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Guide · Erg Chebbi
Sandboarding in Merzouga and the Sahara dunes of Erg Chebbi
Sandboarding in Merzouga puts you on the tallest sand in this guide: the star dunes of Erg Chebbi. Here is how to book a session in the village, what it pairs with, and when the heat allows it.
Check availabilityfrom $44 · cancellation is free
Editorial team, sandboardingmorocco.comUpdated October 26, 20266 min read25 sources
At a glance
- 01The dunes
- Star dunes, some over 100 m high, in Erg Chebbi.1
- 02Our pick
- A 1-hour private quad ride with sandboarding, rated 4.95.
- 03Cheapest
- A sunset camel trek with sandboarding from $17.
- 04On a tour
- The biggest 3-day tours from Marrakech list a board.
- 05Heat
- July highs average 39.5 °C at the nearest station.2
The dunes of Erg Chebbi
Merzouga is the village at the edge of Erg Chebbi, a field of dunes in south-eastern Morocco close to the Algerian border, in the north-western corner of the Sahara.3 NASA describes its largest dunes as star dunes, also called pyramid dunes, with sharp ridges running off in several directions from each summit.4 Some of them rise over 100 m, and luminescence dating puts their age at more than 13,000 years.1
That shape is what makes sandboarding on Erg Chebbi different from the coast. A star dune has several faces instead of one, each a smooth slope where sand has cascaded down from the crest.5 Climb one ridge and you can choose the face that suits you: a short, gentle side for a first run, or a long one that drops away into the next valley of sand.
Sand covers less of the great desert than people imagine. Britannica puts sand sheets and dunes at about 25 percent of the Sahara's surface; the rest is gravel plain, rock plateau and mountain.6 Erg Chebbi is one of the places where the classic picture of the desert is true: rolling crests, deep troughs and sand that changes color from pale gold at noon to copper at dusk. For a sandboarder that means long faces, soft landings and a backdrop that no beach dune can match.
Two hours at sunset
A camel ride with a board in Merzouga
-
Late afternoon
Pickup at the riad
The outing starts from a riad in Merzouga.
-
On the way
Camel ride out
A camel ride and a photo stop on the sand.
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On the dune
Sandboarding
Optional runs on the dunes before sunset.
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Sunset
A walk on the crest
Sunset time changes with the season.
-
After dark
Back to the riad
The 2-hour outing ends where it began.
Booking a board session in the village
If you are already in Merzouga, you do not need a desert tour to ride the dunes. Short sessions are sold from the village and the hotels at the foot of the sand. The listing this page recommends is a 1-hour private quad safari with sandboarding; you meet at the hotel reception with your voucher, and a jeep takes you to the camel park where the guide starts the ride.
It is rated 4.95 from 129 reviews, runs with guides in Arabic, French, Spanish and English, and starts from $44. As a private group, only your own party rides with the guide, which makes it easier to keep your own pace on the climbs and to stop for photos when the light is right.
A second private quad and board outing picks up at a riad in Merzouga and lists 1 to 4 hours, with a quad ride, a break and photo stop with sandboarding in the desert, and a pass by a Sahara camp on the way back. It is rated 5.0 from 54 reviews and starts from $35. Its minimum age is 12, children must be accompanied, and it is not recommended for pregnant women or anyone with a heart condition.
Daytime heat
Mean daily high at Errachidia, the nearest station
°C
Side by side
Ways to board the dunes at Merzouga
| Option | With | Length | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private quad & board | Quad | 1 hour | 4.95 | from $44 |
| Riad quad & board | Quad | 1-4 hours | 5.0 | from $35 |
| Sunset camel & board | Camel | 2 hours | 4.98 | from $17 |
| Merzouga round trip | Camp night | 3 days | 4.87 | from $137 |
Length and rating from each GetYourGuide listing; the 3-day tour starts in Marrakech. Prices are from-prices only.
Three sessions in the village
Quad, riad quad or camel
Our pick
Flexible length
Lowest priceDecision helper
Which Merzouga session fits?
Choose by how you want to reach the sand
Private quad & board
A 1-hour private quad safari with sandboarding, rated 4.95.
Riad quad & board
It lists 1 to 4 hours, with sandboarding in the desert.
Sunset camel & board
A 2-hour camel trek with optional sandboarding.
Skip the camel
The camel outing is not recommended for people with back problems.
A 3-day tour
The most reviewed round trip lists sandboarding at camp.
The dunes in this photo display multiple smooth sides, known as slip faces, where sand has cascaded down from the peak.
Sandboarding in the Sahara with a camel at sunset
Not everyone wants an engine on the dunes. A 2-hour sunset outing from Merzouga swaps the quad for a camel: the listing has a camel ride out, a photo stop, then sandboarding, a walk and the sunset in the desert, before the return to the riad. It is rated 4.98 from 34 reviews and starts from $17.
Its small print is useful. Sandboarding is optional, the sunset time changes by season, and you should bring water and a camera. The listing also says it is not recommended for people with back problems, a fair warning for anyone who has not been on a camel before.
This is sandboarding in the Sahara at its quietest: a slow ride in, a few runs on a dune face while the sand turns orange, and a walk back as the light fades. If you have a full day in the village, you could pair it with a private quad session the next morning and see Erg Chebbi in both moods: the engine and speed of the quad in the cool of the morning, and the slow, silent ride on a camel as the dunes turn red.
Map
Where the sandboarding dunes are in Morocco
First the whole country from the Atlantic to Erg Chebbi, then the coast north and south of Agadir, then the shore below Essaouira.
1Marrakech2Agadir3Essaouira4Timlalin dunes5Erg Chebbi
2Agadir6Inezgane7Taghazout8Tamraght9Imi Ouaddar10Aghroud11Tamri4Timlalin dunes12Sidi Toual13Tifnit
3Essaouira14Diabat15El Ghazoua16Sidi Kaouki
- 1Marrakech
The red city on the Haouz Plain, about 200 km from Agadir in a straight line; its medina is a World Heritage site since 1985.78
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Agadir
The Atlantic port 10 km north of the mouth of the Sous valley, rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1960.910
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Essaouira
A port founded in 1765, with sand dunes on its land side and an ocean breeze that brings windsurfers.111213
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Timlalin dunes
The dunes by the ocean north of Tamri, about 50 km from Agadir in a straight line; several half-day sandboarding trips stop here.14
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Erg Chebbi
The sand sea near Merzouga, with star dunes over 100 m high, about 385 km from Marrakech as the crow flies.115
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Inezgane
Where the Agadir Inezgane weather station stands, 23 m above sea level; our climate tables are its normals.16
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Taghazout
The surf village about 27 km by straight line from the Timlalin dunes; one canyon and sandboarding trip picks up here.17
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Tamraght
One of four pickup points of the guided sandboarding trip with a canyon visit.
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Imi Ouaddar
The pickup point of the 5-hour trip to the Timlalin dunes, 70 minutes away by van.
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Aghroud
Several Timlalin trips stop 15 minutes at Plage Aghroud on the way north.
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Tamri
The village where one trip stops 40 minutes for tea and lunch after the dunes.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Sidi Toual
The beach where the site's quad and sandboarding outing spends its 2 hours, 45 minutes by van from Agadir.
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Tifnit
One quad outing from Agadir and Taghazout rides here, 45 minutes from Agadir by van.
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Diabat
A village on the shore just south of Essaouira, on the side of town where the sand dunes begin.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 15El Ghazoua
A village inland from the Essaouira dunes, among the dunes and argan country behind the coast.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Sidi Kaouki
One of two pickup points of the Essaouira sandboarding outing with a sunset picnic.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
For a session on Erg Chebbi
01
Bring
- Water, as the camel outing advises
- Sunglasses, hat and sunscreen
- A warm layer for winter sunsets
02
Wear
- Comfortable clothes and closed shoes
- A scarf against blowing sand
03
Know first
- Minimum age 12 on the riad quad outing
- Camel ride not advised with back problems
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Cost calculator
Price a Merzouga trip for your group
Enter your group size to compare a village session and three tours.
People
Total from$34
per person from $17
Check availabilityfree cancellationYour group size multiplied by each GetYourGuide from-price, then converted with the ECB rate of the day; checkout has the exact total.
Video
Sahara desert tour in Morocco: dunes, sandboarding, camels and Moroccan food
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Sandboarding on a desert tour from Marrakech
Many travelers reach Merzouga on a multi-day tour and never book anything separately. The most reviewed 3-day round trip from Marrakech lists sandboarding among its inclusions, alongside camel rides or a 4x4 transfer and a night at a camp in Erg Chebbi. Another 3-day tour lists sandboarding as free in Merzouga, with quads, a 4x4 excursion, horses and a buggy as paid extras.
On a tour, the board comes with the camp rather than with a guide of its own. The listings give no length for the session and no word on instruction. If you want time on the sand that you control, book one of the village sessions for your afternoon of arrival or the morning you leave, and keep the tour's board as a bonus.
Distance explains why there are no day trips. By our calculation from official coordinates, Erg Chebbi lies about 385 km from Marrakech and about 539 km from Agadir in a straight line.1518 Our page on sandboarding from Marrakech compares the routes in more detail.
Heat, cold and the hours to ride
We found no climate normals for Merzouga itself; the nearest World Meteorological Organization normals come from Errachidia, at 1,037 m on the road north.2 Its mean daily maximum runs from 15.9 °C in January to 39.5 °C in July, and sits near 26 °C in both April and October, at 26.1 °C and 26.8 °C.2 The dunes lie lower and further south, and they feel hotter than those numbers.
Winter nights are cold. Errachidia's mean January minimum is 2.0 °C, and it records 11.0 nights a year below 0 °C, 6.8 of them in January.1920 From November to February the 3-day tour this site points to expects 0 °C to 5 °C in the desert at night. A sunset session in winter ends in real cold; bring a warm layer even if the afternoon felt hot.
In summer, ride at the edges of the day. The sun on a dune face is fierce at midday, the sand burns bare feet, and climbing in that heat drains you fast. The sunset camel outing and the shorter quad sessions avoid the worst of it; spring and fall are the comfortable seasons for long sessions on the sand.
Riding a star dune safely
Star dunes are steep and tall, and a fall from high on a face rolls further than on a coastal dune. Start low, ride a few short runs on the gentlest face your guide picks, and only then climb higher. Sit or lie feet first until you trust the board; the US National Park Service warns that going head first raises the risk of injury.21
The slope you ride is the slip face, held at the angle of repose of dry sand, about 32 degrees according to Britannica.22 Dry sand is soft and fast; sand that is damp after rare rain is firmer and harder to land on, which the Park Service links to more injuries on its own dunes.23
Respect the dunes too. NASA notes that tracks made mainly by off-road vehicles are visible from space at the top of its image of Erg Chebbi.24 Ride where your guide leads, keep away from the palm groves and fields at the edge of the sand, and carry your rubbish back to the village. NASA notes that tourism is an extra source of income for the communities beside the dunes; a tip for the guide and a tea in a local cafe are part of that.25
Your dune outing
Quad, board and tea in 4 hours.
Pick a date, get collected at your Agadir hotel, and cancel free up to 24 hours ahead.
You ask,we answer.
Can you go sandboarding in Merzouga without a tour?
Yes, with a village session. A 1-hour private quad safari with sandboarding meets at a Merzouga hotel reception.
How high are the dunes at Erg Chebbi?
Some are over 100 m. NASA records star dunes over 100 m high in the Erg Chebbi sand sea.1
Is sandboarding included on Sahara tours from Marrakech?
On some of them. The most reviewed 3-day round trip lists sandboarding among its inclusions.
What is the cheapest way to sandboard in Merzouga?
A sunset camel trek. The 2-hour camel trek with optional sandboarding starts from $17.
Can children sandboard in Merzouga?
On some sessions, from 12. The private quad and board outing from a riad lists a minimum age of 12.
When is it too hot to sandboard in the Sahara?
Midday in summer. Errachidia, the nearest station, averages 39.5 °C highs in July.2
Do I need warm clothes for a sunset session?
Yes, from November to February. Desert nights are 0 °C to 5 °C in winter on the 3-day tour we point to.
Sources
The sources for this guide
- 1NASA Photojournal (NASA/JPL, Terra ASTER)Star Dunes, Morocco (PIA26287)↩
- 2World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ERRACHIDIA, WMO 60210↩
- 3NASA Earth ObservatorySandy Sculptures in Morocco's Erg Chebbi↩
- 4NASA Earth ObservatorySandy Sculptures in Morocco's Erg Chebbi↩
- 5NASA Earth ObservatorySandy Sculptures in Morocco's Erg Chebbi↩
- 6Encyclopaedia BritannicaSahara↩
- 7World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 8Encyclopaedia BritannicaMarrakech↩
- 9Encyclopaedia BritannicaAgadir↩
- 10Encyclopaedia BritannicaAgadir↩
- 11Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 12Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 13Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 14World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 15World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 16World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 17World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 18World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 19World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ERRACHIDIA, WMO 60210↩
- 20World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ERRACHIDIA, WMO 60210↩
- 21US National Park ServiceWhite Sands National Park: Sledding↩
- 22Encyclopaedia BritannicaSand dune↩
- 23US National Park ServiceGreat Sand Dunes: Sandboarding and Sand Sledding↩
- 24NASA Earth ObservatorySandy Sculptures in Morocco's Erg Chebbi↩
- 25NASA Earth ObservatorySandy Sculptures in Morocco's Erg Chebbi↩
