Marrakech & the Sahara

Experience Overview

Experience the grandeur of the Sahara on a journey that takes us from Marrakech and across the High Atlas Mountains. En route, explore the historic ksar (fortified village) of Ait Benhaddou, before a camel trek and night under a thousand stars at a camp in the Sahara. On our return to the city, we stop in the remote mountain village of Tighza to enjoy a peaceful walk and authentic hammam. Finally, there is time to explore Marrakech, one of the great cities of the Arabic world.
Profile
— Accommodation: 5 Classic nights (hotels), 2 Simple nights (1 gite, 1 Sahara camp) — Travel by private minibus and camel — Group normally 5 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 5 Classic nights (hotels), 2 Simple nights (1 gite, 1 Sahara camp) — Travel by private minibus and camel — Group normally 5 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Trip For You
This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us. Driving: There are sometimes long journeys on this trip, but this is the only way to see everything Morocco offers. We are not confined to our vehicle though, as there are plenty of photo stops and opportunities to stretch our legs. Approximate drive times are noted on the daily itinerary. Weather: Morocco is hot in summer but we try to make the most of the coolest parts of the day for our sightseeing, so expect some early starts. Morocco can get cold in winter, normally with mild daytime temperatures. Pack winter clothes and nightwear for November to March, when nighttime temperatures can drop considerably, especially in the desert and the mountains. During these months, there can also be rain throughout the country and snow in the mountains. As Morocco is generally mild to hot it is not set up for colder temperatures and so there may not be heaters available. Of course, you can also ask for more blankets from the hotels. Ramadan is expected to run from 28 February-29 March 2025. One of the most important periods in the Islamic calendar, it is a special time to visit a Muslim country. Each evening, the streets empty as people head home to break the fast, followed by an air of festivity upon their return. Our leaders and drivers choose to work at this time so we continue to run trips; however, their energy levels may be slightly lower than normal. Many tourist sites, restaurants and shops will have an amended schedule, but your tour leader will know how to adapt the itinerary to still experience all the inclusions on this trip and maximise your experience during this special time.
Group Description
There is a local tour leader and a driver, plus local guides at various sites.
Eating Drinking
The included meals are listed on the day-to-day itinerary. Moroccan food is, generally speaking, excellent, though not particularly varied. Breakfasts usually consist of bread and jam with coffee or tea. Where meals are not included, budget for the following approximate prices. Lunches: 60-100 dirhams (US$6-US$10)Dinners: In cities: 80-200 dirhams (US$8-US$19)In small towns and villages: 60-100 dirhams (US$6-US$10) Drinks in restaurants Soft drinks: 10-20 dirhams (US$1-US$1.90)Beer: 30-50 dirham (US$2.85-US$5)Wine: 150 dirham (US$14) and more Vegetarians can be catered for but there is a fairly limited choice of vegetarian cous cous, tajine or omelettes. This is particularly the case during the more rural sections of the trip. Please note that if you have any special dietary requirements, you should inform us prior to the trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (eg coeliac or vegan) you may find it helpful to bring some food with you from home.
Transportation
For most of this trip, we use a private bus, the size of which will depend on the group size. The roads in Morocco are reasonably good and driving conditions in towns and on the plains are good. On mountain roads, the pace will be slower. Buses usually have air conditioning and heating but may not be up to North American/European standards.
Joining Instructions
Key information Start hotel: Hôtel Palais Al Bahja, 33 Rue Ibn el Qadi, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco Phone: +212 5244-33001 Recommended arrival time: Hotel check-in is from 2pm Airport: Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately a 15-minute drive from the airport depending on traffic. Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Catching your return flight We provide free departure transfers for all customers to Marrakech Airport (RAK) from the end hotel. If you’re not taking the transfer, allow three hours for check in, bag drop, immigration and security. Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts. Marrakech airport The amount of time it takes to get through Marrakech Airport can vary considerably. Therefore, we suggest you mitigate for delays and allow two hours to get through immigration, security and baggage reclaim on arrival. Take a pen with you to complete the arrivals form and have the details of your accommodation to hand for this purpose. Operators are not allowed to wait inside the terminal building for clients, so please find your Exodus representative outside the main doors. Upon departure from Marrakech, we suggest allowing three hours to navigate the airport: check in, bag drop, immigration and security can take even longer on exit. The airport doesn’t accept mobile boarding passes, so we suggest having a printed boarding pass to avoid subjecting yourself to further delays.
Weather Information
From April to June, and in September, Marrakech and the north are pleasantly hot, with temperatures averaging 26C (79F) in the day, 16C (61F) at night. It is unusual for there to be much humidity, so it is quite pleasant except at midday when the sun is very strong. Desert temperatures are like those in Marrakech, with the nights usually a little cooler and the days a little hotter. Mountain temperatures are cooler than in Marrakech. In winter, the daytime temperatures in Marrakech are around 18C-22C (64F-72F) with night temperatures falling to 4C-7C (39F-45F). The days should be clear and sunny, and a particularly attractive feature of the winter months is the clear views of the snow-covered Atlas Mountains. The temperatures in the south are generally a couple of degrees higher than those prevailing north of the mountains. There is a small chance of rain, and it has even been known to snow (very infrequently) in January and sometimes February on the higher desert plateaux (in which case it is cold at night and early in the morning on the southern side of the Atlas).
Spending Money
We recommend you change your money at the airport into the local currency, as Morocco only allows 2,000 dirhams to be imported or exported. There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency you take. When changing your money, ensure you keep hold of your exchange receipt as you may need to show it at the airport bank at the end of your trip where it’s normally possible to change any unspent dirham notes back into euros, British pounds or US dollars. Allow approximately 30-70 dirhams (US$3-US$6.50) per day to cover small souvenirs, soft drinks etc.
Tipping
Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work and tipping is at your discretion for both the leader and local staff. However, tipping is part of the local culture and generally expected. Tipping kitty: If you wish to tip, we have found it useful for the group to have a tipping kitty – about 250 dirhams (US$24) per person – to tip local staff (such as cooks and guides, hotel staff etc). If you do not wish to join the group kitty, do not feel pressured. Tour leader and driver: Many also wish to tip their tour leader and driver at the end of the trip. We suggest 30 dirhams (US$2.90) a day per person for the tour leader and 20 dirhams (US$1.90) a day per person for the driver. This is completely at your own discretion and to be used as a guideline only.

Highlights