The Sahara: Yes, You Have to Sleep in a Tent

The Long Drive

Let's be real right away: getting to the Sahara desert from Marrakech takes a long time. It's a solid 10-hour drive. Most people break it up into a 2 or 3-day tour, stopping at the Atlas Mountains and ancient kasbahs along the way. Do not try to do it as a day trip. It's physically impossible.

Merzouga vs Zagora

You'll see two options for desert trips. Zagora is closer (only 6 hours), but the dunes are small and rocky. Merzouga is the far one, but it has the massive, orange, rolling sand dunes you've seen in movies. Go to Merzouga. It's worth the extra driving.

The Camel Ride

You usually arrive at the edge of the desert right before sunset. You pack a small overnight bag, hop on a camel, and ride into the dunes for an hour. Camels are tall, grumpy, and riding them is a bit uncomfortable on the hips, but the silence of the desert is completely magic.

The Night

You sleep in a Berber camp. These days, the camps are pretty luxurious—most have real beds, flush toilets, and hot showers right in the tent. After dinner, the guides play drums around a campfire. Walk a few minutes away from the fire, lie on your back in the sand, and look up. I promise you have never seen stars like that in your life. You will see the entire Milky Way.