Shared Group Desert Tour from Marrakech for 3 days

While we did get to see the sights advertised, it was a lot of touch and go: At the summit of Ait Benhaddou, we had just about only 5 minutes before the guide on the first day was calling the group to leave after a quick summit and descend. We could have spend more time on the summit, than roaming through the dwellings in a Kasbah, or too long for lunch and tea, or a carpet shop taking some 20-30 minutes explaining carpets on the second day, or roaming without any idea of what we were getting to see in a field and then ending in a Touroug town with not much explanation from the guide on the second day. The guides will demand tips and payment even though they are technically not telling much. So the quality of the guide depends on luck. While some were complaining that the camel ride in the desert wasn’t the full 30 minutes, we were fine because the camel ride didn’t feel that safe, and we grabbed the handle bars for dear life worried that we could fall off the camel. There were also a lot of Berbers who were trying to build rapport by helping visitors take pictures in the desert without a fee, followed by a demonstration and display of the fossils they were trying to sell. Do note that taking these fossils out of Morocco is illegal and equivalent to smuggling. We had two hours to roam on the sand dunes which was tolerable in the shadows but a little too long under the heat of the desert sun even in winter to see the sunset. Not sure if showers were available, but we didn’t get to bathe on the second day, though we heard some others managed to get a shower. We didn’t bother since it was late and pretty chilly at night. Food was adequate but not quite enough if one has a larger appetite. Stopovers had split menus for locals and foreigners which were of course pricier. Most of the time, toilets need to be paid. WiFi is available on the van upon request.

Overall it was a unique and wonderful experience. I’d recommend if you can have a flexible mindset and don’t mind group travel. You’re not provided a ton of information and while the sites are neat, the guides don’t actually give you that much information. The last day is a long drive back from merzouga (be prepared) and the food places for lunches/breaks are over- priced. However, the last night watching sunset in the Sahara and spending time with berbers is incredible and was an unforgettable experience.