Bucket List: The Sahara Desert in Morocco
Riding a camel through the Sahara Desert at sunset remains one of the most special experiences of my travels so far. I thought I would share my experience and tips for doing the trip yourself.
Things to Know Before You Go
Why the 3-Day Sahara Trip?
Dunes, stars, camels, and a traditional Berber campsite. You will see offers for a 2-day trip to the desert. While I’m sure this is a good trip as well, it’s not the Sahara Desert, so you won’t see the spectacular dunes.
How much should I expect to pay?
For a shared tour prices range anywhere from €70 to €150. The major difference comes down to accommodation. The buses and itinerary are largely the same, but be sure to double-check.
How should I book my tour?
In person is usually the best, although a website with solid reviews on TripAdvisor will make you feel better heading into your trip if you have limited time. Prices are often quoted in Euros, so it can be beneficial to pay with them as well. I booked with Marrakesh Travel Services. Websites like Viator or Get Your Guide tend to charge a little bit more so they can take a commission.
What should I ask my tour operators?
What kind of accommodations will I be staying in? Do you have photos?
How large is the group?
How many people are staying at the Berber Camp?
Are there other food options besides the designated lunch stops?
What’s generally included?
Entrance fees, accommodation for two nights, transportation, Breakfast (Days 2 & 3), Dinner (Days 1 & 2)
What’s not included?
Tips, drinks, lunch.
Day 1
We started off early in the morning at Jama El f’na Square. Breakfast the first day is not included, so you might want to grab some food before you start. if you alert your lodging they may be able to prepare a packed breakfast. I went as far as to buy a 6-pack of 1.5L bottles of water for the journey. After a couple hours of driving, many tours stop for a break at a restaurant/cafe called tizi ait barka, where you can grab some coffee and a quick bite. The views from the cafe are the real draw.
The next stop is Ait Ben Haddou, made famous by numerous films and TV shows including Gladiator and Game of Thrones. The locals are often hired as extras. Our guide took us to his home where he made a homemade collage of the 8 (!) films and TV shows he’d worked on. He was honestly more accomplished than most people trying to hack in LA.
After we toured the village for a bit, the guide took us to a scarf shop to show us the traditional way berbers wear scarves. I was identified to be the model for which he demonstrated. This had the unintended negative effect of me never seeing how to tie the scarf for myself.
The shop did the clever sales technique I’ve seen deployed on tours when they showed us what a truly low-quality scarf would look like. The man at the shop stuck the scarf in his mouth and then wiped it on his arm. There was a blue streak on his arm where the dye had begun to bleed. He then took one of his own scarves and demonstrated that a good quality scarf does not have this happen. This had the effect of making the store seem more trustworthy by making the guests feel like they were in the know.
You will definitely pay a tourist tax by shopping here, but many people take comfort at a fixed price, even if it’s worse than what you would pay by bartering. They are also upfront about the different quality tiers they offer.
After the scarf shop we were instructed to wait for everyone to buy their scarves before being taken to the designated restaurant. As you can probably guess, the place was a complete tourist trap and way overpriced. As a backpacker I do my best to avoid paying €9-10 for a meal, particularly in Morocco of all places. I fired up Google Maps and went to a cheap grill down the corner for half the price. Be careful about heading too far away to another restaurant as you need to make sure you stay on schedule for the tour.
Next stop was Atlas Studios, some tours may go inside, but the entrance ticket won’t be included in the total cost of the ticket.
We ended the day in a smaller town called Tinghir. Our hotel, Hotel Bougafer, claimed to be 4-star. It was a bit shabby, but as someone traveling alone, I was just happy to have my own room and not be sleeping in a dorm. The rooms were double-occupancy and if you book with someone else you will share the room. There was a pool but it was far too cold to swim in it.
Day 2
The second day of the tour left Tinghir and headed towards the Todra Gorge.
We were greeted by a local guide who walked us through the gorge.
It was a beautiful walk along some farmland. Wear appropriate shoes as it was muddy when we were there. It might not be something you worry about when you book a tour to the Sahara Desert. The guide was extremely adept at creating miniature art from grass, creating elaborate animals in a matter of seconds.
After lunch we were given a carpet demonstration. I’ve sat through many carpet spiels throughout my time traveling, and I have to say the Berber carpets do look different than other carpets I’ve seen before. We served tea and shown what the Berbers use to create the vivid colors for the carpet. They tried to sell some carpets to us, but luckily they were not overly pushy.
Lunch was at another overpriced tourist trap but the problem this time is there was nothing within walking distance. I ate my snacks and stubbornly refused to order anything off the menu. At this point it wasn’t even about the money but about the principle of being told I needed to eat at this overpriced restaurant. While we waited for our van I did get to check out this sweet tattoo.
After another three hours of driving we arrived in Merzouga, greeted by biscuits, nuts, and tea. We could see the camels lined up in anticipation for our ride. We were told to just carry the essentials we would need for the night, the rest of our belongings would be secured with the van. I packed a change of clothing and my toiletry bag. I got some help tying my scarf and got on the camel.
I would recommend choosing the camel in front for the best views and photos. Alternatively, if you’re with a friend and take the back camel, they can get some great shots from the front. The Berber guides are more than happy to take some photos as well, so make sure to give them a tip when they collect the following morning.
We rode the camels as the sun began to set and then had about 90 minutes to explore the dunes, take photos, watch the sunset, and even sandboard. Some tours include sandboarding and some offer it as an additional option. I tried it once and that was really enough for me. The walk uphill in the sand was incredibly exhausting.
The dunes were magnificent and the golden hour lit painted them a gorgeous orange glow. The shifting shadows of the sands created a very dramatic landscape. I later recognized the dunes from my own desktop wallpaper of my computer. I took the opportunity to do a full-on glam photoshoot. Luckily the friends I made on the tour were a bunch of Gen Z foreign exchange students.
After sunset we got back on the camels and took a short ride to camp. Everything you’ve heard about riding camels is true: they are not comfortable. I was surprised to learn that the camels don’t have names and they are all females. They seemed to be treated well and not bothered by the experience. When I later went to Egypt, this was absolutely not the case.
We arrived after dark at the campsite. The set-up was great, with comfortable beds and even private tents for couples. We were served a huge tajine. After dinner we sat around the fire while the guys from the camp played drums and danced. Eventually they had us all join them for dances around the campfire. I’m relieved there is no video footage.
A group of us decided we wanted to sleep outside and so we slept under the stars. They were the best stars I’d seen in years. I’m glad I didn’t go during a full moon.
Day 3
It’s an early morning for day 3, as you’re meant to be awake before sunrise. This varies depending on the time of year, but for us it was 5am. We mounted the camels and set out to a specific viewing point and waited for the sun to rise. A local dog sprinted around the dunes effortlessly and energetically as we blearily watched the sunrise.
We rode the camels to the hotel for a delicious breakfast before embarking on the 10-hour journey to Marrakech. We stopped many times for bathroom breaks and lunch. Just like our previous lunches, we were forced to eat at an overpriced restaurant chosen by the tour operators. Emboldened by my previous luck and Google Maps I led a walkout with 5 of my fellow guests to a restaurant down the street. The restaurant did everything they could to dissuade us from leaving. First they said there was nothing around (a lie), then they said it would take too long (another lie), then they offered to provide us a special price for our table.
We walked to Rosa Express Lunch, which ended up being incredibly tasty and reasonably priced.
We stopped another few times before arriving in Marrakech, exhausted by the journey
Have you done the 3-Day Merzouga Desert Trip? Was your experience different or do you have any other advice?
A must for history junkies