Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Zagora?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zagora or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Zagora or Merzouga? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Zagora or Merzouga?
Zagora
A small town in southern Morocco, Zagora is a popular base camp for excursions on foot, by camel, or four wheel drive vehicles into the surrounding desert. One of the most famous and historic treks is the ancient caravan route to Timbuktu, marked by a famous sign at the end of town - indicating a journey of "52 days" by camel.
Merzouga
Let's say you want to truly get away. I don't mean putting your ear buds in on some beach with a stronger on the next chair over. I mean really get away, and find yourself deserted. Merzouga, Morocco lets you do just that. This land of sand dune after sand dune is ideal for anyone yearning to ride a camel to the ends of civilization. And you'll find plenty of options to get here with a tour, or even on your own.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZagora $50Merzouga $17
The average daily cost (per person) in Zagora is $50, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $17. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Zagora and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZagora $36Merzouga $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZagora $72Merzouga $20
Compare Hotels in Zagora and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Zagora or Merzouga? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Zagora Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zagora $1.42Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagora
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:
- Airport Private Transfer: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $61
Is it cheaper to fly into Zagora or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Zagora change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayZagora $13Merzouga $5.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
- One Night in Private Camp in the Sahara Desert in Merzouga with Dinner: $65
- Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $65
- Camel trek with 1 Night in Luxury camp with Dinner+ Sundbording: $87
- Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
- Overnight in Luxury Camp With camel Trek & Dinner: $107
- From Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip w/Luxury Tent & Dinner: $115
- From Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip(Luxury Tent & Dinner): $123
- 2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zagora $2.85Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Zagora
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zagora are as follows:
- 2 Days Tour to Zagora Desert with sunset from Marrakech: $82
- Marrakech: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour Zagora & BenHaddou: $111
- 2 days tour from Zagora to Erg Chegaga: $136
- Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
- Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
- Private Day Camel Trekking Tour in Draa Valley from Zagora: $214
- From 2-Day Desert Tour to Erg Chegaga: $287
- From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $352
- From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $352
- From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $374
- From Agadir 4 Days 3 night Désert Tours to Marrakech: $1,321
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Camel Ride Experience: $27
- Merzouga Desert Quad bike Adventure with Sand boarding: $38
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Excursion - Sahara 4WD Adventure: $43
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Tours & Excursions: $46
- Extreme Adventure with Harness Zorbing in Merzouga dunes: $48
- Merzouga one hour Adventure Tour: $54
- Merzouga 4x4 tour - Excursion around dunes: $54
- Merzouga Experience -1.5h Quad buggy : $55
- Merzouga 4X4 Half-Day Tour with Lunch: $55
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
- From Quad bike tour to the peak of Erg Chebbi dune: $61
- One Hour Sahara Desert ATV Quad Biking Tour: $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZagora -Merzouga -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zagora and Merzouga, we can see that Zagora is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Merzouga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Merzouga and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Zagora would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zagora than you might in Merzouga.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zagora Expensive? and Is Merzouga Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.