Erg El Mhazil is our quiet secret: a dune field an hour and a half down the track, too modest to attract the tour circuits, beautiful enough that our guides take their own families there. The dunes are lower than Chigaga — and you will meet nobody. No other camp, no other 4x4: just yours.
This is the format that makes the Saharan night accessible: ten euros less than Chigaga, half the track, and exactly the same sky. For a first desert night, a tight budget, or travellers who prefer the intimacy of a small erg to the majesty of a great one, El Mhazil is a choice nobody regrets.
Highlights
- Foum Zguid's secret little erg, with no other camp
- Only 1.5 h of track — ideal with children
- Camp night, Berber dinner, campfire
- The same starry sky as the great ergs
- The best price for a real Saharan night
Itinerary
- Day 1 · 3:30 pm
A late start, on purpose
With El Mhazil so close, we leave mid-afternoon: the track is driven in the golden light, along Jbel Bani and the first dune fields.
- Day 1 · 5:00 pm
The erg to yourselves
Settle in at camp, climb the crest for sunset. Not an engine within earshot: El Mhazil is on the way to nowhere.
- Day 1 · 8:00 pm
Dinner and fire
Tajine, sand-baked bread, tea, drums if the mood takes the crew. Sleep in the nomad tent or under the stars.
- Day 2 · 7:30 am
Sunrise and an easy return
A cool-morning dune walk, breakfast, and back in the village by 10:30 — the day still ahead of you.
What's included
✓ Included
- Private 4x4 with driver-guide
- Equipped camp night
- Berber dinner and breakfast
- Tea and mineral water
✕ Not included
- Lunches
- Camel ride (optional, +€15)
- Tips
El Mhazil or Chigaga: how to choose
Chigaga is forty kilometres of dunes and the feeling of an ocean; El Mhazil is a pocket erg where you know every crest before dinner. The first overwhelms, the second befriends. With young children, limited time or a first desert contact, El Mhazil wins; for immensity, take Chigaga. Both nights share the same sky — only the ground changes.
Season and climate
September to early June, like our other camps. Being so close to the village makes this the most flexible format: you can decide the same morning, weather in hand.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it cheaper than Chigaga?
Distance, simply: half the track, so half the fuel and driving time. The camp, meals and crew are the same standard. It is honest economics, not a cut-down version.
Are the dunes really worth it?
If you expect Chigaga's crests to the horizon, no — go to Chigaga. If you want silence, a real camp, a black sky and dunes entirely to yourselves, El Mhazil delivers it for €130. Our most enthusiastic reviews often come from this trip, precisely because nobody expected anything.
Can we combine El Mhazil and Chigaga?
Yes: that is exactly our 4-day grand tour, which sleeps at both ergs. And for walkers, our 3-day camel trek reaches El Mhazil on foot from the village.
More questions? See our full FAQ and our traveller reviews.
