you really see the stars?
Extremely well. There are barely any camps at Erg Znaigui and no village nearby, so there is no light to get in the way. Once the fire dies down you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. It is what guests write to us about most afterwards.
Is there music or noise until late?
The music is around the fire, after dinner, played live by the team. When it finishes the camp goes completely silent: there are ten tents, not a nightclub in the desert.
Can we walk around at night?
Yes, and climbing a dune to look at the sky is worth it. Let us know and someone from the team will go with you: at night every dune looks the same and it is easy to lose track of where the camp is.
Is anyone at the camp overnight?
Yes, the team stays all night. If you need anything at any hour, there is someone there.
Is it worth getting up for the sunrise?
Almost everyone does, and almost nobody regrets it. You climb a nearby dune, watch the sun come up over the sand, and breakfast is laid out by the time you are back. If you would rather sleep, that is fine too.
Is there electricity and phone signal?
There is electricity in the tents for charging your phone and camera. Signal in the middle of the desert is limited and comes and goes. It is worth downloading whatever you want to listen to or read beforehand.
What happens if there is a sandstorm?
It is uncommon, but it happens, mostly in spring. If the wind makes going out to the dunes impossible, we rearrange the plan inside the camp and head out once it drops.
Depending on who you travel with
I am travelling alone. Is there a single supplement?
No. The single tent is €100 a night and that is the final price, with its own bathroom. We will not put you in a tent shared with strangers either.
We are a couple. One bed or two?
Whichever you prefer: the double tent has one large bed and the twin has two separate ones. Same tent, same fit-out, same price of €200 a night. Say which when you book and you will find it made up that way.
Can we come with children?
Yes, and families come often. There are triple, quadruple and family tents, and we adapt the menus. Tell us the ages when you book so we can get it right.
We are a group. Can we book tents together?
Yes. Tell us how many you are and how you want to split up and we will keep adjoining tents for you. There are only ten in the whole camp, so it pays to tell us early.
Can we celebrate something at the camp?
Yes: birthdays, anniversaries, proposals and honeymoons. Mention it in your first message and we will prepare it, from the dinner to how the tent is set up when you walk in.
Are there vegetarian, vegan or allergy-friendly options?
Yes: vegetarian, vegan and halal menus, and we cater for allergies and intolerances, gluten-free and lactose-free included. We need to know when you book, because we adapt the whole dinner rather than one dish.
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Keep reading
- Luxury tents in the Merzouga desert Ten private tents in our luxury tented camp in Morocco, from €100 to €425 a night depending on occupancy. All with their own bathroom, a hot shower and air conditioning and heating.
- How to get to Merzouga and to our camp We are in Erg Znaigui, 20 minutes from the centre of Merzouga on the N13 towards Taouz. You do not have to drive: we come and get you, and the last stretch is done by 4x4.
- What to pack for the Merzouga desert The list is shorter than people think. What matters is layers and footwear.