The excursion to the desert of Marrakech is an essential activity on any trip to Morocco. Contemplating the vastness of the desert, with the sun hitting your face and the dunes at your feet will make you feel like Lawrence of Arabia. And with Marrakech Tripper you will have great peace of mind while contemplating the desert tours in Marrakech.

However, we must tell you that the desert of Marrakech does not exist as such. What the traveler looking for the desert of Marrakech really wants to visit is the great Sahara desert. Most travelers who want to visit the northern part of the Sahara, use Marrakech as a base, hence the confusion with the name.

However, the Sahara Desert is one of the largest areas of land in the world, with an area similar to that of China. Given its extension, the Sahara passes through several countries, so it can be approached from Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Sudan or Niger, among others.

Having this clear, we can call it again "Desert of Marrakech", as the northern part of the Sahara in Morocco.

THE TWO FACES OF THE DESERT OF MARRAKECH

An extension as immense as that of the desert trips from Marrakech does not have a single facet but shows different types of terrain depending on the area.

From Marrakech, we can see two totally different faces of the Sahara: Zagora and Merzouga.

The Zagora Desert

The Zagora desert is the closest to Marrakech, just 350 km away. The Zagora desert is far from the image of a desert that we usually have in our heads. His physiology is much arider and rocky than we would expect in a desert.

This does not mean that it does not have sand, much less. It simply does not have the huge successions of dunes that exist in other parts of the Sahara. The landscape in Zagora is dotted with rock formations of all sizes, instead of the endless sea of sand.

If your trip to desert tours from Marrakech is short or, for whatever reason, you cannot spend much time in the desert, Zagora is your best option. You can find excursions to Zagora for only 2 days, spending a night in the desert.

Although the Zagora desert is only 350 km from Marrakech, the state of the roads in Morocco must be taken into account. It will take you about 6 hours to get there by car, hence it takes at least 2 days to visit it.

The Merzouga Desert

Also called Erg Chebbi, the Merzouga Desert is all we imagine when we think of a desert. Large sand dunes up to 150 meters high that are lost on the horizon and a sense of immensity that will make us feel very small. The desert of Merzouga is something that is recorded in the memory of the visitor.

To visit the Merzouga desert from Morocco, we will need at least a 3-day and 2-night excursion. Merzouga has located 570 km from Marrakech, which translates into a 9-hour round trip by car.

Ouarzazate, the door of the desert

Ouarzazate is a small but impressive city located about 200 km southeast of Marrakech. It is a must-stop on all desert excursions that leave from Marrakech, which allows visitors to explore the city for two or three hours. However, you may prefer to come on your own and prepare your visit to the desert while enjoying this jewel in time.

The fortified city, the built-in reddish stone is a place of film. You'll love getting lost in its streets for hours.

Ouarzazate is known as "The Hollywood of Africa" as there are several film studios in the city. The best known are the Atlas Studios, where films such as Asterix and Cleopatra or The Ten Commandments were recorded. A visit to Atlas Studios is a good way to immerse yourself in part of the history of cinema.

In addition, in Ouazarte you can visit the Kasbah of Taourirt, the largest Kasbah of Morocco and the oasis of Fint, an explosion of life between the aridity of the mountains in the area.