Booking choice: The small-group 3-day tour, from $387 per person. Check dates Tour details
Tour listings use several names for the desert night: nomad tent, standard, classic, deluxe, luxury. Behind the labels, the practical difference is whether your tent has a private bathroom with a hot shower and a toilet, or whether you walk to a shared block.
Some tours include the en-suite tent in the price; others sell it as an upgrade. Here is which is which.
The quick answer
Where a listing says so, luxury or deluxe tents have a private en-suite bathroom with a hot shower and standard or classic tents share a bathroom block. The small-group tour includes an en-suite tent at a luxury camp; the shared, budget, door-to-door and 2-day tours sell it as an upgrade or option. Several guests advise paying for it, and one felt the "luxury" package was oversold, so read the option before you book.
What is the difference between a luxury and a standard desert camp?
Mainly the bathroom. Where a listing states it, luxury and deluxe tents have their own en-suite bathroom with a hot shower and toilet, and standard tents share a bathroom block.
| Standard or classic tent | Luxury or deluxe tent | |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom | Shared block | Private en-suite where the listing states it |
| Tent | Private tent, simpler | Private tent with proper beds |
| Dinner and breakfast | Included | Included |
| Camel ride | Included | Included |
| Cost | In the base price | Included on some tours, an upgrade on others |
Want the en-suite tent without choosing upgrades? It is included on the small-group tour.
Check dates for the small-group 3-day tourWhich Fes to Marrakech tours include a luxury tent?
The small-group tour includes a private en-suite tent at a luxury camp; on the other tours it is an option or an upgrade.
| Tour | Tent in the base price | Upgrade | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-group tour | Private en-suite tent, luxury camp | Not needed | $387 |
| Tour with luxury camp option | Standard or luxury, by option | Pick luxury when you book | $217 |
| Shared tour | Nomad tent | Deluxe tent at extra cost | $217 |
| Door-to-door tour | Private tent, shared bathrooms | Deluxe tent available | $286 |
| Budget tour | Camp tent | En-suite only with the Luxury Camp | $172 |
| 2-day tour | Classic, shared bathrooms | Deluxe, en-suite | $59 |
Is the luxury tent worth the upgrade?
For most people, yes: after a 7 to 9 hour drive and a camel ride, a hot shower in your own tent makes a real difference.
A guest on the shared tour put it simply: pay the extra for the deluxe tent, because a shower at the end of the day is welcome. Others who booked the luxury option on the budget tour said it was worth it for the desert part of the trip. If you are travelling cheaply and only need a bed for one night, the standard tent does the job.
Is "luxury" always luxury?
Not always. One guest felt their tent was nice but "not worth the luxury package it was sold as", so check exactly what the option includes.
The word means different things at different camps. Before you pay for an upgrade, look for the concrete details in the listing: a private bathroom, a hot shower, a toilet in the tent. Those are what you are paying for. Camp names on listings usually come with "or similar", so the exact camp can change.
Want to choose your own tent? This tour lets you pick standard or luxury at booking, with camel rides and sandboarding.
Explore the 3-day tour with a luxury camp option Tour detailsHow cold does the desert camp get at night?
In December, days in Merzouga average about 18°C and nights about 5°C.
A guest who went in winter warned that the desert was freezing and to bring very warm clothes. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 42°C. Pack for the season you travel in; see what to pack.
How do you get to the camp, and what about your luggage?
By camel from the edge of the dunes, a ride one guest timed at about 30 minutes, with a small overnight bag.
Ask your driver what stays in the vehicle. One guest on the shared tour said it was not clear what to take and what to leave: you only need an overnight bag. Pack it before you arrive at the dunes, because you go straight onto the camels.
Ready for a night in the dunes? The small-group tour includes the camel trek and an en-suite tent.
Check dates for the small-group 3-day tourWhat is the evening at the camp like?
Dinner at the camp, then time around the fire and under the stars; sunrise means an early start for the camel ride back.
Dinner and breakfast are included on every tour. Drinks are not listed as included, so bring dirhams. Guests on the budget tour praise the food, and the sunset and sunrise over the dunes are the moments many reviews remember.
Which tour should you book for the camp you want?
Pick by the tent you want and how much you want to decide yourself.
- En-suite without thinking about it: the small-group tour.
- Choose standard or luxury at booking: the tour with a luxury camp option.
- Lowest price, upgrade if you like: the shared or budget tour.
- Only one night to spare: the 2-day tour, with a classic or deluxe tent.
Short on time? The 2-day tour offers a classic or deluxe tent and ends in Marrakech.
Check dates for the 2-day desert tourFrequently asked questions
Do desert camp tents have toilets?
Where a listing states it, luxury and deluxe tents have a private en-suite bathroom with a toilet and hot shower, and standard tents share a bathroom block.
Can I upgrade to a luxury tent after booking?
Ask the operator: several tours list a deluxe upgrade at extra cost. It is easier to choose the right option when you book.
Is the luxury camp the same on every tour?
No. Listings name camps "or similar", and what "luxury" includes varies, so check for a private bathroom and hot shower in the option you book.
Can vegetarians eat at the desert camp?
Yes, on request: vegetarian guests on the small-group tour report being well catered for. Tell the operator when you book.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Fes to Marrakech 3-Day Small-Group Desert Tour
- Air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide
- Night 1: private tent with en-suite bathroom at a luxury camp in Erg Chebbi
- Night 2: private air-conditioned en-suite room in the Dades Gorges
Fez to Marrakech 3-Day Tour with Luxury Camp Option
Pick a standard or luxury tent when you book
Fez to Marrakech 3-Day Shared Desert Tour
- Pickup from Fez hotels and riads (7:30 AM; nearest car point for medina riads)
- Air-conditioned vehicle, shared group of up to 30
- Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes and a night in a desert camp
