Staff Educational: Moroccan Sahara Discovery
Date Posted: 01/12/2023
From sunsets and shooting stars to sensational cuisine and the Sahara Desert, G Adventures’ five-day tour of Morocco makes for a truly unforgettable experience! Live the ultimate desert dream as you cross the red sand by camel, experience the thrills of a 4x4 dune ride and spend your evenings roasting marshmallows by the campfire. Want to find out more? We caught up with Elloise from our Social Media team who recently experienced this once in a lifetime Moroccan adventure…
Day One
We arrived at Marrakech airport early afternoon armed with suitcases, sunglasses, and suncream ready for the adventure that lay ahead. Mustapha, our CEO for the trip, greeted us with pure excitement and enthusiasm which was a sign of things to come! After boarding the private coach, switching on the aircon, and settling into our seats we set our sights on our first stop, Ouarzazate. But not before making a quick stop off at a lovely local restaurant in Marrakesh called Winoo for a bite of lunch. One of Morocco’s most famous local dishes is the Tagine, packed with delicious flavours ranging from lamb to chicken and packed with lots of veg. Of course, we had to give this a try and let me tell you it certainly didn’t disappoint!
With our stomachs satisfied, we hit the road again heading towards our hotel for the evening. The scenery was second to none as we took to the winding lanes through the stunning Atlas Mountains! The towering peaks were accompanied by traditional villages and roadside stalls giving us a true sense of Morocco. We made a few stops along the way to hop out and enjoy the sights before we arrived at our final destination for the day, Hotel Les Jardins de Ouarzazate.
Set in a green garden oasis with a large outdoor swimming pool, the hotel was a welcomed sight after a long day of travelling. After settling into our traditionally decorated rooms, it was time for our evening meal. Freshly made soup, couscous, tagines, omelettes, and an array of fruit filled the table in a Moroccan style three course banquet. Accompanied by live music and an incredible atmosphere, the evening passed us by in a flash and we soon retreated back to our rooms ready for an early start tomorrow morning.
Day Two
After filling up on the buffet style breakfast we said goodbye to Hotel Les Jardins and started our journey towards the famous Atlas Film Studio. Here you can tour the sets of some of the world’s most iconic movies and tv shows such as Game of Thrones, Gladiator, The Mummy and Star Wars. The tour lasts around an hour with the expert guide giving you a rundown of each set and which big screen moment you can find it in. It was great to compare how the sets looked in real life and to see firsthand the amount of attention and detail that goes into them.
Following a quick lunch stop in Zagora, we now set our sights on the main attraction for the week, the Sahara Desert. Once we arrived at our drop off point, we had a 2 hour walk ahead of us over the sandy terrane and through the golden dunes in order to reach our camp for the night. Before setting off on our journey Mustapha kindly helped us put on our head scarves to protect us from the sun and any potential sandstorms. The scenery along the way was spectacular as we passed by nothing but desert trees and camel riders in the glow of the Moroccan sun. All of our belongings were transported to the camp by jeep, so we didn’t have to worry about carrying anything except our water (and cameras of course for the all-important photos).
Once we reached the Erg Lihoudi Desert Camp, we each explored our spacious tents. Although fairly basic, the accommodation was comfortable and well decorated with Moroccan style patterns adorning the walls, floors, and bedding. A large tent was decked out for mealtimes as well as rugs and cushions laid outside ready for stargazing. There are shared bathroom facilities although again, these are very basic with no running water. We were able to have a shower of sorts with a private cubicle and a fresh bucket of water but be warned the water is cold. It wasn’t as bad as it seemed though and did help us freshen up for the day.
The overall camp gave off a comforting and homely feel with stunning views of the Sahara surrounding you in every direction. We spent the first part of the night enjoying a delicious traditional spread prepared by the camp chef before getting ourselves ready for an evening of entertainment. This was one of the real highlights of the trip for me and turned out to be such a memorable night. After building a roaring campfire, the staff pulled out their drums and played Moroccan music. The atmosphere was incredible as everyone danced around the fire under the starlit sky. We ended the night on a real high and went to bed excited to see where the following days adventures would take us.
Day Three
We rose bright and early this morning ready to catch our first desert sunrise. The nearby dunes made for the perfect viewing point as we took our seats on the red sand, watching out over the vast, untouched land. The view was unmatched as the Moroccan sun made its way over the top of the sandbanks, casting a golden glow as far as the eye could see.
After a lovely breakfast, it was time for the first of today’s activities – camel riding! I must admit, I was slightly nervous for this as it isn’t something I’ve done before but the whole experience was super fun. Our guides gave us clear instructions on how to properly mount and dismount the camel in order to keep everyone safe and the overall process went a lot smoother than I anticipated. Once we were ready to go, the staff lead the camels in groups of 3 or 4 across the desert towards our next stop. The journey lasted two hours with a break halfway through where we able to get off, stretch our legs and feed the camels a quick fruity snack.
Following the second leg of our ride, we arrived at our lunch stop where the ever-efficient team had drove out and created a lovely set up under the shade of a large tree. We all welcomed the time to relax in the sun as we waited for lunch to be prepared. As usual, we were spoiled with a delicious banquet of salad, tagines, omelettes, beans and more! Each dish was fresh and packed with flavour so it’s safe to say our plates were clear by the end.
Our travel to the next camp was a bit more luxurious as we hopped in a fleet of 4x4 jeeps and set off across the dunes. The excitement as we raced up and down the sandbanks was in no short supply as our driver took us on a thrilling adventure. Around an hour later we arrived at our second camp of the trip, Rass Nkhal Oasis. The set up here was a lot more simplistic with small camping tents for each of us to sleep in, 2 large tents (one for holding supplies and cooking food and one for us to dine in), and the usual rugs and cushions laid out in the middle of the camp to allow us to gather together. There were 2 toilets (think very basic portaloos) but no showers, sinks or hot water. I’ve personally never been camping and thought that this kind of set up would be a challenge, but it really wasn’t as bad as I thought. The staff placed buckets of water and soap to be able to wash your hands and we each had our own toiletries to help keep us feeling fresh.
We spent what was left of the afternoon chilling in the camp before we headed up the nearby sand dunes to watch the sunset. The view was absolutely breathtaking once again as we watched the sun disappeared behind the horizon leaving the desert in darkness. We were in no rush to make our way back to the camp, so we spent some time chatting, enjoying the atmosphere, and even letting our competitive sides take over as we raced across the sand from dune to dune.
Once we were back in camp it was time for dinner, another beautifully prepared meal filled with fresh ingredients and traditional dishes. With our stomachs full we turned off all the lights in the camp and set ourselves up under the stars for what turned out to be my absolute favourite moment of the whole trip! Away from the hustle and bustle of city life we had the perfect view of the night sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight as the stars shined brightly, lighting up the night in a truly mesmerizing way. From comets flying past to galaxies filling the sky, it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The absolute highlight though was the shooting stars! I was lucky enough to see three myself but within the whole team we spotted many more, it was such a surreal experience.
As if the night couldn’t get any better, the staff got to work building another campfire, which was accompanied with live music ready for another evening of fun. One of the team also brought along marshmallows to roast on the fire which was an added bonus! With our sticks at the ready, we plunged the delicious, sweet treats into the flames and enjoyed the melted mallows to the fullest. But that wasn’t the end of the yummy goodies. The staff made a traditional Morocco bread dough by hand and placed it in the centre of the fire embers to bake before covering it with the ashes. It took around 5 minutes to bake and when it was done, we were all able to try a sample. As expected, it tasted divine and was still warm too, even better. We called it a night after this, and all retreated back to our tents (which were surprisingly comfy) for a good night’s sleep.
Day Four
We arose early for another sunrise which was equally as beautiful as the last. Wrapped in blankets, we watched the day begin from the top of the dunes before enjoying our fresh breakfast spread in camp. The 4x4 fleet then transported us back to city life as we said goodbye to the Sahara Desert for the final time.
In the town of Tamegroute, we were lucky enough to meet with Ahmed, a local guide who showed us around the village. We started in the housing estate where a lot of the residents live, it was fascinating to see the structure of the buildings including the shared kitchen where the local women make fresh bread to sell.
From here, we headed over to the pottery factory around the corner, again where a lot of families make a living. You could see the smoke billowing out as the ceramics are set in the fire ovens. Our guide showed us into a small room where each family has their own pottery wheel to spin the clay into impressive designs. We got a firsthand demonstration of this as Ahmed took to the wheel. In a manner so effortless it was nothing short of impressive, he quickly made a small, and completely perfect, tagine pot which would be used to hold spices. After this we were shown how each piece is laid out in the sun to dry for a few days to a week, depending on the time of year due to weather, before being dunked in glaze and placed in the fire ovens.
We then got the chance to walk around the factory store. With mugs and pots filling the shelves and plates lining the walls, there was a colourful array of ceramics everywhere we looked. The beautiful designs made it difficult to choose just a few pieces and I suspect if we had more room in our suitcases, we would have spent a lot more!
Next stop was Zagora for a spot of lunch and a quick freshen up. We each checked into a hotel room to take a shower and wash away the desert sand before hitting the road again towards our final destination of the day, Skoura. Here we settled into our accommodation for the evening, Skoura Lodge. The gated grounds were stunning with small lodges lining the left side of the property as you enter, a refreshing pool to the right and a traditional Moroccan style hotel at the end of the walkway.
We were lucky enough to stay in the small lodges, each fitted with a small bathroom and beautifully decorated. After a quick change of clothes, we made our way to the restaurant for our last meal of the holiday together. As usual, the food was delicious, and the night quickly passed us by as we sat in the outdoor garden area reminiscing on the memories from our amazing trip.
Day Five
Day five is where our tour sadly came to an end. We had another early start as we set off towards Marrakesh at 4:30am. The drive is quite a long one, roughly 4.5 hours, however with a coffee stop halfway and a box of tasty goodies provided by the hotel to keep us going, it wasn’t long before we arrived at the airport ready to say our goodbyes and head off back home.
I couldn't fault G adventures at all! The whole trip went by smoothly without us having to worry about a thing and the enthusiasm and friendliness of our tour guide Mustapha made the whole holiday all the more memorable!
I feel so lucky to have been given the chance to experience this trip and it has truly given me a new perspective on tour holidays. Prior to this, it wouldn't have been something I would have gone out and booked myself however now not only would I do it again, but I would also encourage others to as well!
