We did a three-day, two-night desert trek with Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps, and it was the best travel experience I have ever had. Our trip was led by our guide, Amine Elouali, who was absolutely incredible. If you are booking this trip, I would recommend requesting him specifically. At the risk of sounding dramatic, this trek was life changing.

The trip breaks down like this:
Day 1: Guide picks you up from your hotel around 7am, and you drive ~10 hours from Marrakech into the desert. Stop for lunch, and if you have a good guide like we did, stop at a couple of main attractions en route to the desert. Amine took us to see the gorges, which was slightly out of the way, but definitely worth the time if your guide is willing to take you there. Arrive at the camp in the evening, just in time for dinner. Enjoy a good meal prepared by the camp staff and have time to sit by the campfire/hang out until you want to go to sleep.

Day 2: Wake up around 6am and go on a camel ride to see the sunrise over the dunes. Return to camp and have breakfast. Guide picks you up around 10:30am to show you some of the attractions in the area (the red-sand dunes, the former French military base, etc.). Then you go visit some of the nomads in the area and have tea with them. This was such an incredible experience! It was worth staying the extra day just to do this, and see and experience the nomad culture and lifestyle first hand. Then you go have lunch at a local restaurant. You return to the camp and have a little time to hang out before going on a camel ride to see the sunset. Dinner is served later that evening, and on our second night, all of the servers and chef joined together for a fun and lively musical performance.

Day 3: Wake up around 6am and do another camel ride to see the sunrise (all of the camel rides are optional, but we loved that we got to do it three times during our stay). Come back to camp for breakfast. Your guide picks you up around 9am, and you head back to Marrakech.

Though I've done extensive international travel over the last few years, I was admittedly fairly nervous going into this trip; my friend and I are both female and had never been to Morocco before, so we had no idea what to expect. The idea of getting in a car with a stranger to drive 10 hours into the African desert was an intimidating prospect. However, we were put to ease once we were picked up by Amine. He was so kind and had such a warm nature; he went out of his way to make us feel at ease and have a comfortable journey.

Definitely do two nights there. The drive from Marrakech is ~10 hours; it would be such a long two days if you did the drive back the next morning. Also, you don’t want to miss all of the culture you get the second day (the full day in the desert)!

The service at the camp was phenomenal—the kindness and hospitality exhibited by all of the staff was unrivaled. I can’t say enough about how amazing everyone is. The food was great. The tent accommodations are nice and include everything you need (flushing toilet, shower with hot water). Overall the value is incredible, and you truly get to experience the Moroccan desert culture. You feel like you stepped into another world.

As others have noted, alcohol is an extra cost, and you do have to pay for it in cash at the end of your stay. (I think you could probably bring your own bottles of wine with you if you wanted). It’s not cheap (I think it was like $40/bottle), but we generally found that to be the case throughout Morocco, as it’s mainly just foreigners/tourists who are drinking. My main tip is to bring cash with you and not to forget to tip the folks working at the camp. They work so hard to provide the best experience for all of the guests, so it’s super nice if you can give them even a small tip upon your departure. Also, don’t forget to tip your driver/guide at the end!

This is glamping at its finest: tents straight out of Lawrence of Arabia, astonishingly equipped with hot and cold running water, showers, flush toilets -- even charging stations for those who can't avoid consulting their devices even in the Sahara. The location on the edge of the Egg Chebbi dunes, the highest and longest in the world, makes for a photographer's paradise, especially in the pre-dawn and sunrise hours, when the eerily shadowless light gives way to striking contrasts. The restaurant tent offers traditional Moroccan cuisine easily on par with some of the best restaurants in Marrakech, and staff are far more attentive to dietary needs. (Alcohol is available as well, bit wine drinkers take note -- only reds are on the menu.) The attendants are also competent musicians, offering a rousing post-prandial campfire concert of Berber music. We arrived by sunset camel ride across the tops of the dunes, a rare chance to experience this iconic landscape with a minimum of 21st century interference -- our very own "Sheltering Sky" moment, with a much happier ending. The nighttime stargazing is unparalleled, offering a 270-degree perspective of the glistening heavens. One night isn't enough; book two.

This is a tented camp for that camel riding experience at sunset. Tents were surprisingly roomy with proper toilet and shower. Nightly meal and entertainment adds to the atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommended.