Best Things to Do When You Are On a Morocco Desert Tour

Without any second thought, the Sahara desert is the most preferred region for people traveling to Morocco. It may seem as if there nothing except sand & sky but there is an astounding number of things to do on a Morocco desert tour of Sahara. If you are getting ready for a tour of Morocco & the Sahara is not in your schedule, we request you to reconsider. In fact, we would like to suggest you cut off your plan of Marrakech and so that you’ll be allowed to spend more than 2 nights in the desert.

The Sahara desert does not essentially have any remarkable attractions except the clear sand dunes. However, for us, the Sahara desert itself is the main attraction. It is just mesmerizing! The desert is perhaps the most authentic area you will see during your tour to Morocco. Sure you will come across people that are trying to make some earning from the tourists but their way of living is not seen elsewhere in Morocco.

The desert towns are dirty and basic in terms of amenities but enthrall the fantasy like nowhere else. Just roaming around one of the desert towns is the finest way to experience it, and may be fall in love with the desert as we did.

Let’s talk about some of the best things to do when you are in the Sahara Desert:

1. Sleep In The 3^rd Largest Desert In The World:

The Sahara is the largest hot desert & the 3^rd largest desert in the globe after Antarctica & the Arctic. Sleeping in the desert beneath millions of glistening stars is simply an experience that you don’t want to miss out. However, don’t take our words for granted! Just do it and leave yourself mesmerized! Witnessing the sunrise & the sundown from a tented camp will simply leave you wondering more and more about this third largest desert in the world.

2. Take A Camel Ride:

If you are on an arranged tour to Morocco it is rather normal to take a camel ride to your overnight camp location. Yes, the camels aren’t the most comfortable creatures to take a ride, but it is an experience that you certainly don’t want to miss. Once you get there in the desert, there is no scarcity of locals offering you a camel trek. Due to this, it is very cheaper to arrange a trek when you arrive in the desert.

The desert is also home to numerous mammals & reptiles. A camel trekking trip through an ocean of dunes will offer you an excellent chance to witness all of this.

3. Enjoy A Quad Bike Riding Through The Dunes:

If you are riding your own vehicle, you will discover it nearly impractical to get heavy 4wds to the crest of the highest sand dunes. However, renting a lightweight yet powerful quad is the best way to have fun in the dunes. 1-2 hours of quad biking can be arranged easily but you should expect it to be a bit expensive.

Tips: Just take it easy while quad biking because the dunes may look gentle and soft but can land you in trouble at high speed.

4. Feel the Adventure While Sand Surfing:

There’re abundant opportunities to rent sand or snowboards around the occupied dunes. It is fun to do, but there’re no ski lifts so you’ve to walk back the dune every time. To improve your sand surfing performance you can rub candle wax on the bottom. Alternatively, you can use a shovel and a rope.

Note: Sandboarding in Morocco is available in both Erg Chigaga and Erg Chebbi dunes, so plan your adventure accordingly.

5. Enjoy A Spa Day In The Sahara:

Who would have imagined that among the best thing to do on your Morocco desert tour would be to have a spa day? This isn’t like your typical spa though! The locals of Merzouga vow by hiding themselves up to their necks in the desert sand because it is believed to be therapeutic for muscles & soaring limbs. In the scorching heat of the summer, you’ll discover some local folks under grounding themselves in the hot sand. According to their belief, it eliminates illness from the body especially arthritis.

Keep in mind, during the summer months, the ground temperature can reach well beyond 50°c so it isn’t a comfy place to be for any length of time. Be cautious though; don’t bury yourself longer than fifteen minutes as it can boil you to death! Actually, we have heard of people this has happened to.

6. Join A Convoy:

We generally travel along but meeting with fellow overlanders & traveling in convoy can be an amazingly rewarding experience that we don’t want you to miss.

7. Meeting The Local Is An Experience In Itself:

You think you are alone in the desert, but the fossil sellers, Berber people and camel trek providers will find you. It is a great opportunity to have a chat & gain some useful insight about the people living in the desert.

8. Sit Around The Campfire For An Authentic Desert Experience:

Your tour to Morocco will be incomplete without experiencing a campfire in the isolated desert. You may get surprised but there’s abundant dead wood to amass in the Sahara Desert. Dead bushes make superb firewood too & will really get the fire blazing. Gather adequate wood, put up a fire pit, place your BBQ grill on top of the shimmering coals & start cooking. Trust us there is nothing like it & you will never wish to taste your microwave cooked food again!

It gets pretty cold here at night, particularly during the winter and there won’t be a better way to keep yourself warm than firing up a campfire in the Sahara desert.

9. Don’t Miss Wildlife Spotting At Night:

After the campfire & evening snack, leave some remains close to your camp & silently wait to observe if the regional wild creatures come there for a midnight meal. You are most like to see desert mice and if you are fortunate, an introverted desert fox may approach for a sniff. If you are really fortunate, you may even see one of the last Dorcas gazelles in Morocco. They are believed to be wiped out but we know they aren’t; because we have seen them.

10. You Simply Can’t Miss Stargazing:

This is my personal favorite among many things to do in the Sahara desert. With millions of stars over your head & no light smog to talk about, the glistening night sky over the Saharan Desert will simply leave you awestruck.

11. Watch The Beautiful Changing Color Of The Sand at Sunset:

Walk up the dunes at dusk to witness the incredible changing color of the sand. Through the silent peace, the changing of color will amaze you & leave a lifetime impression on your memory. Yes, there are plenty of things to do on a Morocco desert tour, but this small experience will definitely make you come back one day to this awe-inspiring landscape.

12. When is the best time to explore the Sahara desert of Morocco?

It can get astoundingly cold during the winter season. In fact, it can even snow! We were told it snowed just weeks prior to we arrived. We went in late February & discovered the temperature to be great. It can be pretty hot during the summer months, and it is tough to saunter in the sand when it is that hot.

The most favorable time to explore the Sahara desert is either fall, late winter, spring or early summer. This makes sure the temperature won’t be excessively hot or cold. We found it to be delightful & the nights were still a little chilly. Ensure to bring plenty of layers such as scarves and jackets so that you can dress accordingly. Also, don’t forget to bring plenty of sun creams as the sun can get very hot during the day.

The Moroccan desert is one of the most enchanting places we’ve seen and we will definitely love to come back to this isolated land once more. It is such a unique experience that will last you for a lifetime. We’d recommend you to plan your Morocco Desert Tour with Your Morocco Tour. We have had a good time with this tour operator and hope you’ll get the same. Best of luck!