If you visit Morocco, discovering the Sahara desert is an ABSOLUTE must. And it should definitely include spending a night in a Berber camp. Few things in life can compare to the feeling of laying under the immensity of the desert sky. You wouldn’t want to miss the sun setting on the orange dunes that stretch for miles around, or the million stars shining at night!

There are many companies out there that offer very affordable tours usually ranging from 1 to 4 days. In our opinion, 3 days and 2 nights are a minimum to truly enjoy your experience.

Also, be aware when you book your excursion that most 3-days tours include only one night in the desert. The other one will be in a village somewhere. That being said, it’s still great and you get to discover more places!

» THINGS TO SEE

» THINGS YOU MUST KNOW

» COST & TOURS

FROM MARRAKECH TO FES

Our expedition started early in the morning from Marrakech, but it’s also possible to start from other cities such as Chefchaouen or Fes, depending on your personal itinerary. There is always a meeting point, but it’s usually an option to arrange a pick up at your accommodation if you need it. Be ready for a long drive, but the landscapes are worth it!

DAY 1

Leaving from Marrakech, our first big stop was the beautiful village of Ait Ben Haddou. But before reaching this place, we drove through the High Atlas Mountains. The scenery is quite breathtaking, and you will likely make a few stops like us to admire the view and take a few pictures. Make sure you are well-dressed, as it can be surprisingly cold up there. Yep, you will see snow in Morocco!

Once in Ait Ben Haddou, we had a guided visit through the walls of this incredible Ksar, a fortified village made of clay. You’ll probably think that this place seems straight out of a movie… and it actually is! Dozens of movie scenes have been shot in this town, including the Mommy, Gladiator, Prince of Persia, and many more. We got some free time to explore the area on our own and then left to have a good traditional tagine in a restaurant.

Side note: 

You are expected to pay every guide during the trip. (They will come to you and tell you exactly what you owe them. It’s not exactly like a voluntary tip…) It’s often not clearly mentioned when you book the tour, so make sure you have money with you. (Around 30 dirham each time). It’s not much but it can be frustrating at first if you haven’t been informed that it’s not included. 

After lunch, we headed to the Dadès Valley for a third stop in the Dadès Gorges. They are beautiful and incredibly high canyons and a river runs through them. We got some time to walk around and admire the beauty of the place.

We then reached our hotel and shared a delicious dinner with the other tourists from our minibus.

DAY 2

A night in the desert

On the second day, we left for Merzouga, the gateway to the Erg Chebbi dunes. From the Erg Chebbi town, we jumped on a camel and rode in the middle of the desert probably for an hour before reaching the camp. We stopped to watch the sunset over the dunes, and it was truly magical.

It was an unforgettable experience, but please note that we don’t recommend riding a camel anymore. Since our trip in 2019, we have learned a lot more about animals being used for tourism and we would not ride a camel again. Sadly, we have been aware of how they were treated during the trip, and it has been enough to convince us not to do that ever again. 

That being said, you can still enjoy a night in the desert and reach the camp by jeep or quad, for example. It’s less painful for the butt, and a lot better for the animals!

Once we reached the camp, we were offered a delicious Morrocan mint tea. Then, we wandered around, running and sliding in the sand, before enjoying our dinner with live Berber music playing. We slept in a tent with real beds and even had access to flushing toilets. (Note that there are often no showers, so it’s best to shower before!)

Obviously, we spent a part of the night watching the stars and breathing the fresh air of the night.

DAY 3

The most special part of the last day is definitely the early awakening to see the sunrise. We were up before 6 AM, and as hard as it was to get out of bed, we knew it would be 100% worth it. We climbed on the highest dune we could find and patiently waited for the sky to start changing color. This is not something you are likely to forget, trust us.

After a quick breakfast, we left the Sahara and headed to Fes, our next destination. We drove through Cedar Forests and stopped on the way to observe wild monkeys.

CHOOSING YOUR TOUR

As you may know, we are all about budget travel, but it was not an option for us to skip such an expedition in the desert. We made sure to save some money for that on our budget. You will however be surprised to know that it didn’t cost us more than 100$! We opted for the cheapest 3-days tour that we could find, and we were very satisfied.

Even though you can pay a fortune for private tours, companies such as Get your Guide and Viator have very good cheap options. You can definitely find something that works for you.

Also, the longer your tour is, the further is the desert you will go. Most 3-day tours will only bring you to the Erg Chebbi area, which is only the edge of the Sahara. If you want to be brought where the locals live and experience deep remoteness, a longer tour is a good idea.

THINGS YOU MUST KNOW

Temperature: As hot as it can be during the day (we went there in October, and we thought the weather was absolutely perfect), it can get pretty cold at night. Since you will be camping,  don’t forget to bring warm clothes for the night.

Cash: Make sure you have a fair amount of cash on you before leaving for your trip. You’ll need some for the guides, but cards are also not accepted everywhere!

Pack the essentials: Sunscreen, water, and toilet paper are a most. Snacks are also a good idea. To cover your head from the sun, you will have plenty of occasions to purchase a turban on your way to the desert. But be careful as the vendors will try to sell it to you at a very high price!

Choose your shoes with care: Closed shoes are not recommended, as they will get full of sand. Flip flops are a must.

Don’t overpack: You have to carry with you what you want to bring in the desert. We packed the strict minimum in a day pack as we could leave our main backpack safe in a hotel.

That’s about it for our experience in the desert! Once again, we can’t recommend it enough, it’s pretty much mandatory if you visit Morocco! Go lose yourself under thousand of shiny stars and endless soft sand dunes, you’ll remember it for the rest of your life. 

Make sure to look up our other Morroco articles to be fully prepared for your experience!