The Erg Chebbi dunes near the small village of Merzouga are Morocco’s most accessible and spectacular gateway to the Sahara Desert, a mesmerizing sea of wind-sculpted sand that rises up to 150 meters high and stretches for 22 kilometers along the Algerian border. Arriving at Merzouga after the long drive through the Ziz Valley and across the rocky hammada desert, the first sight of the Erg Chebbi dunes glowing orange and gold against the deep blue sky is a moment of genuine wonder. The classic experience is a sunset camel trek into the dunes, swaying gently atop a dromedary as the caravan traces the sinuous ridgelines of the erg, arriving at a Berber bivouac camp as the sun melts into the horizon and paints the sand in shades of amber, rose, and violet. After a traditional tagine dinner cooked over an open fire and accompanied by Berber drumming under a sky ablaze with more stars than most visitors have ever seen, you sleep in Saharan tents or directly on the dunes beneath the Milky Way.

Waking before dawn to climb to the top of a high dune and watch the sunrise transform the desert from deep purple to blazing gold is the emotional climax of the experience. Beyond the overnight treks, the Merzouga area offers 4x4 excursions to the remote oasis village of Khamlia, home to the Gnawa community whose hypnotic trance music has deep sub-Saharan African roots, and to seasonal desert lakes that attract flamingos after rare winter rains. The village of Rissani, the last town before the desert, hosts a bustling traditional souk three times a week and was once the capital of the Alaouite dynasty that still rules Morocco today.

Pro tip: Book a small-group or private camel trek rather than a large group tour for a more intimate experience. Ask for a camp set apart from the main cluster of bivouacs for true solitude. Bring a headlamp, warm layers for the surprisingly cold desert nights, and a scarf to protect against blowing sand. The drive from Marrakech takes approximately 10 hours, so consider breaking the journey with an overnight stop in the Dades or Todra gorges.