Sahara desert camp- it this the way to experience Morocco’s desert ?
( Disclaimer: all the below photos were taken by Sun Trails staff on location over the years ).
What is it that draws us to the immensity of the dunes ? The oceans of sand. Where does it spark from, this longing to gaze at wave after wave of sand disappearing on the horizon?… All else irrelevant. There, on top of the highest dune. Here, by the dunes of Erg Chigaga, despite of all the apparent scarcity, water runs just below the surface, a secret well kept under layers of sand. The desert also makes grown- ups children again.
“For years we lived anyhow with one another in the naked desert, under the indifferent heaven. By day the hot sun fermented us; and we were dizzied by the beating wind. At night we were stained by dew, and shamed into pettiness by the innumerable silences of stars.” T. E. Lawrence
In the collective imaginary, there is hardly anything more exotic, than those tougher- than- life Bedouin men crossing the desert, carrying precious loads of gold, ivory, slaves, textiles, spices or salt on the back of their sturdy camels. It used to take the caravans 7 to 8 weeks to cross from one side (Morocco) to the other ( Mali) and some were losing half their personnel on the way. Whilst some camel trading still takes place in some parts of Niger where the Azalai sees thousands of camels travel across the vast territory, camels in Morocco are not used for caravan trading anymore.
{ Read: A 5 day private desert Morocco tour from Marrakech : Draa Valley, the dunes of Erg Chigaga, Biblical villages, secret kasbahs and more}.
For some of those traveling to Morocco, spending a night in the Sahara is ticking off a box on a travel notebook. For others, it is a lifelong dream. Naturally then, you don’t want to ruin that experience and thus should carefully choose the right Morocco travel planner.
Camp cramping and hothouse tents ( update November 2024)
Having recently toured both Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga, we’ve noticed a few changes. Due to more frequent strong winds, many camps have adopted a fixed frame structure with either the canvas stretched over a metal frame or more often a base ( 1 to 2 meters ) of solid adobe or wood panel on top of which the tent is stretched. Many now also have concrete floors. Sadly, it feels like inhabiting an apartment in the dunes. Second, dozens of tents are huddled together. While not an issue in itself, it screams attraction park, not desert camping. For the real experience, try and book a tent in a camp of no more than 10 or so tents and that canvas prevails. Avoid tents covered in vinyl or plastic – it tends to overheat it. Better yet, ask for photos before booking.
WHERE IS THE DESERT IN MOROCCO: ERG CHEBBI/ ERG CHIGAGA
Any forum on Trip Advisor, Fodor or the likes will tell you that there are two places in Morocco where you can actually spend a night in the desert: the dunes of Erg Chebbi and the dunes of Erg Chigaga. The route from Marrakech over the High Atlas mountains is one of the most dramatic in Moroco and reaches Ouarzazate on the other side. But you still got about 6 hours to go.
[ Read: Our Morocco desert private tours to include a night in the Sahara dunes]
From here, there are two options: Erg Chebbi dunes– east through Skoura, Dades Gorge, Tinerir, Rissani and finally Merzouga; and Erg Chigaga dunes- south, following the Draa Valley through Agdz, Zagora, Tamegroute and finally Mhamid. From my own experience and feedback over the years, indeed, the dunes of Erg Chigaga get a fair amount less of Morocco private desert tours. The distance and driving time to both these dune locations is more or less similar, about 5- 6 hours drive from Ouarzazate.
Fortunately, there are still camps that retain their human dimension – what you should aim for is maximum 8- 9 tents in one single camp. What we love about our partner camp in Erg Chigaga ? It tethers one tent per dune trough, which yields that feeling of disconnect that we associate with the Sahara and there are no concrete foundations or floors. Not that they have any reason to pack up and leave, but if they did, the next morning the dunes wouldn’t show a trace. How eco – friendly is that ?
HOW TO GET TO MOROCCO’S SAHARA DESERT ?
The dunes of Erg Chebbi owe their popularity partly to their being easily accessible : a bus will take you to literally the foot of the dunes from Marrakech in a 10 hour drive. Or, you could hire a rent a car. But in both cases, you’d miss a lot on the way there. The best way to reach Sahara desert is booking one of the Morocco desert private tours. If still not sure, Erg Chebbi dunes are the obvious choice when you wish to also take in Fes and Rabat or Meknes.
“The Sahara, like all abstract, vast spaces, is a dream. One vast mirage, the grandeur, the enormity of which fires the imagination in one’s memory after the physical impact is over. The desert is something you shrink from while in its presence, but which you remember nostalgically after it is all over.” Hoyningen Huene
If you are ready to give Fes a miss, then the dunes of Erg Chigaga are the ones to go for. Especially since they are two hours drive away from the closest bit of tarmac and you would be a fool not to loop your way back to Marrakech on a different route, thus experiencing all different formations of the desert: sand dunes, stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys and salt flats.
And did we mention the Draa Valley, a caravan highway for centuries, where the river is flanked by one of the largest palm groves in the world along with Biblical villages and century old kasbahs ? In conclusion, you generally get better value for money for a tent in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, but these dunes tend to get more cramped, peppered with desert camps and quad / buggy riders wherever you look.
MOROCCO DESERT TOUR FES TO MARRAKECH ?
Yes, that is possible. You’d need about 3 days as a minimum. Over 4 or 5 days it is even better, considering you are lookin at a total of 17- 18 hours of driving. Here is where you can find a detailed itinerary of such a Fes to Marrakech private tour.
IS MOROCCO’S DESERT SAFE ?
Although the border with Algeria is not far, hitherto there has been no registered case of kidnapping or activity of a terrorist organization in these areas. Security at the border is very tough. In the very hot season ( July – August), there may be very rare cases of scorpions or snakes, but they hardly ever enter areas where they feel human presence. If you want to be 100 % sure, make sure you spend the night inside your tent and that your mattress is not laid straight on the ground.
BASIC DESERT TENT VERSUS LUXURY DESERT TENT
Nowadays, there are more and more luxurious desert camps to complement the regular ones. Most regular camps offer spartan but clean double beds with mattress and frame and plenty of blankets to keep you warm in the night, if chilly. Toilets are private ( dry toilets) while showers are shared and running water is scarce.
Sahara luxury camps offer wider tents with en suite showers and toilets, extensive furniture and fittings, and king size beds. The dinner menu is also more comprehensive. In the past 2- 3 years, the desert luxury camps also offer a higher level of standard, the VIP desert tents. These tents tend to be placed further away from the main camp, more accommodating and complete with a private butler. A normal basic camp accommodates 10- 12 double tents with a larger tent for restaurant. The typical luxury camp accommodates 6- 7 en- suite tents with a restaurant tent.
However, if your only reason for booking a Sahara luxury camp tent is having private showers and toilet, bear in mind showers are available on the night before and the night after. After a 30 – 45 minute camel ride ( optional), you arrive at the desert camp as the sun sets, where you will have your dinner and spend the night. Naturally, the camp is fully staffed. Next morning, you should try and not miss the sunrise. Then, you will be taken back to the same lodge where you had arrived the previous afternoon and have a proper breakfast, before proceeding with your private tour of Morocco .
{ Read: House of Dreams, impromptu romance half way between Marrakech and the Sahara }
A BRIEF HISTORY OF DESERT CAMPS IN MOROCCO
In the beginning ( up until 2010’s ) desert camps in Morocco were of only 1 kind – nomad tents fastened around a central mast, a sort of brown wool tee- pee cone- like structure. The interior of the tent was spartan, with not much more than a double bed and carpets spread on the sand. Back then, the only camp offering more luxurious settings was in the dunes outside Mhamid, just 2 hours from the dunes of Erg Chigaga. Fast forward two decades or so and you’ve now got luxury camps with air conditioning, satellite internet and… a swimming pool ( no joke).
Hardly anyone expects air conditioning in the desert. That being said, the average guest has gotten more demanding over the years. Fortunately, a third range of camps has cropped up: comfort camps. While not as lavish or extravagant as the luxury camps with their heated mattresses or USB plugs, they offer ensuite bathrooms with WC and hot showers, king size beds and choice bedspreads for not much more than you’d pay for a basic tent with no showers or running water.
SPEND ONE NIGHT OR TWO IN THE SAHARA ?
In winter ( mid November to mid March) days are short and the sun sets around 5- 6 PM. If you’re on a tour of Morocco, it is likely you will arrive at the camp just before sunset and will leave not long after breakfast.
Which doesn’t leave you with much time to enjoy the dunes. Ideally, forecast two nights in the desert in winter then ( or at least one night in a lodge by the dunes and the second one in a desert camp inside the dunes).
If you are worried about not having much to do, you may be wrong: tea with the nomads, rock engravings, prying out fossils, lunch in the oasis, dinosaur sites, quad biking, sand boarding, Berber mtfounaare but some of the choices. The downside is that if a sand storm is blowing in ( very rare but not impossible ), you will have no choice but to spend the morning or afternoon inside your tent.
ALCOHOL IN THE DESERT
Given the alcohol regulations in Morocco, very few camps ( even among luxury ones) sell alcohol on site. Therefore the best way to go about it is to get yourself your supplies in Marrakch or Ouarzazate ( cca. half way between Marrakech and the dunes and the largest town in the south). Otherwise, you may end up paying 3 or 4 times the price if you want to acquire it in a hotel by the dunes. All you need to do is ask for your driver to stop you at a special store. He will then stock it for you in the 4×4’s freezer box, if need be.
CLOTHING AND TEMPERATURES IN THE SAHARA
Cotton/ linen clothes and sneakers/ sandals are best for traveling around Morocco including the desert. A fleece or rain jacket is always a good addition for late nights/ early mornings. Outside the summer season, nights in the desert tend to be fresh/ chilly and in December/ January temperatures can get down to 35°F/ 2°C.
Even with the basic tent accommodation, you will get as many blankets as necessary to keep you warm. That being said, it’s not a bad idea to bring over your sleeping bag, if space is available in your luggage. Day time, when the sun is out, temperatures can vary from 70°F/20°C in the winter months to the 113°F/ 45°C and more in July and August.
In general we will not recommend taking a Morocco safari desert tour in summer but for some, it is the only time of the year they can come. Have you booked to spend the night in the desert in the summer and you find it too hot to be there ? Worry not.
Sun Trails will accommodate you at no extra charge, back at the lodge by the dunes, where you will have the comfort of an air conditioned room and a fresh pool giving onto the dunes. Early next morning, you can still enjoy your camel ride over the Sahara dunes while the sun is rising. Some of the desert luxury camps now offer air conditioned tents.
Sun Trails offers both basic and luxury camp options in the desert for those booking Morocco private tours. For more details, please send your enquiry here.
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