Marrakesh Travel Forum

Hi, I need some help

I'm organising a 5-day trip for myself and my girlfriend to marrakesh, going early march and we are keen to spend a night or two camping in the dunes.

Any tips on sorting out this part of my tour please? all the other bits have been sorted out using VT.

is it cheaper to book this part of my tour once i am in marrakesh? if so what companies would you recommend me to go to once i get there? Or have you got any good websites where i can prebook this dune adventure cheaply?

what are your personal experiences when you went into the dunes? did you do camel riding, mint tea with berbers, music, dancing, meal prepared locally then camping under the stars? that is the kind of thing i'm dreamingabout!!

please help

You are lucky! maybe you may meet that actor Leonardo Dicaprio is in Marrakech;) That american artist began filmed scenes from the new movie "body of lies", the star will portray two days of Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, Morocco...a person said that he saw Leonardo Dicaprio get into a shop in marrakech and around him four bodyguards...
last news:)

We arranged a local guide with landrover and driver before we went, it worked out really good (and cheap). We travelled 2 hours or so by camel into the dunes and stayed overnight in Berber tent - amazing experience. Also the the Auberge we stayed on edge of dunes was brilliant, locals 'jamming' after dinner etc. Take a look at my Merzouga and Morocco pages and if you need any more info just mail me. Cheers

hi
i do allways post under question such as yours " desert decision" yes there is a chance to book it from marakech or true a websit some travllers do that kind of camping with lesnomadbevouac or with Assou and they are specialist about this trekking....
other travller go to a hotel or an agency to arrange for them any tour like this one but i doo allways prefer and advice if you take it with les nomad or Assou.
i actualy had an experience of 2 years there and i spent days and night in the duns and saw much diferent between serices of hotels and that local family and ale and ahmed .
my openion is that you have long menu of options....

enjoy it
celina

take the road to reach the duns and go in your camping with that family someone mentd or a hotel but prefer to control it hotel do offer that services too if you want it to be perfect you have to contact lesnomades or the guy smartidea talked about ." she allways talk about him around the forum" i tried with that family but that was a long time ago .and have no adresses or emails .
we payed 48€ don't know if that is cheap or not . but we enjoyed the trip and got a chance to see thier traditions .... my HP....

if you will organize that travel by yourself+your own it will be cheap and helpful for the next time .

I been to the Erg Chebi with a guide on my second and third trip to Merzougha. I had my parents with me on the second trip and found it to be a wonderful experience. The guide I used knew the place very well. The most wonderful part of the camping trip and trekking was the night sky and the morning sunrise. All food was provided for us and please do not forget your camera. The dunes are so beautiful and if you like being out somewhere without a crowd...that is the place to go. Of course , you will have to sit and drink tea with the berber nomads. We went the next day to stay at the Hotel Yasmina. Not a 5 star, but definitely good personnel at the hotel. You have a choice to accommodate yourself in a tent or a room. We chose the room. We were very satisfied with the help of our guide as I use the same one every time I return there. Oh, there is music , good food and more drinking of tea at the hotel. If you need more info,let me know. Have a safe trip .

Hi! You'll need to travel about 4 hours plus from Marrakech to experience the Sahara desert and the dunes. - either to Zagora or Merzouga.

Early March sleeping in the dunes will most likely be very cold - You'll need Your heavy duty sleeping bags for sleeping in the tents - never mind under the stars!

I did a trip in Sept 06 as part of an organised tour through Exodus travel -(based in the UK)

From Zagora, it was a camel ride into the Sahara, to our camp for the night, where we drank mint tea, had a lovely traditional meal, listened to local musicians - experienced a sand storm, 'slept' in the bivouac, got up to witness the sunrise over the dunes, breakfast, then back on the camels for the return trip to Zaqora.

It is easy to arrange Your independent trip from Zagora etc.

Please check out my (and other VTers )Zagora and/ or Merzouga pages for more info, pics and tips.

Please feel free to contact me for more info.
Best Wishes,
Sue

You can arrange a tour from any reputable Hotel OR Riad in Marrakech. For a more adventurous option (cheaper), shared taxi or a bus if you dont mind being crammed in with a bunch of locals.

I had an awesome experience with Omar from cameltrekking.com and I cannot rate him high enough, he is wonderful.

Hi,

Camping under the stars down in the dunes is a wonderful experience.Your 1st destination is Marrakech where you will see a lot of good things and be in close contact with authentic MOrocco.
2-3 days are enough to visit all palaces and historical sites in Marrkech.Then head towards the Atlas mountains and the sand dunes(Ourzazate,ZAGORA) OR (Ouarzazate-Erfoud via the DADES )
If you needs more tips,please feel free to email at:
rachid_qotaibah2002@yahoo.fr

Cheers,
Rachid

i really do not exept good experiene if you go with a hotel groups organized may be it's cheaper but you will not enjoy the adventure you looking for.
les nomades or the family at the edge of the desert towns is good choice .late of DIc friends of mine went with the nomads family and it was a fab experience even thier prices are allmost between 40€<->50€ . starting thier tour from ourzazat ....at hotels peopl payed 25€ becaus they will be ok with that price as many caravans go to the duns evryday so the boss won't miss higher price of 25person or 15person .
allways in groups and diner in a group of strangers .
atleast it's a chnace to meet other travllers joinded the same group.
good luck

hello,
no problem , if you want i can help you , i m berber too
omar

heya Just thought I'd confirm that we did go to marakesh and had a wonderful time!

for anyone interested, we got in touch with a guy named Rachid.rachid.ouargaga@gmail.com He was really flexible, and sorted out camping in the sahara for us, as well as visiting far flung places such as ourzazate, zagora etc

Hi! Glad you had a good trip - look forward to reading all about it!
Best Wishes
Sue