Morocco – The Sahara Trail –
Morocco’s Sahara lies south of the Atlas Mountains and is easily reachable by paved roads from Marrakech. Once you reached the Sahara though, the paved roads stop…
When we talk about the Sahara we talk about size. Similar in size to America or China, the Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. It touches 10 different countries in North Africa, among them Morocco, and stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea and from the Mediterranean to the Sahel. The Sahara does not have a uniform appearance, it includes mountain ranges (highest peak 3420m), small areas below sea level, gravel plains, dried up lakes and valleys, and salt flats. Less than 20% of the Sahara is covered in sand! Hot, dry and sunny! Some areas of the Sahara receive the maximum limit of sunshine any part of the earth can receive (91%) with average day time temperatures above 40° and maximum day time temperatures approaching 50°. The wettest parts of the Sahara still receive less than 200mm annually, with some areas receiving around 0.5mm annually only.
Once upon a time, the Sahara was green, wet and full of life. These days, less than 4 million people live in this vast area, most of them still with a strong cultural and emotional connection to Nomadic tribal life.
Highlights
The stunning drive from Marrakech, crossing The High Atlas Mountains and through the beautiful Draa Valley (the second biggest palm oasis in the world). We walked for 2 days over stoney riverbeds and rocky Hamadas, encountering some oases and desert agriculture areas. After this enjoyable ‘run-in’, we reached the dunes, where we trekked for another 4 days. The dunes are spectacular with vast, sculpted waves of sand that shift with the wind and glow in shades of gold, rose, and deep orange. We camped under the stars, trekked from dune to dune and (optional) rode our camels from time to time. Camping in the Sahara is quiet, stunning and truly remarkable.
Itinerary
The standard itinerary is 9 days but can be altered on group request. Start in finish in Marrakech. We have comfortable Riads in Marrakech and Ouarzazate, combined with camping in the desert. We make sure that we pick the most suitable time of the year and focus on the sand dune area near M’Hamid.
Trail history
March and April 2018, German groups in cooperation with Wuestenwanderer.de
March 2019, September 2019, March 2020 (abandoned halfway because of Covid), March 2024, March 2025, British Tt groups.
Future trails
A Sahara Trail is in the planning again for March 2027, a German group.
Morocco – The Sahara Trail –
Morocco’s Sahara lies south of the Atlas Mountains and is easily reachable by paved roads from Marrakech. Once you reached the Sahara though, the paved roads stop…
When we talk about the Sahara we talk about size. Similar in size to America or China, the Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. It touches 10 different countries in North Africa, among them Morocco, and stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea and from the Mediterranean to the Sahel. The Sahara does not have a uniform appearance, it includes mountain ranges (highest peak 3420m), small areas below sea level, gravel plains, dried up lakes and valleys, and salt flats. Less than 20% of the Sahara is covered in sand! Hot, dry and sunny! Some areas of the Sahara receive the maximum limit of sunshine any part of the earth can receive (91%) with average day time temperatures above 40° and maximum day time temperatures approaching 50°. The wettest parts of the Sahara still receive less than 200mm annually, with some areas receiving around 0.5mm annually only.
Once upon a time, the Sahara was green, wet and full of life. These days, less than 4 million people live in this vast area, most of them still with a strong cultural and emotional connection to Nomadic tribal life.
Highlights
The stunning drive from Marrakech, crossing The High Atlas Mountains and through the beautiful Draa Valley (the second biggest palm oasis in the world). We walked for 2 days over stoney riverbeds and rocky Hamadas, encountering some oases and desert agriculture areas. After this enjoyable ‘run-in’, we reached the dunes, where we trekked for another 4 days. The dunes are spectacular with vast, sculpted waves of sand that shift with the wind and glow in shades of gold, rose, and deep orange. We camped under the stars, trekked from dune to dune and (optional) rode our camels from time to time. Camping in the Sahara is quiet, stunning and truly remarkable.
Itinerary
The standard itinerary is 9 days but can be altered on group request. Start in finish in Marrakech. We have comfortable Riads in Marrakech and Ouarzazate, combined with camping in the desert. We make sure that we pick the most suitable time of the year and focus on the sand dune area near M’Hamid.
Trail history
March and April 2018, German groups in cooperation with Wuestenwanderer.de
March 2019, September 2019, March 2020 (abandoned halfway because of Covid), March 2024, March 2025, British Tt groups.
Future trails
A Sahara Trail is in the planning again for March 2027, a German group.
