When planning our trip to Morocco, I knew that we couldn’t visit without stepping foot into the Sahara Desert. However, it was quite a ways away from Marrakesh where my boyfriend and I were landing. We were determined to get there so I started to do research.

I know this will be obvious, but I do most of my travel research with various travel blogs. I’m not usually big on tours, but with an extensive travel day and exploration, I wanted to make sure we did the trip right. While looking on the Blonde Abroad website, I read all about her experience with Desert Luxury Camp. She has been in the travel industry for a while, and has authentically shared her experiences, so I trusted her judgement.

The itineraries they provided sounded perfect. It allowed us to see so much more of Morocco than just the Sahara and the cities. We are generally frugal travelers, but this time decided to splurge a bit. We ended up booking the 3-day, 2-night experience. I can tell you right now, we have no regrets. There was a lot of driving, but the views, historical stops and a quiet night in the desert made it all worth it. Continue reading if you want the full experience and reasons why you should escape to the Sahara Desert when visiting Morocco.

3-Day Itinerary with Desert Luxury Camp

If interested in Desert Luxury Camp, they provide a few different itineraries based on how long you want to be on the tour. We had 3 days and we chose the itinerary that I will share below.

Day 1: The longest drive

The first and third day were our driving days. While long and exhausting, the tour has created stops along the way to break up the time. The route goes through the Atlas Mountains which are unbelievably beautiful with plenty of picturesque stops.

One stop I was really excited about was the ancient town of Ait Ben Haddou. It was built centuries ago and has only four families still living there today. I’m obsessed with wandering through historical locations imagining how it was back then. There have been several movies shot there, and is now a tourist attraction for Game of Thrones fans.

Then we arrived at our 4-star hotel called Xaluca Hotel, which was one of the coolest hotels I’ve been to. My boyfriend and I planned to go explore the town, but as soon as we got to the hotel, we realized we were in for the night. The hotel had so much to offer. It had a tennis court, a beautiful pool, stunning views, a spa, and a delicious dinner. We got in our bathing suits, hopped in the hot tub and watched sunset.

Day 2: To the Sahara

The drive to the Sahara Desert from the hotel wasn’t as long as the day before, but it was still at least 4-5 hours. They again made a few pit stops on the way. We made our way to Todra Gorge, which is the largest Gorge in Morocco. Many people rock climb on the cliffs, but you wouldn’t catch me doing that!

After the Gorge, our tour guide introduced us to a local carpet maker. A quick side note, Morocco is well known for their carpets, and they are absolutely beautiful. However, it’s very easy to get ripped off in the larger cities, and end up with a factory-made POS. We really wanted to buy a carpet, but we wanted to be sure it was authentic. We knew this was the real deal because we ended up in the carpet makers home, and met his family. There were a ton of different carpets, and we were walked through the actual process. Knowing these were being hand-made out of someone’s home made it that much more special. Now we have a piece of Morocco in our home forever.

We arrived at the Sahara Desert around 3pm, which was perfect because man it is HOT. We took a camel ride, explored the camp, sand boarded, and walked around the sand dunes until the sun went down. They made an incredible dinner for us then provided music entertainment by the fire.

The campsite was pretty legit and made for a truly luxurious experience. It included an in-ground pool, hammocks, and running water for christ sake! The glamping tents had a comfy kind sized bed, a bathroom with a shower and even electricity. Money well spent.

Although the campsite was amazing, I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed being there for longer than we were, especially because of the heat. I would take that into consideration when planning your itinerary.

Day 3: Star gazing was my favorite

At 4am, we woke up to see the stars. The Sahara Desert is one of the most fascinating places to star gaze. I exited the tent and just spun in circles with my eyes up and was in complete disbelief. The milky way was clearly visible and bright. I took some time to soak it all in before starting my astrophotography venture.

We got up for sunrise and took one more stroll through the sand dunes before breakfast. They provided a full meal to get us started for our journey back to Marrakesh.

Our last day on the tour wasn’t extremely exciting, as it was full of driving. Be fully prepared to stare out the window, have a music sing along with your guide or take lots of naps!

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My experience with Desert Luxury Camp was a positive one. As I mentioned, the driving can take a toll on you, but it is worth it. Getting to the final destination and seeing the vast sand dunes, sleeping under the stars and having a peaceful night is one you will forever remember. I can’t wait to hear about your experience!