The Sahara desert is located in almost all of North Africa and is the largest hot desert on the planet. If you want to visit it, you can discover it in 11 countries: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Sudan, Tunes and Western Sahara.
A desert is not simply sand dunes as many people could imagine, it consists of various environments such as rocky areas, arid deserts, salt flats and you can even find oasis. Although sand dunes is not everything , the dunes are one of the most visited places because they are impressive and can reach almost 180 meters high.
Although it is hard to believe, the Sahara Desert and the Amazon jungle are connected. Thanks to the winds, it is estimated that in a year almost 30 tons of phosforus grains of sand travel to the jungle and help the growth of plants and soil fertility.
If there was something I dreamed of doing when visiting Morocco it was to be able to spend a few nights here and discover the desert. We have decided to enjoy this experience and stay in the best style, so we stayed with Dihya Desert Camp , a place that will make you fall in love.
Get ready because here is everything you need to know:
How to get to the desert
If you want to discover the Sahara in Morocco, you must go to Merzouga. To visit this country, I recommend you take a tour with Corazón de Marruecos, this was our case and the truth is it was perfect. You have a car that takes you to every city and you have a guide who explains everything to you and knows very good places to stop.
When you arrive in Merzouga, I recommend you have a place to camp by then because the vast majority are far away and getting there is not so easy. Hassan (our guide) took us directly to our camp and helped us schedule the following desert days with Dihya Desert Camp.
Dihya Desert Camp
Have you ever imagined what paradise is like? Well I would believe that it is something similar to this. In the middle of the dunes, you will find this incredible luxury camp that will make you feel at home. You have nothing to worry about other than relaxing and enjoying the views.
Along with luxurious accommodations, Dihya Desert Camp serves spectacular meals where you can enjoy incredible Moroccan flavors and then go gaze at the stars in the desert along with traditional music.
Desert activities
Sunrise and sunset in the dunes:
I definitely recommend spending at least 2 nights so you can see how the desert works. It is incredible to wake up and watch the sunrise from the dunes that surround the camp and see how the colors change throughout the day to discover how wonderful the sunset is.
Dromedaries:
You cannot leave the desert without meeting the most typical animals here. Unlike many beliefs, the ones found in Morocco are dromedaries and not camels. The main difference is that these only have one hump. Their body is adapted to withstand long walks through the dunes and walk very easily through the sand.
Sandboard:
I have never had the opportunity to try this sport in my life and it really caught my attention. Enjoying surfing the dunes is something very entertaining and it is a very good thing to do while spending the day.
Risani Market
Three times a week, the Risani market opens its doors so that people from nearby towns and nomads can market their cattle and spices to live life in the desert. A great experiences and place to buy different thing way more cheaper than in the big cities.
What to eat in the desert
Although I mentioned that the food at Dihya Desert Camp is spectacular, I have 2 recommendations that are worth trying if you are in the desert.
- Nora Restaurant: Famous for the Berber pizza they sell, it is something you should try. I would say that it is like a mixture between pizza, bread and calzone. It is stuffed with meat and vegetables.
- Camel: Although it is difficult to obtain, the best time to taste it is in summer when Moroccans enjoy adventures in the desert.
