Merzouga: Camel Riding, Sand Dune Climbing, and Sunset Viewing in the Sahara Desert

Merzouga is a small gateway town for entering the Sahara Desert from Morocco. The town has only one or two main paved roads, with the rest being dirt roads. Our Mercedes-Benz 7-seater carefully maneuvered, swaying from side to side, until we reached the hotel entrance. The hotel is on the western side of town, with the desert directly across from its main gate. I arrived at the hotel just after 4 PM. At 6 PM, an English-speaking young man came to pick us up in a Toyota Land Cruiser to take us camel riding in the desert, which was included in our itinerary. The 4x4 drove along the edge of the desert southward for about twenty minutes until we reached the camel camp. We formed a small camel caravan with two other Spanish-speaking ladies, led by two young men guiding the camels, and headed into the desert... In reality, we didn't travel far - perhaps just ten minutes or so before the caravan stopped and everyone dismounted for free time. Before us stood a massive sand dune which I later learned is called Erg Chebbi, one of the Sahara's famous high dunes at 150 meters tall. From where our caravan stopped, it was still at least 100 meters to the top. It took me 17 minutes to climb to the summit - quite exhausting! In mid-April, sunset occurs at 7:40 PM. The travel agency arranged the camel ride into the desert at this time specifically to watch the desert sunset. Sitting atop the 100+ meter high dune watching the sunset over the sea of sand was truly beautiful! Fearing I might delay the camel caravan's return, I started descending the dune before the sun had completely set. Going down was quick - I slid down in just 5 minutes. By the time I reached the bottom, it was almost dark. We mounted our camels and returned to the camp, where the same Toyota SUV drove us back to the hotel along the same route. We arrived at the hotel at 8:40 PM. No wonder dinner at the hotel only starts at 8:30 PM. It was an excellent desert experience! The only downside was that the camel ride was a bit too short. Tips: Tipping isn't actively solicited. If you do tip, 10 to 20 dirhams is sufficient. The young men guiding the camels consistently took photos for guests, and the SUV driver provided information about the landscapes, flora, and fauna along the way, so I tipped them both.