Everything You Need To Know About the Sahara Desert Morocco
Visiting the Sahara Desert is a bucket list worthy experience! Most people who visit Morocco want to experience this iconic landmark and live out their camel-riding dream! There is a lot of planning that needs to go into visiting the Sahara Desert, so be sure to read my tips below!
First, a little about the Sahara Desert…
The Sahara Desert Morocco can be accessed via the small town of Merzouga. This town is located in the southeastern part of Morocco just south of Erfoud. Merzouga has become a popular destination for tourists as it is directly next to Erg Chebbi – the most visited sand dunes in Morocco.
The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world and spans most of North Africa (including Morocco, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia). At 3.6 million square miles, the Sahara Desert is as big as China or the U.S.A.
Related Post: First Timer’s Guide to Morocco
Everything You Need To Know About the
Sahara Desert Morocco
Where is the Sahara Desert Morocco?
You’ll be surprised to learn that the country of Morocco is quite large! This means that popular cities like Fes and Marrakesh are spread out, and far away from the Sahara Desert Morocco. Buckle in for a long journey to get to the desert.
The part of the Sahara Desert that is most accessible is near Merzouga. This is where most of the tourist activities can be found, including camel riding, ATVs, and desert camps.
- Driving Distance from Marrakesh to the Sahara Desert: 9 hours (560 km)
- Driving Distance from Fes to the Sahara Desert: 7 hours (460 km)
Given the distance, it is impossible to do a day trip to the Sahara Desert from Marrakesh, so you’ll often see a minimum of 3 days (2 days of travel, one day of experiencing the Sahara Desert).
How To Get to the Sahara Desert?
Now that you know the drive to the Sahara Desert Morocco is a long journey, you’re probably wondering how to get there… well, you have a few options!
Most people opt to do a Morocco Desert tour to the Sahara Desert. This typically includes transportation to/from your original destination, overnight accommodations, and some included experiences in the desert.
- 3-Day Sahara Desert Tour From Marrakesh
- 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour From Fes
If you prefer to do things on your own, you can rent a car (prepare yourself for long days of driving on very windy roads), or take public transportation.
Weather in the Sahara Desert?
You may expect the Sahara Desert to always be hot and dry. This isn’t actually the case! Weather in the Sahara Desert varies with each season.
Sahara Desert in the Spring (High 84°F | Low 52°F):
Springtime in the Sahara Desert coincides with sand storm season. From February to May you’ll find yourself in rough sand storms that can be unbearable at times. While the temperatures may be nice (cooler at night and warm/hot during the day), you’ll need to be prepared for some of the whipping sands.
Sahara Desert in the Summer (High 107°F | Low 78°F):
Hot. Hot. Hot. Temperatures in the Sahara Desert often reach upwards of 100F in the summer months. Some days the heat is almost physically unbearable. Thankfully, it does cool down at night!
Sahara Desert in the Fall (High 77°F | Low 68°F):
The fall is considered the best time to visit the Sahara Desert Morocco. The weather stays mild throughout the day and night and sand storms are less likely in the fall.
Sahara Desert in the Winter (High: 60°F | Low 36°F):
Surprisingly cold. People often say it can be hard to sleep at night during December & January due to the chilly temperatures.
Best Time To Visit the Sahara Desert?
The best time to visit the Sahara Desert is strictly based on weather. Most people try to avoid the Sahara Desert during the Spring & Summer due to the sand storms and drastic heat conditions.
Fall is the best time to visit the Sahara Desert Morocco because the weather is mild, the sand storms are unlikely, and you’ll get to see the best sunset during this time!
Where to Stay in the Sahara Desert?
When visiting the Sahara Desert, you should consider staying in a tent overnight! This is a fun and authentic experience that you can’t do elsewhere! Each Morocco Desert Camp experience is different, so be sure to read what is included (AC, Heat, Electricity, Attached Bathrooms, Community Bathrooms, Breakfast, Camel Ride, etc.
Some popular “luxury camps” are listed below:
Things to Do In the Sahara Desert?
Okay, you’ve officially made it to the Sahara Desert, now what? Experience the best activities in the Sahara Desert including:
- Camel Ride
- ATV Ride
- Dune Buggy
- Sand Sledding
- Camping
Most of the activities are accessible via a desert tour that you can schedule ahead of time. I’ve provide a few options below via Viator for great sunset camel rides, Morocco desert camp, and more!
What to Pack for the Sahara Desert?
You’ll need some very specific items for the Sahara Desert. Regardless of the time of the year, be sure to pack the below items:
- Motion Sickness Medicine – the drive through the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert is very squiggly and can be rough even on the toughest stomach
- Eye Drops – sand storms are no joke. You’ll need eye drops to try and remove as much sand from your eyes as possible
- Body Wipes – again, sand storms are no joke. If you get caught in one, you’ll want to use a body wipe to cleanse your body (especially since most desert camps lack fancy showers)
- Chapstick & Sunscreen – its important to protect your body against the strong sun
- Long Lightweight Pants – when riding a camel, you’ll want to be sure to wear long lightweight pants. This will protect you from the rough hair on the camel, the blazing sun, the fleas, and the sand storms.
- Scarf – you’ll want this for a multitude of reasons, in the winter you can use it to keep you warm, in the summer you can use it to protect from the sun, and in the spring you can use it to shield from the sand storms
- Bottles of Water – remember, you aren’t a camel – your body isn’t designed to withstand drastic heat without water for days. Water can be scare in the desert as there aren’t markets or shops nearby
- Cash – there aren’t any ATMs in the desert, so you’ll want to bring additional cash with you for tipping guides, paying for ATVs or camel rides, etc.
Save this post on Pinterest to reference Everything You Need to Know About the Sahara Desert Morocco
Thanks for this. i had often wondered. Now I know what I am dealing with to get into the best desert of all!
It was Great experience to learn about sahara desert & it was written very peacefully
Thankyou.
When we visited Dubai we had a very disappointing desert experience. But it would not stop us from trying to get the best Sahara experience when we visited Morocco. A 3 day trip would surely get us the kind of visit we would want to do. But I would not be going in the heat of summer!
This is such a bucket list thing for me!! Sounds amazing, hoping to make my way there within the next 2 years!