Marrakech to Merzouga 3 days 2 nights Sahara Desert Tour

Posted By : 794darylc
Brief Version:

Do this tour. It is amazing. It is beautiful. It is well organized. It is unique. You will likely end up with hundreds of pictures.

Simo was our guide. Our group loved him! Simo, thank you! You helped make the trip fun and memorable.

The trip costs more than you might expect. You will want cash with you (see the detail section below) because there are numerous costs that are not included in the tour. It is still worth it, definitely go on the tour, but just know it costs more than shown.

And yes, like every tour in Morocco, it includes several sales pitches to buy things, expectations of tipping everyone, etc. After doing several tours in Morocco you discover everyone is lining everyone’s else pockets. Annoying? Yes.

To be clear, this tour was our favorite part of our 11-day stay in Morocco.

And Now... A Whole Lot Of Additional Details For Your Own Planning:

Nothing below implies you should not go. You should.

We have older kids who have severe nut allergies. (In addition, there were a couple of vegetarians in our tour group.) Despite notifying the company in advance of these allergies, nothing was communicated to our guide, none of the meal places were prepared for this, etc. That is ok, except worse, none of the meal places understood what we even meant by allergies and honestly would give us false information when we asked about specific foods. We had multiple circumstances where our kids were given things that actually did have nuts/legumes in them after asking specifically if they did. This is a serious safety issue. The point here… if you or someone in your group has food allergies, or is a vegetarian or vegan, the tour group and the places you eat are not prepared for any of these scenarios.

There are numerous costs not included. We would recommend at least 1,000 dh (100€) in cash. There is one tour that is not optional and not included for reasons unknown, three lunches that are chosen for you, are unreasonably expensive and are not included, tips for all the guides throughout the trip, water and beverages that are not included, a head scarf (definitely buy one), etc. If you want additional food, souvenirs, alcohol, juices, etc., it will likely be more.

One of the “sales stops” is to wear authentic clothing for the desert and get a group photo. Yes, it is a sales pitch. However, one of the options is to purchase a ‘head scarf’ for 100 dh to 150 dh. At least in the hot seasons in the desert, it was definitely worth the cost for the heat and the blowing sand. We were so glad we purchased them. They are quite effective.

If you speak English, the tour guides, the restaurants you stop at, etc., are very polite and pretend that they understand you. But you soon realize that your questions are met with blank stares, that they do not understand what you mean. It is ok, part of the adventure, but just know that communication is not always easy in English.

I believe all the tours are in 17-passenger “mini-bus” vehicles. They are air conditioned, there is room for a small amount of luggage for each person, etc. The key is this: 13 of those passengers get individual seats. But for four people, you share a “bench” row in the back of the bus and it is tight, uncomfortable, no leg room, no option for window airflow, etc. Our family of four was put in the back and it was not a pleasant experience. Everyone else had great seats. The tour company should NOT put 4 people in the last row.

They encourage you to buy one 1.5L water bottle right before you enter the desert. Do it. The camel rides / time in the desert before you get to the actual camping location is much longer than expected. This is great actually! But, depending on the season, each person in your party will want one of the 1.5L water bottles.

The hotel on the first night was much nicer than we expected. This was a plus and appreciated. Trust us, resist staying up late. Get sleep this first night. You are going to need it.

The “deluxe” version of the trip includes a private bathroom for the second night and that was nice because breakfast was 5:30 am on the third morning (for a good reason!).

Yes, the return trip on the 3rd day is 10-11 hours of driving. However, there are at least 4 breaks along the way and the time went by faster than we expected. Plus, by this point, our group was having fun together.

Speaking of the group, it would be nice if the tour company actually had the group do some quick introductions at the beginning. Names, where are you from... simple things. Our group had people from 5 or 6 countries... which was awesome.

Make friends with those in your tour group. It becomes a little family. Most of our group exchanged Instagram accounts, WhatsApp numbers, etc.

Hope that helps your planning a bit! Enjoy your trip.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-18 16:14:59

Posted By : 225zachr
The experience provided by the Marrakech city life tour, and particularly Abdul, our driver and guide, was second to none. The Sahara is something everyone should see. Watching the sunset whilst trekking on camels, and watching the sunrise whilst driving ATVs was jaw dropping. Everything provided along the way could not be faulted from accommodation to restaurants along the way. Amazing experience altogether. Big thank you again to Abdul for looking after us!
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-18 09:24:14

Posted By : Wolfire
The trip was amazing. Our guide Abdel was very helpful. Staying for a night in Sahara desert was absolutely wonderful! Hope we’ll do it again another day.
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 08:22:37

Posted By : 330janniet
The tour to Merzouga was a great way to explore Morocco’s beautiful desert and its surroundings. Leaving Marrakesh in the early morning, we made stops at some beautiful sights, like panorama views, old Berber towns and Ben Haddou where some worldwide known films were shot.

On the second day we also visited Morocco’s famous canyon and we furthermore had the opportunity to see how Berber agriculture is set up and how their famous carpets are made. In the late afternoon we arrived in the breathtaking Merzouga desert where we had the opportunity to ride camels, go sandboarding and watch a beautiful sunset. After one night in the desert camp we had an early morning to see the sunrise. All memorable experiences!

I’d like to put in a special appreciation for our friendly and knowledgeable guide, Youssef, with his interesting stories and kind personality. And for Murad, the driver who was always helpful and did a very good job in getting us at these beautiful places. I’d definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see Morocco’s highlights in a limited timeframe and truly hope you’re guided by Youssef and Murad!
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 07:40:04

Posted By : Wanderer46185378788
Mohamed was very kind and knowledgeable, we stopped for many photos and the experience was amazing! I enjoyed the desert sunrise the most, it was super cool and we got some great shots too.
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 05:23:14

Posted By : 318ellishak
Our tour guide Muhammad really is very energetic, enthusiastic and kind! He is also very funny & knowledgeable about his culture, it really is endearing to learn from him!
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 05:21:52

Posted By : Q3758VImiaf
Great experience overall! Our tour guide was Mohamed, he was very knowledgeable and made the experience enjoyable and fun! We rode the ATVs and it was a blast. He made sure everyone could understand and was having a good time.
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 05:16:51

Posted By : O7221MMemilyh
Truly such an amazing trip!!! While it was certainly a lot of driving, it was an effective way to see a lot of the landscape and culture Morocco has to offer. The tour group did a good job at offering several different experiences, and of course our tour guide, Muhammad, was so incredible. The sights were like nothing I’d ever seen and I learned a lot!

P.s. the hotel and tent accommodations were no frills… but still a journey well worth taking.💕
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 05:05:55

Posted By : ewa_655
Plus: the tour was very well organised, the itinerary was interesting, everything was on time, a camp (luxury version) on dessert was also well organised. The driver/guide Hashem was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. He presented the day's itinerary each time, kept us informed, responded to requests, offered water. There was wifi on the bus.
Minus: the hotel Bougafer, where we stayed in Tinghir, was not clean and very, very noisy (the fault of guests and stuff...), also the visit to the so-called "Berber house"(=carpet shop) was unnecessary. The camps lie on the edge of the erg, close to each other. When you enter the dune to see the stars, unfortunately you see the lights and hear the music from the other camp. For this reason, you have to wait until around midnight until the lights are switched off and the party is over. This can be a challenge, as you have to get up at 5:30 the next day for breakfast.
In a desert a lot of people and quads, but views are beautiful.
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Posted On : 2024-05-17 18:52:32

Posted By : marcindC5919QC
That was really very well organised tour. Hesham was very professional, friendly and helpful, the itinerary was interesting, everything was on time. I give maximum note to Hesham, our guide and driver in one. Desert was really beautiful and worth to visit.
Very problematic was the hotel in Tinghir, where we stayed: dirty room and bathroom, bad was in tragical condition. I had to resign to take the shower. This hotel was also very noisy. I went to the manager about midnight to ask of silence at night. He answered the is no such a rule in this hotel and i should go sleep...
Maybe you should also offer better hotel for a surcharge? I would pay in exchange for the opportunity to sleep...
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-17 08:46:28