What‘s Included

Reviews

• [Long Review] Desert Makes It Worth, Very Touristy (Read for more!)

  Alessandro D,

  May 17, 2025

  - Viator

  4.00

  This will be a somewhat detailed review as I didn’t find great information online. TLDR; good but touristy—not many other ways to access the desert and great to meet new people. First thing to know: there is a lot of driving. A few hours the first day, more the second day, and about seven/eight on the last day. You probably already know this, but really internalize it—the trip is mostly driving with stops every now and then. As far as the itinerary, there’s less desert than I would have liked, and that’s what everyone seemed to be there for. This was partially made up for by the other stops being quite cool overall, like Ait Benhaddou, although sometimes it gets tedious to drive drive drive, hop out for an hour, drive drive drive. The evening of the first day was also nice and chill, with a long evening at a small hotel with a pool and a nice dinner. There were tours not included in the price that theoretically were pay optional, but expect to pay around 100dh each. The first one guided you into an “authentic store” to buy a scarf and that has other clothes. My advice: buy the scarf if you feel (it’s nice in the desert, although certainly not required, and cheap enough) but forego other clothing. I was naive enough to fully believe what they were saying but looking back I realized there was no way to ensure the clothing quality just from what the guide (who was getting paid to bring us there) was saying, and the clothes are nice but don’t seem to be made very well. This goes for every store you are brought to—but if you judge and think the products are good, but use extra caution as the tour idols have a deal to bring you there so there will be a markup. The desert: super cool. You’re brought there around 4, and have to sit through a quite uncomfortable but still very cool camel ride, and then do some sandboarding and watch the sunset. If you want to see exactly where you’ll be, google maps “merzouga” and look at the little teardrop of sand dune desert next to it. It’s not the expansive Sahara you are imagining, and rather a pocket of dunes among arid landscape, but it’s still cool to be in the environment. Dinner is good and wake-up is early to see the sunrise; I HEAVILY suggest ATV’s on the return, as for $25 each that was one of the coolest things me & partner have ever done. Overall the time in the desert is short but the highlight of the trip. We spent around $14 each lunch (only the first one was really great). Expect a LOT of tagine & couscous. Along with the desert the rest of the highlight was the rest of the group. We ended up getting fairly close and hung out with some of them after the tour in Fes. Overall it is actually a good way to get to know people! The biggest hiccup for me was just that you’re on an established tourist circuit that dozens of vans shuttle people through each day and it really does show—just look at the number of camps in that small stretch of dunes as proof. It wasn’t exactly the adventure I was looking for on the whole, but I think 4 stars is still reasonable because I did have a great time, just in different ways than I expected. Also, I really don’t know how else to see the desert. Last thing, I’m convinced all the tours at this price point are basically exactly the same. Same vans same stops, just slap a different sticker on it. I do recommend, just go in informed!

• Our guide Hisham has...

  Noel v,

  May 14, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  Our guide Hisham did a brilliant job, he told us a lot about Morocco and its tribes. We stopped at many beautiful viewpoints and had a pleasant pace of sightseeing. We recommend the tour to everyone. We were a little unlucky with the weather in the desert and had a little sandstorm at sunrise. Despite this point, it was still a beautiful experience with a little action.

• 11/10 - amazing trip!

  Amanda B,

  May 13, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  Omar was amazing as our guide! Highly recommend this trip with many interesting and eventful stops along the way. Camel ride was amazing for sunset and atv’s the next morning for sunrise. Great sleeping and dining spots as well! Remember to carry dirhams for lunches, purchases and tipping.

• Great experience overall!...

  Sean C,

  May 12, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  Great experience overall! Multiple excursions packed into 2.5 days - great deal for the price. The camel ride into/out of the desert was definitely the highlight! Buy the head scarf before going into the desert... you'll be happy you did in case it is windy. Decent amount of time spent en route between sites but our driver and guide made this time entertaining as well (Youssef and Idris were the best!). Plenty of breaks for food and bathroom. Overall highly recommend as this was a lot of fun

• Book yourself this tour!

  Gail B,

  May 12, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  Wow! What an experience. It was a lot of travelling and hiring, but well worth it. The two Younes’s were both lovely and friendly. Day 1. You are picked up from near your Riad, or a location of choice if they can drive to it. We set off towards the High Atlas Mountains, which have snow still on the highest peaks. We made a stop at the Tizi n'Tichka pass to take in some breathtaking views and I think the highest point you reach is 2,260m. We then started to descend and stopped off at a Argan Cooperative, where you can sample both cosmetic’s and culinary Argan products. You were never pressured to by anything and the same went for the other places. After another drive to a lunch spot which you have to pay for, but it’s cheap enough and the food was lovely. You then stop off at the Berber village of Ait Ben Haddou, where a Berber guide will meet you and take you on a very hot walk to the top. He’ll tell you about the culture, which was great. Finally you visit a rose water/oil cooperative, before heading to your hotel in Tinghir. I really like the hotel and wish we could have spend another night there. We had a balcony and a pool. They put on a lovely Moroccan buffet on. Day 2. We left about 8am the next morning. Down the road we visited a couple of fields where the Berbers show us the produce they grow and then where they make the carpets. Again there was no pressure to buy and the owner made is all a Moroccan tea. Another short drive and we were at Todra Gorge, which is spectacular and you have about 1/2 hour to walk and take some photos of the very tall cliffs. Heading out again we had another lunch stop that you pay for and then you end up in a place to dress up in traditional Berber clothes and purchase some scarves for the desert. Eventually you arrive in Merzouga and driver Younes took us to our camels. Some of our group decided to do quad biking. Dan and I got separated from our group on the camels and I did worry that we would end up at a different camp. The camel guide dropped us off in the desert, pointed to our camp and told us to go there after sunset. We were left three hours to walk, sand board or sit on the dunes. It’s best to take plenty of water and sunscreen with that in mind. Thankfully it wasn’t too hot as there is no shelter. After sunset we made our way to the camp and thankfully found the rest of our group. The camp was lovely. We had booked a deluxe tent which has a flushing toilet and a nice, much needed shower. Again there was a lovely buffet and they played music into the night. Day 3 was an early start with breakfast at 5:30am. You then had an option to get on the camels and watch the sunrise as you head back to the van, or watch the sunrise from camp and take a jeep back. After collecting our little bag we took for the desert, which they take for you, (main luggage is kept in the van for you), we headed towards Fez. Again we stopped for lunch and then a forest with wild monkeys. They are guys that will give you food to feed them for a fee and others that’ll put them on your shoulders, take your photo and ask for “20 euro” for their services. This is the only time on the trip you feel pushed into, but you just have to say no and Younes did his best to tell them to go away. A short drive takes you to Ifrane, known as Moroccan Switzerland because of its Swizz style houses and its very cold microclimate. After that we were soon in Fez. All in all it was a great trip. I 100% guarantee you’ll leave with great memories and new friends.