Exploring the
Nomad life in
6 days
With Marocdesert Experience!
Discover the Nomad life in the Sahara desert. 6 day track trough the desert landscape in the South of Morocco. All inclusive track starting from Marrakech, Ouarzazate or M’hamid.
Day 1
Marrakech – Mhamid
At 08:00 am you will be picked up at your riad / hotel in Marrakech, from there we will leave for M’hamid El Ghizlane, the last village before the desert.
We first cross the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass of the High Atlas. Then we drive past many Berber villages to the desert, where you will see oases, hills and kasbahs. After lunch you will drive to Mhamid where you will arrive around 4:00 PM. Along the way you have a beautiful view over the Draa Valley, the longest river in Morocco and flanked by glorious date – palm oases & crumbling kasbahs and driving via Agdz and Zagora. Continuation of the route to Mhamid, arrival in our Bivouac Laila, installation in tents, a welcome tea with olives and biscuits. In the evening dinner around the campfire with traditional music from the young people from the village. Overnight in tents or under the starry sky.
Day 2
Mhamid – Sidi-Naji
After breakfast you can meet the camel men and your guide for this tour. The camels are loaded with the luggage / equipment, the guides will also help you to wrap your turban, this is an ideal protection against the sun and possibly sandstorms in the desert. The tour follows the southern banks of the Draa River, through the vast palm groves and the original settlement of M’hamid (said to be about 300 years old). Once at the end of the palm garden, have lunch at a point known as Ras Nkhal. Here the palm trees open up and make way for the desert crop and stone (hamada), earth banks and tamarisk trees. After lunch we continue walking for ± 2.5 hours towards the marabout (the shrine of a holy man) of Sidi Naji, here we will set up camp for the night in the seclusion of the small dunes. In the evening a delicious dinner around the campfire, after that you can still enjoy the silence and a beautiful starry sky.
Day 3
Sidi-Naji – Erg Ezzahar
After breakfast we walk towards the large remote sand dune area of Zahar where we will have lunch at the foot of the dunes. Today’s trekking terrain is mostly flat, plateau-like soil (a dry lake) that gradually turns into rolling sand dunes, with much less vegetation visible today. This is a little visited dune area, in the afternoon we climb the high dunes and reach the highest point to enjoy the wide view over the dunes and the beautiful sunset. Zahar is also known as the “screaming dunes” it is a legend that tells of a village buried under the sand. In the evening we set up our tents at the foot of the dunes, dinner, and overnight under the stars.
Day 4
Erg Ezzahar – Erg Smar
After breakfast, the camp is packed and we prepare to continue our journey towards Erg Essmar. We cross the bed of the Draa River to the north banks to begin the retreat. The size of the river bed is astonishing, it is now dry and used to flow abundantly through the desert. Water still flows deep underground here, on our trekking today you will see more vegetation. Lunch is prepared in the shade of the tamarisk trees. After lunch, trek across flat land that was once fertile (when water was present) and encounter remnants of farmland now used as pasture for grazing camels. Overnight in our camp at the foot of the small sand dunes, in the evening a last meal under the stars, we also bake a traditional bread in the sand. Then some nice stories from our guides around the campfire before closing our eyes for another beautiful night under the stars.
Day 5
Erg Smar – Erg Mezouaria
After breakfast we break camp. We walk back to Mhamid today. The terrain is again characterized by desert and earth banks, palm groves become clearer the closer you get to M’hamid. We have lunch again under the tamarisk trees and then continue our way to Bivouac LAila.
In the camp a wonderful shower awaits us, a cold glass of water or soft drink, tea with biscuits, nuts and olives.
In the evening, the chefs make a delicious couscous to round off this beautiful draw. One last campfire with music played by the young people of the village.
Day 6
Mhamid – back to Marrakech
After breakfast we will return via Zagora, Agdz, Ouarzazate to Marakkech where we will arrive around 6 PM.
Practical information
For this tour
Depart from hotel/Riad between 08:00 and 09:00 hours
Price inclusive:
- Transfer from Marrakech to M’hamid and back
- Guide English/French speaking, Cook and Cameldriver
- 2x overnight stay in Bivouac
- 6 day track with overnight stay in the desert
- All meals, included: water
Not included:
- Snacks and meals while traveling from Marrakech to M’hamid
- Softdrinks
- Tips
- Site visit fees
What should I bring with me?
For this tour
- Good quality tracking shoes
- Sunburn creme
- Shirt with long sleeves
- Hiking trousers
- Sleeping bag
- Small kit with some blister plasters (just in case)
Click here and visit our Practical advise tips for a pleasant stay in de desert.
Prices
For this experience
Depart from M’hamid: € 275,00
Depart from Ouarzazate: € 355,00
Depart from Marrakech: € 385,00
Rent a Camel: € 15,00 per Camel/day
Rate valid for a minimum of 4 participating persons. Contact us for requests for a private tour with less than 4 people. Departures are in the morning from Marrakech (Medina district) and early afternoon in Ouarzazate (from the city center, airport or hotel).