Sandboarding – Sandsurfing desert Morocco

Sandboarding in Morocco means riding a board down a Sahara dune the way you would ride a snowboard down a slope: strapped in, standing, on a waxed board, on sand instead of snow. The two places we do it are Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and Erg Chigaga near M’Hamid, both with dunes of 100 to 150 m and long, clean faces. It is included at no extra cost in every desert tour we run that spends a night at a camp, the boards are waiting at the camp, and no experience is needed; most people are riding to the bottom on their second or third go. If you only want the sand, we also run a 2-day sandboarding tour in Erg Chigaga from €122 and a sandboarding day trip from Marrakech towards Agadir from €290.

Where can you go sandboarding in Morocco?

Three dune fields, each with a different feel and a different distance from Marrakech:

Erg Chebbi is the one most travellers see on a desert tour from Marrakech or Fes, because the tarmac road reaches the edge of the dunes. Erg Chigaga is where our family is from; it is reached from Zagora and M’Hamid by 4×4 and has no hotels inside, only camps, which is why the sand is emptier.

When is the best time for sandboarding?

• October to April is the season. Daytime temperatures in the dunes are 18–28 °C, the sand is firm in the morning, and you can ride at any hour.
• May, June and September are fine early and late in the day; between 11 am and 4 pm the sand surface is too hot to touch with bare skin.
• July and August reach 40–45 °C at Merzouga and M’Hamid. We still run tours, but sandboarding is done at sunrise and in the last hour before sunset only.
• Wind: the sirocco can blow for a day or two at a time, mostly in spring. Riding is still possible but goggles or sunglasses become essential.

How does a sandboarding session work?

At the camp the guide hands out the boards and wax, and you walk up the nearest suitable dune, which takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on its height and the softness of the sand. You strap both feet in, point the nose downhill and go. A run of 100 m lasts 20 to 40 seconds. Most people do five to ten runs in a session; the climb back up is the workout. You can also sit or lie on the board, which is what younger children usually do.

Sand is slower than snow. Beginners find it easier than snowboarding because falls are soft, and experienced snowboarders find it slower than expected until the board is well waxed and the dune is steep enough. The camps rewax the boards regularly; ask for fresh wax if the board sticks.

What do you need to bring?

• Closed shoes or trainers (sandals fill with sand and the bindings work better with a shoe).
• Sunglasses or goggles, a hat, and sunscreen. The dunes reflect light from all sides.
• Long, light trousers if you plan to sit or lie on the board.
• Water. The camps provide it, but take a bottle up the dune.
• Nothing else: boards, wax and, where available, helmets are provided.

How much does sandboarding cost in Morocco?

On any of our multi-day desert tours, sandboarding is included in the price; there is no supplement. Tell us when you book that you want to ride and we make sure the camp has enough boards for your group. If you want a trip built around the sand:

• Sandboarding Tour Erg Chigaga Sahara, 2 days – from €122. Starts in Zagora or M’Hamid, 4×4 into the dunes, a night at the camp and sessions in the evening and at sunrise.
• 3-day Marrakech to Erg Chigaga with sandboarding and quad biking – from €390. Through the Draa Valley to the dunes and back, with a quad session added.
• Marrakech sandboarding day tour to the Agadir coast – from €290. For travellers who cannot spare a night away from Marrakech.

Prices are for the private tour, not per activity; the board hire is part of it.

Is sandboarding safe for children and beginners?

Yes, within limits. Children from about six ride sitting or lying down on the board; standing riding suits teenagers and adults. The landing is sand, so the usual injuries are scraped palms and a mouthful of grit. The real risks are heat and sun, which is why we keep summer sessions to sunrise and sunset, and why the guide stays with the group on the dune. People with knee or back problems should ride sitting or skip it; the walk up a soft dune is the most demanding part.

Can you combine sandboarding with a camel trek?

That is how it normally happens. On our desert tours the camels take you to the camp in the late afternoon, you ride the dune behind the camp until sunset, eat dinner, and ride again at sunrise before the camels take you back. If you prefer to skip the camels and drive to the camp by 4×4, that is possible in Erg Chigaga, where the camps are reached by vehicle anyway.

Sandboarding – Sandsurfing desert Morocco

To add sandboarding to a tour you are planning, write it in the message box of the tour request form or send us a WhatsApp message on +212 667 897 512 and we will confirm the dune and the timing for your dates.