My Sahara Desert Experience: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

As soon as we got to the Sahara Desert, I heaved a huge sigh of relief. We had been traveling for two long days from Marrakech, and even though we made multiple stops at some beautiful monuments, that didn’t make it any less tough.

However, as soon as I set foot in the Sahara, nothing else mattered. I was happy to be in a place I’ve always wanted to visit and was looking forward to soaking in every inch of the experience. – Ufuoma.

The Sahara Desert – An Experience of a Lifetime

The journey to the Sahara Desert is an experience in itself. We used a tour company called Whattodoma. You can check out their rates and itinerary. The service was excellent and they were timely and professional. I recommend.

Sahara Desert Highlights (The good)

Despite the gruesome two days it took to get to the Sahara desert, there were some really kick-ass experiences on the way there. Like, visiting the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, seeing the Todra valley, discovering the way of life of the nomads, enjoying a traditional dinner in the desert and enjoying the large dunes of Merzouga on a camel.

1.) Visiting the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage

You will find the Ait Ben Haddou on the way to the Sahara from Marrakech. It is a UNESCO world heritage and is such a striking architecture. Cool fact: Some scenes of Game of Thrones were shot here.

2.) Discovering the way of life of nomads and berbers

We visited the Berber villages and were exposed to the authentic way of life of the Moroccan nomads. We were greeted with mint tea and also saw a display of their handmade rugs. The experience was surreal.

3.) Exploring the high Atlas Mountains

The High Atlas rises in the west at the Atlantic Ocean and stretches in an eastern direction to the Moroccan-Algerian border. The view from the mountain was beautiful, and we had so many photo-ops there.

4.) Crossing the Todra valley and Dades valley

I was really excited to see the three valleys, especially the Todra valley. I have never seen a canyon before and this did not disappoint at all. It is huge and looks almost unreal.

5.) Enjoying the large dunes of Merzouga on a camel

Experiencing the Merzouga on a camel is indescribable. While the camels are not the most comfortable, the views while riding them are beyond awesome. We admired the attractive change of color at sunrise and sunset. It was beautiful.

6.) THE Sahara Desert 

Need I say more? The Sahara desert is one of the world most visited deserts and for good reason. The dunes are magnificent and just being there evokes a very surreal feeling. I am glad to have ticked this beautiful place off my list.

Sahara Desert Highlights (The bad)

I didn’t quite enjoy the long drive to the Sahara. I think that is the only bad that I can remember from the Sahara experience. Sitting for long hours at a stretch in a moving vehicle with very narrow roads wasn’t the best of experiences. However, we made stops on the way which made it slightly easier. If you are looking to visit the Sahara, get (mentally) prepared to spend many hours in a car.

Sahara Desert Highlights (The ugly)

The desert camp/tent. Oh, this wasn’t pleasant. Not in the slightest. We went for the basic accommodation (because we didn’t know better.) and it was a hot mess. The sleeping conditions were horrible, and I barely slept throughout the night. Thankfully, we only had one night to stay in the tents until it was time to head back to Marrakech. When I think about it now, it was all part of the experience but at the time; it wasn’t good at all. I’ll advise you to upgrade to the luxury tents as they are a lot more enjoyable.

Also, no wifi and telephone service in the desert but a digital detox during a trip is always a great idea and a good time to actually bond with your travel partners or the locals.

In conclusion- the overall desert experience (7/10)

I loved the desert experience and these are the kinds I love. Travel isn’t always rosy but we will talk about memories like this for a long time. I will recommend a trip to the Sahara Desert, some things you should do at least once. I think a 7/10 is a fair rating; I mean look at those views and monuments. The long drive to the desert and the nasty accommodation put a downer on the experience but what’s life without a little hiccup on the way?

Thank you for reading and following along on my Morocco travel adventures. This is officially the last in the series. If you missed the last two, click here for Chefchaoeun and here for Marrakech.

Did you enjoy reading my Morocco adventures? What city in Morocco are you most excited to visit? Let me know in the comments below.

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