Desert Hike for 6 Days and 5 Nights

The first day of the excursion consists of a morning departure from Marrakech, Agadir or Ouarzazate, with transport by private vehicle, to reach the village of Mhamid, located at the edge of the desert. A break is possible in a village in the Atlas, with a visit to Ait Ben Haddou which is near Ouarzazate. Ait Ben Haddou is a Ksar classified as a UNESCO heritage site. In the evening, it is planned to spend the night either with locals in the village, or in a comfortable fixed bivouac, in the heart of the palm grove.

The departure for this five-day stay in the desert is from M’hamid, a town located at the gates of the Sahara. In the company of the Desert Morocco Trek team and the camel caravan, we follow the course of the Drâa wadi through the magnificent palm grove of M’hamid. After a few hours of walking, we set up our bivouac between the dunes, near the sanctuary of Sidi Naji, where according to oral tradition, this Marabout lived 18 generations ago. This place is steeped in local history and customs.

At daybreak, we load the camels before setting off to explore Erg Zmila along the hamada. This place marks the extreme east of the Drâa valley. The walk is based on the gray areas that we encounter on our way. We spend the night on the dunes of Zmila, with a real feeling of being “at the end of the world”.

We head southwest towards Erg Ezahar, commonly called the “howling dunes” for their light song caused by the wind. These magnificent sand dunes offer a breathtaking view of the entire Drâa Valley. This is one of our favorite places! Little visited, it is the Sahara as we imagine it: lunar and hilly. We set up camp at the foot of the dunes, where everyone is free to sleep under the stars or in their tent.

It is often on the fourth morning in the desert that the magic happens. We pack up the bivouac and head towards Erg Smar, crossing Wadi Drâa. This stage allows us to experience a typical day in the desert, following the rhythm of the camels and leaving room for possible unexpected and surprising encounters.

Departure will be early in the morning from Erg Smar in 4X4 to reach the fixed bivouac, then we return to Ouarzazate, Agadir or Marrakech at the end of the evening.