Which desert should I visit — Merzouga or Erg Chigaga?

These are Morocco's two great ergs, and as a desert specialist I love them both for different reasons. Erg Chebbi, reached from the village of Merzouga, is the postcard Sahara — towering apricot dunes you can see from the tarmac. A paved road runs right to the sand, so transfers are easy and the camps range from simple to genuinely lavish. It's the desert most people picture, and there's no shame in choosing the famous one because it's famous for a reason.

Erg Chigaga, out beyond M'Hamid, is the road-less-travelled choice. The dunes are spread over a far larger, wilder area, and getting there means roughly two hours of off-road 4x4 driving past the last paved point. That effort buys you solitude: fewer camps, fewer engines, a horizon that feels truly empty. For travellers who've already done a desert or who crave remoteness, Chigaga is the one I quietly push them toward.

The honest trade-offs: Merzouga is busier and you'll share sunrise with other camps, but it's reliable, comfortable, and works even on a tight schedule from Marrakech or Fes. Chigaga is more committing — the long transfer eats time and isn't ideal for anyone prone to car-sickness or short on days — but the payoff is a Sahara that feels like yours alone. Camp luxury exists at both, though the very top-end, easy-access camps cluster around Erg Chebbi.

My rule of thumb: first Sahara trip, limited time, want it smooth and spectacular — Merzouga. Returning desert-lover, craving wilderness, happy to earn it — Erg Chigaga. Neither disappoints; they just speak to different travellers.