Erg Chebbi, Morocco
One of my favorite places in the world is Erg Chebbi, part of the Saharan Desert in south Morocco. Most trips to Erg Chebbi include a camel ride out to the desert to spend the night under the stars (or in a tent). If camels aren’t your thing, some sites are accessible by vehicle for a price. There are many tour providers and most are between $50-$70/night. This usually includes transportation from town (Erfoud) to the lodge, a place to store your belongings, camel trek, tent, dinner/breakfast, and a shower when you get back from the desert. The beauty of a trip like this is that you are away from electricity and running water. It is so peaceful in the desert and the stars are the brightest you will ever see. We chose to sleep outside our tent so we could be under the stars; the weather is perfect!
You will leave your lodge for the desert in early evening. There could be other people traveling with your group. All camels are saddled with supplies and then strung together. You will each climb on and ride 1.5 hours on top of a camel. I will warn you, it is not the most comfortable experience and you will probably be sore when it is over. Your guide leads you through the desert where most of the time, you will only see sand. Then when you arrive at camp, you will have time to climb to the top of the closest dune to watch the sunset. A traditional tagine is cooked by fire for dinner and then after mint tea and traditional song and dance it will be time to sleep. In the morning, you will wake up and have the option of climbing the dune to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, you will ride back to your lodge for a shower before departing.
Erg Chebbi is difficult to get to and can be much easier if you rent a car. I traveled to Erfoud by bus both times and had someone from the lodge come to pick me up since it is nearly impossible to get to lodges without a vehicle. It is a long trip from all major cities in Morocco but the desert is so beautiful it is worth any extra effort.
You will leave your lodge for the desert in early evening. There could be other people traveling with your group. All camels are saddled with supplies and then strung together. You will each climb on and ride 1.5 hours on top of a camel. I will warn you, it is not the most comfortable experience and you will probably be sore when it is over. Your guide leads you through the desert where most of the time, you will only see sand. Then when you arrive at camp, you will have time to climb to the top of the closest dune to watch the sunset. A traditional tagine is cooked by fire for dinner and then after mint tea and traditional song and dance it will be time to sleep. In the morning, you will wake up and have the option of climbing the dune to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, you will ride back to your lodge for a shower before departing.
Erg Chebbi is difficult to get to and can be much easier if you rent a car. I traveled to Erfoud by bus both times and had someone from the lodge come to pick me up since it is nearly impossible to get to lodges without a vehicle. It is a long trip from all major cities in Morocco but the desert is so beautiful it is worth any extra effort.
