Erg El Mhazil: Morocco’s most secret desert

Why Erg El Mhazil?

Erg Chegaga is often mentioned in travel reports about Morocco. Erg Chebbi too. But very few mention El Mhazil. And that’s precisely why it deserves your attention.

Located to the north of Chegaga, somewhere between the dunes, the regs and the Iriki National Park, El Mhazil cannot be seen. You can’t visit it without a guide. It can’t be organised from a hotel. It’s a desert that you approach in a different way, for different reasons.

Here, there is no fixed camp, no line of camels, no programme. Just sand, sky and silence. A bare space, with no landmarks, where you walk slowly, where you sleep far away from everything, and where you wake up facing the horizon.

Erg El Mhazil is not for everyone. It’s for travellers looking to disappear for a night or two. For those who want to experience a desert that has nothing to sell.

Where is it, and how do you get there?

Erg El Mhazil lies somewhere between M’Hamid and Foum Zguid, in that part of the Moroccan desert where maps become blurred. Officially, it lies to the north of Erg Chegaga, on the edge of the Iriki National Park. But in reality, it doesn’t look like a traditional destination. It has to be reached. It has to be earned.

From Marrakech, allow around eight to nine hours’ drive to reach Foum Zguid, via Ouarzazate and Taznakht. From there, it’s another two to three hours on a 4×4 track, crossing the stony expanses of the reg and the semi-dune relief of the desert. There is no signposting. Only the local guides know how to recognise the invisible landmarks that lead to El Mhazil.

From M’Hamid El Ghizlane, the approach is longer but more gradual. The erg is reached on foot, by camel or 4×4, over several days of trekking. Some tours combine Chegaga, Oum Lâalag and El Mhazil.

No GPS will guide you. Here, directions are taken by instinct, by the shadow of a relief or the shape of a wadi. It’s a destination for those who are prepared to let go, to follow, to get a little lost. And that’s precisely what makes the finish so intense.

What kind of experiences does El Mhazil offer?

El Mhazil is not a destination to be visited. You have to take it slowly, taking the time to smell, look and listen. You discover the desert at its purest: sand, sky, wind and silence.

The days stretch on without a timetable. You walk at your own pace through a sea of dunes, with no landmark other than the horizon. You climb a ridge, you stop, you watch the light change. Every gesture becomes simple, but full. Sitting, breathing, drinking hot tea in the early morning, your feet in the still-fresh sand.

That evening, we set up a minimal bivouac. The fire is lit by hand. The bread is baked under the ashes. We dine by the glow of the embers, sometimes in silence, sometimes listening to a nomadic song from the depths of the night. Then you lie down under an immense sky, with no lighting, no noise, no filter. And you fall asleep, in a calm that few places can offer.

To come to El Mhazil is to experience a world without fuss, without screens, without useless decor. A return to the essential, raw and benevolent.

Who should you go with?

Exploring Erg El Mhazil can’t be improvised. There is no fixed camp, no booking platform, and no signposting on site. To set off, you need to work with a local guide. It’s a condition of safety, but also of sense.

Most departures are organised from Foum Zguid. Some local agencies offer 2-day/1-night tours in 4×4, with a bivouac set up in the heart of the dunes. The experience includes meals, the nomad tent and the return journey the following day. These trips generally cost between €100 and €130 per person, all-inclusive, for a small group of 2 to 4 people.

For a longer or slower immersion, some guides offer tailor-made tours: trekking on foot or by camel, nights under the stars, or a loop including Chegaga or Iriki. These more confidential packages are aimed at travellers seeking total isolation. They cost between €150 and €250 per person, depending on the length of the trip and the level of support provided.

The most experienced guides come from the region’s nomadic communities. They are responsible for orientation, safety, cooking, the fire and talking over tea. Above all, they share their desert with sobriety and respect.

To book, it is best to go directly to the local agencies in Foum Zguid, or to ask a reliable contact to recommend a guide. No tours to El Mhazil are currently offered on the major international platforms. And that’s just as well.

Should you choose El Mhazil over Chegaga?

Chegaga or El Mhazil? The choice depends on what you want from the desert.

Erg Chegaga is better known, more structured and more accessible. From M’Hamid, it takes just two hours on a 4×4 track to reach the dunes. There are around ten permanent camps where you can stay in tents equipped with showers, meals and sometimes even solar electricity. It’s a powerful experience, but a supervised one. It’s the perfect way to experience the Sahara for the first time, in comfort and with a change of scenery.

Erg El Mhazil, on the other hand, is a world away. No fixed camp. No organised tours from the big platforms. Here, everything is mobile: the bivouac is set up for you, in the place chosen by your guide. You’re all alone in the world. No noise, no light, no road in the distance. The experience is more demanding, but also more intimate.

Two visions of thr desert

Are you hesitating? For a more accessible first experience of the Sahara, discover the great dunes of the Moroccan Sahara.

A few tips to help you plan your stay in El Mhazil

Partir à El Mhazil, c’est vivre une expérience rare. Mais pour l’apprécier pleinement, mieux vaut bien anticiper. Voici l’essentiel à savoir avant de vous lancer.

When should you go?

The best period is from October to April. The temperatures are bearable, the light magnificent and the skies clear. Between November and March, the nights can be cold (sometimes close to 0°C), but this is also the ideal season for a bivouac by the fire. Avoid the summer months: the heat makes the experience exhausting and tours are suspended.

What to pack ?

Choose light but covering clothes (linen, cotton) for the day, and bring a fleece and a hat for the evening. The desert can be harsh: sun cream, sunglasses, a scarf or shawl, a headlamp and a small first-aid kit are essential. A soft bag is also a good idea, as it’s easier to load onto a 4×4.

What’s the budget?

A standard 2-day/1-night tour departing from Foum Zguid costs between €100 and €130 per person in a small group. This includes transport, guide, meals and bivouac. For a tailor-made experience (duo or trek on foot), expect to pay between €150 and €250 per person, depending on the duration and logistics required.

How to make a reservation ?

There are no offers on Booking or GetYourGuide. To get to El Mhazil, you’ll have to go through a local agency (in Foum Zguid or Tata) or by direct recommendation. Take the time to contact service providers in advance, ask specific questions and ask for opinions or references. The guide’s reliability makes all the difference.

At El Mhazil, the desert reclaims its place. Here, there are no comfortable campsites and no crowds on the horizon. Just you, the sand, the wind, and a fire lit at sunset. This is not an excursion. It’s a retreat, a stripping away, a reconnection.

If you’ve already trodden the dunes of Chegaga or Merzouga, El Mhazil offers a rarer, rawer, deeper experience. And if you’re discovering the desert for the first time, it’s a radical – and unforgettable – way to capture its essence.

Why not consider a combined tour, combining the dry lakes of Iriki, the great bivouacs of Chegaga and a wild night in the secret of El Mhazil? Far from the roads, close to the silence. That’s where the real desert begins.