Responsible Tourism in the Sahara
Our commitment to protecting the desert, supporting local communities, and promoting responsible adventure travel.
Our Commitment to the Desert
Merzouga is where our families live, not only where we work. We keep vehicles on established tracks, pay the families we visit, buy food and services locally and take our rubbish out of the dunes.
What we do in the desert
Stay on tracks
Our vehicles keep to established tracks, so the dunes and the plants around them are not damaged.
Carry rubbish out
Everything we bring into the dunes, we take back out.
A local team
Our guides, drivers and camp staff come from Merzouga and the villages around it.
Fair visits
We pay the nomad families we visit and keep groups small, so visits stay respectful.
Local suppliers
We buy food and services locally and use locally owned guesthouses and camps.
Less fuel per guest
Shared group tours and regularly serviced engines mean less fuel burned for each guest.
How You Can Help
Before Your Trip
- Bring reusable water bottles
- Pack eco-friendly sunscreen
During Your Tour
- Respect local customs
- Ask before photographing people
- Do not leave trash
Our 4x4 Nomad Experience includes visits to nomadic families, providing them with an alternative source of income that helps preserve their traditional way of life. We compensate families fairly and ensure visits are respectful and welcomed.
Riding responsibly in a fragile place
Motorised tours and a fragile landscape have to coexist carefully. The dunes recover quickly, but the plants, wells and grazing land around them do not. Our guides follow established routes, avoid vegetation and nomad camps, and keep groups small so the desert stays quiet for the people who live in it.
What we do
- We keep to known tracks and stay off areas with plants, nesting birds or fresh grazing.
- We carry rubbish out of the desert, including what we find on the way.
- We maintain engines carefully, which reduces fuel use and noise.
- We employ guides, drivers and camp staff from Merzouga and nearby villages.
- We buy food and supplies locally and visit family-run businesses such as the musicians of Khamlia and fossil workshops.
How you can help
Use a refillable bottle, take your litter back to town, ask before photographing people, and dress modestly in villages. When you visit a nomad family, a small purchase or a contribution for tea is appreciated. Read more about local life in our nomadic culture and Berber culture guides.
Lower-impact ways to travel
If you want to keep engines to a minimum, try a bike trip through the oases, a night in a desert camp reached by camel, or a shared 4x4 tour instead of several vehicles. Ask us for suggestions.