A complete guide to the incredible Sahara desert in Morocco

WHAT TO WEAR IN THE SAHARA DESERT, MOROCCO

The circumstances in the Sahara can vary a lot. The best way to prepare yourself for a trip to the dunes of Erg Chebbi is to wear layers. Choose comfortable clothes with loose-fit and don’t forget to bring a scarf and a hat.

Tip | Don’t mind taking an extra sweater or jacket, when the sun sets the temperature drops rapidly. That extra piece of clothing could be just what you needed for the night.

Take sunglasses to protect your eyes from potential sand stirring up from a breeze.

THE ROAD TO THE SAHARA DESERT, ERG CHEBBI

As mentioned above most tours will take around three days of travelling. Gladly the road to the dunes of Erg Chebbi will bring you along with many fascinating sceneries. See our route for the places where we stopped.

THE SCENERIES

Marrakech | Atlas Mountains | Ait Ben Haddou | Ouarzazate | Tinghir Oase | Dades Valley | Todra Gorge | Erg Chebbi | Sahara desert

Once you see the road signs change to a camel instead of a car, you know it is almost time to start your desert adventure.

THE CALMNESS

We live in a world where we get distracted almost all of the time. A trip to the Sahara can be a little getaway escape and gives you the opportunity to experience calmness you never did before. With a surface of 9.4 million square kilometers and a sea of sand surrounding you, you will feel peace and experience complete silence.

A SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX

While experiencing this beautiful landscape you will have a strong connection with nature. Leave your phone in the bedouin camp and spend time with the people around you. It can feel so good walking the dunes while having no sense of time.

TIP | don’t go too far away from your camp.

CHASING THE SUNSET

Once the sun is below the horizon, you will be treated with a broad palette of colours. With the light changing, look for a dune and let the beauty soak in. The scenery will charm you, even more, when the dunes turn warmer and warmer.

SLEEP IN A TRADITIONAL BEDOUIN CAMP, THE SAHARA DESERT

After a day of exploring the magical dunes of the Sahara, it is great to experience staying at a traditional Bedouin camp. Just like with the desert tours, there are endless possibilities. We preferred traditional over luxury to look and feel how the nomads live.

Once the sun went down we got treated with a tasteful tajine while enjoying the local Berber drums.

While the drums continued in the tent we walked barefoot among the desert dunes to find a spot to sit down. With sand covering our feet, insignificant in the universe, we were surrounded by the brightest sky we ever experienced. In almost complete silence we witnessed a sea of bright stars in the night sky.

An out of this world experience.

BOOK | hotels in the Sahara

SUNRISE IN THE DESERT DUNES

Once you see the golden light reflect on the beautiful desert landscape you realize that waking up early isn’t that bad. Heading back to the civilized world by camel while enjoying your last glimpse of Sahara beauty is an experience worth waking up early for.

After experiencing the magical Sahara, you are ready to find out the rest of the beauty Morocco has to offer. And don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments.

SAFETY IN MOROCCO | TRAVEL INSURANCE

When travelling this big wide world, I never go on an adventure without my essential travel insurance sorted out, and though I felt safe in Morocco, I recommend anyone travelling here to do the same.

Though you rather don’t think about the things that could go wrong, there’s always a chance that something happens, and when that’s the case, it is better to be safe than sorry.

To help you find the right policy, I’ve listed two of my favourite options below:

Heymondo | Whether you’re going on a 3-week backpacking trip, or planning a long stay somewhere abroad, Heymondo has excellent insurance options either way – plus full covid-19 coverage and a handy app with 24-hour medical assistance. Readers of WTSW receive 5% off any insurance policy, more information here.

World Nomads | If you’re an adventure seeker, backpacker, or planning your once-in-a-lifetime world trip, make sure you check out World Nomads, they designed the perfect travel insurance to help you travel safer and smarter. Do note that they’re not covering covid-19 related claims.