What Are Sahara Desert Tours Like?

Exploring nomadic Berber life in the Moroccan Sahara

This article gives an insight into nomadic Berber life, which still exists in parts of the Moroccan Sahara today. Our private Sahara desert tours can include time in remote desert areas, while our luxury Sahara desert tour from Marrakech is suited to travellers who want private transport, comfortable accommodation and a carefully planned route. These photos show the small stone huts that nomadic families build when they stop for any length of time. They use them to prepare bread over a mud fire and to shelter smaller animals such as chickens and goats.

Unpredictable rainfall and desert scenery

This October, we had rain in the desert during one of our Sahara tours, and the sky in the photograph is very dark. When rain comes, it is often heavy but usually short-lived, with clear skies returning afterwards. It can affect access to and from the desert, but there are alternative routes if roads are affected. Distant desert lightning at night is rare, but it can make the landscape feel even more dramatic.

Berber communities and Touareg influence

The Berber communities around Erg Chigaga are shaped by long desert routes, local traditions and influences from Touareg people further south, who travelled across this ancient Saharan route for centuries. In M’Hamid El Ghizlane, on the way to the dunes, you may see men wearing turbans tied in different styles and colours, reflecting the mix of nomadic cultures linked to this region.

Private Sahara tours and cultural encounters

On our private tours from Morocco’s major cities, your itinerary can be tailored to include a desert stay at a nomadic or luxury camp, with time to meet people who live and work in the Sahara. A translator and guide can help explain local lifestyle, culture and traditions during the journey. Our Nomadic Sahara Tour is the most relevant option if you want a desert-focused itinerary with stronger cultural context. For families visiting Morocco, this can also be a meaningful way for children to learn about a different way of life.

Written by Moroccan Journeys

Rebecca grew up in Africa and has spent her life travelling and working in the UK and around the world in both the corporate and personal development fields. She is co-founder of Moroccan Journeys with Mohamed Elhaoissi and lives in the UK and Morocco. She believes in the conscious management of business and the importance of personal growth. Rebecca is also a Reiki Master Teacher and runs Intensive Reiki Journeys in the Sahara desert. She spends her free time exploring the untouched parts of Morocco to ensure Moroccan Journeys is eclectic and unique in its offering.