In Photos: An Unforgettable Weekend in the Moroccan Sahara Desert

Rabat – I had known of the Sahara Desert since I was a kid, the largest hot desert in the world is hard to forget as it covers nearly all of northern Africa (8,600,000 square km). Despite being known for its dry air and hot dunes, the desert changes into a tropical oasis every 20,000 years.

Going to the Sahara Desert was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I knew I wanted to take advantage of while in Morocco. 

So, for my 21st birthday, I decided I wanted to skip the party celebrations I typically had for my birthdays and experience the peacefulness of the Sahara Desert with my close friends. 

Going to the Sahara was one of the most memorable adventures I have ever had.

After 12 hours of traveling from Rabat to Merzouga, a small town in the Sahara Desert, we arrived just in time to watch the sunrise over the desert from the roof of the hotel. 

In the common area of our hotel, the decorations were traditional and made the house feel very colorful and vibrant.

Read Also: US Channel Says Morocco ‘Turns the Sahara Desert Into a Solar Energy Oasis

Traditional Moroccan wall decorations were placed in each room of the hotel. Our first activity was quad biking through the dunes. A tour guide helped us navigate the dunes and let us stop for pictures along the way.

My friends and I enjoyed riding the quad bikes, it was our first time going through the dunes. After stopping to take pictures we raced back to the hotel. 

At 5 p.m. we rode camels to the oasis camp where we would stay for the night. While on our way, we saw the sunset. 

We left the camp the next morning on the camels. It was a very magical night and I am very glad I was able to experience it, especially at such an important time in my life.