Traveling from Marrakech to Merzouga can take up to 12 hours by car, but the ride is absolutely stunning. Roaring through the Atlas mountains, across the plains and through ancient villages will keep you entertained for hours. There are plenty of wonderful places to stop and rest, such as the UNESCO World Heritage site, Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, or Morocco’s desert filmmaking capital of Ouarzazate.
You can also get to Merzouga much faster if you opt for the more expensive helicopter route, which takes roughly 90 minutes from Marrakech. But, we recommend the road for first time visitors. Once in Merzouga, there are several Kasbahs and hotels in the region where you can stay overnight. The draw here are the magnificent sand dunes which seem to come out of nowhere and stretch for miles. Wake a 4:00 am and catch a camel into the desert where you can witness the most incredible sunrise you’ll ever see in your life. Words just cannot describe this amazing place.