Why Every Family Should Experience a Night in the Moroccan Desert
For most families, Morocco usually comes with images of Moroccan cities such as the markets of Marrakech, the alleyways of Fez, and views of the Atlas Mountains. However, what will stand out as the real attraction for many families is spending at least one night on the open skies of the Sahara Desert. In one night alone in the desert, many things can happen and much can be learned by families.
When booking a vacation through Morocco Tours, a desert experience is very simple and convenient to incorporate in most trips all around Morocco. This is because the Sahara Desert that is close to Merzouga and Zagora lies within proximity to Marrakech and Fez cities, making desert experience an easy part of your trip.
What a Desert Night Actually Looks Like
The day always ends with either a camel ride or a short drive by 4x4 into the dunes. There can be simple berber tents, but also camps equipped with proper beds and private toilets. Most of the family camps now provide mattresses, warm blankets and electricity, so sleeping in the middle of the desert is not like rough camping anymore. Dinner is served in the main tent which consists of a delicious tagine, bread, and mint tea. Then staff members make a campfire and start playing some traditional amazigh music with the help of drums.
Kids usually participate in this activity, clap and go to sleep much later than usual because it is just something else here. But when the fire goes off, then it is the sky that turns the night into magic. In the absence of any city lighting, the sky in the Sahara gives one of the best stargazing views on our planet. Constellations can be shown by camp leaders or children can use their telescopes. The Milky Way can be seen for the first time.
Why It Works So Well for Families
A night spent in the desert offers children a break from any kind of screen and does not require any explanation. No signals, television, and anything else can be plugged in other than charging phones in the tent for dining. Children spend this opportunity enjoying sand dunes, playing cards, and having conversations. For parents, there are some advantages as well. This slowed-down lifestyle requires all to sit at dinner and a campfire, which does not happen when the family spends an overloaded day with sightseeing.
Many parents claim that only one night is the moment that the vacation turns from a check-list experience to a memorable event. The desert also offers many educational experiences, but in such a way that does not involve lectures. Children learn how nomadic Amazigh families survive with little resources, how camels transport cargo through large distances, and how people exist under such extreme conditions. This information is often delivered by guides that were born in this region.
Best Places for a Family Desert Night
Merzouga is located close to the highest sand dunes called Erg Chebbi and hence is the preferred choice for a first desert camping experience. Traveling from Marrakech takes about nine to ten hours; therefore, families usually take a break on their way to either Ouarzazate or Dades Valley. The shorter option from Marrakech that takes about six or seven hours is Zagora. This destination has smaller sand dunes but provides the family a good overnight desert experience with the usual campfire meals and stargazing.
For those interested in enjoying a quick desert experience without the need for a lengthy drive, there is the Agafay Desert which can be reached within an hour from Marrakech. The Agafay Desert may not have the tall sand dunes of the Sahara, but provides a genuine desert camping experience. No matter what option you opt for, the good thing about an operator is that he will plan your trip according to the requirements of your kids instead of the fixed itinerary. Many Trips to Morocco have the inclusion of a night spent in the desert and visits to kasbahs, gorges, and valleys en route.
What to Pack and What to Expect
The temperature range varies greatly during the desert days and nights. It can be very hot during the daytime even in winter months but drops close to freezing from November to February at nighttime. Dress in light clothing during the day and pack something warm for the evening, as well as a scarf to protect from blowing sand. Family camps provide hot water, toilet facilities, and decent meals, so it is appropriate for almost any age of children.
Very young children should have a nap on the way due to the long trip and teenagers enjoy camels and sandboarding mostly. Do not forget to find out the minimum age for camel ride beforehand. A torchlight or headlamp will be helpful to get to the tent safely at night and charge a camera or mobile phone for the sunrise. The sunrise over the dunes after the night under the starry sky usually leaves lasting impressions on children.
The Best Time of Year for a Family Desert Night
The timing of the trip affects it in more ways than most people expect. From March until May, days are hot but bearable, while nights are cool but not too cold. Such timing is recommended for families traveling with young kids who do not tolerate extremely hot weather very well. September and November is another option providing clear weather and consistent temperatures suitable for observing stars at night. Many operators believe that autumn is the quietest period of time to camp in the desert, as summertime crowds have already departed, but winter is not there yet.
Summertime means that temperature is quite high during the day, often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. The trip to the desert can be done during such a period of time, although it would be recommended to travel early in the morning and provide kids with drinking water. Winter, from December until February, is the coldest time of the year. Additional blankets and heating equipment is provided by the campsite, but sometimes people like such cold weather because of the stars being exceptionally bright.
A Trip Worth the Detour
A visit to the Moroccan desert in one night usually doesn't seem like something that will be described first and foremost in the description of the vacation. However, it lacks famous buildings, noisy souks, and an endless number of sights to see. In most families, this one night turns out to be the first thing that parents mention in case of being asked about this vacation. It is not about souks, nor mountains, but about the evening when children fell asleep under the countless number of stars covered in blankets near the Sahara Desert.
