Toilets, Showers and Electricity in Desert Camps

Nobody asks before the trip, but everyone wants to know. Here is what desert camps in Merzouga actually offer, in plain terms, based on the camps used on our own tours.

Quick answer: On our Merzouga tours, standard desert camps have shared toilet and shower facilities used by the group, while luxury camps offer private tents with their own private bathroom. Electricity in camp is typically limited, so it is worth planning your charging and expectations around a simpler, off grid night rather than a hotel room in the dunes.

Standard camps: shared facilities

On our standard Merzouga desert camp stays, toilets and showers are shared facilities, used by everyone staying in camp that night rather than attached to each individual tent. This is the setup on tours such as our 3-Day Merzouga and Sahara Desert Tour and our 4-Day Marrakech Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert Tour, where the camp night sits alongside a tent for sleeping and a separate shared block for washing. It is a comfortable, functional setup rather than a hotel bathroom, and it suits travellers who are happy to adapt for one night in exchange for sleeping in the dunes.

Luxury camps: private bathrooms

If a private bathroom matters to you, our luxury camp options are built around exactly that. The Marrakech to Merzouga 3-Day Dreams Tours and Luxury Camp includes a private tent with its own private bathroom for the desert night, and our 4-Day Merzouga with 2 unforgettable Sahara Nights also places guests in private tents across its two nights at the Erg Chebbi camp. These tents are still canvas structures set up in the dunes, not permanent buildings, but each one has its own enclosed bathroom rather than a shared block, which is the main practical difference travellers notice compared to a standard camp night. For a fuller look at what else changes between camp levels, our guide to luxury desert camps in Merzouga covers the beds, dining and overall setup in more detail.

Electricity and charging in camp

Desert camps sit well away from any town, so mains electricity is not something to expect in the same way as a riad or hotel. Camps generally run on generators or solar power for lighting in the communal area and tents, and this power is limited rather than constant through the night. Because of this, it is sensible to charge phones and cameras fully before you leave for the desert, and to carry a portable power bank if you want to keep shooting photos of the stars or an early camel ride without worrying about battery life. Do not assume a wall socket will be available at your bedside the way it would be in a city hotel.

What this means for your packing

Knowing the facilities in advance makes it easier to pack sensibly. A microfibre towel, a small toiletry bag and a torch or headlamp are worth bringing regardless of camp level, since camps are lit for movement around the site rather than brightly lit like a hotel corridor. If you are booking a standard camp and know you prefer more privacy, it is worth checking whether a luxury upgrade is available on your chosen tour before you travel, rather than discovering the shared setup only on arrival.

Why camps are set up this way

A desert camp is, by nature, a temporary structure pitched in the dunes for travellers passing through, not a permanent resort. Running water, plumbing and power all have to be brought in or generated on site, which is part of why standard camps group these facilities into one shared block rather than fitting every individual tent with its own bathroom and full power supply. Luxury camps invest more in private infrastructure for each tent, which is reflected in the higher price of those tours compared with the standard camp option. Either way, the appeal of a night in Erg Chebbi comes from the dunes themselves, the camel ride in and the stars overhead, with the facilities simply supporting that experience rather than being the main event.

A practical way to think about it: a standard camp works like a simple group campsite, where the shared bathroom block is a short walk from the sleeping tents, usually lit after dark for safety. A luxury camp works more like a private tented room, where the bathroom is inside your own tent and only used by your group. Neither setup includes a continuous hot water supply on demand the way a city hotel does, since water for washing is heated using the camp's own equipment rather than a mains connection, so showers are best taken earlier in the evening or the next morning rather than assumed to be available at any hour.

Choosing the right camp level for you

If you are travelling as a couple or want extra comfort for a special occasion, a luxury camp with a private bathroom is usually worth the difference in price. If you are more focused on keeping costs down, enjoying a shared evening with other travellers, or you are simply comfortable with a shared bathroom for one night, a standard camp delivers the same dunes, the same sunset and the same stars at a lower cost. Our Sahara desert tours from Marrakech guide outlines the main route options if you want to compare how camp level fits into the wider itinerary and pricing of each tour.

Booking with the facilities you want

The four tours below cover both camp levels, so you can choose based on whether shared or private facilities matter more for your trip, alongside the number of nights and the overall route. Checking the inclusions on the specific tour page before booking is the surest way to know exactly what your camp night will look like, from the bathroom setup to the number of nights spent under the Sahara sky.