The camel caravan crossing the dunes is the image that sells Morocco, and it is a real experience rather than a staged one. It is also frequently oversold, so here is a straight account.
How long the ride actually is
From the edge of Erg Chebbi to a camp is typically forty-five minutes to an hour and a quarter, depending on which camp you are staying at. You go out in the late afternoon and arrive around sunset, and you come back in the morning.
Some operators offer longer treks of several hours or multiple days between camps. Those are a different proposition and genuinely demanding; the standard hour is comfortable for most people.
Is it comfortable?
Moderately. The saddle is padded and you hold a wooden pommel. The awkward parts are standing up and sitting down, when the animal rises back legs first and pitches you forward — lean back and hold on, and it is fine.
If you have back, hip or knee problems, an hour on a camel may not be enjoyable. A 4x4 to the camp takes fifteen minutes and gets you to exactly the same place. We would rather you say so in advance than endure it.
The animals
These are dromedaries, and around Merzouga they belong to local families who have kept them for generations — often the same families who now guide the treks. A well-kept animal is calm, in good condition, and not carrying more than one rider.
We work with camel guides we know personally. If anything about the condition of the animals ever concerns you, tell us and we will deal with it directly.
Practical tips
Small things that make the hour better:
- Wear long trousers — the saddle chafes bare legs
- Take a scarf; the guides will show you how to wrap it against sand
- Keep your camera on a strap, not loose in your hand
- Put anything you might drop in a zipped pocket
- Go to the toilet before you set off; there is nothing between here and the camp
Ready to see it for yourself?
The trek is one part of a desert trip, not the whole of it. If you would rather skip it entirely, the rest of the experience — the camp, the sunrise, the 4x4 day — works exactly the same.
Tell us your dates and we will shape an itinerary around what you have just read.
