1-week loop: Marrakech - Dades - Merzouga or Zagora?

Hello,

Zagora isn’t worth it in terms of desert—you need to go all the way to Mahmid to reach the dunes. Search this forum’s engine (top right) for "Mahmid or Merzouga"—you’ll find discussions about the tough choice between the two spots.

Stay in a hostel or a bivouac? At Merzouga, I really enjoy doing one of each! It lets you take the time to live at the village’s pace instead of just "consuming" the dunes in express mode. Stroll through the palm grove, wander the village, head to Khamlia (the Gnawa village)—all with the dunes always in sight. I love it! Standard bivouac nights *are* cold, but it’s a very dry cold. The blankets do their job perfectly. Otherwise, I think the rooms in "luxury camps" have heating (yes, it’s a bit odd...).

Murielle

Thanks so much! Yeah, it was either the dunes (Merzouga) or more the Draa Valley (so not going all the way to M'hamid, since the route itself seems to be gorgeous).

What do you think about each of the routes in terms of distance for a week? We’ve got the travel times from Google Maps, but I’m not sure if they’re realistic (or if it takes double the time once you’re there).

I’ll keep your preference for the Merzouga route in mind! Thanks

Don’t trust the travel times shown on Google Maps—they don’t account for the many villages that almost every road passes through, or the mountain curves... Plan for an average speed of about 50-60 km/h.

What really takes time isn’t just the driving, but all the stops you’ll want to make! :-) It’s beautiful everywhere...

The Draa Valley is stunning, and I think it’s a shame to stop at Zagora. Even if you don’t want to explore the dunes, it’s worth going toward Mhamid (special mention for the village of Tamegroute and the Djane Dar Diafa hostel). But I know the Merzouga area much better, and I never get tired of the road from Marrakech to Merzouga: diverse landscapes, plenty of interesting stops and visits along the way.

If you’re unsure about a bivouac in the dunes, opt for a night in a hostel first, and you can decide on the spot whether to spend a second night in a bivouac (every hostel has its own dunes camp—you’ll see if your daughter feels like giving it a try).

Thanks! I’d also like to push on to M’Hamid, but we only have a week and the itinerary already feels pretty ambitious, so I think we have to choose between going as far as Merzouga OR Zagora and even M’Hamid—but in that case, we won’t do the desert (not enough time). So it comes down to choosing between Merzouga and the dunes or the Draa Valley all the way to M’Hamid. That’s a personal choice.

On the other hand, I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether either of these routes is doable in such a short time. I wouldn’t want to get there and realize we could’ve stopped every half hour to discover amazing things!

Hi there,

I’m not really a fan of Merzouga—it’s become a bit of a theme park. Not necessarily unpleasant, but if you're looking for a true desert vibe, you’ll need earplugs...

In November, it gets really cold at night in the desert and the mountains. During the day, it was fine.

Maybe you’ll find some ideas in this travel journal?

There’s also a dune not too far from Zagora. It’s more like the Dune of Pilat than a real desert, but it’s still fun, especially at 10 years old.

if you go for Marrakech-Merzouga: a full week (6 or 7 full days) works really well for this round-trip route. Ideally 6 nights: 2 nights on the way there, 2 in Merzouga, and 2 on the way back. Worthwhile stops along the way: Ait BenHaddou, Skoura, the Dades Gorge, Tineghir.

For the return trip, you could take a different route via Nkob and Agdz. I can’t give you much advice on that stretch—I don’t know it well enough.

Thanks!!

In one week, you have to choose—either Merzouga or Mhamid. Personally, I’d go for Merzouga. It’s accessible by car, and there are several interesting spots along the way. The return trip is quicker via the southern route Almif–Nkob. A really nice stop is Camp Serdrar near Tazzarine. From there, a new road (still not marked on maps) lets you reach the Draa Valley at Zagora.

hi there one week isn’t much, but it’s enough to do the stunning route: Marrakech, Aït Benhaddou, Dades, Merzouga, and back via Nkob and the Draa Valley! personally, I’m staying at the Oasis hostel in Hassilabied, 3 km before Merzouga! way more peaceful! Right at the foot of the dunes and next to the oasis! spend a night in a bivouac—it’s always an amazing experience! there are always blankets! have a great trip francia

Like most folks here, I’d recommend Merzouga. A week is perfect. Two stops on the way out and two on the way back—no need to rush through everything.

I’m replying to Jeeaan, but actually I’m addressing everyone.

I don’t really get what draws you to Merzouga???

Twenty-five years ago when the road didn’t exist, sure.

But today, with all the construction, quads, buggies, etc...

Hi Agnès,

I’ve been going to Merzouga for 20 years. I’ve also seen the changes—some not so great—in this area. It’s clear I won’t see the Milky Way like I did 20 years ago, nor will I hear that sweet nighttime silence in the middle of the dunes. Even the hostel professionals have lost some of their spontaneity: for the most part, their activities have become very professionalized, with a well-oiled organization.

I went on a bivouac in 2021—I hadn’t been in 7 or 8 years. And I tried the luxury bivouac... NEVER AGAIN! Taking "dream" photos in the dunes was really complicated. In fact, I let go and opted for photos that showed the reality: quads and 4x4s far outnumbering camels (and much noisier, of course), questionable safety since some drive like maniacs, tire tracks from quads and 4x4s everywhere in the dunes. At sunset, there’s a constant back-and-forth of 4x4s looking for the best spot for the view (and as a result, 4x4s parked at the top of every dune...). Those who edit promotional flyers about the dream night in the Merzouga Desert must be using old or doctored photos...

But I still go to Merzouga—to see friends in the village and to enjoy the area (dunes, palm grove in Merzouga, but also Rissani, Khamlia...). During the day, Merzouga is relatively quiet; most tourists are still on the road, not yet arrived. And honestly, my favorite moments in Merzouga over the past 20 years have been in the village, with the dunes as a permanent backdrop. And that’s just fine with me.

For someone who wants to "experience" the desert at a more natural pace, I’d recommend Mauritania or Algeria instead. But it’s also more demanding in terms of organization (and cost). Otherwise, well... Merzouga for a quick desert experience has become perfect (unfortunately for the area).

Murielle

Hi Agnès,

I’ve been going to Merzouga for 20 years. I’ve also seen the changes—some not so great—in this area. It’s clear I won’t see the Milky Way like I did 20 years ago, nor will I hear that sweet nighttime silence in the middle of the dunes. Even the hostel professionals have lost some of their spontaneity: for the most part, their activities have become very professionalized, with a well-oiled organization.

I went on a bivouac in 2021—I hadn’t been in 7 or 8 years. And I tried the luxury bivouac... NEVER AGAIN! Taking "dream" photos in the dunes was really complicated. In fact, I let go and opted for photos that showed the reality: quads and 4x4s far more numerous than camels (and much noisier, of course), safety very questionable since some drive like maniacs, quad and 4x4 tire tracks everywhere in the dunes; at sunset, a constant coming and going of 4x4s looking for the best spot for the view (and as a result, 4x4s parked on top of every dune...). Those who edit promotional flyers about the dream night in the Merzouga Desert must be using old or doctored photos...

But I still go to Merzouga—to see friends in the village and to enjoy the area (dunes, palm grove in Merzouga, but also Rissani, Khamlia...). During the day, Merzouga is relatively quiet; most tourists are on the roads, not yet arrived. And really, my favorite moments in Merzouga over the past 20 years have been in the village, with the dunes as a permanent backdrop. And that’s just fine with me.

For someone who wants to "experience" the desert at a pace that suits it, I’d recommend Mauritania or Algeria instead. But it’s also more demanding in terms of organization (and cost). Otherwise, well... Merzouga for a quick desert fix has become perfect (unfortunately for the area).

Murielle

Okay, thanks Murielle, but what we’re looking for is different. I don’t see myself just enjoying the village with the dunes in the background, and we don’t have friends in the village ;) On the other hand, we travel a lot, and everywhere we go, we avoid tourist traps. We’re obviously tourists ourselves, but not the "American-style" kind. For example, it wouldn’t occur to me to ride a quad in the desert. What you describe with the 4x4s and quads scares us, especially since we’ve changed our plans and will be going in April (peak season)!

The desert south of M’Hamid appealed to us more for that reason, but you have to drive all the way there and then another 2 hours from the last village to the dunes. That’s not really compatible with our 7-day schedule.

But I’ll start another thread because not only are we going in April, but we’ll also have 10 days. I hope to get your insights from everyone on our next post ;) Thanks

Like most contributors, I’d recommend Merzouga. A week is perfect. Two stops on the way there and two on the way back—no need to rush everything.

Where would you suggest making the stops? Thanks!

On the way out: Skoura and Tinghir. On the way back: Dadès Valley and Ait Benhaddou. Might as well take the opportunity to explore a few sites along this route.

Hello. Without any hesitation, avoid Merzouga! A great idea is to head to Mhamid (MRK, Aït Ben Haddou, Zagora) after getting in touch with Phil, who has a fantastic campsite just before Mhamid. He’ll organize a two-day trip for you with a night in the Chegaga desert (it’s not a touristy thing) and then you’ll head back up to MRK. Phil is incredibly committed to the local community—he runs his place in a remarkable way and has nothing to do with the "money-grabbers" in Merzouga or some of the other "hotel owners" in Mhamid. Phil is active on this forum (@Distran), and his campsite, "Esprit Désert," is in Oulad Driss, just before Mhamid and near the stunning abandoned village of Bou Nou (worth visiting). You can find his contact details online.

PS: Just to clarify, Phil is French, so communication is easy.

The desert south of M'Hamid appealed to us more for that reason, but you have to drive all the way down there and then another 2 hours from the last village to the dunes. Not really compatible with our 7-day timeline.

Hi there, That’s exactly why I mentioned the benefit of pushing on to Mhamid if you’re heading to Zagora. See you soon on your other thread! :-)

Murielle