There are so many twists and turns on the road to the Sahara Desert because you have to pass through the Atlas Mountains, the Dades Gorge, and the Tizi nTichka mountain pass all of which involve countless hairpin turns! On a 3-day tour to the Sahara, you will not see Erg Chigaga, the largest dune in the Sahara. You will cross all sorts of high mountain passes between Marrakech and the Sahara Desert. Keep writing!! My partner and I would like to a 4 day (rather than a 3 day) Sahara desert trip from Fez to Marrakesh. They surrounded me and lifted up my long loose dress (I was trying to be extra conservative my whole trip) to pinch my butt. 3. But at this point, after nearly being groped by one of the guides, I was ready to get out of there no matter what the cost. We plan to go directly from Casablanca airport to Marrakesh by train. As well as a drive over Morocco's highest pass, Tizi N'Tichka (2260 m altitude), offering a breathtaking landscape in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. per adult. Anyway, when I unwrapped it, I discovered they had swapped it out for another one entirely it was completely and totally falling apart at the edges, and I ended up trashing it rather than lugging around a fraying rug for the rest of my trip. I just wanted to say that your review was super informative and Ill definitely be booking the company you recommended for our trip this coming Christmas. Discover the heart of the Sahara and beyond with hospitable and attentive guides. Very detailed assessment, Allison. Getting to the Sahara Desert from Marrakech is a royal pain, and yet it is completely and utterly worth it. from. I hope you guys have an incredible and memorable trip, and Im glad it was useful! This included pick up and drop off at your riad. As a single female traveler, I had a very unpleasant experience in New Zealand. Bring a thermal top/leggings (I likethese from 32 Degrees) as well as athin down jacketto keep you warm. A question- in the article you mentioned Ando Travel as a company youd recommend for a Sahara desert trip. I find it affordable. I suggestthis tourif you want to go onward to Fes, orthis tourif you want to go back to Marrakech at the end of your trip. Mohamed and his team are committed to providing you with a truly authentic and unforgettable desert experience. I think Spain and Morocco are safe enough, but I would pay for guides in the souks to avoid unwanted attention and stresses. It is thats why I published your comment, even though it was rather rude and belittling of what I experienced. For solo female travelers, I recommend booking online. Which would you recommend? That doesnt make me somehow deserving of an attempted groping. Overview: Top Sahara Trips offer best Fes to Marrakech desert tours. You will do a sunset camel trek, have a desert camp meal, sleep in a tent, stargaze, and be able to watch the sunrise before leaving again thats about it. You depart your 2-day desert tour from Marrakech to Zagora from your hotel or riad early in the morning (around 07h30). The price range of Sahara Desert tours varies wildly based on the level of luxury. All in all, what you see is what you get. If you visit the Sahara Desert in winter, youll want to bring some thermal tops (I likethese from 32 Degrees) as well as athin down jacketto keep you warm. I went to the Atlas Mountains on my way out to the Sahara and it was beautiful but I bet a dedicated day trip would be fabulous. Nice and helpful blog! Otherwise I appreciate your insight to the adventure! The shuttle bus was comfortable enough, but they kept insisting that the A/C was broken after the first day, which was annoying, as I was overheating with only the fan on. It was quite busy though, but no more than the other big landmarks like Ait Ben Haddou. 9. It was hard to trust anyone even people who seem totally benign. I brought my luggage with me because I went onto Fes. TOUR 15 - From Marrakech to Ouarzazate - Day Tour. I hope you have a fantastic trip regardless of whether you go with them or the company I suggested! which I think is fair given all the inclusions and its good reviews. If you want to see the desert, yes. This half-day chocolate tour in St. Louis, Missouri is a perfect way to indulge in some of the best chocolate the city has. We were even privileged enough to see ismail home, meet his family (they were very shy!) The harassment from a lot of the men can be quite unexpected and unnerving. We had dinner with a few other people on the tour, and the locals did a song and dance for half an hour or so. This 4-day tour is really well-reviewed, but its quite a bit pricier (but looks to be higher quality): https://www.getyourguide.com/marrakech-l208/sahara-desert-discovery-tour-4-days-t17850/?partner_id=3EC2E85&cmp=4Day. I wish I had read yours before booking a tour with Gate 1. I think youd have a better time! Taking a Sahara Desert tour and riding camels into the orange-hued sand dunes was a big bucket list item of mine. I wanted to see the actual Sahara too. Hi Allison, Allison Green is a former educator turned travel blogger. 3 days. Hi Allison! Tip: When pricing out your trip and making decisions, dont just look at the base price, but also look for whatsincludedin each property and make an assessment based on that. Its very helpful! Tangier Morocco Tours, Sahara desert Trips from Tangier, Tangier to Marrakech via Chefchaouen, Merzouga erg chebbi desert, Camel Trek +212656717207 Saharadesertexcursions@gmail.com. With an average of 4.4 stars out of nearly 2,000 verified reviews, including several positive reviews from women, this company is tried and tested in a way that Im comfortable with recommending, despite not having tried this exact tour for myself. Also, we offer a 3-day shared tour from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert on Morocco small group tour, please note that you will only share the transport. There had been some rainfall so you could walk into some of the water. and I was able to ride this back in the morning. Where does your luggage go? Helga, Im so sorry to hear that you had such a frightening and violating experience. 1. Im going in January so Id still have time to change if you happened to remember or recognized it. There was no luggage restriction my friend brought an abnormally large bag and was totally fine. Ive done a ton of research on what the best tour companies are after my subpar experience (which you can read about more below). Of course they want to get the best price for their goods/services, but they are not malicious or trying to cheat you. Yes, with some back and hip problems a camel will surely be quite uncomfortable. Hello Allison, Check out the ratings & reviews of this Sahara Desert Tour. Thank you so much for this, Allison. If you want to experience the desert from Marrakech, you need 4 days. A lot of fuss is made about dressing properly in Morocco. Trips to the desert are best visited in childhood. Hugs to you. So, these advice are greatly appreciated. The tour cost included the camel ride as well. However, you are trying to argue with me about my own experiences, which Ive tried to present honestly and in service of the reader so they can have a better time than I did. Here are a few things most tours do not include: no lunch on any of the days, so youll have to either BYO food or add on another $10 USD or so for each meal. At a bare minimum, you need 3 days, all of which will entail serious amounts of driving. 3 Day Sahara Desert Small Group Tour Best bang for your buck Includes all accommodations & meals (except lunch), 3 Day Private Sahara Desert Tour Entirely private tour, just you and your group Customize the itinerary more to your liking, 3 Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Camping Tour Provides transfer to Fes instead of returning to Marrakech Hotel, camping, breakfast, and dinner included. Did you feel the tourists sites along the way to Merzouga were worth the stops? My safety is worth more than a few dollars, and so is yours. Hi Isabela! Its such a bummer that your luxury experience sounds basically the same, if not worse, than my own budget experience. Thanks! With two days, youre a little better off you can get to the Zagora Desert and do a sunset camel ride, a desert overnight, and a sunrise camel ride the next day. Typically a guided tour is best but other options include booking a bus to Merzouga, renting a car and driving to the Sahara, and flying to Errachadia and then booking a taxi to get you to Merzouga. Great blog. Be aware no matter what you choose that the Sahara desert is huge, as its the largest desert in Africa (and the largest hot desert, period, after the Antarctic and Arctic deserts). If you can spare the time and the money, then I highly recommend picking the Sahara desert. I could have vetted the tours more carefully and picked one with better reviews rather than the lowest price. Experience the best of what the Moroccan Sahara desert has to offer by taking a private 3 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga. Any advice is greatly appreciated. In my opinion, the rock desert and palm oasis outside of Marrakech isnowhereclose to how spectacular the Sahara Desert is. Thanks Asmaa, it was really beautiful, but youre right, not the best experience in getting there. Id love to know how it goes after so I can keep future travelers in the loop on what my readers recommend! If you are starting your trip in Marrakech, like most people do, I have a guide to thebest riads in Marrakechon any budget, as well as a guide to spending3 days in Marrakechwith recommended tours and outings. Do you leave it at the hotel you will be staying in after the Sahara desert tour , or do you take it with you on your Sahara tour, if yes can you take all the luggage with you? Do any of these companies offer the option of a short camel ride with the rest of the treck done in a van? 3-Days Private Sahara Desert Trek 1 Adventure Tours 3 days The Sahara Desert of Morocco has become a famous destination for family trekking and walking holidays. Thanks Shumaila! Next, check out myMorocco packing listwith specific advice for what women might want to wear in Morocco. I did a tour with my friends riads recommended guide (I cant remember the name of the riad nor the guide) but I wasnt impressed as we were brought to many shops with ultra-inflated prices were talking 5x the price for argan oil. That is something you cant buy. Visiting the Sahara Desert from Marrakech is the most common way to access it. I also didnt feel comfortable going to the police for a variety of reasons (language barrier, gender norms, etc). But if youre flying out of Marrakech, or want to spend more time along the coast such as in Essaouira etc, then going back to Marrakech is a good idea. Unfortunately, I also encountered a lot of people who straight up lied to me, and the same goes for other friends of mine as well. How would you describe the roads and driving this route? How nice to read an honest review as many bloggers these days are simply advertising rather than giving the full picture. I since have become more conscious of my plastic waste and now use a Grayl water bottle which filters out all manner of icky, undrinkable water and makes it 100% safe to consume. Then making our way to marrakech. I tryed to book my tour with ando travel but They dont have tour during my days in morocco. So, is a Sahara tour worth it? Your experience seems to be different than mine which is great, and Im so happy your memories of Morocco are less fraught than mine. Drive across the Tizi Tichka High Atlas Mountains 2. I wanted to represent my experience beyond just pretty pictures of sand, so that anyone whos considering the same can make an informed choice. After a while, this guide got progressively creepier and creepier as the night got darker, angling closer to me as we talked. Hi Chippy, Id be inclined to suggest the private tour because youll have more control over the itinerary and its stops, especially if you are a group as large as 8. Hi Kim! The softness of the orange sand, the seeming infiniteness of the rolling dunes, the way that footsteps looked as they left magical trails in the sand, and the inky blackness of the sky punctured by a million tiny stars at night theres simply no comparison to the Sahara Desert. Other women have had similar experiences with their guides in the desert (read Lauren of Never Ending Footsteps experiencehere). My Sahara desert tour included round-trip transportation to and from Marrakech and the Sahara Desert. With the greatest number of departures in September, this is also the most popular time of the year. If youre coming from Marrakech, I suggest this tour. 5 day trip: Sahara Fun Outdoor Experience. Thank you!! Maybe they have cut some major corners recently but the experience was terrible. Activities can be arranged with all tours according to your preferences. Really nice. And if they want a tip at the end, how is that different from the person who carries your luggage in the US? 42. Youre welcome! We set off on camel when the sun was quite low, maybe 67pm and then arrived at the camp by nightfall. While I had a mixed bag of experiences, in my opinion, it was still absolutely worth taking a Sahara Desert tour, as it was a huge bucket list item. We were so lucky to have ismail as our tour guide as he was a genuine and nice person, who loves his country. If youve romanticized a camel ride in the desert, let me demystify that for you. To me, the desert heat wasnt a deal-breaker, especially since we arrived at the desert at sunset when the night breeze was already coming in nice and cool. Ive written quite a bit to help you plan the perfect trip to Morocco! Camping. Its a lot of driving thats for sure! The tour I recommend above looks to be the best, safest option for solo female travelers; however, Idcheck reviews againbefore you book as things may have changed since when I wrote this. Hi Rachel. IMPERIAL CITIES TOURS. It was still a whistle stop tour as we only had 3 days but it was definitely the way to go. Thanks for sharing your experience in so much detail! Your experiences will help us in designing our trip to Morocco! However, besides stopping at the UNESCO site of Ait Ben Haddou (where some scenes of Game of Thrones were filmed) and a pretty gorge, most of the stops are pretty uninteresting. If you are coming from Essaouira, Rabat, or Casablanca, its a lot further to the desert and I suggest making a waypoint at Marrakech. I would love to get a referral from you on your hotel/riad in Marrakech and which company you used for a souk guide. Thanks for sharing.!! My travel partner read many blocs and found none of the recommended ones have a solid record, without complaints on stirring shopping since we have only 1-day in Fez. Bus Tours. Surprise surprise, when it came time to get a shared taxi towards Fes, we ended up having to fork out about $30 USD or so per person to get there. And at night, it cooled down to a nice 75 F (24 C) or so, and it was downright pleasant and beautiful with a light wind. We ended up travelling with just him, my husband and me. This is pretty standard for every tour and is part of the reason why the price of your Sahara Desert tour is so low virtually all tour guides are getting a kickback for bringing people to the restaurant. Shades of gold shimmer around us, sparkling under the sun's rays. I think you handled Kathys comments quite professionally . Do you think its worth visiting the Sahara Desert with the limited time because I also want to see the blue city and tour Marrakech in general as well. I found that managing my expectations was key to enjoying my time in Morocco, and I think it will be the same for you. I hope you have other positive memories of Morocco to help balance out how disappointing the Sahara was for you. If you want to see Fes and Chefchaouen then Id suggest going onwards to Fes rather than going all the way back to Marrakech and backtracking. First, start with myMorocco travel planning checklist it walks you through every step of the planning process. Having stayed in Marrakech for 2 days I was very much ready to leave the hustle and bustle (and generally being harassed at the souks) to explore what Morocco was really about. Keep writing Private Sahara Desert tour 3 days from Marrakech cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Most tours cost somewhere in the ballpark of $100-200 USD for a 3 day, 2 night Sahara tour, and thats a fair price. It all started innocently enough, sitting after dinner chatting with a guide trying to learn more about Berber culture. Youre welcome! I definitely think it could be worth renting a car, especially because it will give you more time to enjoy the desert. This is super helpful, thanks for the review. Amazing and well-written post. We Provide the Best and Highly Recommended Tours to Sahara Desert from marrakech with Overnight in a Desert Camp at least 2 Days sahara Desert trip from marrakech can be in a Private Sahara Trip from Marrakech or you can Join a Shared Group Excursion from marrakech to sahara Desert available Daily with last minute booking of your desert tour fro. . Our driver/ tour guide Hamil was the most attentive, sweetest, caring and reliable person. In order to answer to an ever-growing interest in camel rides in the Moroccan Sahara Desert and an overnight in a desert camp, Mint Tea Tours proposes a variety of private . I will say that they did give us a lot of bathroom stops, which as someone with a clinically small bladder, I really appreciated! There is something otherworldly about the contrast between the orange sand and the blue sky, and the way the sand rippled in perfect formations that look drawn by an artists hand. The trip to the Sahara was amazing, albeit short. I would suggest Dramamine. This adventure is perfect for those who seek excitement and new experiences. It's no surprise, as our Sahara Desert Tours, with a sunset camel trek and a night under the stars, are simply magical! Do you have any other companies to recommend? . Very good tip Simo, thank you! Stay overnight. Its just because a company that has put in work to establish a solid online presence has a ton more to lose than the hundred or so indistinguishable tour companies who make their profit off of selling to tourists on the street, for whom reputation and word of mouth means little. I REALLY want to have this wonderful experience but an hour and a half on a camel does not sound like a smart idea for me. June 1 - September 30: Tours depart at 8:00am. From the very first email ismail was extremely polite and helpful, more than any other tour company Id spoken to. Just as an aside, although I love tagines, you do want some change, so this was the one that stood out as it felt a little more authentic. I was fine during my two weeks in Morocco, but I know several people who got food poisoning while they were there, so better safe than sorry. As sunset fell, I almost wanted to pinch myself to confirm that it was real. Thanks for this post its very helpful. Our group of three friends is super happy we chose Sahara Desert Tour, and special thanks to Hamil, who made our experience so wonderful! Nice one indeed. With the greatest number of departures in September, this is also the most popular time of the year. Sahara Unlimited: Desert Tours from Marrakech and Fes to Merzouga Desert with private Transfers. I thought the tour stops besides Ait Ben Haddou were a bit dull so Id go for one with less stops and more time in the desert! Riding a camel is among the least comfortable things Ive done, and Im amazed that people actually even trained camels to be ridden after feeling how freaking uncomfortable it can be! Fun, knowledgeable, and worth it! Youll find the same tour on offer virtually everywhere in Marrakech . Again great blog post! You can also take a bus to Merzouga and then book some desert activities separately. Hi! Prices are quite reasonable you cancheck prices for one-day tours here. We had to run away as they continued chasing us, picking up stones and hurling them at us. Enjoy local music around a campfire at Night 7. Where its more a money-making business, where you are part of a big group and you will not receive any sort of bespoke individual experience. ChocoCulture Saint Louis Half-Day Private Tour. Which is the best reasonable Riad nearest to the train station in Marrakech? Anyway, when I unwrapped it a few days later, I discovered they had swapped it out for another one entirely! ATTA Desert Camp. It may sound simple enough, but for a nonconfrontational girl like me who hates conflict, it was difficult. Thanks again for warning women to be safe and the cultural differences. We live home on Friday and arrive at Casablanca airport on Sat at 2:30 PM. I even a bad experience with a group of boys that looked about 10 or 11. So sorry to hear your trip was not what you hoped it would be Youre definitely not alone and I hear that a lot which is why I tried hard to research better companies (though I hear mixed things about basically every company so its not an easy task!). Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area where she grew up, she has also lived in Prague, Sofia, and New York City. The best reviewed I could find was this one: https://www.getyourguide.com/fes-l829/fes-private-full-day-sightseeing-tour-of-the-holy-city-t66936/?partner_id=3EC2E85&cmp=Fes but the reviews are mixed. Meanwhile, on the low end, you can spend as little as $75 USD for a 3 day but with significant sacrifices in comfort, luxury, and flexibility. This is in broad daylight, with lots of people around in Essouria. My friend and I, both females, want to do this next year. With a vibrant and traditional culture mixed with appealing prices and colourful sceneries, Morocco has within a few years, become an attractive destination for travellers from around the globe. However, it would absolutely be worth it for a special occasion like a honeymoon when you wont want to be crammed in a van with 15-odd other travelers. The jeep was very comfortable, with charging points, great air-con and ample room to stretch out. Learn More. Anyway, the next day, I was given the option to ride on the roof of their ATV or go back the same way doing a camel trek you better believe I chose the roof (though TBH, that was mostly to avoid the creepy guide). . Private Morocco Desert Tours from Marrakech to Sahara Local native licensed Tour Guides, based in Marrakech Morocco. You sleep in a type of metal room, which is probably ventilated but still quite warm. Most of the food youll get in Morocco (not just in the tour) is very similarvarying types of tagines, wraps or kebabs, with rice or salad. The best way to get to the Sahara Desert is typically by guided tour from one of Morocco's main tourist hubs. Let me know more and Ill see what I can update! Alternately, if you really want to avoid the drive, you can fly to Errachadia Airport. Unfortunately, I dont remember the tour company I used. If you only have time to do a day trip from Marrakech, you will simply not be able to see true sand dunes like you can see in Merzouga and Erg Chebbi, full stop. If you e-mail the tour operators about your concerns, you can most likely take the ATV into the desert and not have to ride the camel but still get to experience the Sahara. But I also went on a horrible tour (not linked here) where they pretended the air conditioning was broken because they were trying to save money by not keeping it on and just using the open windows. 3 Days Tour From Marrakech to Merzouga Luxury Camp, 3 Days Tour From Marrakech to Fes with Luxury Camp, TUI Tours | Atlas Mountains - Tracks of the Nomads, Marrakech to Merzouga 3 days tour Luxury camp ( Single, Luxury camp ), 5 days desert trip from Marrakesh (Group tour), Things to carry while trekking in Himalayas, East Africa Safari Bookers - Ask a Question, Kruger Maps: Camps, Animals & Surroundings. Theres always a festival happening somewhere and its a great way to experience the culture. Full description Private Tour of St Louis Description. How many people will be travelling privately? But its not close! It came down to them and another and after reading your article I went with Ando. For us it is 1.5x more expensive for the private tour. The driving is very winding but other than that I think it is pretty well paved and safe. You can see more of my adventures and what I experienced from my pictures. This is common with group tours, even smallgroup tours, but it was annoying nonetheless. Very useful tips. And yes, it even snows sometimes in the Sahara! For one, itll protect you from the hot Moroccan sun but for another, itll shield you (a tiny bit) from prying eyes. Or perhaps it was the solitude of the desert and the immensity of the dunes that compelled me. 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp. I highly highly recommend Sahara Desert Tour for anyone wanting to explore Morocco. They lied about many things: the inclusions, the air conditioning, how Id get to Fes after my tour finished. Shared, private and luxury options. I cant know how bad your motion sickness is but for me I found it quite dizzying. Get Your Guide is great because they are transparent about the companies they work with (unlike Viator which hides the names which I find so sketchy) so you can read reviews and they take down tours that do not meet standards. Embrace the beauty of art, culture, and love on this truly unique and romantic tour. Private 3-day Sahara Desert Tour: What to Expect? Motion sickness pills:Dont underestimate how winding the roads will be leading out to the desert! Was that through a tour or on your own? from. Youre welcome Donna! The food was the best Id had in Morocco, just divine! Not at all touristy, and very authentic. Id also bring some stomach medicine likePepto Bismol tabletsjust in case, as Morocco has some issues with food safety and undrinkable tap water that can end up messing with some travelers stomachs. It helped. Your guides will also take you to expensive and uninspiring restaurants for lunch, though since I wasnt a big fan of Moroccan food to begin with, that wasnt a huge loss in terms of flavor. But an insight into how Moroccan people actually live? We specialize in organizing private luxury desert tours in Morocco starting from Marrakech, Casablanca, Tangier, and Fes. Then my husband got food poisoning from the gourmet dinner (not good food). Can you please email me details of the tour group you used? Surely, the people who you are quite literally paying to guide you and keep you safe should not be expected to attempt to molest you if you sleep outside with, I repeat, the entire tour group. 4. A smartphone wont quite do it, especially for night photos! It will pay off in Morocco for sure. I brought all my luggage with me as I went onwards to Fes after reaching Merzouga. 4. I understand this is how they make up for their slim margins, but I just wish the tour cost a bit more and we didnt spend so much time making a million souvenir stops and instead spent more time at the few stops thatwereinteresting, like Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate and the Draa Valley and the Gorge. Around 8:00 AM, Sahara desert excursions driver/Guide will pick you up from your Riad/Hotel in Marrakech. Hi Allison, Helpful Travel Tips for the Best Private Morocco Sahara Desert Tour October 8, 2021 0 Comment Does the idea of a private Morocco Sahara Desert Tour conjure up an exotic desert caravan, a long single-file line of camels, with riders dressed in long gowns with blue turbans wound around their face and heads? I dont want to scare you from taking a Sahara desert tour: thousands of solo female travelers take them, and take them safely. Most people who returned to Marrakech packed a smaller bag and left their larger suitcase at the hotel. Im thinking Ill book a well known tour from our home here in Australia instead of when we get there. The 3 day Desert tour from Marrakech to Fes is one of the most popular desert tours because it links between two imperial. Give us a call or write to us, and book your Morocco tour today. Thanks Shania! In my 60+ countries of travel, Ive still never seen anything quite as beautiful as the Sahara Desert, even to this day and even despite some negative experiences I had there (more on that in just a bit). Do you have any other Sahara travel companies that youd recommend that might offer a 4day trip from Fez, rather than the 3day? Pretty much every stop we made along the way to the desert was rushed and not that interesting. I could barely feel my butt when I got off the camel. Thats not acceptable behavior in the tourism industry, no matter what your poverty level is, and trust me, Ive traveled to countries far more impoverished than Morocco and never experienced the same level of cheating. This is standard. Is there a luggage restriction?! I am contemplating a 4-day trip but am stuck on whether to do it round trip from Marakkesh or back via Fez instead. It was, in a word, terrifying. As a result, it should only be booked if you have extremely limited time or funds and have a camel ride on your Morocco bucket list. The beds arent exactly comfy, quite hard really, but theres electricity and sheets, what else do you need! I love spending the night in Sahara desert and do it every chance I get, but Ive never seen one quite so orangethat looks amazing. Home About us Marrakech Day Trips Marrakech Activities Tours in Morocco Destinations Private Transfers Contact

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