A NIGHT IN THE SAHARA DESERT

My plan to get out to the Sahara Desert was simple: don’t worry about it until I had to. Needless to say, I found myself in Morocco trying to navigate how I was going to make the journey out there. After leaving Chefchaouen, my plan was to take the scenic, cheaper route by making multiple short bus rides on my own (as opposed to sitting on a cramped bus for twelve hours). The first leg of my journey to Merzouga was from Marrakech to Ouarzazate. I left Marrakech at 8:00am and arrived in Ouarzazate at noon. I spent the afternoon walking around town and seeing Ait-Ben-Haddou. After thinking it over some more and talking to the owner of the hostel I was staying at, I decided to bow to fate and book the tour.

DAY 1: OUARZAZATE - DADES VALLEY

The following afternoon, I was 800 dirham lighter and made my way into town. I met the tour group at a local shop and by 3:00pm we were on the road. Here I was on the tour bus that I never intended to be on. On the three hour drive, we passed through Monkey Fingers and the Dades Valley - both were quite scenic! We stopped for the night just outside of the Dades Valley at a hotel that was included in the tour price. I don’t think I had ever stayed in a hotel whilst traveling up to this point so it was weird being in one then but, hey, I wasn’t complaining! After dinner, everyone went off to bed in preparation for an early start the following morning to Merzouga!

DAY 2: DADES VALLEY - MERZOUGA

The group woke up at 6:30am, ate a quick breakfast, then hopped on the bus. We were sure to leave as quickly as possible considering we all knew we had a long day ahead of us. Shortly into the ride, we passed through Todgha Gorge which is as beautiful as it sounds. After stopping to take some photos, we got going and arrived at a small Berber village around 10:00am. Here, we went on an hour walking tour through town. Eventually, we ended up in a carpet shop and were (unsuccessfully) persuaded to purchase traditional Moroccan rugs made from lambswool. Once we got back to the bus, we drove for another two hours before stopping for lunch just off the road.

After lunch, we got back into the bus and drove for another four hours. On this four hour stretch, I pondered whether I would ride a camel or not. The moral quandary was due to how poorly I envisioned the camels were treated. On one hand, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride a camel in the Sahara Desert. Would I ever come across another moment such as this? On the other hand, the camels were almost certainly mistreated (and seeing as though I’m a vegan, riding a camel didn’t exactly align with those values). I wrestled back and forth with the decision for hours (literally) but eventually decided to do it. After a total of 9 hours driving, we arrived in Merzouga at 4:30pm. Upon arriving in town, we unloaded our luggage, and, low and behold, I ascended onto a camel’s back. I continued thinking about the decision I made well into the desert and eventually came to grips with it. Once I got over my thoughts of self-deprecation and betrayal (yes I know - how dramatic), the ride was quite enjoyable. Seeing the shadows of people riding camels in the sand was straight out of a movie - so cool! Before getting to the desert, we were all advised to buy a scarf for sun and sand protection (the winds can force the sand to painfully whip around). Being who I am, I did not purchase one; instead, I wore pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and wrapped my sweatshirt around my head. It worked just fine! Had it been a windy day in the desert, I may have been in trouble but, lucky me, I was fine! It also wasn’t as hot as I was expecting - it was about 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

We rode camels for about an hour and arrived at our ‘campground’ at around 6:00pm. The sun was setting at this time and it was amazing to watch it set over the dunes! After chilling as a group for a while, we were called to the dinner tent to eat. There was plenty of food for all dietary needs and it was delicious! Following dinner, we gathered around the fire as we told riddles and listened to a live, Moroccan musical performance - and of course we danced a bit, too! As I looked up into the sky, there was no light pollution; we were truly in the desert and the stars were marvelously clear and bright. People in my group were able to see Mars and Saturn with their naked eyes! Around 10:00pm, we all headed for bed. We were to wake up early the following morning to catch the sun rise! At what I would guess was 2:00am, I woke up to hydrate the sand. As I did so, I looked up into the sky and it was one of the most incredible spectacles I have ever seen. To see the stars dazzling over the Sahara Desert was a vision I will not soon forget - so epic! After admiring the view for a few minutes, I went back into my tent to fall asleep on my (very comfortable) mat.

DAY 3: MERZOUGA - MARRAKECH

We woke up at 6:00am to ensure we were moving by 6:30. The sun hadn’t risen yet so we rode our camels under the starlight. After approximately twenty minutes, we stopped, dismounted our camels, and walked up to the top of a sand dune to catch the sunrise. Seeing the sun rise over the Sahara Desert was as jaw-dropping as it sounds! Shortly after the sun was completely above the horizon, we got back on our camels and finished the remainder of the trek back to town. We were met there by our bus driver and we were on the road before 7:30. So began the long, twelve-hour bus ride to Marrakech. I won’t bore you with the details but we arrived back in Marrakech at 7:30pm; the whole group was ready for bed but I don’t think anyone regretted a single minute.

If I could do it all over again, would I go with the tour group or do it myself? I think it depends on how much time you have in Morocco and if you’re traveling solo or not. If you are crunched for time and by yourself, I would advise taking the bus. Yes, the extremely long bus ride won’t be the most fun but at least you’re meeting people along the way. If you do have time though, I think making your way out there city-by-city would have been more enjoyable - especially if you are with a group of people and decide to rent a car!

Would I ride a camel again? No; seeing them harnessed and tied up was tough. They’re treated exactly how you would imagine them being treated - not well.

Would I go to the Sahara Desert again? Absolutely! This experience was incredible! Especially seeing the stars over the desert in the middle of the night - truly unreal!