Surf and desert: Agadir to Merzouga and back
Three days, one dune sea — returning to the coast
Overview
The round trip for anyone whose flights are into and out of Agadir. It crosses the Anti-Atlas by the southern road, reaches the Erg Chebbi dunes, and brings you back to the coast — which costs a little more driving than a one-way route but saves you rearranging your travel.
- Group size
- 1–14
Itinerary
Day 1 — Agadir → Taroudant → Taliouine → Ouarzazate
An early start east along the Souss valley to Taroudant, a walled market town sometimes called Little Marrakech for its ramparts and its souks — with a fraction of the crowds. We stop for coffee and a walk along the walls.
The road then climbs into the Anti-Atlas towards Taliouine, the centre of Morocco's saffron production. The crocus fields here are harvested by hand at dawn in late October and November, and it takes a startling number of flowers to make a gram of saffron. There is a cooperative where you can see the grading and buy it at a sane price.
Onward through Tazenakht, a carpet-weaving town where the Ouzguita designs are made, then across increasingly empty country to Ouarzazate for the night. The air is dry, the light is different, and the stars start early.
Day 2 — Ouarzazate → Dades → Todra → Erg Chebbi
East along the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, a chain of palm oases and mud-brick settlements strung along the Dades river. We stop at the Dades gorges, where wind and water have carved the rock into the formations locals call Monkey Fingers.
Then the Todra gorge at Tinghir — a dense palm oasis in a narrow valley opening into a canyon where the walls rise several hundred metres either side of a road barely wide enough for two cars. It is the best leg-stretch of the whole trip and there is usually somebody climbing overhead.
From Tinghir the landscape empties into stony hammada, flat and dark and apparently endless. Then the dunes appear on the horizon like a wall. We transfer onto camels at the edge of the erg and ride in for sunset, reaching camp as the light goes.
Dinner is tagine in a communal tent, followed by drumming around a fire and a sky that stops conversation. Sandboarding on the nearest dune before dark for anyone with energy left.
Day 3 — Sunrise → the long road back to the coast
Up before light and onto the nearest crest. Sunrise over the erg changes the whole dune field colour in about eight minutes and it is the reason people come. Breakfast at camp afterwards.
Then the drive back west, retracing the southern route through Ouarzazate and Taliouine with stops for lunch and photographs. It is a long day in the vehicle and we do not pretend otherwise — this is the cost of a round trip that returns you to your flight.
Arrival on the coast in the evening.
What's included
Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle and driver throughout
- English-speaking guide
- Pickup and drop-off in Agadir, Taghazout or Tamraght
- One night in a hotel in Ouarzazate
- One night in a Berber desert camp at Erg Chebbi
- Camel trek into the dunes at sunset
- Dinner on both nights and breakfast on both mornings
- Sandboarding and the music evening at camp
Not included
- Lunches on all three days
- Drinks and snacks on the road
- Quad biking in the dunes, available as an extra
- Private room or tent upgrade
- Travel insurance
- Tips for the guide and driver
What to bring
- A warm jacket — desert nights drop to 2–10 °C in winter
- Loose long clothing for sun and villages
- Closed shoes for the gorges and dune climbs
- Head torch, power bank, sunglasses
- Cash — ATMs disappear once you leave Ouarzazate
- Motion sickness tablets for the mountain roads
Price & booking
You pay €34 online to secure the booking. The remaining €191 is paid directly to the operator on arrival.
FAQ
Why does this cost more driving than the one-way tours?
Because it returns you to your starting point. A one-way route from Agadir to Marrakech is a line; this is a loop, and the third day is a nine-hour drive retracing ground you have already seen. Take it if your return flight is from Agadir. If you can fly out of Marrakech, take the one-way version instead — it is cheaper in both money and hours.
Is three days enough for the Sahara?
For one night in the dunes, yes. Sunset, dinner, stars and sunrise covers the experience. If you want a full day in the desert itself rather than arriving and leaving, take the four-day tour.
How cold does the camp get?
Dry air holds no heat. A 35 °C afternoon becomes a 10 °C night, and December and January nights approach freezing. Heavy blankets are provided and a warm jacket is still the thing people are most grateful for.
Can I do this without surfing?
Yes. The desert tours run independently of the surf camp and you do not need to book accommodation with us to join one.
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