All Inclusive Merzouga Tour:Transport, Camel Ride, Desert Camp and Meals

1. What does the package actually cover?

An all inclusive tour covers four fixed items: transport in an air-conditioned vehicle for the Marrakech-Merzouga return, accommodation for the overnight stays (roadside inn then desert camp in the dunes), the associated dinners and breakfasts, and the camel ride in Erg Chebbi.

This is the common core of almost every tour sold under this label.

The full details of a typical itinerary are in our Marrakech-Merzouga 3-day tour, which applies exactly this structure day by day.

2. What always stays down to the traveller?

Lunch is almost never included.

The group stops at a local restaurant on the road, and everyone pays for their own meal separately, usually between 5 and 10 €.

Drinks outside meals and optional activities like quad biking or sandboarding in the dunes also stay separate.

Tips for the driver, the guide and the desert camp team are at your discretion — the driver is already paid for his service, so it is never owed. As a rule, allow 10 to 20 € per person for the whole trip.

This is an important difference from some "all-inclusive" resorts elsewhere in the world.

Here, all inclusive covers the essentials of the trip, not every side expense.

It is better to budget 15 to 20 € per day for these extras, rather than be caught out on site.

For official information on tourist practices in Morocco, the Moroccan National Tourist Office remains a useful reference.

3. Why does lunch stay separate?

The reason is mainly logistical.

The route passes through villages where several restaurants compete, and leaving the choice of lunch to the traveller lets everyone adjust their budget or their cravings rather than put up with a fixed menu.

Some prefer a hearty tajine, others a quick sandwich before getting back on the road.

That freedom has a downside: on a sometimes long stretch between two stops, a tired traveller may be tempted to skip that meal.

That is not recommended, especially in summer when the heat makes it essential to eat and drink regularly.

Dinner, on the other hand, changes in nature once you reach the desert camp.

It is always included, served collectively under canvas, usually a tajine prepared on site.

It is one of the rare meals on the tour where nobody pays separately: everyone shares the same table, which adds to the atmosphere of the evening.

4. And the accommodation, what level is included?

The term "all inclusive" says nothing about the comfort level of the accommodation, and that is often where tours differ most.

A basic option includes a simple roadside inn and a traditional desert camp in the dunes.

A mid-range or luxury option keeps the same meal and transport structure, but replaces the inn and the desert camp with places offering private bathrooms and more comfort.

Two "all inclusive" tours at the same displayed price can therefore mean very different experiences once you are there.

Asking for the exact accommodation level before booking avoids this kind of surprise.