Sahara Desert Trekking Tour 10 Days in Morocco

First night (included) in Riad or hotel in Marrakech before starting your tour, for the reason of flight time and the earlier departure of the tour.

Departure early at 7:30 from your riad to across the High Atlas mountains via the highest pass of TIZ N’TICHKA 2260m, while seeing typical Amazigh villages and lush valleys by the roadside.  After arriving at OUARZAZATE, we will cross the Anti-Atlas mountain of the AIT SAOUN range. Before enjoying the DRAA River valley, which is the longest river in Morocco 1200 km to the Atlantic coast, and flanked by a glorious oasis of palms & mud-build Kasbahs and driving via AGDZ and Zagora. Overnight just outside M’HAMID in the palm grove, staying at a guest house of the region. Overnight on a half-board basis.

After a nice sleep and breakfast, a short distance of driving from the guest house to M’HAMID, where you will meet your camel caravan which is loaded with your luggage/equipment. Desert guides will also teach you to wrap your CHACH (turban), the ideal protection from wind in the Sahara. Then, the morning’s trekking follows the DRAA River through the vast palm groves of its river and the original settlement of M’HAMID for approximately 300 years. After having time to visit some ancient mud-building houses, mostly abandoned, then enjoy the shade time offered by acacia, palms, or tamarisk trees. Since the palm grove ended, you got lunch at a place called RAS NKHAL (head of palm). Here, the palm trees open out the way to the stony plateau scrub geographically named (Hamada), The area is filled with tamarisk trees, providing a serene spot for daily rest after trekking. After lunch, carry on to the southwest by a proximity of 2.5hrs towards the marabou of a holy man called SIDI NAJI, where overnight camp will be made, clause by small dunes. Depends on group trekking- time taken: 5 hrs.

After a calm sleep and Saharan breakfast, collecting camp then a getaway to the remote dune of ZAHAR region, it will be reached before lunch. So trekking day was largely flat, it looked like a dried lake that gradually transformed into rolling dunes, with less wild vegetation. Desert- Camp is established near the dunes, this is a little visit to a small dune of the region and your afternoon is given to exploring ZAHAR, reaching the highest point to enjoy the romantic views across the ERG (big sand) and then the magic sunset of Sahara desert. It’s a vantage point that gives you a look at the next day’s route to the wonderful view of Erg SMAR. ‘Screaming dunes’ which are known as ZAHAR dunes, are a legend that tells of village novels and history. Trekking time take: 4hrs

After breakfast and trucking camp, We will cross the DRAA River on the first day of trekking to the abandoned desert village of Erg SMAR, which is fortified by 35 families farming the land. DRAA river-size bed is astonishing, given it now runs dry. but once flowed in abundance through the Sahara. Water still runs deeply underground here and there is a well on the river where you will replenish the water supply, with a quick shower. Human existence was evident anywhere in the outline of agricultural gardens and abandoned mud-buildings which were homes. The trekking day finished under the generous large shade of tamarisk trees, where the camp is established – hard in Harte of Sahara area, given the big size of the trees at this village. Following lunch, you could explore, the DRAA and the dunes that have since started to encroach on the buildings. Trekking daytime: 3hrs.

After breakfast, we headed to the dunes of Bougrine, where you could come across other visitors for the first time on trekking. Departing Erg SMAR, we leave the dense behind to cross small dunes and then a broad, earth plateau, passing through an area where is possible to see traces of gazelles. northly and southly, rolling dunes are still visible. The vegetation also increases once more, then you have lunch under the trees’ shade. After lunch, carry on through the desert to enjoy the plateau before the rolling dunes of BOUGARN. Leave your camels behind then scramble up BOUGRN sand to the nearest vantage point. With good visibility of getting nice pictures, you should see the dunes of ZAHAR and Erg CHIGAGA. The Camp was established in a shelter of small dunes. Trekking daytime: 5-6hrs.

After breakfast, the trekking day will give you a chance to see more green plantations, some lining the course of former river tributaries. Lunch will be under the shade of tamarisk trees. Then After lunch, your trekking would a crossing a flat and fertile land. You will come across remnants of agricultural land which is now used as pasture for grazing camels. In the Sahara desert, the camp will be made in the seclusion of small sand dunes. Trekking day time: 5hrs.

Left Sahara behind then toward back to M’HAMID, to complete your trekking. The Sahara moreover becomes marked by desert scrub and earth banks, and palm groves become more apparent the closer you reach M’HAMID. Lunchtime break in the shade then, before reaching the village. Finely transport will transfer you back to the guest-house, in the heart of the palm grove. Trekking daytime: 3-4hrs.

After the unforgettable Sahara desert trekking tour, a departure from the guest-house in the early morning, enjoy the road to Marrakech by visiting AIT BEN HADOU Kasbah in OURZAZAT then enjoy the road to your Riad/hotel in Marrakech.