Group 2-day desert tour from Marrakech

We took the 2 days tour in Zagora and absolutely loved it. In the beginning, we were a bit skeptical about whether it was worth it to take such a long journey for a night in the desert but it turns out the journey was the best part of the trip. The views were absolutely breathtaking and it was great to see the landscape of the mountains and the villages as we drove by. We were picked up on time at the meeting point, 5 minutes from our riad and then had to change into another van. We actually encountered a snowstorm on our way there, which slowed us down quite a bit, but of course, this is something they could not have predicted and the driver made sure we were taken care of. He also stopped at some points to push other vehicles that were trapped in the snow, which was really nice and overall, even though the snow slowed us down, the overall experience was great and the contrast between the snow and the desert was amazing. Because of that delay, we had to switch the visit to Ait Benhaddou from Day 1 to Day 2, but that was not a problem at all, since we still got to go. We barely got in the desert in time for the sunset, but the colours of the sky were still beautiful, so no problem with that. The camel ride was a really fun experience and the guys in the camp took good care of us, offering delicious tea, good food (soup and tajine were both great, breakfast was bread with a variety of jams), and good company and taking great photos of us as well. Hanging out with them and the other people in the camp during dinner and then around the fire was great and the stars in the sky were amazing.The blankets provided were enough to keep us warm, the mattress and the pillow were a bit rough but of course, this is to be expected in a desert camp and we had no problem sleeping. Toilets were in good condition as well. The driver was really nice, (maybe some morroccon driving habits will not be every Western European person's cup of tea but we had absolutely no problems while driving), he even made an extra stop for photos when asked to and let us play our own music and at the end, he dropped everyone off where they wanted. There were several stops along the way to get water and snacks or go to the bathroom, as well as stops in Quarzatte and the film studios for photos. Just one thing for the visit in Ait ben haddou: the email makes it clear that the tour guide is optional, but when we got there we were told that "this is your guide, follow him, it's 3 euros". I am sure we could have gone on our own but it seemed like it was expected to follow along. But the guide was fine and only 3 euros so no problem with that. It is also important to point out that this is basically the cheapest tour available (at least if you get the standard camp) and it offers exactly the same route as any other tours. In the desert camp we met a lot of people who had all paid 10 - 20 euros more than we did and did the exact same journey, so really, there is absolutely no reason not to book with this company. Overall, the tour definitely lived up to our expectations and we feel like we got exactly what was advertised so we are perfectly happy with that and we will use the same company if we come back to Marrakech. Show more Show less

Overall it’s good for €59 including bus fee, guides, dinner, breakfast, camel riding and camping. There were some dissatisfactions like the restaurant we stopped was a ripoff- 80 dihram for any mains, and all group mates complained about the food. Honestly the trip was amazing. Our camel riding guide cooked THE MOST DELICIOUS tajine and organized camp fire and had authentic singing with instruments. Our drive, also the guide is lovely! He is good at English and skipped the awful restaurant on the way back after we complained. My husband left a jumper in the bus, and the agency manager waited for him to give back. Perhaps the things people would complain are about the 8 hours journey on many zigzag mountains roads and the stop for carpet shopping. Two people from our group left the half way because of these two facts. Although I struggled tremendously of the car sick, it’s worth it when you see the desert! Another fact is that 2 days 1 night trip only can view the edge of the desert as the travel time is not long enough. We expected that so we were not so disappointed when we finally arrived desert - it was still impressive views. Star gazing at the night was so beautiful that it’s breathtaking. For the carpet shopping, we stopped from a long drive and had nice mint tea from the shop owner. He was not pushy and very friendly. Some people complained about being planned to the shopping tour but I was expected of that as this is such a low price group tour. Summarily, it was an amazing trip and definitely worth going. If you have more time, I suggest you go for 3 days to get the full desert. Do not forget to take warm winter clothes as it’s truly freezing in the camp. Show more Show less

We chose to go on the two day excursion and were incredibly impressed with the trip. After a slight delay in picking us up from a car park near our Riyad (we were worried we’d gone to the incorrect coordinates) the journey from Marrakesh to the Atlas Mountains was smooth and the terrific scenery eliminated any chance of boredom. Our driver Ibrahim was great company throughout the two day drip despite the copious amounts of driving and was happy to stop for photo opportunities or to point out significant landmarks. The UNESCO world heritage site Ait Ben Haddou was absolutely stunning with our local guide providing great insight and commentary. Despite some negative reviews to the contrary we didn’t feel overly pressured into buying merchandise at the stops along the way. The highlight has to be the desert camp; riding camels into the fringes of the Sahara and watching the sun set over the Atlas Mountains is an experience like no other. The tremendously hospitable tribesmen in the camp kept us fed and watered and even showcased their drumming skills around a campfire and under a flawless night sky. The 2 day trip does involve a considerable amount of driving both days so do bear that in mind before booking. Show more Show less

My wife and I booked the two days one night to zagora tour.At the beginning we were picked from our hotel from a very nice guy that didn't speak English very well, but luckily for us we changed minibus and driver. Our driver-guide Youssef was amazing.Very friendly and gave us lots of information about all the sightseeing and the way of living in Morroco. We laughed a lot and generally we had a great time with Youssef. Very organized and punctual in times, we had plenty of time in all the sites we visited. Definitely recommend Marrakesh desert trips and Youssef especially. One recommendation: book the upgrade dessert camp. It has far better location, comfort(hot shower and private tent) and food than the simple camp. Show more Show less

The tour was value for money with great experiences. The driver, Ibrahim was patient and drove us tirelessly. Be prepared for long drives and remember to bring snacks and water. The desert was very scenic and truly an amazing experience! Take note of the weather before going into the desert as it can be very cold at night. Overall, do not expect excellent living conditions as this is a budget tour after all. The friendly guides do make up for this. Show more Show less

Ibrahim was a very friendly and accommodating driver. He took us to our airbnb on the last day, even though it was not near the city center. The camel ride was amazing with the sunset. Show more Show less

We chose the 2 days/1 night trip from Marrakech to Zagora desert, passing through the magnificent little town of Ait-Ben-Addou. The hours driving are crazy long, but the view is worth it. The trip organizer said that we were going to visit Ourzazate, but we didn't really. Also, the bus trip was made even harder by the fact that air conditioning was broken, and the driver didn't speak English. He didn't even contact anyone about it. We loved staying in tents in Zagora desert! I think the 2 days choice was the best choice after all. 3 days would have probably been too tiring. Show more Show less

We booked a shared overnight trip to Zagora from Marrakech (upgrade to deluxe camp). The trip itself is plenty of driving across Atlas but with more than interesting stops and scenery to keep you amused. The driver/guide was also very good explaining so many things along the way (just get him like a microphone for the bus :)). You get to ride a camel before arriving to your camp (refreshing tea provided, watching stars and dinner) with Hassan (in our case) providing entertaining stories about the region, Berber life etc. Another highlight - breathtaking Ait Benhaddou Kasbah! Show more Show less

We had the chance to live a great experience in our trip to the desert! We visited Zagora desert for a 2 days trip because unfortunately we didn't have more time. It was just amazing! The program was as described and we had a lot of stops in our way so we don't get tired and get some nice photos! And moreover, we had the best driver and guide we could ever have in this desert trip! Jamal was a very nice person, very cheerful and willing to show us everything! We had a lot of fun in the bus! He even tried to "teach" us some Berber words but with no chance! He also speaks very good english and that was really helpful! Great value for money! If we come back to Morocco, we will surely choose Jamal again to a trip to Merzouga this time! Show more Show less