Morocco Desert Tours

This is probably the easier of the two trips and whilst distances look longer on the map, roads are faster and also you can stay right on the edge of the dunes and walk straight into them.   This trip also is not just about the Sahara and you can visit the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, the film studios of Ouarzazate and the gorges of Dades and Todra on the way.  It is easily doable in 4 days/3 nights but there are so many great places to stay, we’d recommend adding at least 1 more night to get the best out of it.  This trip has a high level of comfort staying in beautiful converted kasbahs and it even possible to arrange a luxury desert camp with private en-suite shower-room.  A detailed description of the trip at Morocco Luxury Desert Tour and you can also see how this itinerary fits into Fes/Desert itinerary

This is an alternative route into the desert and whilst it is a bit more time travelling you go much deeper into the desert and the highlight is living with our nomad guides and letting them guide you in the traditions of the desert life; baking bread in the sands, music around the fire at night and traversing the massive Lake Iriqi.  As with the Merzouga tours you get to visit At Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate and then it is along the oasis of the Draa valley to the end of the road at M’hamid – the last  couple of miles are by camel for the first night in a semi permanent desert camp.  The next day you rendezvous with the 4x4 and head up into the massive Chegaga dunes from your second night in the Morocco desert.  Then is across lake Iriqi (flamingos if there is water) and find the road again at Foum Zguid, where you can opt to spend an extra night, or head directly  back to Marrakech.  More details at Nomad Desert Tour.  This trip also fits well with a trip down to the coast at Essaouira via Taroudant/Agadir.  For real adventure seekers we can also arrange a five day camel trek travelling the genuine nomad style with going from M’hamid to remote section of the Sahara where you can guarantee complete isolation

By far the easiest way to do the desert trip is to use one of our drivers with their air-conditioned people carriers.  Whilst not formal guides, our drivers speak good English and are happy to explain what you are seeing as well a refine your itinerary as you go – they have good knowledge and are very proud of their country.  We also recommend you take a guide book (Footprint, Lonely Planet, etc) and then work out want you want to see as you are going along.  There is the option to have 4x4 for the trip and this will be a little faster and more comfortable as there are parts of the journey off the paved road (usually the last stretch to where you are staying) and enables you to get to  places not accessible by normal car (eg Telouet’s ruined Kasbah or “linking” the gorges).  Unfortunately public transport for Morocco desert tours is not really an option – there are buses but not a good service.  It is possible to do the visit with a hire car and we’d be happy to arrange it, but this is generally not much less in cost after allowing for fuel, insurance and the inevitable speeding fines.  Do call to discuss the options in more detail

For timing, the best periods are anytime from September to June, as it is too hot and windy in the middle of the summer.  December to February is however a great time, unheated pools aren’t usable as night time temperature too low, but with 20-25 degrees during the day it is perfect for travelling.   One word of warning in these months is that the Tizni Tickna pass across the Atlas from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (2200m) occasionally closes for a few hours  after a snowfall so don’t plan to go directly from the desert to the airport just in case!