Group Sahara Desert Trip from Marrakech
Group Sahara Desert Trip from Marrakech
Immerse yourself into leaving the clamor and vibration of Marrakech behind, embarking upon an adventure deep into the Sahara of Morocco. A group Sahara Desert trip from Marrakech isn’t your usual tour, though, but an extended excursion laden with winding roads through mountains, postcard-esque scenery, and endless golden dunes of sand. Whether in the company of friends or shared with fellow traveler types, it will be a trip to recall.
Day 1: Crossing the Atlas Mountains & Ancient Kasbahs
Early morning brings the start of your desert escapade as you join your other travelers on a well-appointed minibus. First up? That hair-raising drive through the High Atlas Mountains. As the road goes on in a zigzagging manner and your driver skillfully navigates the maze-like streets, you will edge along agreeable Berber villages sitting atop hills and see locals grazing their sheep.
The first of the big stops during a group Sahara Desert trip from Marrakech is the mythic Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-protected kasbah that has doubled as the set for many Hollywood films. To walk through its ancient adobe walls is to be transported in time. Lunch is usually taken in a scenic setting nearby before continuing toward the vast desert regions.
Day 2: Into the Heart of the Sahara
After a night’s stay at a local pension, either Ouarzazate or Dades Valley, you’ll be ready for leg two of the journey. Continuing down the road of the Todgha Gorge, stopping to take in the massive walls of the gorge before pushing onward to the pièce de résistance—Merzouga, the pass to the Sahara.
The moment you arrive, the landscape changes totally. The view of the vast dunes of Erg Chebbi is absolutely breathtaking. You will exchange your automobile for something quite more indigenous—a camel! Your guide will drive a slow, swaying caravan into the dunes, around sunset for one of the trip’s most memorable moments.
The moment you get to the desert camp, mint tea awaits you before you settle into your tent. The evening is followed by a traditional Moroccan dinner under the stars, and then an hypnotic session of Berber drumming and stories at a campfire. The sky full of stars, unblemished by light pollution, is filled with stars—a sight beyond description.
Day 3: Sunrise & Back to Marrakech
The desert sorcery is not restricted to darkness. Get up early in the morning to experience a sunrise which is tinting the dunes pink and gold. Following breakfast, take the camel ride back to Merzouga and collect your car which will drive the long but picturesque road back to Marrakech.
Homeward journey is in a slightly reversed path, to allow you the chance to behold new landscapes and stop by an additional one or two sites of interest en route. At sunset, after retracing back to Marrakech’s jam-packed streets, memories linger of sand-scorched sandy beachfront, crumbling kasbahs, and the beat of desert life.
A group Sahara Desert trip from Marrakech is not a vacation—a vacation is an adventure with memories, friendship, and exploration that will last a lifetime.
