Merzouga

Tue 6/2/24

After breakfast, we left Monkey Fingers house at Dades Gorge towards the Sahara desert in Merzouga, 257km away. We would be glamping at the Sahara desert and riding the camel to our tent. The journey with stops to take pictures took about 5 hours. We arrived at Riad Desert Camel to park our car (free parking) at 3pm and were greeted by Yousef. He explained to us on the glamping package which consists of 1 night stay in a tent with bathroom, dinner, breakfast, transfer to the tent in the desert by camel and transfer back to the car park by 4WD which cost 1300 MAD. We paid by cash in MAD. We were also served mint tea and nuts while waiting for the camels to be prepared.

leaving the mountains

Boumalnes Dades valley

entering flat terrain

flat terrain to Merzouga

entering desert of Merzouga

lone tree

park here at Riad Desert Camel

getting ready the camels

We were then transferred to the camel's waiting place by 4WD, a short but exhilarating drive through the desert (unfortunately I didn't record it). We then mounted up the camels with a guide in front, walking and guiding the camels. There were 4 of us in the group (the other 2 were not related to us). The camel ride took about 1.5 hours (about 5km ride) with a stop in the middle of the desert where the guide took pictures of us on our camels. The ride on the camel was bumpy and the videos I took with my handphone were wobbly lol. 

up on the camel

riding the camel

desert sand

Merzouga desert

Merzouga desert

Merzouga desert

Merzouga desert

We arrived at our tent at about 5.30pm. We refreshed ourselves (hot shower and ensuite toilet available), and then went out to walk around the desert area to wait for the sunset at around 7pm. While waiting for dinner at 7.45 pm, we were served mint tea and walnuts.

our camp

our 'room'

sunset at Merzouga desert

sunset at Merzouga desert

sunset at Merzouga desert

our camp at sunset

Our dinner consists of a 4 course meal, starting with spinach soup with bread and olives, vegetable with rice, baked cheese pasta, chicken tagine and mixed fruit platter. After dinner we joined the traditional song with drums around the campfire briefly, took some pictures of the clear night sky with stars and then retired to bed as we were feeling tired after a long day and probably from the exercise on the camels! 

vegetable with rice

baked cheese pasta

chicken tagine

fruit platter

traditional drum songs around the fire

clear night sky with stars

It was also really cold outside so we sought refuge in our tent - although it was still cold without any heaters - just depending on layers of blankets. 

The next morning, we woke up before sunrise at around 8am and took pictures of the sunrise which is really clear from the desert as it was flat from the direction of the sunrise. Breakfast was ready at 8.30am which was buffet style with bread, eggs, honey, olives, pancake, yogurt, mint tea and coffee.

sunrise at Merzouga desert

sunrise at Merzouga desert

After breakfast, we packed our bags then waited for the 4WD to transport us back at around 10am to the car park on the other side of the desert which only took 20 minutes and less exciting then the camel ride. 

We left the parking place at Riad Desert Camel at around 10.30am heading towards our next destination at Tinghir, near Toudra Gorge about 200km away.