Recommended Excursions into the Sahara and the Deep South

Erfoud/Merzouga

			Reservations - All our holidays are tailor-made so please feel free to request any combination of hotels, riads or tours for your own holiday. The minimum reservation for our accommodation only service is 3 nights in total, although not necessarily at same property. Simply contact us by phone or email or complete one of our enquiry forms. Why Rediscover? - All our reservations staff have worked in Morocco (or visited extensively) and will be more than happy to offer advice and suggestions on any of our featured destinations, tours and properties. Prices - our prices are similar to or quite often cheaper than our internet competitors or booking directly and significantly cheaper than those producing expensive brochures whilst our service, knowledge and after sales care is second to none. Security - Rediscover the World is a member of the TTA (T6816), we also hold our own ATOL bond (T7172). We therefore provide full financial security and assistance should any part of your holiday not happen entirely to plan. If you were to assemble your holiday yourself you may not have this sort of protection.

Camel treks and overnight excursions under the stars

" Longer Meharee Dromedary Trek to Morocco's Erg Chebbi "

3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS - ref. ITCLAS01m

DAY 1: ERFOUD – MERZOUGA – ERG CHEBBI.

From our rendezvous point at the Hotel Tizimi in Erfoud at 2pm during the winter months, 3pm in summer, we set out half an hour later for an hour’s drive in our 4WD towards the south, crossing the Oued Ziz, first along a tarmacadam road for some 16km, then another 35km of sandy piste trails carved out of the sandy crust by motorbikes and other adventurous vehicles to the tiny desert town of Merzouga in an enormous palmeraie. We shall see, in a dramatic line almost perfectly from north to south, the incredible panorama of the sea of sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi.

Once we’ve arrived at Merzouga, we alight to enjoy a traditional welcoming glass, or two, of mint tea at the Auberge du Sud whilst your baggage is being loaded onto the pack animals. At around 4pm (winter) (5pm summer) we set off, one person per dromedary, across a sea of golden dunes. This is the only ‘true’ desert area of the kingdom of Morocco and an area where meteorites continue to be found, as were crocodile teeth, shark, pterosaur and spinosaurus fossils. We stop in the middle of nowhere to witness, from the high dunes, Nature’s incredible light show of sunset over ever-changing colours of dunes, to continue on under the star-filled heavens to our bivouac site of a carpeted Berber tent in a small oasis.

First things first, a glass of mint tea once our packs are being unloaded. Our tagine dinner is prepared and, after dessert, tea or coffee, all around our romantic camp fire, - it can get cold at night! – we can chat or singalong to our heart’s content.

DAY 2: ERG CHEBBI - TISARDMINE.

Our Berber breakfast of tea, ’sand’ bread, jam and cheese is ready around 7 o’clock, having awakened to an unforgettable sunrise to equal last night’s setting of the sun. Our dromedaries are being saddled up for the next stage of our adventure, now towards the west for some 3½ hours, crossing the region of the Guir Hamada, a stony part of the desert pan carved out by the long-dried-up Oued Guir, a plateau of black stones dotted with the hardy acacia, pistachio bushes, the occasional date palm, stunted shaking poplars and small dunes.

We reach the tents of a nomadic tribe where we shall stop for our picnic of Moroccan salad, cheeses, bread and mint tea out of the blazing sun. Some 2 hours later, (around 4:30 in summer, 2:30 in winter) we set off again towards the north on our 2 hour méharée across the desert plateau towards the almost deserted hamlet of Tisardmine, where we shall bivouac for the night in the shade of some date palm trees. As our evening’s dinner of tajine or kebabs * or couscous is being prepared, we have, once more, the spectacle of a magnificent sunset.

DAY 3: TISARDMINE – MERZOUGA – ERFOUD.

Our last brilliant sunrise, our final Bedouin breakfast and we set off back across the plain around 8:30 for our final Meharée of some 2½ hours to the Auberge Du Sud, where we’ll take a shower before boarding our 4WD and an 1½ hour drive back to Erfoud and our original starting point at the Hotel Tizimi.

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NB: Prices are based on the number of people in your group; each desert trip is an individual reservation.

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WHY NOT UPGRADE TO THE DELUXE VERSION:

hors d'oeuvres		Private toilet tent
DESERT PHOTO GALLERY

PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE:

Medical or accident insurance outside of the vehicles. Gratuity to guide/drover. Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.

* Meals consist of vegetables, eggs and fruits, except the first day which has meat (please advise if you wish vegetarian meals throughout).

IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU BRING:

Day pack (for camera, water bottle,hat, etc.); windcheater (seasonal), broad-brimmed hat (or you may purchase a ‘Chèche’ before you set out from Erfoud; personal toiletries and towel; hygienic ‘wipes’; small First Aid kit; torch with batteries (non-essential); filled water bottle(s); sunscreen, sunglasses; nibbles and/or dried fruit. Drinking chocolate if preferred. Camera, film and plastic bags for lenses; extra toilet rolls could come in handy! For those who wear contact lenses, perhaps it would be a good idea to bring along a spare pair of glasses.

Customer comments:

"Our camel excursion was very memorable: Youssef who was our guide, was fantastic and had a great sense of humour - he may deal with tour groups every day but he certainly made us feel special."

Holiday Prices

- please call or email for a full quote - all our holidays are tailor-made.