Merzouga and Sahara desert
By the time we reach the town of Merzouga and the Sahara desert, we’ve driven through miles of dramatic landscapes.
Merzouga is gateway to the Sahara desert and the high dunes of Erg Chebbi. The area has isolation and natural elements at its core, with fossils and camels in abundance.
The route has seen us pass numerous modes of transport including donkeys, carts, push bikes and so much more. It’s also a popular destination with mini bus tours coming from the big tourist areas such as Marrakech.
Numerous campsites
The sky begins clear blue but slowly a haze descends and the winds increase. The vast landscapes have become misty in the clouds of dust and sand swirling in the air.
Approaching the town of Merzouga is like a film set in the desert. Suddenly there’s signs for campsites, not one but numerous options to choose from.
We don’t know where to begin, so try and drive to a few to take a look. First we check out the Apps for some basic information and read latest reviews.
The campsites are all similar it seems, so it’s a matter of just taking pot luck and hoping all is well.
We’re here in late March, when the Winter rush is over and campsites are pretty empty. It’s a little too quiet if anything, as everywhere looks a bit like a ghost town.
Rough tracks and camels
Initially we try and park up in Merzouga, an authentic town with shops and local life, but decide to give it a miss.
We’re following directions to campsites, leading down rough ground on narrow dirt tracks. Turns are tight, tracks uneven, rock laden and getting narrower by the minute. Either side of us are buildings, we’re unsure if these are empty, but it feels as if we’ve come the wrong way somewhere along the track.
Up ahead a group of camels turn their heads and watch us approach. They seem more interested in eating than our movements, but we’re excited to watch them for a moment.
The camels are in abundance, with many tourist packages of camel rides in the desert and a popular excursion.
A hotel campsite – Merzouga and Sahara desert
We’ve driven to a few campsites by now and just can’t distinguish one from the other. All are really empty and most have other accommodation, such as an adjacent hotel.
A few km on the outskirts of town is Hotel Portes du Desert which we decide to call home for the night.
It looks like a good bet, backing onto the dunes which are red in colour but quickly disappear in a haze of sand fog.
The campsite section of the hotel is to the right, a square parking area with views behind of the dunes.
In a corner is a very basic amenity block, with a couple of showers and loos, but the smell is overpowering.
Costing 780 MAD, that’s about £8.00, which is an average price for Morocco. Parking with us are a few 4×4 cars with Irish number plates, their owners trying to cook up a meal in the gusty winds.
Lazy day
As camels glide past the camper, we attempt to sit outside momentarily, only to give in to the constant whirls of sand.
We’re unsure what to do next, with this wind staying for the foreseeable future, there’s no point hanging around.
The dust is relentless and even the camels look fed up. There’s few punters in the haze and with the red dunes barely visible, the sandy fog has cast its spell.
A stroll to the hotel finds a murky swimming pool, again sand dominates, lining the surface, with no sign of the bottom.
Temperatures are in the low 20’s, so it’s comfortable enough, so we hang around and just have a lazy kind of day.
At least we can say we’ve driven to the desert and seen the end of the road before the Sahara takes over. Unfortunately, our timing wasn’t great for the desert experience, so we’re going to call it a day.
Tomorrow we’ll drive back, leaving hazy Mergouza behind and the dust to settle on this desert town.
