Compare · Which desert
Merzouga vs Zagora vs Chegaga — which Sahara is right for you?
By Rachid — Owner and itinerary editor, Rachid Excursions
"Which desert should we do?" comes down to three things: how many days you can give it, how big you want the dunes to be, and how much time in a vehicle you will accept. All three destinations are worth seeing; they suit different trips.
Two days or three? Decide this first
Both of our shared desert trips pick you up from your Marrakech hotel or riad at 07:30, cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n'Tichka pass and stop at Aït Ben Haddou on the first day. The difference is how far south-east you go, how many nights you sleep away, and the size of the dunes at the end. If you have two days, the answer is Zagora. If you have three, it is Merzouga.
Two days: choose Zagora
Zagora is 2 days / 1 night, from €60 per person on the shared tour. Included: round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, hotel or riad pickup, a local guide at Aït Ben Haddou, a visit of Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate, a 1-hour camel ride into the dunes, and a night in a Berber camp with dinner and breakfast. Paid on the day: lunches (about 100–150 MAD each), drinks and tips. The trade-off is plain: Zagora's dunes are smaller than Erg Chebbi's at Merzouga. You still get the camel ride, the camp, sunset and sunrise, but not the tall dunes from the photos.
Three days: choose Merzouga
Merzouga is 3 days / 2 nights, from €70 per person on the shared tour. Night one is a hotel in the Dades Valley, night two a desert camp at Erg Chebbi, with a 1-hour camel ride into the dunes, 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners. The tier you pick changes only the room and tent: Normal €70 (shared hotel room and shared tent), Standard €95 (private room and private tent, for 2 or more travellers) or Luxury €120 (private room and a private air-conditioned tent with en-suite bathroom, for 2 or more). Lunches, drinks, tips and the Aït Ben Haddou entrance ticket (about €3) are extra, and ending in Fes instead of Marrakech is +€25 per person.
Zagora — the short introduction
Driving time from Marrakech: ~7 hours one way (Tizi n'Tichka → Aït Ben Haddou → Draa valley). Dunes: 5–20 m tall — technically Sahara, honestly closer to a large sand hill. Camp on our trip: a traditional Berber bivouac with sleeping tents, a shared dining tent and simple shared toilets — not a luxury camp. Best for: 2 days total, tighter budgets, families, anyone who wants "a night in the desert" without a long loop.
Merzouga — the postcard Sahara
Driving time: ~10 hours, split across 2 days with stops at Aït Ben Haddou, Dadès and Todra gorges. Dunes: Erg Chebbi, up to 150 m — the ones you've seen on Instagram. Camp on our shared tour: a shared tent (Normal), a private tent (Standard) or a private air-conditioned tent with en-suite bathroom (Luxury). Best for: 3 days total, first-time visitors, couples, anyone who wants both real dunes and the road-trip route in.
Chegaga — the remote, wild one
Dunes: Erg Chegaga, up to 100 m and stretched across 40 km, far south beyond Zagora and much more remote than Merzouga. Our Chegaga trip is a private 4-day walking trek from the village of Mhamid: you walk about 4–6 hours a day with a Berber guide while camels carry the water, food and camp gear, and sleep three nights in nomadic bivouacs. The road transfer from Marrakech to Mhamid takes 2 days via Ouarzazate and the Draa Valley and is quoted separately. Best for: second-time visitors, walkers, photographers, travellers who want silence and space.
Head-to-head
| Zagora | Merzouga | Chegaga | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there | ~7 h drive each way | ~10 h, split over 2 days | 2-day road transfer to Mhamid, quoted separately |
| Dune height | 5–20 m, smaller than Erg Chebbi | Up to 150 m (Erg Chebbi) | Up to 100 m, 40 km wide |
| Trip length | 2 days / 1 night | 3 days / 2 nights | 4-day trek from Mhamid, plus the transfer |
| Crowds | Moderate | Popular | Very remote |
| Best for | Tight schedules, families | First-timers, couples, photos | 2nd-timers, walkers, silence |
| Published price | From €60 pp (shared) | €70 / €95 / €120 pp (shared) | Private written quote |
Our honest recommendation
If it's your first Morocco trip and you have 3 days spare — go to Merzouga. It's the most photogenic, the drive in is spectacular, and shared 3-day tours keep it accessible. If you've done Merzouga and want something bigger and quieter, book Chegaga. Only pick Zagora if 2 days is truly all you have.
"Merzouga is where I send first-timers — the dunes people picture, plus the road trip through Aït Ben Haddou to get there. Chegaga is what I recommend once someone tells me they've already done the classic Sahara and want silence instead."— Rachid, Marrakech itinerary editor, Rachid Excursions
Sources and verification
These sources support destination, heritage, climate, health or travel-advice context. Prices and supplier details are confirmed in writing for each booking.
- Morocco official tourism portal
Moroccan National Tourism Office
Official destination context for Marrakech, desert, coast and Atlas travel.
- Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
UNESCO World Heritage Centre
World Heritage status and cultural context for Ait Ben Haddou.
Frequently asked
Tours mentioned above
Merzouga 3 Days — Shared
3 Days · 2 Nights · Normal / Standard / Luxury
A shared 3-day / 2-night desert tour from Marrakech to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, from €70 per person (Standard €95, Luxury €120), leaving at 07:30. The price covers transport, a hotel night in Dades and a night in a desert camp, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners and a 1-hour camel ride; lunches are extra. The route: cross the High Atlas via Tizi n'Tichka to the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou and Kasbah Taourirt, then the Rose Valley and Dades. Day 2 drive to Merzouga for a camel ride at sunset and a Berber desert camp with drumming and dinner. Day 3 sunrise over the dunes, then return to Marrakech — or continue to Fes for +€25.
Chegaga 4-Day Private Trek
4 days · 3 nights · Mhamid loop · Camel-supported walking trek
A four-day private walking trek through the great Erg Chegaga — Morocco's wildest and most remote dune sea, far south of Zagora. Starting from Mhamid, you walk each day with a Berber guide while camels carry the water, food and camp gear. Nights are spent in nomadic bivouacs at Sidi Naji, the Ezzahar dunes and Kriaat Jmal — dinner cooked on the fire, stargazing and traditional music under the sky. A slow, immersive alternative to the classic Merzouga road trip.
Zagora 2 Days — Desert Tour
2 days · 1 night · Ait Ben Haddou · Ouarzazate · Camel ride · Desert camp
A shared 2-day / 1-night desert trip from Marrakech to Zagora for €60 / MAD 600 per person, leaving at 07:30. It includes transport, hotel pickup, a guide at Aït Ben Haddou, a 1-hour camel ride, a night in a Berber camp, dinner and breakfast; lunches are extra. Zagora is not Merzouga: its dunes are smaller than Erg Chebbi, and you trade dune size for one night instead of two. Climb the Tizi n'Tichka pass, spend the morning in UNESCO-listed Aït Ben Haddou with a local guide, visit Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate, then continue south to Zagora for a sunset camel ride and a night in a Berber desert camp under the stars. Wake up to sunrise over the dunes and return to Marrakech via Ouarzazate.