Without
any second thought, the Sahara desert is the most preferred region for
people traveling to Morocco. It may seem as if there nothing except sand
& sky but there is an astounding number of things to do on a
Morocco desert tour of Sahara. If you are getting ready for a tour of
Morocco & the Sahara is not in your schedule, we request you to
reconsider. In fact, we would like to suggest you cut off your plan of
Marrakech and so that you’ll be allowed to spend more than 2 nights in
the desert.
The
Sahara desert does not essentially have any remarkable attractions
except the clear sand dunes. However, for us, the Sahara desert itself
is the main attraction. It is just mesmerizing! The desert is perhaps
the most authentic area you will see during your tour to Morocco. Sure
you will come across people that are trying to make some earning from
the tourists but their way of living is not seen elsewhere in Morocco.
The
desert towns are dirty and basic in terms of amenities but enthrall the
fantasy like nowhere else. Just roaming around one of the desert towns
is the finest way to experience it, and may be fall in love with the
desert as we did.
Let’s talk about some of the best things to do when you are in the Sahara Desert:
- Sleep In The 3rd Largest Desert In The World:
The Sahara is the largest hot desert & the 3rd largest
desert in the globe after Antarctica & the Arctic. Sleeping in the
desert beneath millions of glistening stars is simply an experience that
you don’t want to miss out. However, don’t take our words for granted!
Just do it and leave yourself mesmerized! Witnessing the sunrise &
the sundown from a tented camp will simply leave you wondering more and
more about this third largest desert in the world.
- Take A Camel Ride:
If
you are on an arranged tour to Morocco it is rather normal to take a
camel ride to your overnight camp location. Yes, the camels aren’t the
most comfortable creatures to take a ride, but it is an experience that
you certainly don’t want to miss. Once you get there in the desert,
there is no scarcity of locals offering you a camel trek. Due to this,
it is very cheaper to arrange a trek when you arrive in the desert.
The
desert is also home to numerous mammals & reptiles. A camel
trekking trip through an ocean of dunes will offer you an excellent
chance to witness all of this.
- Enjoy A Quad Bike Riding Through The Dunes:
If
you are riding your own vehicle, you will discover it nearly
impractical to get heavy 4wds to the crest of the highest sand dunes.
However, renting a lightweight yet powerful quad is the best way to have
fun in the dunes. 1-2 hours of quad biking can be arranged easily but
you should expect it to be a bit expensive.
Tips: Just take it easy while quad biking because the dunes may look gentle and soft but can land you in trouble at high speed.
- Feel the Adventure While Sand Surfing:
There’re
abundant opportunities to rent sand or snowboards around the occupied
dunes. It is fun to do, but there’re no ski lifts so you’ve to walk back
the dune every time. To improve your sand surfing performance you can
rub candle wax on the bottom. Alternatively, you can use a shovel and a
rope.
Note: Sandboarding in Morocco is available in both Erg Chigaga and Erg Chebbi dunes, so plan your adventure accordingly.
- Enjoy A Spa Day In The Sahara:
Who would have imagined that among the
best thing to do on your Morocco desert tour
would be to have a spa day? This isn’t like your typical spa though!
The locals of Merzouga vow by hiding themselves up to their necks in the
desert sand because it is believed to be therapeutic for muscles &
soaring limbs. In the scorching heat of the summer, you’ll discover some
local folks under grounding themselves in the hot sand. According to
their belief, it eliminates illness from the body especially arthritis.
Keep
in mind, during the summer months, the ground temperature can reach
well beyond 50°c so it isn’t a comfy place to be for any length of time.
Be cautious though; don’t bury yourself longer than fifteen minutes as
it can boil you to death! Actually, we have heard of people this has
happened to.
- Join A Convoy:
We
generally travel along but meeting with fellow overlanders &
traveling in convoy can be an amazingly rewarding experience that we
don’t want you to miss.
- Meeting The Local Is An Experience In Itself:
You
think you are alone in the desert, but the fossil sellers, Berber
people and camel trek providers will find you. It is a great opportunity
to have a chat & gain some useful insight about the people living
in the desert.
- Sit Around The Campfire For An Authentic Desert Experience:
Your tour to Morocco will
be incomplete without experiencing a campfire in the isolated desert.
You may get surprised but there’s abundant dead wood to amass in the
Sahara Desert. Dead bushes make superb firewood too & will really
get the fire blazing. Gather adequate wood, put up a fire pit, place
your BBQ grill on top of the shimmering coals & start cooking. Trust
us there is nothing like it & you will never wish to taste your
microwave cooked food again!
It
gets pretty cold here at night, particularly during the winter and
there won’t be a better way to keep yourself warm than firing up a
campfire in the Sahara desert.
- Don’t Miss Wildlife Spotting At Night:
After
the campfire & evening snack, leave some remains close to your camp
& silently wait to observe if the regional wild creatures come
there for a midnight meal. You are most like to see desert mice and if
you are fortunate, an introverted desert fox may approach for a sniff.
If you are really fortunate, you may even see one of the last Dorcas
gazelles in Morocco. They are believed to be wiped out but we know they
aren’t; because we have seen them.
- You Simply Can’t Miss Stargazing:
This
is my personal favorite among many things to do in the Sahara desert.
With millions of stars over your head & no light smog to talk about,
the glistening night sky over the Saharan Desert will simply leave you
awestruck.
- Watch The Beautiful Changing Color Of The Sand at Sunset:
Walk
up the dunes at dusk to witness the incredible changing color of the
sand. Through the silent peace, the changing of color will amaze you
& leave a lifetime impression on your memory. Yes, there are plenty
of things to do on a Morocco desert tour, but this small experience will
definitely make you come back one day to this awe-inspiring landscape.
- When is the best time to explore the Sahara desert of Morocco?
It
can get astoundingly cold during the winter season. In fact, it can
even snow! We were told it snowed just weeks prior to we arrived. We
went in late February & discovered the temperature to be great. It
can be pretty hot during the summer months, and it is tough to saunter
in the sand when it is that hot.
The
most favorable time to explore the Sahara desert is either fall, late
winter, spring or early summer. This makes sure the temperature won’t be
excessively hot or cold. We found it to be delightful & the nights
were still a little chilly. Ensure to bring plenty of layers such as
scarves and jackets so that you can dress accordingly. Also, don’t
forget to bring plenty of sun creams as the sun can get very hot during
the day.
The
Moroccan desert is one of the most enchanting places we’ve seen and we
will definitely love to come back to this isolated land once more. It is
such a unique experience that will last you for a lifetime. We’d
recommend you to plan your Morocco Desert Tour with Your Morocco Tour.
We have had a good time with this tour operator and hope you’ll get the
same. Best of luck!