Holidays

Sahara Desert Family

Available Departures: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

4 days from

US$670

without flights

A spectacular desert adventure into the heart of the magnificent Sahara

Trip Code: SAH4
Holiday Grades
          

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

 1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Sahara Desert Family

Highlights

For a taste of the Sahara Desert this adventure is hard to beat! After journeying across the Atlas Mountains we arrive in the oasis town of Skoua for a night in a traditional Moroccan Kasbah with pool. Next we head into the sandy dunes near the town of Merzouga and take a stunning desert sunset walk with camels to our nomad tents for the night nestled in the dunes. In the morning we'll watch sunrise over the dunes before making our way back to Marrakech, with a stop in Ouarzazate and the UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. Staying in traditional riads and kasbahs with pools, and travelling in an air-conditioned 4WD vehicle this is a great way to experience the desert.


Accommodation & Meals
  • 4 Breakfasts
  • 3 Dinners
Overview

For a real taste of the magnificent Sahara, this desert adventure is hard to beat!  Journeying across the Atlas Mountains we arrive in the oasis town of Agdz and overnight in a traditional Moroccan house. Next we venture into the desert, heading for our comfortable Bedouin camp at Erg Chegaga by early afternoon.  We take in a colourful desert sunset before settling down under star filled Saharan skies.  Next morning we watch a Saharan sunrise before exploring the desert's magical landscapes by 4WD vehicle.  After an overnight at Ouarzazate, we make our way back to Marrakech via the magnificent UNESCO Kasbahs of Ait Ben Haddou.  (Please note our extensions includes a local driver but don't include a KE leader/guide - the idea of the extension is to give you more freedom to explore at leisure before or after a group trip).

Itinerary

After breakfast we cross the magnificent High Atlas via a spectacular pass 'Tizi N Tichka' before dropping down to the town of Ouarzazate - The Door of the Desert. This stunning area is a popular location for films which include Gladiator and Game of Thrones. From here we head to the town of Skoura. This traditional oasis town has a palmeraie and classic mudbrick buildings. We overnight here in Skoura.

Meals

B D

After a refreshing swim in the hotel pool we leave Skoura on the road through the famous Dades Valley, which follows the Dades River. Driving through the arid landscape is mesmerising. We pass occasional towns built around lush oasis as we travel via Erfoud into the desert. We finally arrive at our Kasbah in Merzouga (approximately 5hrs). If we have time we can have a swim in the pool. From here we are quickly in the stunning sandy Saharan Dunes. At sunset, as it cools down, we travel with the camels to our desert camp for the night. We overnight in a nomad Berber tent in the desert after a delicious meal next to the campfire. The star filled night skies are truly amazing.

Meals

B D

An early morning start is a must to see the desert sunrise. Whilst it's still cool, we have breakfast and depart back to the Kasbah in Merzouga. The pool is available for a swim if we fancy a dip before setting off back in the vehicle to Ouarzazate (approximately 5hrs 30mins). We take a different route back, via the town of Alnif as we slowly leave the desert. In Ouarzazate we stay at a lovely traditional raid with a small swimming pool. When it cools in the evening we can walk around Ouarzazate and get a feel for this interesting town which served as a crossing point for traders coming from Africa to Europe.

Meals

B D

Our final day takes us back to Marrakech with a couple of stops on the way. Firstly we visit the wonderfully preserved UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a fabulous example of Southern Moroccan architecture, and then the Kasbah Telouet located on an ancient caravan route and once the stronghold of the Lords of the High Atlas and Pasha of Marrakech. Kasbah Telouet is beautiful and the perfect finale on our adventure before we have our final journey back to Marrakech. Depending on your flight times you can arrange an additional night in Marrakech or travel directly to the airport. This extension is run with a driver/guide. It gets extremely hot (40 C) in this area in the summer months, and you should consider this. The distances are extensive and you should expect to spend at least 4-5 hours in the vehicle each day on this extension.

Meals

B
Download Trip Notes

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • 1 night in Skoura at the Kasbah Dar Essalam. Beautiful traditional Kasbah set in grounds with a swimming pool hammocks and vegetable garden. Rooms are decorated in a classic Moroccan style
  • 1 night in the desert at Camp Mohayut which is associated with Kasbah Mohayut Merzouga. The overnight is spent in a fixed Beber nomad style tent. The tents have 'proper' beds with linen and furniture and can have twin/double/triple/quad configuration. The facilities are shared. Before travelling with the camels into the desert we can enjoy the swimming pool and facilities at the Kasbah
  • 1 night Le Petite Raid a small maison/riad with swimming pool in Ouarzazate (all accommodation is subject to change and availability)
  • All breakfasts and all dinners
  • All transfers as required in the itinerary
  • Air-con 4WD with a driver/guide

  • Tips
  • Personal expenses
  • Lunches
  • Beverages
  • Monuments & entrances fees
  • Any additional hotel nights or transfers in Marrakech
  • FAMILY PRICE: This price is based on 4 people travelling together and 2 rooms. Please call the KE office for twin or triple room prices and different sized family groups

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in the ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Many of the equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive a 12.5% discount with Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need. The discount code can be downloaded from your MyKE account and you can use this code at the checkout, either in store or online.

DATES & PRICES
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