The TRUTH about the 3 Day Tour from MARRAKECH to the SAHARA DESERT (Merzouga) - IS IT WORTH IT?

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Are you thinking of taking the 3 day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi sand dunes in the Sahara Desert? If so, you've found the right video!
In this video I'll take you along and show you in detail what the tour is like. I'll show the truth, the good and the bad. The driving, the sights along the way, the food, the accommodation, the timings, the costs. Everything.
It’s a popular tour for anyone visiting Morocco, and it’s the real thing right to the edge of the Sahara proper, rather than the one day tours. Before I went I couldn’t find that much information online prior to going. There was no real detail about exactly what you see, where you stay and what you eat. Also, what you get for paying a little extra for the luxury option.
This is the video I wish I had been able to watch before going.
We’ll go from Marrakech and up into the Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass - The highest pass through the mountains. From there we come out the other side of the mountains and visit and amazing ancient town of Ait Ben Hadou, where many movies have been filmed. We’ll stop at the Rose valley and the Dadès Gorges before going to the hotel for the night.
On day 2, we’ll visit Tinghir and the Todgha Gorge before getting to Merzouga and riding a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes to the camp for the night.
The final day is the long journey back to Marrakech. On this day I’ll give you my full summary of the tour - the good, the bad, advice and tips.
Here's a full breakdown of what the tour involved, allowing you to go straight to any part you're interested in. Be sure to watch to the end so that you can hear my summary and useful tips!
This was filmed on 24, 25, 26 May.
I stayed at Riad Al Amine and arranged the tour through the riad. I do not have a name of the tour company.
DAY 1:
00:32 - 7:30AM - Left riad in Marrackech medina
01:19 - 8:00AM - Left Marrakech - Drive 1 hour 30 mins
01:28 - 9:30AM - First stop - Café Restaurant Tagudalt (15 mins) - Drive 1 hour
03:15 - 10:30AM - Tizi n'Tichka Pass (Atlas Mountains) (15 mins) - Drive 1 hour 30 mins
04:18 - 12:15PM - Ait Ben Hadou (2 hours - Old city tour then lunch at Hotel Restaurant L'oasis D'or) - Drive 3 hours 15 mins
10:21 - 5:30PM - Rose valley - Cafe Restaurant Al Manadir (15 mins) - Drive 45 mins
11:13 - 6:30PM - Dadès Gorges (15 mins) - Drive 15 mins
11:47 - 7:00PM - Luxury Riad Dadès (Day 1 Hotel) - See the luxury hotel option and included dinner
DAY 2:
14:44 - 8:00AM - Pick up from the hotel - Drive 1 hour 45 mins
15:01 - 9:45AM - Service station / coffee break (15 mins) - Drive 15 mins
16:15 - 10:15AM - Tinghir tour (1 hour 50 mins) - Drive 15 mins
18:06 - 12:20PM - Todgha Gorge (25 mins) - Drive 1 hour
19:40 - 1:45PM - Lunch at Restaurant & Cafe Reda (1 hour 25 mins) - Drive 1 hour 40 mins
21:41 - 4:50PM - Final stop (10 mins) - Drive 45 mins
22:18 - 5:45PM - Arrive at Merzouga and wait for the sun to get lower
24:24 - 6:15PM - Camel ride to Erg Chebbi camp
25:20 - 7:15PM - Arrive at Erg Chebbi camp - See the luxury camp, food and Berber drumming around the fire
DAY 3:
27:47 - 7:00AM - Breakfast at Erg Chebbi camp
29:00 - 7:30AM - Leave Erg Chebbi camp in pick up
29:20 - 8:55AM - Leave Merzouga in mini bus - Drive 35 mins
29:35 - 9:30AM - Break - Touroug Cafe (25 mins) - Drive 2 hours 35 mins
** 30:01 - My summary of the tour - The good, the bad, advice and tips **
36:41 - 12:30PM - Lunch at Cafe Restauran Panorama (I went over the road instead as reviews were so bad!) (1 hour) - Drive 3 hours 30 mins
39:10 - 4:00PM - Break - Cafe Resto Targa (15 mins) - Drive 2 hours 45 mins
39:45 - 7:00PM - Arrive back at Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, Marrakech
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Опубликовано:

20 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 831

@suspicious-gnome 3 дня назад

He's not complaining, people... He's giving his honest opinion of his experience. I think he's genuinely lovely!

@ChrisKermis 2 дня назад

Thank you 🙏🏽 I have no doubt the video has helped a lot more people than the ones that don’t like it

@romlein Год назад

No BS. No sensationalism. This is perfect. Thank you for your genuine thoughts!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, glad you liked it!

@limebarbie 3 месяца назад

@@ChrisKermiswhat time of year did you take this trip?

@ChrisKermis 3 месяца назад

Mid May

@stj53 Год назад

A night in the Sahara, under the stars, hearing the wind blow past your tent, and then delicious breakfast in the morning is one of life's great experiences. I've done it twice and hope, Inshallah, to do it with my grandson in a few years. Also, I do this experience on a southern loop from Fez, to the desert, and back around to Marrakech. There are wonderful places to stay the nights before and after the desert, and you're seeing new ground and places instead of backtracking.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

It is special, I hope you do manage to return with your grandson

@ooregon100 Год назад

I am traveling to Morocco next month, last 2 weeks of January. Would you please recommend me an agency for a trip to Sahara desert. I will be in Marrakech. Thank you in advance

@yamileroumie4909 Год назад

Hello! I am from Argentina. I m looking for an excursion to the desert but leaving from Fes and arriving in Marrakech but I can't find a trustworthy agency. I travel alone and would like to be able to join a group. If you have information I would appreciate it. Thank you! Yamile

@stj53 Год назад

@@ooregon100 I've used ExperienceIt Tours. Based in Fez and totally reliable.

@stj53 Год назад

@@yamileroumie4909 I've used ExperienceIt Tours - based in Fez - for 5 trips.

@Boug0014 Год назад

I’m Moroccan living in the US and I have done a tour driving from Casa to Merzouga then ouarzazat then Marrakech then back to Casablanca. I did the full trip in 5/6 days. I think seeing the other side of the Atlas mountain is worth it and I think it’s the best part of Morocco. The roads are excellent with really good cellular coverage. Food in Morocco outside of large cities and especially along the roads in villages could be hit and miss but I don’t think $10 at a restaurant is abnormal (knowing that a sandwich in Marrakech or Casablanca could cost you between $4 to $6). But for people worrying about it, get some sandwiches with you from Marrakech to eat for lunch. The trip you did is indeed long for 3 days. That’s 560km one way with stops probably most of the day you would be driving. I think that region is so beautiful with some spectacular landscapes (especially the spring with snow on the mountains as a background) to rush through it in 3 days. I do not believe it’s a desert trap but the area is famous along tourists and if you showed up in the high season, you will encounter many tourists as the country does host close to 10 million tourists a year. Advise for some of your viewers: The desert is warm during the day but also could be very cold at night (especially during fall, winter and spring). I would not advise doing this trip in the summer as these areas could be extremely hot.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks for the additional info, 5/6 days seems like a nice more relaxed way to do it if not on the 3 day tour.

@andrew_owens7680 5 месяцев назад

We skipped Marrakech this time, but I recommend flying to Ouarzazate to save yourself a 14 hour drive back and forth. When you return to Casa, Marrakech is only a two hour train ride.

@user-ob4cc1jl5h 4 месяца назад

@@ChrisKermisalso if you're a Cheapskate you shouldn't travel!

@ChrisKermis 4 месяца назад

@user-ob4cc1jl5h If you like bad food just because it’s cheap you should eat at McDonald’s 😂

@megametification Год назад

Flying to morocco tomorrow and visiting merzouga around next week, really hyped about it. Happy to have found a realistic blog about the tour with some actual advice, thanks for that!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks, glad it was useful for you!

@ChrisKermis 2 года назад

Have you been on this tour? What's your experiences and what advice can you offer others? Let us know 😀

@thesymbolized Год назад

what I would love to know, around what time of year (what month) did you take the tour? I am sorry if you said it in the video, I must have missed it.

@carolinalainez6827 Год назад

@@thesymbolized I have the same question. I would also like to know what the name of the tour company is. Thank you

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Sorry for the slow reply, internet was blocked in Iran where I just was. I took the tour in late May but do not know the name of the tour company as it was arranged by the riad that I stayed at in Marrakech (Riad Al Amine)

@carolinalainez6827 Год назад

@@ChrisKermis sorry it took me so long to thank you for your reply.

@khalidhakeem4621 Год назад

I was planning to do something like that in Morocco and I found this video very helpful. Chris gave a very detailed information about everything a new tourist may need about this tour. Thank you Chris.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks, Khalid. Glad it was useful!

@emperorrulereu600 Год назад

At least go once

@emperorrulereu600 Год назад

Check it out

@emperorrulereu600 Год назад

Don't trust no word'go see by your own eyes

@hreal8953 Год назад

Am from there stay at home go Turkey 80% cheaper

@PG.1063 Год назад

I think for €12 a 3 course meal in the middle of nowhere is a deal no matter how you look at it. It is pretty annoying to see tourists that make 25 times the average salary of a Moroccan complain about the price of a tour meal. Other than that comment pretty informative video and great captures. Straight to the point.

@rafaellapolley6985 Год назад

I couldn’t agree more with you!

@blackbelt2003 Год назад

I was thinking the same. 12 euro gets you a crappy McDonald's in most European countries.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

The point was never that it was too expensive, the point is the quality is not good. For the same money you can find way better. A restaurant should not compromise quality just because they have a captive audience. I'm just seeking to give an honest and authentic view and I glad you enjoyed the video overall.

@ramys.4313 Год назад

With 12 bucks you look for daily specials junk at McDonald's here in California.

@souadabdulsalam1957 Год назад

@@ChrisKermis Finally someone told you what i wanted to tell you since you came to Morocco.stop complaining 😂😂😂😂😂

@madmags3292 3 месяца назад

Going to Morocco 🇲🇦 in August 2024 ( family of 4 ) We watch all your videos! Thank you 😊

@ChrisKermis 3 месяца назад

Glad you enjoyed them. Hope you have a great trip to Morocco with your family!

@monizdm Год назад

Less than a month ago I did the camel trek (each way, about an hour each) and overnight in the tent camp. As it was part of a larger, comprehensive tour of the country it felt more integrated with the overall country experience. It was well worth it.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Glad you enjoyed it! 3 days was enough for me, I was very happy to be independent again after that

@pedrocostabarros2537 Год назад

hi monizdm, could you kinldy provide the tour company you traveled with? much appreciated! cheers ;)

@wesleyphish5765 Год назад

Hello @monizdm did you book through a tour company? If yes, what's the name? Thanks

@mimikiwi000 Год назад

Chris oh wow you look good in sahrawi style 😊 i really like you❤ im moroccan from italy

@andrew_owens7680 5 месяцев назад

I skipped the camel back and was able to make an extra stop on the way back through Draa Valley.

@renstheunissen8269 Год назад

Enjoyable video! And refreshing that it's honest instead of going overboard on the positivity like a lot of travel videos do.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you! I certainly hope to show the truth in my videos rather than Instagram perfection. With this one I just made the video that I wish I could have watched before doing the trip.

@foodandfashionmag 6 месяцев назад

This is literally the best video i ve ever watched. clear , totally helpful. Thanks billlionsss

@ChrisKermis 6 месяцев назад

Thank you, I'm glad it helped!

@MikelMovies Год назад

Great video!! Like you said, there is not an abundance of information about this desert trip online and I will be undertaking it in November (albeit with a rental car) so I am happy to find a recent video not long before I leave myself and to see see it's worth the long distance.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Definitely worth the effort and the stop offs, but if you see a load of white minibuses at a restaurant, avoid!

@laczobalazs847 2 месяца назад

What a useful video! Thank you!

@tomasbitocchi8417 Год назад

Hello Chris I love your style! We're going to Morocco on february and we are using your videos as a guide, greetings from Argentina!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, I’m glad to hear you like them!

@TwoFourCharlie007 9 месяцев назад

What a fantastic video, we’re off there on our motorbikes april 2024, thanks for a super informative insight

@ChrisKermis 9 месяцев назад

Thank you, glad it helped!

@YawmiyateFarah7 Месяц назад

I love this place, thank you for sharing

@JT-qr8lt Год назад

Interesting. I just came back from Marrakesh, staying in a beautiful riad all by myself, exploring Marrakesh. I don’t think I missed a great deal without taking such a trip, but thank you for the video so we can appreciate what to expect on such a trip.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks for watching, hope you had a great time in Morocco!

@TimCullis Год назад

Excellent video, Chris, with some great insights into these tours. It helped that you had a degree of awareness about the kickbacks earned by the tour companies for bringing their customers to the various sales outlets. And of course they get kickbacks from the restaurants as well so you did well to eat solo on the way back. Once you get over the Atlas mountain ranges, the whole massive area to the south and east is semi-arid desert which the Moroccans refer to as 'sahara' as that's Arabic for desert/wilderness. But it's not 'The Great Sahara Desert' which is hundreds of kilometres to the south. Much of this Moroccan desert area is 'hamada' which is a stony/beaten earth surface, a few bits are 'ergs' which are sand seas, but geographically they are all part of the same semi-arid region. Some people think only Erg Chebbi (measuring 16 miles by 5 miles) is desert, but no, that's just a sand dune within the same climatic region. Anyway, great video which I will point people to.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, appreciate the additional info too. Some day I must make it to the Sahara proper, though overall I'm glad I took this trip to the edge of Morocco.

@zuzman Год назад

True very beautiful video. I love so much Morocco. I myself Come back from a road trip there. You Can even see the first vidéo of thé trip on m'y channel : Au Sud De Nulle Part (Cheffe Chaouen) subtiles available

@georgericketts-hf4eu Год назад

Tim Cullis is correct when he talks about the kickbacks. It is well known that bazars and other tourist facilities have to 'take care' of the guides, etc, if they want tourists to visit their establishments. That said, it also happens in other countries. Another thing to point out is that, due to the excessive heat during the summer, the main foreign tourist season is between October and May, which means months of unemployment and a lack of income for folks employed in the remoter areas south of the High Atlas Mountains, including the desert regions. Enjoyed the video - Lots of correct info.

@kristis3410 Год назад

I beg to differ regarding a few points. I've been to Morocco three times, almost always in the area east of the High Atlas, and mostly in Merzouga. The many Moroccans I met didn't call everything past the mountains "desert." Maybe Arabs call it "sahra" as a description for both arid and semi-arid. The eastern edge of Morocco where Merzouga is (and many miles to the north and south) is true desert, and since that desert is contiguous with the rest of the Sahara, there's no point in saying it's not the Sahara. The Sahara isn't just sand dunes. To be considered arid (desert), an area must have less than 10" of precipitation a year, on average. Merzouga's average is 3.2". (Ouarzazate is also desert, by the way.)

@alexmamae6977 Год назад

@@ChrisKermis thank you if you could share where did you book your tour to the Desert

@matthewmorris7510 2 года назад

Nice video Chris, it's a beautiful country Morocco, probably the most different place you can visit that is closest to home.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Absolutely, I think that's why it sees so many tourists. The downside of that is that may tourists equals more hastle. Still, well worth visiting finally!

@onlygroovefans 29 дней назад

Thanks for sharing Chris. Will certainly be considering the luxury option as well. Your video is extremely insightful and appreciate your honesty

@ChrisKermis 29 дней назад

Thank you 🙏🏽

@lupitabutler6890 Год назад

I love the old town where you see the houses like claves on the Mountain and the dry river, and we didn't stay the night at the desert, but spend 2 hrs admiring the sunset and the views, spectacular.

@lussssy Год назад

Thank you for your video Chris, thanks to you I have chosen this excursion and the same luxury option, it was a really nice trip !

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Good stuff! I’m glad the video was helpful!

@nickoutram6939 Год назад

I recently went to Morocco and hired a car at the airport for the duration of my stay [5 weeks]. Although it was a smaller Fiat 500 I had much fun taking it through the Atlas Mountains and often on dirt track roads and some roads still being constructed. Many times I didn't see another car or person for an hour at a time so some level of mental preparedness for these 'solo' adventures is required, staying at Riads and your back with real people again (4G mini-router helps keep you connected in the wilderness, buy the data-SIM in the airport arrival hall.) It was a great and relatively cheap way to see this amazing country and I had total freedom to stop and eat wherever I wanted.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Sounds like a great fun way of doing it to me. On my trip I did want to do the major cities as well so public transport worked well for that. The trains are really good in Morocco between the cities.

@nickoutram6939 Год назад

@@ChrisKermis I'm more of a Mountain person than a City person despite living in London (or perhaps because of it.)

@hannaj.6961 2 месяца назад

That's awesome! I'm thinking to rent a car too for a trip in May, would be going from Ouarzazate to Merzouga... What are the roads like? Is petrol/diesel cheap? I'm most worried about keeping the car in perfect condition to return it without risking insurance claim, I know in Europe they can be really petty about tiniest scratches, no idea what they're like in Morocco?

@alannaedwards8586 Год назад

Thanks for this! Doing one of these tours on the 27th and this was a great overview. As a solo traveller I have no desire to pay the premium for a private tour or drive on my own, so this seems to be the way to go!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Absolutely, it’s well worth it overall!

@teranceniles4784 Год назад

Did you try it? I will be traveling solo in morroco and i wonder if its worth it.

@shonawilliams5262 2 месяца назад

Thanks for the honest review

@eradavid 2 года назад

Great fun traveling and meeting Chris. Thank you for making the video and reminding me of part of my trip.

@ChrisKermis 2 года назад

Glad you enjoyed it! I really hope it helps some people out as well before they take the trip.

@paulhumphries3795 Год назад

Very good and honest review.. no sugar coating ❤

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, that’s what I wanted to do

@fluffyfur 10 месяцев назад

I am very happy to watch this video before I go to Morocco. Thanks!

@ChrisKermis 10 месяцев назад

Thank you, glad it helped!

@adecurtis5658 5 месяцев назад

Thank you for struggles and highlighting a few of the traps... The camel i rode was on a beach in Agadir... The ride was much smoother then a horse.

@KimmyWood 5 месяцев назад

I did that over 30 years ago. It was great and the owner was called Michael and he introduced his camel. Also called Michael

@mohdmukhlis1701 Год назад

Thank you for uploading this informative video.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, glad you liked it!

@soffee222 Месяц назад

Very accurate feedback in this video. Great review

@orozcoaj69 27 дней назад

I agree. It sounds like my exact experience except I had a private guide 😕

@ChrisKermis Год назад

A few people asked for the details of the company I used and how to book. I simply booked it through my riad in Marrakech, but I have since had contact with the driver on my tour. His name is Redaouane Aitelmahjoub and is happy to be contacted directly on WhatsApp +212671530534. I've also been asked the time of year that I went, It was mid to late May. As I say in my video, overall I think it's a good experience and good value, and I do recommend Redaouane.

@espartanam Год назад

hi Chris do you have the link of the riad agency company? i am going to Morocco very soon. I can't wait for it :) thanks

@juancervantes1702 Год назад

Thank you for sharing your experience, I was hesitant to do this trip, but after watching the video I decided to give it a try, thank you Chris

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks Juan, hope you enjoyed it!

@salysaly6168 Год назад

Hello Chris Thanks for the vedio and advice Welcome in morocco I'm from morocco

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you!

@andreadrever1073 Год назад

SO incredibly helpful, thank you!!!!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad it helped you!

@user-sc8gx9se5c 2 месяца назад

Welcome to Morocco and to desert

@bellaferman Год назад

Brilliant video! Really appreciate your honesty. Peace!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, glad it was useful!

@leeturton9254 Год назад

Cheers my fellow Englishman... excellent informative video showing everything 👌... planning on going to morrocco in September... just trying to make my mind up Agadir for the sea or Marrakech for the experience and the trip to the desert something I've always wanted to see 🙏

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Hey it all depends on how long you have. I would say don't spend too much time in Marrakech. The medina is an experience and well worth seeing, but I soon got fed up with it. Then you've got the Majorelle Garden which is a must outside of the old city and not to be missed IMO. 3 days was plenty for me though. I actually shot a bunch of footage there and intended to make a video but I wasn't happy with it so never released it. I'm super keen to visit Agadir myself and will do so on my next trip. Enjoy your trip and by all means get in touch via the usual socials if you need any tips.

@yohahn2000 4 месяца назад

Thanks Chris for your video!

@marie-evelafond25 2 месяца назад

Thanks for your video, I’m so happy we rented a car and will be in control of our itinerary

@Riskadewit Год назад

thank you for this, we are going on a trip to marrakech soon, and your tips and insight are very helpfull!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Good stuff, enjoy your trip!

@nichol54 Год назад

I learnt a lot from your own experience throughout this journey...thank you for sharing the bad and the good feelings.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, glad it was useful!

@andrew_owens7680 5 месяцев назад

I just came back from a Merzouga trip with my family. We flew to Ouarzazate, spent a day touring the Atlas Studio and Ait Ben Haddou, then two days to Merzouga, a night in the desert camp and a day back to Ouarzazate. That's a good way to go.

@chipm2544 Год назад

Hi Chris, thank you for your candid information in your excellent video. I’m going to Marrakech next month. Your information helps greatly. Looks like you had a good & insightful trip. As you say, always save some room for patience, it’s hard.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, glad it was useful!

@user-wi9tx9pt1u 3 месяца назад

Thank you for such a great video..

@vittoriodivittorio 4 месяца назад

Thanks, really a big thanks for this video, very interesting, very real. I'll do this trip perhaps next summer, and I appreciate to have a clear idea about it.

@ChrisKermis 4 месяца назад

Thanks, glad it helped!

@TT-jw1dp Год назад

Thank you for posted this video

@ChrisKermis Год назад

You're welcome

@EMvanLoon Год назад

Thanks for your in depth review! We are going next month "on our own", so great to see the roads and spots in advance!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Doing it without a tour will certainly be better. Enjoy your trip!

@customer7903 Год назад

Very good and honest videos, we spent a month driving our own car around Morocco and totally agree it is far better going to non tourist stop off “restaurants” they are a rip off and are not what “true” Morocco and Moroccans are. Our stay for one month was so good we are going back again next year.👍. The people are lovely, friendly and have a great sense of humour, the food is excellent and the scenery is outstanding. Having been to many of the cities we found that even if you do have some men approaching to act as guides if you say no they say OK and walk away. Same for the stall holders they will try to get you to go into their shops etc if you say no they say OK so all in all we felt very safe even in medinas where we spent most of our time in back alleys we had absolutely no problems.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

That's a wonderful for way to do it if you have the time! I only had 2 weeks there so doing this tour made sense for me. Also solo so didn't want to just drive myself. What you say about dealing with the unwanted attention is certainly the way, just be clear and always look like you're not freshly off the plane!

@customer7903 Год назад

I agree, being polite is always the best way as while we would say “no” we always said in Arabic “thank you” and always with a smile as they always greet you politely and with a smile - lovely people.

@sheislittlewonderer Год назад

Do you think it’s oki to drive through the desert to Mezouga by our car? Do we need 4x4?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

@@sheislittlewonderer Mezouga is the point where the road runs out pretty much. Getting too Mezouga is fine

@12nakedtruth 9 месяцев назад

Hi there, can you please share the information of the guest house you stayed at or if you have any recommendations where to stay? TiA

@Princeofpersia0086 Год назад

Thanks Chris, I love your channel, enjoy watching your videos .

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, appreciate it!

@nicolaslemay Год назад

Thank you for your video, it really help us planning our trip. Our tour was a bit different, but very similar at the end.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Great to hear, glad it was useful!

@tenbear5 Год назад

Great review! Thanks 👋

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks, hope it was helpful!

@matthewotite Месяц назад

I plan to travel to Marrakech for a holiday this year, and a night in the Sahara will be on my list to do. looks amazing

@georgemirowski7921 Год назад

So much money you say and being ripped off for around £10 for an extensive salad and chicken tagine...really? You might consider the distance a food supplier has to deliver his wares to this location and the associated costs. People still think Morocco is immune to rising world wide costs. Making a fortune??? well this may come as a shock to you but a business relies on making a profit to survive and Morocco's travel industry is seasonal.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Simply comparing to other restaurants in the same area that don't have a deal with tour companies but offer better food...

@abdelhadielmoustahli9801 7 месяцев назад

❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉 thumps up Mr. Chris, realy appreciated such Great vido tank you so mcuh.

@enzome9667 Год назад

Thanks Chris a very informative video

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, glad it was useful!

@ull474 8 месяцев назад

Thank you for your honest review.

@ChrisKermis 8 месяцев назад

Glad it helped!

@josechacko7005 4 месяца назад

Thanks Chirs, for your honest review. Thanks for the tips on the tourist food scams

@soulfull9635 6 месяцев назад

Morocco and it’s people are wonderful 🎉 il be going back with some small change in my pocket they deserve it ❤🎉🙏

@khadijabelgaid278 Год назад

Thank you for all the infos. Making this trip in June with my daughter

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Glad it helped and I hope you have a great trip!

@drinkxbert Год назад

Great info Chris.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks!

@stevetibbs7032 5 месяцев назад

Thanks for the advice, I live in Fuerteventura, there’s talk of starting a new ferry to Morocco from Fuerteventura soon, I look forward to taking a trip to Morocco, probably in my van 🚐

@sonyfxi Год назад

Hi Chris, in retrospect if you had to do this trip over again would you have booked this 3-day tour -or- used a car rental to venture at your own pace? Thanks for the video!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Sorry for the slow reply, internet was blocked in Iran where I just was. If I was solo I would certainly have booked this tour again. If I was with others I would probably use a car rental (split the driving, have company etc).

@stageiiwappie950 7 месяцев назад

landscapes look insane tbh, hostile yet calming i wanna visit the desert one day

@fildzahamaliaaziz 2 месяца назад

Hi Crish, thank you for the video and the explanation. I'm planning to visit Marrakesh this May and interested to join the tour, but I couldn't find any detail about the tour you are using. I try to read the description and find the pinned comment but i could find any. Could you give me any more detail if you have please? Thanks

@Arthurobouchetti Год назад

- Very Nice vlog !!…… Merci 🙏 beaucoup pour cette belle vidéo de partage !!…❤❤

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you!

@eastwestpicayune8200 2 месяца назад

Good information.

@TarrelScot Год назад

Very comprehensive and balanced review, thanks. We've been to the "other" erg, Erg Chegaga, out of M'Hamid a couple of times. I understand it's less crowded than Merzouga. We've always gone in winter and practically had the place to ourselves. The most recent trip we took the express CTM bus down to M'Hamid via Ouarzazate and Zagora, then booked a five day trek out to the Erg and back (walking with the camels carrying the kit). It was just my wife and myself and we had two guides; a cameleer and a cook. We bivouacked under the stars and ate freshly prepared food courtesy of our chef, morning, noon and night. It was physically fairly tough but an absolutely outstanding experience!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

That sounds like an amazing experience, very different than these kind of tours.

@bearhapps3245 Год назад

Hey great video! :) In which month you visited marocco? Thinking about July, but I am not sure if it is way to hot?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks, I visited in mid to late May myself. The hottest place was actually Marrakech, not the desert!

@mirzuki Год назад

Just came back home from Moroco with 3 small kids 6, 3 and 3 and it was great, especially the sahara and camels.. They are well organized and if you have kids there are ways for that.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Good to know, I couldn’t imagine doing it with kids but good if they can make it work

@matthewmorris7510 2 года назад

Nice video Chris, you are getting better at this.

@ChrisKermis 2 года назад

Thanks, glad to hear! Now if only RU-vid would offer it up to a few people so that more could watch it.

@matthewmorris7510 2 года назад

@@ChrisKermis I guess it takes a while to build up an audience. Have you ever seen the Finnish lads who did Madventures? That was really different, although quite extreme. Why not do some videos on places to drink great beers in Netherlands and Belgium...you know it really well and lots of people visit the Netherlands & Belgium

@ChrisKermis 2 года назад

@@matthewmorris7510 Yeah it's tough to build, there was some really good growth then it slowed to a crawl when my content shifted away from Iraqi Kurdistan. I don't think I've seen the Finnish lads though I wathc a fair few other channels. Your not the first to suggest I do something about beer, but my heart wouldn't be in it. I've completely lost interest in the beer scene nowadays.

@mercdesgarrido Год назад

Thank you !! Love you girl

@brothersman524 Год назад

Hey Chris. I did the exact 3-day Sahara tour from Marrakech and I agreed with everything you said about this tour in my 10 day stay in Marrakech. The food in some of those restaurants were horrible, the journey was very long especially going back to Marrakech. And I agree that paying a bit extra for luxury accommodation is worth it because I did exactly the same thing as well. All in all, it was worth it. But yes, you bring cash, sun cream, probably insect repellents, pack light, bring plenty of drinks and snacks and sweets, portable charger, wet wipes. I know the guy who was next door to me in the bedouin tents seen a scorpion in the toilet area. Camel rides are very uncomfortable but the views of the desert was amazing. I did the 2-day Sahara tour in Tunisia as well which was pretty good too

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Wow a scorpion in the toilet?! All I had was a cockroach under the bedside table though that didn't seem a big enough concern to even. put in the video. Anyway, good to hear that it matched up with your experience. What I wanted was to make the video that I wanted to see before doing it, something that tells both the good and the bad.

@brothersman524 Год назад

@@ChrisKermis It was on the side of the toilet. They ended up containing it and simply took it away somewhere. Yes it is important to put the pros and cons rather than sugar coat it. I always do the same and give an honest opinion about the places that I have been to

@soumia_kiz4265 Год назад

i guess you are tunisian or algerian i can't trust you

@brothersman524 Год назад

@@soumia_kiz4265 No I'm from England!! - a bit of a dumb response from you for making these silly assumptions

@mohacameltoursmorocco7366 Год назад

Lovley video,welcome to Morocco,but what i can say as a tour operator that you been in good experience,

@stonew1927 Год назад

Headed to Morocco at the end of February for either 3 or 5 weeks (depending if I leave earlier to visit friends in Europe). This is something I want to do. Haven't decided yet if to loop north from Casablanca to Fez and Chefchaouen before heading south to the Sahara and then Marrakech and some hikes in the mountains, or to do it the other way around, heading south first. In any case, interesting to see what the tours are like. The dunes are beautiful. I think it's a complete shame that vehicles are allowed to traverse them as they contribute to their erosion. But of course, people always want "convenience."

@ChrisKermis Год назад

That'll be a pretty awesome trip you can spend that long. I get what you mean by the vehicles, they do go set ways around the dunes that you don't really see but they're still there of course. It's quite a tourism factory line there.

@grabedigger 2 месяца назад

Quite an enjoyable video, no BS, straight to the point. Helped me to plan my trip there, without needing for a guide, just rent a car and drive off :) Did you notice if, next to the tents in Merzouga there were places to park our cars and then go to the tents? Or some sort of transfer to the tents?

@ChrisKermis 2 месяца назад

Cheers, glad it helped. You can’t take your car to the tents but 4x4s travel between Merzouga and the tents, and you can opt for those rather than camel. It’s how they transport your luggage. In the video you’ll notice I take camel to the tents but 4x4 back in the morning.

@zimk5555 Год назад

Thanks. Very useful information. Which was the month this video was recorded?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Glad to help. This was taken in late May 2022

@nosas66 Год назад

Great video review.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you!

@stephengibson7709 10 месяцев назад

Great video. Well done. Thank you. Just curious. What camera did you use and what video editing software did you use? Thanks. Steve in Atlanta, Georgia USA

@ChrisKermis 10 месяцев назад

Thank you! I use a GoPro Hero 10 with media mod & shotgun mic. I've come on a bit since making this video but still rely heavily on the GoPro. For editing, DaVinci Resolve.

@naemasufi7588 Год назад

a very fair assessment.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you

@panama_scroll 3 месяца назад

Amazing info. I am heading to Marrakech in a few weeks. I wonder can you actually swim in those riads, mini-pools? Or it is more of a decoration?

@orozcoaj69 27 дней назад

You can swim in the riads. They are small but still cool off in them 😊

@rogerchoi1170 Год назад

Great job for my visit in June.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Glad it’s useful, enjoy your trip!

@jmmarimon Год назад

Great video Chris! Love your humor Can you share the tour company you did it with? Thanks!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the vid! I can’t really say what company it was, I never contacted them directly. Basically I just made a deal with my riad In Marrakech (a lot cheaper than doing it online in advance)

@jmmarimon Год назад

@@ChrisKermis thanks a lot Chris!

@davidmclachlan6592 Месяц назад

A very interesting video, I'm going to morocco in November /December, what is the weather like at this time of the year, do they still run the Sahara desert trip?

@loued1050 4 месяца назад

CHRIS!!! You are terrific!! I'm planning my trip now. Was wondering how you got from Marrakech to Casablanca at the end of this trip. That's sort of my last thing to figure out. Thank you for sharing!

@ChrisKermis 4 месяца назад

Very easy! There’s a fast train between Marrakech and Casablanca.

@loued1050 4 месяца назад

Ha - what used to be the Marrakesh Express. Can't help singing the song!@@ChrisKermis

@nadineheller6838 Год назад

thank you very much, it was perfect for a decision making.

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Glad it was useful, enjoy your trip!

@nikitaandsuissanswedding5941 2 месяца назад

Hi Chris, great video, so clear and descriptive. 1 Question, how does luggage work? Do people tend to bring very limited luggage on these tours or do they have room? What do you suggest? We are on a two week trip going to multiple locations and can't leave luggage anywhere. Thank you in advance!

@ChrisKermis 2 месяца назад

There’s space in the back of the minibus for luggage and when you do the camel ride your luggage comes separately by 4x4.

@NaturalBornQuerdenker Год назад

Thanks a lot! 👍

@TheBrainBoostNetwork 11 месяцев назад

Love your video Chris, i was wondering how did you book your 3 days trip?

@ChrisKermis 11 месяцев назад

Thank you, I just booked it with the riad where I was staying in Marrakech. I think you get a better deal than doing it online in advance. Check the pinned comment for a bit more info

@Birdylockso 9 месяцев назад

Super thankful for this video. I have no idea it's that far! That's like 10 hours of solid sitting in the car for the 3rd day. It's not worth it, especially since I've done desert camping in Dubai already, which wasn't very far from the city.

@ChrisKermis 9 месяцев назад

Glad it helped!

@mluisbrown 2 месяца назад

I did this tour with my family last week, including two kids, 5 and 14 years old. We spent an extra day (and night) in a nice hotel in Merzouga to able to chill and relax a bit and not have the long journey back to Marrakesh straight after waking up at 5am in the desert to watch the sunrise. A few points: 1. We took camels to the desert camp in the evening and again from the camp back to Merzouga the next morning. There was a sandstorm in the evening, so I was very glad we had the ride back on the camels the next morning in stunning early morning sun conditions. Regarding your comment about young kids, there was no riding shotgun on 4x4s or in the back of a pickup, and my 5yr old daughter rode with me on the camel both ways and loved it. 2. IMO you’re exagerrating the issues with the lunches, or you just had bad luck. Our 3 lunches that were included were all either 100 or 120 MAD per person and were all delicious and very good value, even my kids loved them. We had vegetable soup + meatball (kefta) tajine + desert each time and all were very good, particularly the first one in Ait Ben Haddou. You also can’t compare the cost of an omlette and a coke to a 3 course meal. Sure, you probably could get something cheaper and more “authentic” but 10€ for a delicious 3 course meal is great deal IMO. 3. Don’t be so cynical about being guided to opportunities to buy stuff from local sellers. That’s how these people make a living. We never felt under any pressure to buy anything, it was all very relaxed. Regarding the driving part, you’re right, the roads are excellent and there’s almost always good cell phone coverage. As for the driver safety, it depends. On the way there our driver was extremely calm careful and I felt very secure. On the way back though we had a different driver and he was constantly on the phone (no hands free) and made a lot of very sketchy overtakes with basically no visibility of oncoming traffic. All in all enojyed watching the video, nice job 👍

@ChrisKermis 2 месяца назад

Thank you for taking the time to write all this based on your experiences. To be honest I look back on some aspects of this video and cringe. It was made fairly early in my RU-vid “career”, and I certainly think some aspects were too negative and came out wrongly. The main thing I wanted to do was just show exactly what it was like, the good and the bad. I couldn’t find any info online at the time even though so many people do it. Wow it must be difficult attempting it with a 5 year old though. It’s a lot of time in the minibus! Hope you and your family had a great trip overall in Morocco. It’s certainly a great country with a lot to offer!

@mluisbrown 2 месяца назад

@@ChrisKermis Thank you for your honest response. Despite my criticisms I still think it was a great video and would certainly be very helpful to anyone who was doing this tour for the first time. We had a great time in Morocco and would love to return!

@asmaab4078 Год назад

Such a great vvideo..greetings from Casablanca

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you, look out for the next video, it's from my time in Casablanca!

@lisamiller1070 5 месяцев назад

A group of friends will be heading to Morocco in about 5 weeks. We will be traveling this way with our own guide. I have been all over the world and it is common to go to places where the guides get a commission however More common in the Middle East and Africa countries. I would be surprised if it was any different. And I love to ride camels! Always seems to be a day or two you have to drive for hours to get from place to place. Cant wait! Enjoyed the video

@ChrisKermis 5 месяцев назад

Have a great trip! That's the ideal way to do it if you can travel independently with your own guide. Of course the commission the tours get for bringing groups to certain restaurants keeps the cost of the tour down (and the cost is pretty low for what you get overall!), but there's plenty of other places to eat around that are sitting mostly empty and probably care more to make better food.

@eddiezhang7152 Год назад

Thanks for sharing this Chris. Just one question - do you recall if the hotel in Merzouga has good wifi connection and speed?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

I do remember the first hotel had pretty bad wifi. I could not connect at all from my room and had to sit outside by the reception.

@ianhutchinson3635 Год назад

Hi Chris, great video, thank you. Just wondering what camera you use for your RU-vid clips ?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

This video was shot with a GoPro Hero 10. With media mod and shotgun mic. Nowadays I have more kit than just that but the GoPro still does most of the camera work

@christophermarcus2361 Год назад

Wow!

@J.G.V.610 2 месяца назад

Greetings.. I agree with you that a getaway to the desert is something you have to experience in life, but you have to know how to choose well the company that organizes the tour. There are very bad ones, deteriorated cabins and terrible food. The ideal is to go three or four days minimum. The journey from Marrakech to Merzouga is more than 9 hours and just as many on the way back. A terrible beating. The last time I was there, the tranquility disappeared when the 4x4s and Quards appeared, at full speed. You are already starting to see oil and grease from the engines in the sand.. Buff

@abdelelazhari9116 11 месяцев назад

Hey man , love ur videos . Just wanna put thst out there . Good luck . Moroccan native , live on US ..✌️🙏💕

@ChrisKermis 11 месяцев назад

Thank you! They’ll be more coming from Morocco this year 🙂

@OwenOu_Official 6 месяцев назад

The stray dog was running after your 4x4, LOL!

@ishxd8052 Год назад

Hi Chris hope you're well, lovely video; I wanted to know if you had guidance on clothing and/or specifically footwear for the desert?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Thank you! Assuming you’re just going on a tour like I did, it’s not proper desert, it’s just what could be described as an edge. I went around in trainer style shoes, but then barefoot around the camp. With caution though, its not common at all but there could be nasties around like scorpions.

@ishxd8052 Год назад

@@ChrisKermis That's brilliant and yes the exact same tour; thank you for the prompt response. Did you find the trainers to be okay? Any issue with sand or general abrasion?

@leoniebode7528 Год назад

Nice Video! We are going to Morocco in October. How much did you pay for the Tour?

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Sorry for the slow reply, internet was blocked in Iran where I just was. Thanks! The tour cost 1575 MAD / 150 EUR / 158 USD. Great value overall I thought.

@chadywood Год назад

I just got back from a week and a half in the country and did a 3 day tour from Fez to Merzouga and then onto Marrakesh. Sadly we made the mistake of going during Ramadan so the only places available for the lunch stops was those in and out tourist-y stops. Still a lovely time though!

@ChrisKermis Год назад

Bad timing but still well worth it I bet. Wish I had have done between Marrakesh and Fez rather than going back to Marrakesh. Just didn’t work with my itinerary though