Things To Do in the Sahara Desert: Our Two Nights at a Luxury Camp
We spent two nights at a Sahara Desert luxury camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes on our Soul Sisters Morocco trip in April 2025, and it was the stop none of us have stopped talking about. Endless gold dunes, a silence so complete it hums in your ears, and light that turns everything rose-gold at sunrise and sunset (it’s why we did our desert photoshoot here).
This guide covers where we stayed, the seven things worth doing, what to eat, and how to get there from Marrakesh, so you can plan your own desert stay.
Trip at a Glance: Sahara Desert
- Where: Erg Chebbi dunes, near the village of Merzouga in southeast Morocco
- Getting there: About a 10 hour drive from Marrakesh over the Atlas Mountains (we left at 7:30am and arrived around 5:30pm), or fly into Errachidia for a much shorter drive
- How long to stay: Two nights. One night feels rushed.
- Best time to go: October through April. We went in early April, which is shoulder season, and had warm days and cool nights.
- Where we stayed: Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi, in the quiet Zniqui section of the dunes
- Don’t miss: The sunset camel ride
- Pack: Layers for cool nights and closed shoes for the dunes
Jump to: Our experience | Things to do | What to eat | Where to eat | Getting there | FAQs | Final thoughts
Our Soul Sisters Sahara Experience
We left Marrakesh at 7:30 in the morning and pulled into camp around 5:30, just as the sun was starting to dip and the dunes glowed that unreal amber color. The staff welcomed us with mint tea and fresh dates.
Morning: We woke up before sunrise and climbed out onto the dunes in flowing dresses, barefoot in the cool sand. The light was soft and golden, and it was impossible to take a bad photo. We did a full sunrise desert photoshoot with camels walking in the background, feeling like Moroccan princesses in a movie. If you love this idea, see our flying dress photoshoot on the Amalfi Coast too.
Midday: After a slow breakfast, we split into groups. I went sandboarding with a few of the girls, laughing the entire way, while the others took a 4×4 deeper into the desert.
Afternoon: We regrouped for a sunset camel trek with our Berber guides (more on that below), then came back to camp for a three-course dinner.
Evening: After dinner, the camp staff put on a drum performance by the fire. We sat around the flames under the stars while they played and sang, and it was the perfect way to end the day.
We stayed two nights, and I’d tell you to do the same. The Sahara after dark feels completely different. Still, glowing, and impossibly romantic.
Things To Do in the Sahara Desert
The Sahara isn’t a checklist destination. It’s about slowing down and letting the desert do its thing. That said, there are a few experiences you shouldn’t miss.
1. Visit the Erg Chebbi Dunes
Often called the crown jewel of the Moroccan Sahara, the Erg Chebbi dunes rise up to 150 meters high and stretch for miles in every direction. There’s even a local legend that these dunes were created as a punishment for turning away a traveler… which just adds to the magic. Climb one barefoot, sit at the top, and watch the light shift. Pure awe.
2. Stay at a Sahara Desert Luxury Camp
We stayed at the Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi, tucked into a secluded section of the dunes called Zniqui. If the main dunes feel iconic, the camp feels intimate. The tents were amazing. Each one is about 34 square meters with a real bathroom, a hot shower, electricity, air conditioning at night, and a bed so comfortable you forget you’re sleeping in the middle of the desert. Having hot water out there felt like a small miracle. It’s also the only luxury camp in the Sahara with an in-ground swimming pool, tented and sitting right in the middle of the sand… still don’t know how that exists.
3. Visit a Nomad Depot
This was one of the most meaningful stops of the entire trip. We traveled to nearby Merzouga and saw handmade rugs, textiles, and jewelry up close at the Nomad Depot. It’s an incredible place to shop because all the goods are made locally, and buying directly from the community makes it the kind of souvenir that actually means something. I even found the gorgeous headpiece I wore during our desert photoshoot.
4. Visit the Dunes by 4×4
I picked sandboarding instead, but the girls who went on the 4×4 came back buzzing. You get to areas you’d never reach on foot, and the views of the endless sand are completely different from that speed and height. The camp can also arrange trips to Dayet Srji lake or the souk in Rissani if you want to see more of the area.
5. Stargazing
The Sahara has almost zero light pollution, so the stars feel impossibly close. You can join a guided stargazing walk, or just lie back in the sand after the fireside drumming and look up.
6. Sunset Camel Ride
If there’s one thing you don’t skip, it’s this. We climbed onto our camels about an hour before sunset and swayed our way deep into the dunes, Berber guides leading the line. The sand turned copper, then rose, then lavender as the sun dropped, and we hopped off at the top of a dune to sit in total silence and just watch. Camels walking in silhouette against a pink sky is the exact scene you pictured when you first dreamed of Morocco… and somehow it’s even better in person.
7. Dig for Fossils
This one was a surprise. On the drive in to the luxury camp, our guide pulled over on the side of the road so we could dig for fossils right there in the desert. This part of Morocco was once under the sea, so the ground is full of them. If your driver doesn’t offer, ask, or book a fossil hunting experience near Merzouga ahead of time.
What To Eat in the Sahara
Moroccan cuisine in the desert leans into warming spices, slow-cooked meats, and bright herbs… and every meal feels ceremonial.
- Tagine: Slow-cooked in a cone-shaped clay pot until the meat falls apart and the sauce turns rich and fragrant. Best eaten family-style with warm bread.
- Fresh Dates: Soft, honey-sweet, and served with mint tea the moment you arrive. A tradition of welcome you’ll never forget.
- Moroccan Mint Tea: Poured from high above the glass for the perfect foam. Sweet, bright, and somehow the most refreshing thing in the desert.
- Berber Bread & Olive Oil: Baked in the sand and served warm. Simple, rustic, and weirdly unforgettable.
Where To Eat and Drink
Desert Luxury Camp Dining, Zniqui Dunes
Three-course Moroccan dinners served in an elegant tented dining room with soft lanterns and handcrafted furniture. The tagines were my favorite thing they served, and some of the best food we had the entire trip. Our camp didn’t serve alcohol, so the drink of the night is mint tea by the fire.
Merzouga Village Cafés, Merzouga
We didn’t stop here ourselves, but it’s an option. On the way in or out of the dunes, Merzouga village has casual, family-run spots for a Moroccan coffee or a tagine. Cheaper, slower, and a nice contrast to the camp experience.
Getting to the Sahara and Getting Around
Once you’re at the camp, the staff will take you anywhere you want to go. Around the dunes that means camels or a 4×4. Camels are slow and peaceful, and 4x4s give you range and adrenaline.
We were driven in from Marrakesh, which I’d recommend. It’s about a 10 hour day. We left at 7:30am, crossed the Atlas Mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, stopped at the Ait Benhaddou kasbah, and continued through Ouarzazate and the Draa Valley before reaching camp around 5:30pm. On the way down, our guides set up a tent for a private lunch that was amazing and one of the most memorable meals of the trip. It was the first time I had the tomato and cucumber salad that I later remade at home and posted as my Moroccan cucumber tomato onion salad recipe on Sugar Geek Show. It’s long, but you get to watch the scenery change instead of the road, and our guide could pull over whenever something looked interesting (that’s how the fossil stop happened). You can also fly into Errachidia and cut the drive significantly.
Leaving, we drove about seven and a half hours north to Fes through the Ziz Valley, so the desert works well as the middle stop on a Marrakesh to Fes route.
For a splurge, arrange a private 4×4 transfer directly to your camp instead of a group tour. It’s a night-and-day difference in comfort and flexibility.
One practical tip: pack layers. Our forecast was high 70s (°F) during the day and mid 40s at night, and closed shoes are a must for dune walks or sandboarding. Our guide to building a capsule wardrobe for every trip makes packing for both a lot easier.
Apps to download before you go:
- Google Maps: Download the Merzouga and southern Morocco area offline. Cell service gets spotty the deeper you go into the dunes.
- Maps.me: A backup offline map that tends to have more remote desert tracks than Google Maps.
- WhatsApp: How most Moroccan camps, drivers, and guides communicate. Expect to coordinate your arrival and transfers here.
Sahara Desert FAQs
How many nights should you stay in the Sahara Desert?
Two nights. With one night you arrive at sunset and leave after breakfast, so you miss a full day in the dunes. We stayed two and it was the right call.
Do Sahara luxury camps have showers and bathrooms?
Ours did. Every tent at Desert Luxury Camp had its own bathroom with a hot shower, plus electricity, air conditioning at night, and a very comfortable bed.
Is the Sahara Desert cold at night?
It can be. We went in early April, which is shoulder season, and the forecast was high 70s (°F) during the day and mid 40s at night. The temperature drops quickly after sunset, so bring layers.
Is the Sahara Desert safe for women?
Yes, we felt very safe. The Merzouga area is small and built around tourism, the local Berber community is welcoming, and violent crime is extremely rare. At a camp you are with staff, guides, and drivers the whole time, which makes it one of the easiest parts of Morocco to relax in. The things to watch out for are practical ones: strong sun and heat during the day, cold at night, and sandstorms that can come up fast. Medical care is limited this far out, so pack any medication you need, drink bottled water, and get travel insurance. Stick with your guide in the dunes, since it is easy to lose your bearings, and use a local driver instead of driving the desert roads yourself at night. It is also worth checking your government’s current travel advisory for Morocco before you book.
Final Thoughts
The Sahara and the blue city of Chefchaouen were the two things I loved most about our Moroccan trip. This one truly felt like a once in a lifetime, unforgettable experience.
The light, the scenery, the people… it was all just magical, and hard to explain in words. Lanterns glowing across a quiet camp at night. A sky that makes you forget what city lights even look like.
For me, this stop slowed everything down. It made me notice the light, the quiet, and the women I was traveling with in a way the busier cities never could. It’s a big part of why we believe in group travel.
If Marrakesh feels loud and electric and the coast feels breezy and easy, the Sahara feels quiet and soul-shaking.
We’re planning the next Soul Sisters trip now. Tell us where you want to go.
