Casablanca was not built for the desert.
It is a port, a stock exchange, glass towers.
Merzouga lies at the other end of the country, and that distance changes how you need to plan the trip: more road, an almost obligatory overnight stop, and a choice to make between several ways of getting there.
How many kilometres, and how long, really
Allow about 560 km on the most direct route: Fès, Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt, then Errachidia.
On paper, 9 to 10 hours of driving.
In practice, often more, because the kilometres between Azrou and Midelt are on a mountain road that does not forgive speed.
A second route exists via Marrakech and Ouarzazate, but it adds about a hundred kilometres to the journey.
Virtually nobody does this journey in a single day.
Almost all organised tours from Casablanca therefore include an overnight stop, in Fès or near Midelt, before reaching the dunes the following late afternoon.
Direct minivan, train then connection, or plane: which to choose
If you only want to deal with a single booking, a direct minivan with a multilingual driver-guide remains the simplest option: hotel pick-up, an organised stop along the way, arrival at the desert camp at the end of the second day.
This is the option most of our travellers departing from Casablanca choose.
If you prefer to cover the first stretch by train, the ONCF Casablanca-Fès journey (about 3h30) lets you reach Fès quickly, then continue by minivan: only 460 km remain to Merzouga.
For travellers in a hurry, a flight to Fès followed by about 5 hours of driving remains the fastest option.
What the road shows, between Fès and the desert
After Fès, the road climbs towards Ifrane, its steeply pitched roofs and its cedars.
Then Azrou and its Barbary macaque forest.
The landscape changes again after Midelt: the orchards disappear, replaced by the Ziz gorges, where the road follows the river before emerging onto the Erfoud palm grove.
Then the tarmac loses its importance.
The Erg Chebbi dunes appear at the end of the route, generally in the late afternoon if the overnight stop has been well timed.
Then comes the camel ride to the desert camp, and the night under a sky made especially clear by the region's low light pollution.
To compare with the shorter route from Marrakech, see our Marrakech-Merzouga itinerary.
Train timetables are available on the Moroccan National Tourist Office website.
What it costs, and who it is for
Our group options start at 80 € per adult (75 € for children) on standard accommodation and desert camp, 110 €/100 € on comfort, 180 €/170 € on the luxury option.
Departing from Casablanca does not change these rates, but adds an overnight stop to budget for.
If you are short on time, take the train to Fès then continue by minivan.
With young children, the direct minivan is better, with a comfortable stop halfway rather than a station change.
Practical tip
Plan an overnight stop on the road between Casablanca and Merzouga rather than attempting the journey in one go.
Bring a cotton cheche against sand wind, a warm layer for the night in the desert camp where temperatures drop sharply after sunset, and a power bank for your photos if you plan to stay up after dinner.
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