Visit the Sahara Desert in
Merzouga
The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the World, and one of Morocco’s main attractions. The best starting point for a visit to its giant sand dunes is the village of Merzouga. Located in the south east of the country, not far from the boarder with Algeria.
things to know before visiting the desert:
- always bring cash, better if in local currency. The only ATM almost never works, and both the locals and the only exchange will apply a very inconvenient rate.
- Get in touch with someone before reaching Merzouga. And check many times with your place what is included in the price they gave you. Sometimes some options seems more convenient, but then you will have to add transfers, meals, activities..
- be ready to face a cold night, especially if you choose a more rustic experience
And a personal tip: the “camel trekking” was just one of the most boring experiences of my whole life. At least among the ones I deliberately paid for!
Maybe a short ride just to take that off of the bucket list could be fine. But a whole transfer of more than one hour (and return on the following day) sitting on the slowest animal was just too much for me. Even if while enjoying the insanely beautiful sunset.
How to plan your Merzouga Desert Adventure
Getting to and away from Merzouga
Get to Merzouga is not so difficult, thanks to direct busses either from Marrakech and Fes. You can find more info on my Morocco travel Itinerary post.
The trickier part was actually to sort out a way to continue the itinerary after that stop:
If, like me, you are planning to head to Marrakech by bus (as I was), the only bus traveling directly leaves Merzouga at 7.30 am, as that road can be only covered during daytime. And costs 250 Dh.
So you will need to make sure to choose an accommodation close to the town. Or to sort something out with your host.
Now, if you are going to spend one only night in the desert (way more than enough in my opinion!), laving with that bus would probably mean missing what for me was the best part of the whole desert trip: watching the sunrise above the dunes.
It was quite an hard decision, as I didn’t really want to miss the bus, but I finally was glad I did it. And also, the night in the sahara was the most expensive part of the whole trip: freezing in a tent for a night with dinner, breakfast and a (boring) camel transfer costed like 10 nights in a riad. Just to say.. so it seemed quite important to try to take the most out of it. The only downside was that we pretty much wasted the following days, as we didn’t managed to sort something out ahead.
Our host also offered us a private transfer with a friend driving to Marraketch right that morning. But for the not so friendly price of 150 euros, to cover the fuel expenses.
There is also a Supratour bus leaving From Rissani (the closest bigger town) at 8.30 am. But again you will have to leave Merzouga quite early, as travelling between the two takes about 40 minutes.
Lastly, checking on the CTM site, we also found an overnight option. But it is actually a pretty nonsense itinerary lasting more than 20 hours. With either a change in Fes or Meknes. And for about 360 Dh.
So, after just too many internet researches with no results, we decided to trust some random voices we’ve heard about another bus. Or the possibility to get to the City with several different Grand taxis. Also considering the option to stop for the night along the way. Ideally in places with something to do and see.
So we basically began an unplanned road trip to Marrakech..
The first destination was Rissani, where we got for 15 Dh each after have been waiting about 20 minutes for the taxi to be filled. Once in the town a guy (whose family coincidentally owned a shop and a guesthouse) “welcomed” us with lots of informations about what to do and see in Rissani. Obviously trying to convince us to spend the night there. Bus also (again) said something about this almost unfindable overnight bus.
What to do in Rissani
In the couple of hours hanging around Rissani, other than asking everywhere to sort out the journey, we got the chance to visit a little the Town.
I can say I kinda liked it because it seemed a bit more authentic than other places. But still more touristy than how it initially seemed. Anyway I got something to do as I was lucky enough to end up there on Market day (always my favourite destinations!). With a food side, a clothes one, and even a fair of sheeps, cows and dokeys.
The only other feature is trying the “Berber Pizza”. A meat filled flatbread born in the town.
Rissani is also the starting point of many desert tours a quad or camel rides. Don’t know if slightly cheaper than the ones offered in Merzouga.
How to find your desert host
I knew from the beginning that the visit to Merzouga would have been the trickiest part to organize. And very likely the most expensive part of the whole trip.
So we strarting by checking on websites like booking.com and asking some random guys on facebook groups. There were actually some quite interesting and cheap options, but with nothing really included.
Also, looking at the satellite view on google maps, we noticed that most of the camping were not even located in the actual dunes. Just in the flatlands or Merzouga itself.
So I started exploring the map itself, until I found this place with something like 9 google reviews and really in the middle of nowhere:
No links to fancy websites or something too professional. Just the picture of a business card with a whatsapp number on it. And a facebook name linking to a profile with pretty much nothing on it
I immediately knew it was THAT place, so I texted the dude.
The first tricky part was to choose the right language. I started with English, then switched to my (bad) French and, once understood he preferred audio over texting, ended up talking in Spanish.
Hearing Ibrahim’s messages was just too funny. I wish I could post some of them here.
He was always asking me about my life, my family.. and sending me pictures of his camp and dinners.
So after a bit of communication struggling, we agreed for the price of 60 euros per person. For Dinner, night in the tent with campfire and music, sunset and sunrise camel ride to and from the campsite and breakfast. That was what I understood al least.
Not too budget, but still slightly cheaper than the others we got in touch with. And apparently more authentic.
My personal desert experience: The Oubira Oasis
after letting know my family and friends that I was going to be hosted in the desert from a random old maroccan guy, it was finally time to start the Desert Adventure!
We were supposed to reach Merzouga at 6 am, but our bus even got to there almost one hour before the scheduled time. Leaving its passengers in the dark outside a closed bus station at the edge of a freezing desert night.
Luckily our host got all sorted for us, and sent one of his collaborators to pick us up at the bus door. Even if meeting and start following this big and unknown Berber guy at that time and on the middle of nowhere felt a little strange in that moment. So good so far!
He then immediately drove us to a big empty house, where we finally met Ibrahim.
They told us we could sleep there for a few more hours, and offered a tour for the day, as what we already planned was only for the night. So the plan was to rest until 10 am more or less, then get to his house for breakfast, taking a jeep tour in the desert and come back for lunch with his family. All for 50 euros each.
Way expensive in my opinion, but the 5am tiredness and the thought of not having anything more interesting to do made us agree.
The jeep tour around the desert
after a four hours of sleep that felt like ages, it was finally time to really start our desert experience. As planned, we got to Ibrahim’s house for breakfast. A more international version of the typical maroccan I was expecting. Including fried eggs and packaged yoghurt and cakes, together with homemade local items like the bread and date syrup. And some tea of course!
After breakfast (around 12 actually!) we got picked up by his friend and guide for the tour. And we drove with him and Ibrahim’s son to a few stops around the desert:
the desert cars museum. Luckily free of charge, as it was peculiar but very small and not extremely interesting
a very touristy spot where a group from an Algerian tribu was performing a show. Dancing, singing and playing local instruments while offering tea. Again free of charge but in exchange of a tip
- The Tortoises valley. A fossil field more into than desert area than the previous stop, but without going through much sand or giant dunes. It was interesting as he gave us a bit of explanation of what we were seeing: they where all fossils from the ocean! That used to be there thousands of years ago!
An active mine – couldn’t manage to understand of which minerals. And the town where its workers use to live
we then made a couple of quick stops on the way back to Ibrahim’s house. Including the military base close to the dangerous boarder with Algeria: a giant and uncrossable mountain wall.
For (late) lunch the house we had a delicious chicken and vegetables tajine. Accompanied by a Moroccan salad mad of tomatoes, red onion, parsley, cilantro, spices and loads of olive oil.
And finally some fresh fruits, especially oranges and pomegranate!
As said above, it was interesting but in my opinion not worthy the 50 bucks each. And it would have been quite difficult to understand our French speaking guide without the help of the young boy travelling with us.
Camel trekking to the desert camp
A bit of time to relax (and look for a way to get away from the desert the following morning!), and it’s finally the hour to head to the dunes!
We started our camel journey slightly before the sunset, to be sure to be in the middle of the desert on time for that.
I have to specify it was a Dromedary Trek, as there are no actual camels in Morocco.
It was just the two of us on the animal and a young guy escorting us by foot.
It took us something like one hour to ride the four kilometres the dunes, with some photo stops along the way. And the most scary instants every time we had to come up and especially down from the animal!
Talking with our guide was for me the most interesting part of the experience: unlike Ibrahim’s son, who got then chance to explore a little his own country at least, the boy had never left the desert in his whole life. He was from a barber family living outside Merzouga, and pretty much all he knew was about dromedaries and tourist. He was really the nicest and shyest guy, at at the end of the trip offered us some souvenirs made from him and his father.
The night at the Oubira oasis
Ibrahim’s camp was a nice spot located just inside his little oasis lying at the base of a giant dune. I only lately discovered it was actually the first tourist camp in the Sahara, started about 30 years ago.
We got there at dusk, just at the beginning of the desert’s cold night. Ibrahim’s sons was waiting for us with some mint tea and bread, while starting to cook the dinner inside a tiny hut. An huge vegetable tajine for me, the usual Moroccan salad and loads of fresh fruits. Way more than I could actually have after the main course.
I invited several times the two guys to join us at the table, but they where just too shy (or not allowed) to do so.
After dinner we spent some time at the bonefire listening to them playing drums and singing berber music. Before head to get some rest
Our room was a quite big tent with two proper double mattresses placed on the floor. And loads of very warm (and heavy) blankets on them. Of course it didn’t result as the most restful night ever.. but it is all part of the adventure I guess.
The toilet was another tent located slightly far away from the others. Obviously nothing fancy, but good enough to play his role. Even if without lights and running water.
Watching the sunrise in the desert
With a little bit of worry for the cold waiting outside, just before 7am was the time to get out and hit the dunes in front of us! I was the cold, tired, and annoyed by all the sand in my shoes. Which I couldn’t really take of because of the freezing sand I didn’t want to put my feet it.
But as soon as the giant sun began to rise over the orange sand, everything seemed to disappear. As I was staring at the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen.
After the sunset was time to jump back on the dromedaries and head to Merzouga again. First step was Ibrahim’s house, where we goy offered to stay as long as we wanted and even one more night (obviously paying).
But it was definitely time to keep going with the Morocco exploration!
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