Camel trek at sunset
An hour’s ride into Erg Chebbi as the dunes turn gold — arrive at camp as the light fades and the stars appear.
The Sahara at Merzouga
Golden dunes and a night under the stars
Best time
October – April
Gentle pace
2–3 slow days
Ideal for
Adventurous families · Couples · Stargazers
At Merzouga, the Sahara begins in earnest — the great dune of Erg Chebbi rising a hundred and fifty metres from the desert floor, a wall of gold that glows rose at dawn and crimson at dusk. A night here, in a desert camp under more stars than seem possible, is the memory children carry for life.
Ride camels into the dunes at sunset, sleep in a Berber tent, and climb the dune before dawn for the sun rising over Algeria. With children, choose a comfortable camp close to the village and travel in the cooler months.
Worth lingering over
Sunrise on the big dune
Climb before dawn for the desert turning from violet to gold — the finest sunrise you will ever see.
A 4x4 desert loop
Visit fossil beds, nomad families and an oasis of palm springs in a half-day desert tour.
Hidden gem
Khamlia village and the Gnawa musicians
At the very edge of the dunes sits Khamlia, a tiny village of dark-skinned descendants of sub-Saharan travellers, home to a family of Gnawa musicians who play desert blues on handmade drums and a three-stringed lute. Sit on the floor of their mud-brick room, drink sweet tea, and let the children clap along to a rhythm that has crossed the Sahara for centuries — no ticket, no crowd, just an open door.