Best Desert Tours & Exciting Excursions
For a lot of people, camping means hiking to the heart of a lush forest, perhaps near a pristine alpine lake or on the shores of a fast-flowing river. It could be a good idea to cover yourself with a wide-brimmed hat or a bandana. To avoid losing a lot of water through sweat, a good clothing option to spend time in the desert are light-colored long-sleeve shirts and pants. I wrote this guide to help you plan your trip to Merzouga desert village, covering everything you need to know so you can get the most out of your visit to the Sahara desert.
Every dusk, a Tea and Fire Ceremony is held… A beautiful time of conviviality for guests. As a result of their efforts, the Terre des Étoiles team was given the Green Key mark, the most recognized international environment label for tourist accommodation and food best morocco desert camps and beverage services. By selecting Terre des Étoiles, you are also committing to the concept of sustainable adventure. Terres des Étoiles’ entire staff is committed to responsible management, particularly in the treatment of waste and water utilization.
They’ll teach you to play ronda, Morocco’s most popular card game, and you can savor aromatic spices as you participate in a tagine cooking demonstration with the head chef. Then enjoy a magical Gnaouan musical performance—drumming and dancing are encouraged! The cultural connections and fun you’ll have with these folks are a highlight of the trip. Beautifully set up location, very clean and comfortable. The staff is exceptionally friendly and welcoming and plays wonderful Berber drum music around a campfire at night.
Driving from Fez to Merzouga is a great idea if you have the time and if you want the freedom to stop along the road and take great pictures. To reach this desert village simply follow highway N13 towards the South. There are CTM and Supratour buses going from Fez to Merzouga but this bus journey is quite long. Some good options could be to stop halfway in Errachidia or to take an overnight Supratour bus from Fez to Merzouga and get some sleep on the bus. I suggest spending at least a full day in either one of these two places before continuing your journey south towards Merzouga. The bus stations with buses going in the direction of Merzouga in Tinghir and Ouarzazate are very easy to find.
The sand in the desert is so soft and just perfect to sit with your toes dipped in. Find out beforehand where you be will staying, the hotels and the Berber tent camp. In my case I was surprised and excited by how amazing our camo site was, however that isn’t always the case. I have also seen some very basic camp sites without showers etc. Make sure you ask the tour company to explain exactly what type of tent you will be sleeping in. We woke up late the next morning and missed the sunrise – we were so tired!
Floriste Luxury Camp, ITRAN ROYAL CAMP and Desert Experience Glamping have received great reviews from guests in Merzouga regarding the views from these campsites. The average price of a campsite in Merzouga for this evening is £80 (based on Booking.com prices). Located in Merzouga, Erg Chebbi provides accommodation with free private parking. Desert Luxury Camp experience has mountain views, free WiFi and free private parking, situated in Merzouga.
And you can get a tour of the desert either by camel, 4x4WD, Quad bike, or Buggy driving. Our cameleer was the best photographer and an overall great dudeThere is something magical about a desert sunset. Sand dunes go on for miles, catching the sun and creating drastic shadows across the landscape. The sand itself is so soft and fine, and stretches out in perfectly striped sheets. The camel is equipped with a saddle of sorts, but it’s really just a series of strategically folded blankets and a sturdy metal handlebar.
From Namibia to Nepal, a Black Tomato safari is perfect for any wildlife lover. Every day we find the best offers for our customers, so they can keep visiting our fabulous Morocco again and again. By the time you hop back on your camel into the desert and watch Merzouga slowly come into sight, your desert trek will seem like a blissful mirage. Sip mint tea over dinner and then get settled in for the night. Being seating on a camel may be uncomfortable on your backside so don’t hesitate for the alternative of walking alongside your camel. Or do what I did and prop your feet up on the handles intermittently to give yourself a bit of a stretch to reduce soreness.
Ultimately, I made my final choice based on price because all the tour companies I emailed had at least 5 stars. I love planning our trips when we travel, however, I knew that I would not be able to fully plan our trip to Morocco without the help of someone who lives there. Morocco isn’t like Europe or the USA where you can easily rent a car and drive to where you need to or take the bus/train to get around. I wanted to make sure that our days were well planned and our method of transportation secured; especially as we didn’t have much time in Morocco. Nestled in the dunes and the last oasis before the expanse of the Sahara Desert lies Mhamid Luxury Camps, the first true luxury camping experience in M'hamid el Ghizlane.
If you love to stay in the luxury camps, then you’ll be provided with amenities like beds, table and chairs to dine on as well as showers to enjoy bathing. However, there’s an availability of two types of camping opportunities like private camp and main camp to be experienced in Erg Chebbi. The Sahara Desert is a must-see on any vacation to Morocco. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you’re prepared. Check out some suggestions to make the most of your visit to the Sahara Desert.
Although you see many tourists wearing whatever they want, we chose to cover up as much as possible to avoid unwanted attention. Even if you’re traveling with a group of guys, you may still get harassed. Some of the girls in our group got groped on multiple occasions even though we were paired off with a male buddy. It was mostly really old men, and it happened more often in crowded places. When visiting mosques, you need to cover down to your wrists and ankles. For the ladies out there, it really helps to have a shawl/scarf handy in case you need it.
There were a few people offering 2 day/1 night tours from Marrakech, but that is the only one other than the 3/2 that I remember. Our tour company didn’t have us bring anything except a small bag with a camera/contact case/jacket/water in it for the overnight part of the trip. The water was especially important, because there was no water source at the camp. Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp was such a great surprise during my time in Morocco. I didn’t know what to expect going into the experience, but I loved it!
Every dusk, a Tea and Fire Ceremony is held… A beautiful time of conviviality for guests. As a result of their efforts, the Terre des Étoiles team was given the Green Key mark, the most recognized international environment label for tourist accommodation and food best morocco desert camps and beverage services. By selecting Terre des Étoiles, you are also committing to the concept of sustainable adventure. Terres des Étoiles’ entire staff is committed to responsible management, particularly in the treatment of waste and water utilization.
They’ll teach you to play ronda, Morocco’s most popular card game, and you can savor aromatic spices as you participate in a tagine cooking demonstration with the head chef. Then enjoy a magical Gnaouan musical performance—drumming and dancing are encouraged! The cultural connections and fun you’ll have with these folks are a highlight of the trip. Beautifully set up location, very clean and comfortable. The staff is exceptionally friendly and welcoming and plays wonderful Berber drum music around a campfire at night.
Driving from Fez to Merzouga is a great idea if you have the time and if you want the freedom to stop along the road and take great pictures. To reach this desert village simply follow highway N13 towards the South. There are CTM and Supratour buses going from Fez to Merzouga but this bus journey is quite long. Some good options could be to stop halfway in Errachidia or to take an overnight Supratour bus from Fez to Merzouga and get some sleep on the bus. I suggest spending at least a full day in either one of these two places before continuing your journey south towards Merzouga. The bus stations with buses going in the direction of Merzouga in Tinghir and Ouarzazate are very easy to find.
The sand in the desert is so soft and just perfect to sit with your toes dipped in. Find out beforehand where you be will staying, the hotels and the Berber tent camp. In my case I was surprised and excited by how amazing our camo site was, however that isn’t always the case. I have also seen some very basic camp sites without showers etc. Make sure you ask the tour company to explain exactly what type of tent you will be sleeping in. We woke up late the next morning and missed the sunrise – we were so tired!
Floriste Luxury Camp, ITRAN ROYAL CAMP and Desert Experience Glamping have received great reviews from guests in Merzouga regarding the views from these campsites. The average price of a campsite in Merzouga for this evening is £80 (based on Booking.com prices). Located in Merzouga, Erg Chebbi provides accommodation with free private parking. Desert Luxury Camp experience has mountain views, free WiFi and free private parking, situated in Merzouga.
And you can get a tour of the desert either by camel, 4x4WD, Quad bike, or Buggy driving. Our cameleer was the best photographer and an overall great dudeThere is something magical about a desert sunset. Sand dunes go on for miles, catching the sun and creating drastic shadows across the landscape. The sand itself is so soft and fine, and stretches out in perfectly striped sheets. The camel is equipped with a saddle of sorts, but it’s really just a series of strategically folded blankets and a sturdy metal handlebar.
From Namibia to Nepal, a Black Tomato safari is perfect for any wildlife lover. Every day we find the best offers for our customers, so they can keep visiting our fabulous Morocco again and again. By the time you hop back on your camel into the desert and watch Merzouga slowly come into sight, your desert trek will seem like a blissful mirage. Sip mint tea over dinner and then get settled in for the night. Being seating on a camel may be uncomfortable on your backside so don’t hesitate for the alternative of walking alongside your camel. Or do what I did and prop your feet up on the handles intermittently to give yourself a bit of a stretch to reduce soreness.
Ultimately, I made my final choice based on price because all the tour companies I emailed had at least 5 stars. I love planning our trips when we travel, however, I knew that I would not be able to fully plan our trip to Morocco without the help of someone who lives there. Morocco isn’t like Europe or the USA where you can easily rent a car and drive to where you need to or take the bus/train to get around. I wanted to make sure that our days were well planned and our method of transportation secured; especially as we didn’t have much time in Morocco. Nestled in the dunes and the last oasis before the expanse of the Sahara Desert lies Mhamid Luxury Camps, the first true luxury camping experience in M'hamid el Ghizlane.
If you love to stay in the luxury camps, then you’ll be provided with amenities like beds, table and chairs to dine on as well as showers to enjoy bathing. However, there’s an availability of two types of camping opportunities like private camp and main camp to be experienced in Erg Chebbi. The Sahara Desert is a must-see on any vacation to Morocco. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you’re prepared. Check out some suggestions to make the most of your visit to the Sahara Desert.
Although you see many tourists wearing whatever they want, we chose to cover up as much as possible to avoid unwanted attention. Even if you’re traveling with a group of guys, you may still get harassed. Some of the girls in our group got groped on multiple occasions even though we were paired off with a male buddy. It was mostly really old men, and it happened more often in crowded places. When visiting mosques, you need to cover down to your wrists and ankles. For the ladies out there, it really helps to have a shawl/scarf handy in case you need it.
There were a few people offering 2 day/1 night tours from Marrakech, but that is the only one other than the 3/2 that I remember. Our tour company didn’t have us bring anything except a small bag with a camera/contact case/jacket/water in it for the overnight part of the trip. The water was especially important, because there was no water source at the camp. Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp was such a great surprise during my time in Morocco. I didn’t know what to expect going into the experience, but I loved it!
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