As I was preparing for my trip to Morocco, I started talking to travellers who had been to the country, and I was amazed by the number of travellers who said visiting the Sahara Desert was one of the best travel destinations they have ever visited. Having now done the trek out to the Sahara Desert (Erg Chebbi), I can attest this to be accurate. If you are in Morocco, this is a great opportunity to visit one of the most spectacular places in the world.
Most of the treks are from Marrakech to Fes or vice versa, or Marrakech to the desert and back to Marrakech. Although possible to do in 3 days, it is recommended to take 4 days to do this tour as it will leave you with more time to stop and enjoy the sights along the way.
Private vs. Group Tour
Group tours are cheaper than private tours. However, after extensive research, we decided to do a private tour. For a family of 5, this price was not much different. As well, I understand that group tours are very uncomfortable… the bus is crowded and you have much less freedom and flexibility.
The company we used was called “Morocco Culture Tours”. They were very good, with great communication before the trip. While I would strongly recommend them, I think a lot of the success of a tour depends on the rapport you establish with the driver and guide. If you don’t get along, for whatever reason, this could make for a dreadful tour. Fortunately, our driver was very friendly and great with kids.
The only thing I did not like about Morocco Culture Tours was the vehicle. When dialoguing with the owner, he assured us we would have a Prado Toyota Land Cruiser. This was part of the reason we chose this company. This vehicle is large and comfortable for our family of 5 (plus driver). Instead, we had some sort of Mitsubishi equivalent, which is slightly smaller.
Itinerary – 4 days / 3 nights Desert Tour
Day 1: Marrakech – Tizi-n-Tichka – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley – Roses Valley
Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Merzouga – Camel ride and night in camp
Day 3: Merzouga – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate
Day 4: Ourzazate – Marrakech
This itinerary saw about 6 to 8 hours of driving each day, not including breaks. It took 2 days to get to Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) and 2 days to return. The return trip back to Marrakech is slightly shorter because the route is a loop. You do not take the same way back to Marrakech.
Our vehicle for the desert tour, a 7-passenger Mitsubishi SUV.
The 6 of us are piled into the vehicle and ready for our 4-day tour. Most of the time will be spent inside this vehicle.
One of our many stops, the town of Ait Ben Haddou. The stop on the opposite side of the river makes for a short, easy and scenic hike to visit this historic town.
Our guide takes a moment to enjoy the view from Ait Ben Haddou.
The Tizi-n-Tichka pass offers spectacular views, albeit a bit frightening.
Dades Valley, with a small village and local inhabitants.
A view of Dades Valley.
Dades Valley merchants sell wares, such as these carpets, to tourists.
Our tour driver, and the crew enjoying a break and giving their legs a stretch.
Local Moroccans chat in the shade to avoid the afternoon sun.
This is a great view of the Atlas Mountains, which you must cross to get to the Sahara Desert at Erg Chebbi. The weather is cold in this high altitude.
This is the amazing view from one of the hotels we stayed at along the way to Erg Chebbi. The view of the valley from this patio makes a nice spot to enjoy breakfast.
A camel enjoying a bottle of coke and drinking it on his own.
Our camel ride to the Berber camp in Erg Chebbi started out rough. We encountered a fierce wind storm and were forced to come down from the camels and get a ride in a 4×4 vehicle to the camp. The storm was so fierce we could not see 20 feet in front of us.
After dinner at the Berber camp, a large fire was lit, and the we gathered around for singing and dancing. This was a highlight of our tour.
This is the tent we slept in. It was made of multiple layers of thick burlap and wool like material. However, it was also very cold at night.
The desert camp has permanent bathroom facilities, including an outdoor sink and mirror that provide a beautiful backdrop.
We were awoken early and given a short time to get ready for our camel trek back to our hotel where we could shower. The early morning trek provides the perfect opportunity for some amazing photos.
As we return back to the base hotel, the early morning camel ride makes for a great opportunity to take some memorable photographs.