Discover the Moroccan desert with your family
Discover the Moroccan desert: Every trip should be a unique experience. It’s even truer that a successful family trip is a major challenge. To meet this challenge, our agency offers you a family tour of the Moroccan desert. We offer you private excursions and tours during which you can visit the Moroccan Sahara as a family.
You’ll discover breathtaking landscapes while enjoying recreational activities. The Moroccan desert is much more than sand dunes, green oases and starry skies. It’s a place where you can live out of time and away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. You can relax, sample Moroccan dishes and enjoy memorable family activities. Morocco’s desert is a must-see if you’re visiting Morocco. Its discovery is an experience that can strengthen your family ties and give you the opportunity to learn more about a culture different from your own.
Activities to do when visiting the Moroccan desert:
Discover the Moroccan desert: Camel ride:
When it comes to the desert, camel riding is usually the activity that comes first. That’s because it’s an activity that’s only practiced in deserts. What’s more, it’s an activity you can enjoy together on your family trip to the Moroccan desert. Even the little ones can ride a camel accompanied by a parent. This activity lets you slip into the shoes of a desert nomad. Depending on your departure time, you’ll also be able to admire the sun setting over the sand dunes during your ride.
Quad or Buggy:
For thrill-seekers or rally racers, quad biking or buggy riding will give you your adrenalin fix. Note that your quad rides will be organized and supervised by professionals. Well in advance of the activity, you and your loved ones will be provided with a range of safety equipment and instructions to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Hot-air ballooning:
You can also take to the skies of southern Morocco in a hot-air balloon. Take advantage of this activity to see the Moroccan desert from a different perspective. Some hot-air balloons can accommodate up to ten people. So you can enjoy this activity with your whole family.
Trekking or hiking in the Moroccan desert:
The Moroccan desert also offers magnificent landscapes and sand dunes that you can explore on foot. Although this activity can be quite physical in some cases, it’s well worth the effort. As with a camel ride, you’ll walk in the shoes of a desert nomad. You’ll also be able to take breaks and let your children have fun in this great expanse of sand, or share a cup of tea like the nomads of yesteryear.
Discover the Moroccan desert: Sandboarding:
While you’re exploring the Morocco tours and desert, consider sandboarding. It’s an original activity, ideal in the desert, which will give you a thrill and can be enjoyed by the whole family. Sandboarding is like surfing, but instead of big waves, it’s practiced on immense sand dunes. Sandboarding can be practiced in a number of places, including Erg Chebbi and Erg Chegaga.
Sand bath:
Psammatotherapy, arenotherapy, sand therapy or sand bathing is a form of alternative medicine. It is mainly practiced in the Merzouga desert. The bath is suitable for anyone suffering from rheumatism, polyarthritis or lower back pain. The practice is as simple as its name suggests. Under professional supervision, you immerse a large part of your body in the hot desert sand. Originally practised by locals, this alternative medicine is attracting more and more people.
Bivouac in the Moroccan desert:
This is certainly the activity that will immerse you the most during your family trip to the Moroccan desert. You’ll be able to spend the night in the desert. You and your family will enjoy a gourmet Moroccan meal. What’s more, your Moroccan desert tour will include a campfire show, and you’ll spend the night in a tent. And if you’re into astrology, the desert sky offers a wide variety of constellations to contemplate.
4X4 trekking:
Hiking by 4X4 is much the same as hiking. The two main differences are the places to visit and the physical exercise required. Indeed, some areas of the Moroccan desert cannot be reached with a vehicle, even an off-road one. Nevertheless, a 4X4 raid is still a worthwhile way to explore Morocco. Secondly, while it’s true that this activity doesn’t require any physical exertion, it can be a great way to relax while exploring the diverse Moroccan landscape.
Some of the places that make up the Moroccan desert:
Ouarzazate:
Ouarzazate, also known as Morocco’s Hollywood, is a magnificent desert town with dreamlike scenery. Many successful international films and series have benefited from them. You can also visit the kasbah of Aït-Ben-Haddou on your private family tour of the Moroccan deserts.
Zagora (Nkhila and Tinfou dunes):
An important town in southern Morocco, Zagora is a must-see for families. Located around 26 km from Zagora, the Tinfou desert dunes are a foretaste of the Moroccan desert. These dunes are also known as the Gates of the Desert or the Zagora Desert. They will surprise you with their timeless and splendid scenery. A little further afield, you can visit the Nkhila sand dunes. With your family, you’ll be able to get away from the noise of the big cities and explore this desert in peace and quiet. Whether on camelback, on foot or in a 4X4, Nkhila offers a wide range of possibilities for excursions or tours in the Moroccan desert with your young ones.
M’Hamid (Erg Chegaga):
Located in the extreme south-east of Morocco, M’Hamid is at the gateway to the Moroccan desert. As the last oasis before reaching the arid territories of the Hamada, M’Hamid is an ideal starting point for more in-depth exploration of Morocco’s diverse desert landscapes. These include Erg Chegaga. Lying mainly to the west of M’Hamid, you’ll need to travel some 50 sandy tracks before reaching it. Given its vastness, there’s a plethora of activities available. Erg Chegaga is made up of several sand dunes, some of which can reach 40 m in height. A perfect environment for sandboarding.
Merzouga (Erg Chebbi):
Before it was a desert, Merzouga was a village in southwest Morocco’s Tafilalet valley. The Merzouga desert is one of the most beautiful places in Morocco. It’s a place that offers both a vast expanse of sand (around 110 km²) and a complete change of scenery, as well as a complete immersion in the Moroccan Sahara. There, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the immense dunes of Erg Chebbi, some of which reach 150 m, and to enjoy a wide range of activities, including trekking, camel riding, spending the night in a camp and much more…
Drâa Valley:
The Drâa Valley is a unique place in Morocco, distinguished by the richness of its nature. Located between Agdz and M’Hamid, the Drâa Valley is an oasis that stretches for almost 200 km and is made up of mountains and stretches of desert. Its main feature is that it is crossed by the Drâa River, which rises in the Atlas Mountains before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. This valley is sure to add a special touch to your family trip to Morocco. Its lush vegetation and surrounding landscapes of stone and sand offer a magnificent transition to the desert.
Discover the Moroccan desert with your family: Agafay:
If you’re visiting Marrakech and want a desert experience without straying too far from the city, the Agafay desert is just what you need. Not far from Marrakech, you can enjoy a unique experience at Agafay. Several activities such as quad or buggy racing, camel riding, tent bivouacking and many others will be available during your excursion through the Moroccan desert with your family members. Although the Agafay desert is not far from the city, you and your family can nevertheless experience a real moment out of time in an equally magnificent place.
Marrakech palm grove:
As its name suggests, the Marrakech palm grove is located in Marrakech. During your visit to the city, treat yourself to a moment of relaxation as you stroll along the palm-fringed paths. Whether on camelback, quad bike or buggy, the Marrakech palm grove will exert its special charm on you and your children.