Camel Ride in Merzouga (Sahara Camel Trekking)

A camel ride, or a real trek?

Most visitors to Merzouga climb on a camel for an hour, between the camp and a nearby dune, at sunset.

It is pleasant, but short.

Camel trekking is different: it means staying in the saddle for several hours, sometimes crossing a wider stretch of the erg, with a real night in an isolated desert camp rather than a fixed camp near the road.

In practice, a trek lasts between 2h30 and 4h of camel riding on the way out, before reaching a more remote camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes.

You lose the comfort of quick minibus access.

You gain a deeper silence and a sky clear of any light but the stars.

What does the body really feel over several hours?

The camel is not a comfortable animal in the strict sense.

The gait is long and rolling, which works the lower back and inner thighs, especially in the first hour.

Many travellers feel real discomfort after 90 minutes of continuous riding.

That said, the pace remains slow, around 4 to 5 km/h, and the camel handlers take regular breaks.

Those who have done long hikes on foot generally cope better than those who think sitting still is enough.

If you have known back problems, it is better to limit the trek to a half-day rather than a full camel ride.

What does the route of a one-night trek in the dunes look like?

Departure is generally in the late afternoon, when the heat subsides and the light begins to tilt across the sand.

The caravan advances in single file, the camel handler on foot in front, through a constantly changing landscape: ridges, hollows, shadows stretching out.

Then the sun goes down behind the dunes.

The trek camp, unlike the standard camp, is often at a more isolated point in the erg: fewer groups around, a fire, a Berber dinner prepared on site.

The next day, some treks offer a walk to the highest ridge for sunrise, before heading back down to the starting point.

To place this stage within a wider itinerary from Marrakech, our Marrakech-Merzouga itinerary page details the road stages that precede the arrival at the dunes.

Who is this format for?

If you are short on time or have young children, the classic one-hour ride is more than enough: it offers the essentials of the experience without the physical fatigue of a long trek.

For a couple or fit travellers seeking a more immersive moment, a multi-hour trek with an isolated desert camp genuinely changes your relationship with the desert.

For photographers, the trek also lets you get away from the busiest areas of Erg Chebbi, where several groups converge at sunset.

A little more distance is often enough to find an empty dune.

The Moroccan National Tourist Office lists the main Saharan activities accessible from Merzouga on its official website.