Spending a night in Sahara Desert, the largest hot desert on earth, is on the bucket list of many. Many tour companies in Morocco will offer the so-called "Sahara Desert Tour" but I can assure you that the standard 3-day tours will bring you to Merzouga town and from here, you'll depart to Erg Chebbi where you'll be spending a night. Erg Chebbi is in Saharan Morocco. This area is not to be confused with Moroccan Western Sahara (the real part of Sahara Desert in Morocco) which is further south. Despite this, a journey into the desert is still considered a highlight during my trip in Morocco.
Best time to go into the desert
I would recommend going in spring (March to May) or autumn (October to November) when it is not too hot during the day but still chilly at night, allowing good sleep. You should definitely avoid the intense heat in summer which can go up to 50 Celsius. During winter (December and January), freezing temperature will make it hard to sleep through the night.
Essential things to know before going:
Sahara Desert spans over eleven countries: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara. Since I have been to the Sahara Desert in Egypt, it was not a big deal to me that I did not go into the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
Joining a "Sahara Desert Tour" was the most hassle-free way to go into the desert. If you are more adventurous, you can get to the desert town such as Merzouga on your own and rent a 4x4 vehicle to drive out to the desert yourself.
The standard three or four day desert tour mostly departs from Marrakech or Fez. I chose to depart from Fez and ended the tour with a drop-off in Marrakesh. The tour fits perfectly in the middle for the journey between the two cities.
Bear in mind that long drives simply cannot be avoided. From Fez to Merzouga, it is an 8-hours drive. From Ouarzazate to Marrakesh, it is another 7-hours drive through the High Atlas Mountains. Don't worry, the driver or tour guide will pull over a few times at scenic stops throughout the trip which will help to break up the drive. Any shorter tour will not take you to the Saharan Morocco.
Like I said, the standard tour will likely bring you to see Erg Chebbi dunes which is closest to Merzouga. Despite the fact that Erg Chebbi is not actually in Sahara Desert, it is not such a bad thing as Erg Chebbi is said to have some of the highest dunes in Morocco.
If you want to see Erg Chigaga, the largest dunes in the Sahara, this would require different planning from the standard tours. It is a two to three hours journey from the nearest town, M'Hamid.
Choosing a company for "Sahara Desert Tour"
As I was travelling with my hubby and my child, I booked a private tour for two which cost me about EUR 250 each person for better comfort. Car seat is provided for my son. Most tour companies offer similar tours at somewhat similar price. If you don't mind sharing a minivan with other travelers, you can get cheaper price between EUR 100 to EUR 150.
It is important to book the tour with a reputable tour company with strong online presence which you can read reviews beforehand. I do not recommend to book it with a random tout you met on the streets, especially if you are a female solo traveler. You might get a cheaper offer, but you'll also compromise on your safety and comfort.
I booked the 3D2N desert tour with Esprit d'Aventure tour company. Their website no longer works. You may contact them by Facebok page or email: espritaventur@gmail.com
You can also read reviews about their tours in Tripadvisor.
Read what is included in the tour carefully. Most tours do not include lunch on any of the days.
3-Day "Sahara Desert Tour" from Fez to Marrakesh Itinerary
Day 1: Fez - Ifrane - Ziz Valley viewpoint - Merzouga - overnight in desert camp
Day 2: Merzouga - Todra Gorges - Boulmane Dades
Day 3: Boumalne Dades - Ouarzazate - Ait Benhaddou - Marrakesh
I will focus on my Day 1 itinerary in this post. My tour guide picked us up in a jeep in Fez in the morning.
Then we drove for around one and a half hours to Ifrane. Ifrane is called the French village or the Switzerland of Morocco. We were just stopping for some refreshment and photos before continuing our journey. The weather in the mountain was cooling. Taking photo besides this stone lion statue is something of a ritual for tourists.
Next, we stopped for lunch at Hotel Kasbah Asmaa in Midelt.
As we passed through different towns and terrains, the landscape begins to change into a rocky scrubland, indicating the beginning of the desert. Photos above is the viewpoint of Ziz Valley. Lots of date and palm trees dotted the valley.
After eight hours of driving, I finally arrived in the hotel, Palais Des Dunes, in Merzouga. I was told to only pack what I need for the night in desert camp in a small bag and leave my remaining luggage overnight at the hotel. There is no shower facilities in the desert camp but I could use the shower in the hotel in the morning after coming back from the desert.
I made some mistakes when packing for the dessert camp. I should have brought my jacket and a scarf in case it gets windy in the desert. It was pretty cold in the desert at night and in the early morning. The jacket that I packed for my son was too thin. Fortunately he didn't catch a cold despite having a runny nose. Definitely bring long sleeve shirt and pants and dressed in layers. Also don't forget to bring your water bottle, a torchlight (or torch on a smartphone will do) and some wet wipes. Take note that you should charge your smartphone or camera before going into the desert.
The camel ride to the desert camp from Merzouga is about 1.5 hours. Since it was getting dark and we were traveling with a young child, the tour guide offered us a ride in a 4x4 jeep instead of riding a camel. He also stopped over for us to take some photos of the sun setting in the desert. The ride was really bumpy and I held my son firmly throughout the journey. Fortunately, the jeep ride cut the journey time by half and we managed to arrive the desert camp before the last camel group.
The camp was pretty basic but I had no complaints as we were only there for one night.
Toilets are located outside the tent. Torchlight will come in handy if you need to go to the toilet at night. There is no shower facilities in the camp.
It felt serene to just sit down and take in the view of the vast desert.
Dinner was served inside a bigger tent. The Moroccan dishes include tagine with bread and salad.
The temperature really dropped in the night. I mostly spent the rest of the night staying in the camp with my son while my hubby went out for stargazing. There is no light pollution in the desert. If you bring a tripod, you will be able to capture the beautiful Milky Way of the night sky.
Of course, there are some luxury glamping options which offer improved amenities such as private bathrooms and designed rooms if you are willing to pay. I have experienced this kind of glamping in a desert before in Oman (read it here) and this desert camp experience is vastly different from that. Managing my expectation helped me to enjoy the tour as it is.
We woke up around six o'clock for the sunrise. We rode on the back of a camel to head back to Merzouga. My son shared a camel with my hubby. He was the youngest rider in the group. I was really worried that my son would fall off the camel halfway. Thank God that nothing happened. Kudos to my little-one for not freaking out or throwing up during the 1.5 hour journey.
We stopped for some photos on the top of one dune.
Riding a camel, as uncomfortable as it is, is part of the desert experience. Hang tight to your camera or smart phones. You do not want to drop them while riding a camel.
The buffet breakfast was served in the hotel in Merzouga. We freshen ourselves up and then we were on the road again for our second day itinerary.
Overall, it was an unforgettable experience. Is the Sahara Desert Tour worth it? I'll let you decide.
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