Morocco desert tours explained
There are 4 desert areas in Morocco to visit.
3 of these areas in the Morocco desert region are within easy reach from Marrakech.
Zagora
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Located in the Draa valley, Zagora takes it's name from the nearby Mountain, Zagora Mountain.
Zagora is the closest location for taking a desert tour from Marrakech.
Zagora is not known as being the best location in Morocco for a desert tour.
The dunes here are not huge.
However, Zagora itself is an interesting town and heading to Zagora to stay overnight in a Berber desert camp is a great introduction to desert life.
Zagora is surrounded by lush green Palmeries, all of which have great roads which wind around the Berber villages of this desert region.
On the route from Marrakech, tours drive over the Atlas Mountains, providing Panoramic views from above the city of Marrakech and it's surrounding Area.
Once over the Atlas Mountains, tours then usually make a stop at the Kasbah Ait Benhaddou.
The Kasbah is a great visit.
Usually, desert tours provide about 1 hour of visit times here.
Some tour companies will work with the Faux guides that haunt Kasbah Ait Benhaddou. These Faux guides will tell you that there is a charge to enter the Kasbah. This is not true, there is never a charge to enter the Kasbah.
From Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, tours then usually follow the road, some 30 minutes or so to the desert gateway city of Ouarzazate.
Ouarzazate has become known as "Ouallywood" because of it's rising base of hollywood and international Movies which are shot in and around the city.
Ouarzazate is home to the Atlas Film Studios, which for a small fee, tourists can visit and take photos of the items from the Film sets.
From Ouarzazate, Desert tours to Zagora then take the Road through the Draa Valley - a nice road lined with Lush green Oasis and Berber villages.
Whilst the Dunes at Zagora are not the best in Morocco, A Desert tour to Zagora is a wonderful introduction to desert life and provides a great opportunity to experience the desert on a relatively short itinerary of 2 days.
Summary of Morocco desert tours to Zagora:
Usual itinerary is 2 days 1 night
Shortest distance from Marrakech
Travel over the Atlas Mountains
Visit Kasbah Ait Benhaddou
Visit Ouarzazate
Visit Atlas Film Studios
Visit and experience Berber desert villages and Lush green Oasis
Visit Zagora
Experience a Camel trek from Zagora into the dunes of Zagora
Experience an overnight stay in a Berber desert camp
In summary, a 2 day 1 night Desert tour to Zagora is a good introduction to desert life, suitable for those that wish to experience the desert on a budget and on a short itinerary.
Hostel Marrakech recommend a 2 day 1 night Desert tour to Zagora which incorporates a 100% money back guarantee
Why book your desert tour in advanced?
Why is a money back guaranteed desert tour important?
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Merzouga & Erg Chebbi
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Erg Chebbi is the largest dune set in the region, stretching 50km long and 5 km wide.
Merzouga is located on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dune set.
Erg Chebbi has the highest dunes accessible from Marrakech.
Erg Chebbi and Merzouga are renowned as the best destination for a desert tour in Morocco.
On the route from Marrakech, tours drive over the Atlas Mountains, providing Panoramic views from above the city of Marrakech and it's surrounding Area.
Once over the Atlas Mountains, tours then usually make a stop at the Kasbah Ait Benhaddou.
The Kasbah is a great visit.
Usually, desert tours provide about 1 hour of visit times here.
Some tour companies will work with the Faux guides that haunt Kasbah Ait Benhaddou. These Faux guides will tell you that there is a charge to enter the Kasbah. This is not true, there is never a charge to enter the Kasbah.
From Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, tours then usually follow the road, some 30 minutes or so to the desert gateway city of Ouarzazate.
Ouarzazate has become known as "Ouallywood" because of it's rising base of hollywood and international Movies which are shot in and around the city.
Ouarzazate is home to the Atlas Film Studios, which for a small fee, tourists can visit and take photos of the items from the Film sets.
From Ouarzazate, Desert tours to Zagora then take the Road through the Draa Valley, but tours which have Erg Chebbi as their destination continue along the route to Dades and Dades valley.
It is typical for desert tours from marrakech to Erg Chebbi to have a timescale of a minimum of 3 days and 2 nights.
With this in mind, the first night of a desert tour from marrakech to Erg chebbi is usually spent in a hotel in Dades Valley.
Dades valley has a great Gorge and is very scenic.
Continuing on from Dades valley, towards Erg Chebbi, you will pass through lots of berber villages, including the great Todra Gorge and Rissani.
Rissani is the last stop prior to arriving at Merzouga.
As you approach Merzouga, the ground turns from a dark brown to golden sand. As you travel closer to Merzouga, you spot the mammoth dunes of Erg Chebbi.
Most desert tours to Erg Chebbi stop off at Merzouga and change 4 wheels for 4 legs. The Camels then take you through the dunes to a desert camp.
Summary of Morocco desert tours to Erg Chebbi:
Usual itinerary is at least 3 days 2 nights
Longer distance from Marrakech
Travel over the Atlas Mountains
Visit Kasbah Ait Benhaddou
Visit Ouarzazate
Visit Atlas Film Studios
Visit and stay overnight in Dades valley
Visit and experience the Todra Gorge and Rissani
Experience a Camel trek from Merzouga into the Mammoth dunes of Erg Chebbi
Experience an overnight stay in a Berber desert camp
In summary, a 3 day 2 night Desert tour to Erg Chebbi is a good introduction to desert life, for those who wish to experience the major highlights of the Moroccan desert and stay overnight at the largest desert dune in the area.
Hostel Marrakech recommend a 3 day 2 night Desert tour to Erg Chebbi which incorporates a 100% money back guarantee
Why book your desert tour in advanced?
Why is a money back guaranteed desert tour important?
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Laayoune
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Laayoune is a city located in the Western Sahara region of Morocco.
Approximately 15 hours driving from Marrakech, the city of Laayoune is located south of Marrakech.
Laayoune is located on the border of the disputed morocco region.
With this in mind, you have to be prepared for a long, constantly interrupted journey to Laayoune.
Police stop points line the route and you may need to present your passport many times, including to gain entry into the city.
Laayoune is a very safe place for Tourists, though you may be quizzed by the police as to your reason for visiting the city.
Some nationalities should possibly choose to not embark on such a journey.
Laayoune is not a typical destination for a desert tour in Morocco and you may not be able to venture out into the desert.
However, the journey south of Agadir is an amazing journey, along unspoilt coastline with random villages and towns dotting the route.
When you arrive in Laayoune, you will find that most of the hotels have been taken and are full - Hotel car parks in Laayoune are besieged with the UN vehicles of UN staff monitoring the area.
It's big business here - and, possibly the safest place to be!
Laayoune receives a vast amount of tourism, with regular, direct flights from France and the nearby spanish Canary islands with lay directly off the coast of this are of Morocco.
Once per year a mammoth Film festival is held.
Be sure to book your hotel in Laayoune in advance of your arrival.
With all of this in mind, a tour to Laayoune is an amazing discovery.
Waking up in the morning, opening the windows of the hotel room and then being in awe of the massive sand dunes which tower over and surround the city is an awesome experience.
Life in Laayoune is fairly relaxed.
If you do drive here, be sure to fill up the fuel tank with petrol prior to leaving - fuel costs 50% of going rate in the rest of Morocco!
Just one more reason to go on this adventure!
No ready made tours exist for Laayoune, but if you are small group then it is possible to tailor make such an adventure.
This type of adventure really is off the beaten track and if this interests you, then contact us to discuss the possibility of your visiting this little known and little frequented city of Laayoune and region of Morocco.
Why book your desert tour in advanced?
Why is a money back guaranteed desert tour important?
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