Morocco Camel Trek | 6 Days from M’Hamid to Erg Zahar (round-trip)

Morocco camel trekking tour to Erg Zeher - Morocco desert hike - hiking in the Sahara - Morocco camel trek - Sahara trek 

Overview

Clear your head, your body, and your heart by immersing yourself in the peaceful solitude of a Sahara trek. In this six-day Morocco Camel Trekking Tour, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in nomadic desert trekking life. You will see diverse desert landscapes, eat mouth-watering traditional food, and sleep in wild Morocco desert camps or under the stars. Although there will be plenty of trekking, we will also have a lot of time to relax and take breaks from camel trekking. You will return with a refreshed heart and soul from the cleansing power of the desert. 

Highlights

  • Learn about nomadic Morocco camel trekking 
  • Discover elusive desert wildlife along your camel trek
  • Watch a sublime Sahara sunset from Erg Zeher's tall summit
  • Relax from camel trekking under the Milky Way or in cozy Morocco desert camps

Itinerary

Day 1: M'Hamid - Sidi Naji

The beginning of our Morocco camel trek: a sacred shrine 

Your Morocco camel trek will start in the morning around 9 am. You can either arrive in the morning or stay in our traditional adobe-style Morocco desert camp the night before (free delicious breakfast included). We will greet you with tea, as is our custom, and discuss the camel trek ahead to make sure you have everything you need for our Morocco desert hike.

After packing up our camels, we start our Sahara trek towards the wild desert and the big dunes of Erg Zahar. It won't take long to become immersed in the quiet solitude of the Sahara. We will soon take a break from trekking and enjoy our lunch in the shadow of a swaying palm tree at the end of the oasis around M'Hamid. Lunch is followed by a cup of traditional Nomad tea to get energy for the rest of our camel trekking tour for the day. As the sun sets, we will set up a wild Morocco desert camp near Sidi Naji (a sacred shrine of the nomad people). We spend the night with a delicious traditional dinner under the starlit sky.


Day 2: Sidi Naji - Azmaila

Finding our camel's rhythm in the beauty of Azmaila and an ancient desert castle

Waking up refreshed in the cool morning air, we will start to settle into our routine of tea and a delicious breakfast in the soft light. We continue our Sahara trek in the picturesque landscape of Azmaila, a storied region between the mountains and the foothills of the Erg Zeher dune field. Discover old stories and ruins of castles in the desert along ancient caravan routes. We cross dunes, plateaus of clay, and dry river beds. Lunch is provided under tamarisk trees where we relax during the hottest part of the day. 


Day 3: Azmaila - Erg Zahar

The culmination of our Morocco camel trekking tour: Erg Zeher

On day three, we set our sights on the highest dune in the region, Erg Zahar. As we trek further into the heart of the desert, you will soon see the sea of sand leading up to the peaks of Erg Zeher's largest dunes in the distance. You will feel the deep, healing solitude here in the heart of the desert. We end our camel trek in the late afternoon and set up our Morocco desert camp. You will be free to trek to the summit of the highest dunes to enjoy the view and watch a breathtaking desert sunset. As the sky dims, and stars begin to appear, we will relax together and share stories over cookies and tea after our long day of camel trekking. We will have dinner and sleep under the Milky Way or inside our Morocco desert tents.


Day 4: Erg Zahar - Nabkate Sidi Tayab

Learning about desert wildlife along our Morocco camel trek

Our Sahara trek will continue from Erg Zahar to the ruins of a village in Erg Smar, located at the Draa river. We trek along the Draa River valley and have lunch in the shade of tamarisks. As we trek, settling into the rhythm of our camels again, we may see white desert foxes, elegant desert birds, and little scarab beetles. We will also teach you about the plants of the desert, which ones are important for life in this climate, and which ones are dangerous to eat. After a short time, we reach Nabkate Sidi Tayap where trees grow along an underground river. We sleep in tents or beneath the stars.


Day 5: Nabkate Sidi Tayab - Bertham

A hidden, ancient fertile valley in the desert 

After a refreshing breakfast, we camel trek to Lebore, a once-fertile valley where nomads grew wheat for bread. We have lunch, and climb up the beautiful dunes of Erg Bertham. We set up our Morocco desert camp and watch the sparks of our fire flying into the sky. This is our last night together, so we cook a special dinner. 


Day 6: Bertham - Mzouaria - M'Hamid

The last day of our Morocco Camel Trekking Tour

We have breakfast and start our camel trek towards M'Hamid El Ghizlane. Lunch will be near the small dunes around M'Hamid before trekking to our basecamp in the afternoon. There, we can enjoy the adobe-style Morocco desert camp, have a shower, and take a rest from all our desert trekking. At this point, we have learned so much about each other, and it can be sad to say goodbye! Although you've only been gone for a few days, your heart and mind will feel peaceful and refreshed from the tranquil desert.

Gear List 

Packed by us:

    •  All Group Cooking Gear
    •  Camp Furniture
    •  Cots and Sleeping Pads
    •  Group First Aid Kit
    •  Traditional Berber Tent(s)

Packed by you (Highly Recommended):

    • Sun protection (Sunglasses, Sunscreen, and a Hat)
    • Ziplock Bags (to protect electronics from the sand)
    • Flashlight or Headlamp
    • Hiking Pants (Lightweight)
    • Hiking Shoes or Sandals
    • Warm Jacket and/or Vest (for cooler night temperatures)
    • Long Sleeve Shirts (Synthetic, Lightweight)
    • T-Shirt (Cotton or Synthetic)
    • Backpack or small to mid-sized duffle bag*

*  You can leave large baggage at our basecamp free of charge.

Other Information

Weather

It's always sunny and warm during the day in the Sahara, but make sure to bring cozy layers for at night! Here are normal temperatures for specific seasons.

Season                                           __         Temperature (C)                     Temperature (F)

    Winter (Dec-Jan)                                        15-25  (day), 5-10 (night)         60-80 (day), 40-50 (night)

    Spring and Fall (Feb-Apr/Sept-Nov)         20-30 (day), 5-15 (night)          70-85 (day), 40-60 (night)

    Summer (May-August):                            Up to 50                                       Up to 120


Food

All meals are included on our trek. Please let us know in advance if you would like us to prepare vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free meals. 


Transportation

For clients traveling by bus/taxi/rental car:

There are taxis and CTM buses (similar to Flixbus or Greyhound) to and from multiple destinations (Zagora, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Casablanca...). For example, there are daily departures of the CTM bus from Marrakech at 11:15 am, and daily return leaving from MHamid at 6:15 am. The destination on CTM website is called “Lamhamid Ghozlane”, and it's the last stop. We are happy to pick you up at the bus station.

If you would like to be picked up from the airport or your hotel/riad in one of the following cities, please consider one of our 4x4 tours: 

> Departing from Casablanca

> Departing from Marrakech

> Departing from Agadir

> Departing from Ouarzazet

> Departing from Zagora


Parking

If needed, you can park your rental car at our basecamp free of charge.

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