Sahara Desert Tour Morocco: Paradise or Tourist Trap

When most people think about traveling through Morocco, their minds go straight to the Sahara Desert. They picture the endless red sand dunes, the camels resting under the sun, and steaming cups of Moroccan mint tea surrounded by silence and stars.

It’s one of the most photographed and romanticized experiences in the country, and for many travelers, it feels like the ultimate Moroccan adventure.

But that image only represents a small part of what Morocco really is. The country stretches from the Mediterranean in the north to the rugged Atlas Mountains and the vast desert in the south. Each region has its own culture, scenery, and rhythm of life.

Still, the desert tours remain one of the most popular and promoted experiences for people visiting Morocco.

Booking a Three-Day Sahara Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech

After spending a few months in the country, I decided to join one myself. I’m not usually the type to book group tours or guided activities, but when it came to visiting the desert, everyone I spoke to told me it was the best way to go.

I was in Fes and planning to end up in Marrakech, so I chose the well-known three-day tour from Fes to Marrakech. It included one night in the desert, one night in another city, and several stops along the way. The itinerary sounded amazing, and I was honestly really excited.

But in the end, it became one of my least favorite experiences in Morocco, and one of the biggest tourist traps I’ve ever fallen into.

That doesn’t mean every desert tour is bad. I’m sure there are smaller and more authentic ones out there. But from my own experience, and from speaking to other travelers who did the same route, most of these tours are nearly identical.

They often feel rushed, commercialized, and far from the magical desert escape they promise.

In the next part, I’ll explain what the tour actually included, and why it didn’t live up to the expectations.

What’s Included in a Sahara Desert Tour (and What’s Surprisingly Not)

The tour I booked was three days and two nights. It included transportation, two nights of accommodation, and two breakfasts and dinners. Altogether, it cost around 220 US dollars.

What it didn’t include, though, was water, which honestly really put me off. If you’re doing a three-day desert tour with long hours in the hot sun and meals already included, you’d think at least one bottle of water per day would be part of it. But it wasn’t.

We had to buy our own every time we stopped, and the prices were often higher since we were in the middle of nowhere.

Lunches and any other drinks weren’t included either, so we ended up spending more than expected throughout the trip. There were also extra fees for optional activities in the desert, like riding ATVs or going back out on the camels for sunrise.

Day 1: Overpriced Stops, Long Drives, and a Rushed Arrival at the Sahara

The tour I did was three days and two nights. We left Fes early in the morning and immediately stopped in a small town for breakfast. The only café there was extremely overpriced and only served pastries and coffee, which cost more than five euros each.

There was also just one small shop to buy snacks from.

Throughout the day, we made a few stops, including the “monkey forest,” which turned out to be full of people asking for money to feed the monkeys. It felt like a total trap, and it was strange seeing monkeys hanging around on the side of the highway.

We stopped at a few lookout points, but most of the day was spent driving.

We eventually stopped for lunch in the middle of nowhere at a single restaurant that only offered a buffet for 150 dirhams, which is over 15 US dollars. The food was some of the worst I’ve ever had, but since there were no other options, everyone just ate there.

After a long day of driving, we reached the desert right before sunset. Out of nowhere, another traveler and I were moved into a completely different group, and our bags were thrown into the back of a random car. About thirty of us were driven toward the desert together.

It took the guides forever to organize everyone and get the camels ready, so we ended up missing the sunset. We rode the camels just barely past the town and into the edge of the sand dunes, but by the time we got there, the sun had already set, and the light was almost gone.

Night in the Desert Camp: Luxury Tents, Buffets, and a Moment of Real Magic

At least the camp itself was nice. We stayed in luxury tents with bathrooms, showers, and a comfortable common area to relax in. Dinner was buffet style again, and the food was average. Once more, water wasn’t included, and we had to pay for bottled water or any other drink.

After dinner, they held a music and dance show around a bonfire, but I decided to skip it.

Instead, I walked about twenty minutes away from camp to a darker area where I could see the stars properly. That was one of the few moments that actually felt peaceful and real, and I remember wishing the entire experience had been more like that.