Cycling the Sahara Desert: Merzouga & Erg Chebbi Adventure

Cycling the Sahara Desert: Merzouga & Erg Chebbi Adventure

Merzouga, Morocco. A small, remote village on the edge of the Sahara, where the famous Erg Chebbi sand dunes rise like mountains of gold. This video takes you with me on a full cycling adventure around this incredible landscape, starting at the Merzouga archway, the symbolic gateway between village life and the open desert.

What’s in this ride?
• Sunrise start to beat the June heat (40–45°C later in the day!)
• Riding out of Merzouga and circling the west side of Erg Chebbi
• Passing traditional riads, small hotels, and open desert tracks
• First encounters with the dunes – why they’re here and how they formed
• Fossils from an ancient ocean floor
• Visits to Khamlia (Gnawa music village) and Tanamouste (old caravan stop)
• Camel caravans, Berber homes, and ksar-style clay buildings

The ride begins early because the desert heat becomes brutal after mid-morning. Hydration is everything, so I set off with a full hydration pack and a lightweight setup. The roads out of Merzouga are flat and barren, but the views are endless. To the east, the sun lifts over the sand. To the west, the land stretches dry and scrubby. A few hotels line the road, then I turn off onto rougher tracks that hug the edge of the dunes.

Seeing the dunes for the first time is incredible. Erg Chebbi covers only a small area compared to the Sahara’s immensity, but it’s a striking pocket of wind-shaped sand, with some dunes rising over 150 meters. The wind and natural barriers keep them contained, creating a surreal, ever-changing landscape.

Can you ride a bike on them? Not really. The sand is far too soft, and my tyres sink instantly. But riding alongside them is pure joy, and in places where the sand drifted across the track, I got to play—cycling where I could, pushing when I couldn’t.

Merzouga’s desert life revolves around camels. Locals keep dromedaries, the single-humped camels perfectly adapted for the heat and long travel. Once the lifeline of caravans, today they’re also part of tourism—taking visitors on treks to desert camps where they sleep under the stars. Passing camel trains with the sun rising behind the dunes is unforgettable.

Fossils in the Sahara? Absolutely. This was once ocean. Millions of years ago, these lands were under water, and now they hide treasures of marine fossils and shells. Shops in Merzouga sell polished ammonites, trilobites, and ancient stones.

Villages along the way:
• Khamlia – known for its Gnawa musicians, descendants of West African slaves. The sound of Gnawa music is hypnotic, blending rhythms and chants. Their annual festival draws visitors worldwide. This morning the village was quiet—too early for coffee—but just seeing the clay houses, flat-roofed and earth-toned, blending into the desert, was worth the detour.
• Tanamouste – a smaller ksar, once a caravan stop, now home to Berber families. Its mudbrick walls and compact design tell of a time when traders crossed the Sahara.

Back to Merzouga: By mid-morning the sun was already climbing high. I headed north, crossing the road back toward town. More camels, more sand drifting over the tracks, more views of those incredible dunes. The ride ended with a half-walk, half-ride over soft sand near the Merzouga gate, arriving before the real heat of the day.

This ride gave me everything I hoped for: early-morning stillness, wild desert views, local culture, and the thrill of seeing the Sahara by bike. For anyone who loves travel, cycling, or adventure, Merzouga is unmissable.