Popular Desert Safaris in Marrakech

This was my favorite part of my trip to Morocco. The only downsides to our trip were due to the fact that we chose to go in July, which is really not an ideal month to visit the Sahara lol. It was extremely hot and windy, spring and fall are much better months to go if you can plan accordingly. Our driver, Mohammed Obama, was excellent. He was so relaxed, kind and a very safe driver (something I was worried about since the roads through the Atlas mountains can be a little treacherous by US standards). It was fun traveling w a small group of other tourists, it felt kind of like we were at summer camp. I wasn't prepared for all of the cool stops we made on the way, including a very cool canyon that reminded me of Zion in Utah, as well as Berber villages so that was fun! All of the guides in the camp at the Sahara were super welcoming and friendly. It was nice that they took the time to hangout with all the tourists after dinner. Overall a memorable excursion that I'll remember forever!

Looking at the name of the trip, you only expect to see the desert. But the roadtrip by itself is a beautifull experience. The trip takes you to the Atlas Mountains, to the ancient Ait Ben Haddou, with your local guide who will tell you a lot about the history of those places. Staying in the hotel in Tanghir with a pool is a welcome surprise to end the first day. Second day is all about getting to the desert we thought, so again it was a nice surprise that we first visited the green valley and mountains of Tanghir which looks like a fata morgana. After Tanghir you go to Merzouga to stay at the desert which is the best part of the trip. The desert is just beautifull and magical, watching the sun going down and up. Sleeping in the tent is okay. Warm, but the bed is really okay. Food is fine, the people are very polite. On our way back we had a big thunderstorm in the Atlas Mountains. Roads were blocked due to heavy rainfall and mudstreams. Our driver Obama Mohamed saved us big time.

While it's a bit of a lengthy drive to get to Merzouga, it's absolutely worth it to be able to witness the Sahara dunes at both sunset/sunrise. Camels are also my new favourite way to travel! The campsite is basic but the dinner was hearty, I loved the traditional music and dancing and our Berbere guides couldn't have been more hospitable. My only criticism is that every stop was designed for us to buy something and the restaurants arranged for our lunch stops were expensive and really dirty and substandard. Our driver Mohamed and a tour guide at Ait Benhaddou became very rude and aggressive, actually yelling at us because no one wanted to do the "optional" tour - we all just wanted to wander the site by ourselves but the men were clearly angry that they would miss the commission. I wish it had been a little more relaxing but it did feel like we needed to be "switched on" 24/7.

This trip was fantastic! Such an experience, riding camels in the desert and sleeping under the stars. definitely worth your money :) just keep in mind it is an 8 hour drive both ways (from Marrakech) so if you don’t do well with long car rides maybe this isn’t for you. Also make sure to take motion sickness medicine with you, lots of water, sunglasses and a scarf if you can (to avoid having to buy overpriced ones on the way). The facilities are very good at the camp.

Well organized trio. Our driver Has was very polite, always on time and knowledgeable. The scenery on Atlas mountains, the sand dunes and the stars were our highlights. Only minus point is the meals you get on the way. The restaurant staff were rude, food not very good and there weren't anywhere else to go if you didn't want a set menu. Overall, once in a lifetime trip, amazing!