This was the highlight of our trip to Morocco. As much as we appreciated the experience of Marrakech, getting out of the city and driving through the Atlas Mountains, small towns and the Dades Valley into the Sahara, was a journey we will never forget. The trip began with our private driver picking us up at our Riad.
We both would highly recommend booking a driver as an excellent way not only to travel but also to visit the numerous small villages, see the slights, meet local people and really experience all that the Moroccan desert has to offer.
Our friendly knowledgeable young guide taught us many things about Morocco’s culture and the history of the Berber people as we traveled through many towns stopping at points of interest and beautiful vistas on our way. We spent a night in a quant Riad in the Dades Gorges had an amazing dinner and breakfast before setting out to our guides home town of Merzouga. From there we left our guide and traded the SUV for camels as we ventured into Erg Chebbi Sahara Dessert to our luxury camp.
Our ride through the arid Saharan countryside included an amazing landscape and many sights unique to the Northern African desert. We toured the winding and sometimes harrowing roads through the Atlas Mountains and drove seemingly endless roads through the barren desert, spotted with the occasional oasis that always included small villages and various commercial establishments.
Before this trip, we had always envisioned the Sahara as endless mile after mile of nothing but sand dunes. In fact, the desert ecology is generally rocky and barren, dotted with animal and plant life species that have adapted but also contains numerous lush regions, typically surrounding a water source such as springs or small rivers. There, of course, the amazing dunes, but they are only a part of the overall Saharan experience.
After enjoying another of Morocco’s stunning desert sunsets and an evening 6-course meal, we were entertained with some Berber drumming and singing around a fire. Our camp hosts were very gracious and attempted to teach us several of the traditional instruments. These included both the Tam-Tam, a Moroccan drum, and the Qarqaba, which are a pair of two-sided, hand-held cymbals, which are clapped together in rhythmic patterns to accompany the beat of the music. The sunset, the stars, the smells of the desert campfire, and the rhythmic music combined to create an absolutely enchanting experience! We danced, and talked, and enjoyed the Berber desert traditions well into the night.
Although the temperature can vary greatly in the desert, our late September weather was quite warm. I love the heat and had no issues, but my husband struggled and only got about an hour of sleep. While he had trouble with the warmth, he did get to see some of the most amazing star-scapes!. We woke early to greet the sun and had a relaxing breakfast before mounting out camels again and heading back to our waiting guide in Merzouga. The third day was a long travel day but not without interest as we took a different route back to Marrakech.
The accommodations for our night in the dessert were absolutely amazing. Our hosts provided us with an excellent Moroccan meal in a very clean and nicely equipped dining tent facility. Our sleeping quarters were very comfortable, including king size beds and private, indoor plumbing facilities. The campsite was set up with about 20 seperate sleeping quarters, all arranged together in a small community forum. The quality of the accommodations certainly exceeded our expecations, as did the sea of stars visible in the Saharan night sky!
Our night in the dessert was an experience like no other! It allowed us to experience an amazing combination of the unique landscape and terrain of the Sahara along with the warmth and welcoming cluture of the dessert cluture. Dining in the dessrt, dancing around the campfire, and waking up to an amazing Sahara sunrise were among the highlights of the experience. If you visit Morocco, we highly recommend that you consider putting this experience on your itinerary.
