sports in merzouga desert

Extreme sports in the Sahara

Moto Morocco Tours Blog:For those who love sports and thrills,Moto Morocco Tours offers a number of highly original sp orative activities to enjoy the Sahara dunes in a different way! If camel-back bivouacs or other tourist or other tourist activities don’t provide enough adrenalin, we suggest you get to know the dunes of the Sahara Desert up close, thanks to the extreme sports we’ll be guiding you through:

Ski, snowboard, bodyboard or toboggan down the Grande Dune… Of course, the Grande Dune at Merzouga is not equipped with a ski lift, so you’ll have to climb it on foot or with the help of a camel, and then have fun hurtling down the 160-meter slope! Moto Morocco tours is happy to lend you the equipment normally used for winter sports… More adventurous? It’s also possible to paraglide or kitesurf from the Merzouga dune… unforgettable sensations! Erg Chebbi is also the ideal place for Sahara hikes or trekking on foot, mountain bike or camel, which we will be delighted to organize for you.

Trekking around Merzouga

Merzouga and Erg Chebbi are ideal for hiking and trekking. It’s a good way to get to grips with the extreme conditions of the Sahara: temperature, orientation, your senses are likely to be put to the test.

Evènements sportifs au Sahara

A sporting holiday in Erg Chebbi is also an opportunity to enjoy motor sports. Moto Morocco tours organizes motorcycle ktm 450, quad and 4×4 tours for you to enjoy across the dunes of the Sahara! Many rallies pass through the dunes of Merzouga (Paris-Dakar, Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, Raid 4L Trophy, and many others). and throughout the Kingdom of Morocco. We can welcome you from the moment you arrive at the airport, wherever it may be, and help you discover or rediscover the country, its culture, its hospitality, its people, its landscapes, to leave you with eternal memories of the Sahara…

Every April, the Merzouga region plays host to one of the Sahara’s leading sporting competitions: the Marathon des Sables. The route takes in all kinds of terrain: Saharan dunes, stony plateaus, tracks, dry wadis, palm groves, small mountains, over 6 stages ranging from 20 to 80 km, including a marathon stage of 42 km and a non-stop stage of around 80 km, partly at night. People come here first and foremost for the intensity of the event, its reputation as the toughest race in the world.

Other things to do in Merzouga
Berber bivouacs in the Sahara
Hot sand baths in Merzouga
The great Merzouga dune: Erg Chebbi
Walk around Lake Merzouga
4×4 tours in the desert.

EATING AND DRINKING IN MOROCCO

Eating and drinking in Morocco

Moto Morocco Tours Blog: A Mediterranean cuisine of Berber origin, Moroccan cuisine is also influenced by Arab and Jewish influences, while retaining an originality that gives it unique flavors: it’s one of the most renowned cuisines in the world! It also offers a huge variety of dishes, many of which have crossed borders: couscous, tajines, pastilla, mechoui, but also typically Moroccan dishes such as tanjia marrakchie, harira or baddaz. As for ingredients, we use a lot of vegetables, lentils, white beans and broad beans, as well as fish and mutton or beef. Tea also plays an important role, as do spices: saffron, dill, cloves, coriander, ginger, paprika, cumin, pepper, turmeric, as well as herbs such as parsley, rosemary, oregano, fennel, thyme, anise, laurel and basil. Bread is also very present at the table, whether homemade or bought at the bakery.

The dishes

Couscous: of Berber origin, this dish is traditionally made with beef and mutton, but also chicken, with a host of vegetables and wheat semolina.
Tajine: also of Berber origin, this is a stew cooked in an earthen dish with a conical lid, and there are many different types.
Mrouzia: typically Moroccan, this is a tagine made with lamb, almonds, raisins, honey and cinnamon.
Bissara: thick, bean-based soup, topped with olive oil, chili pepper and cumin. Very popular.
Rfissa: a traditional holiday dish made with chicken, onions, lentils, olive oil and various spices.
Harira: typical Moroccan soup made with tomatoes, lentils, meatballs and vegetables.
Pastilla: made with chicken or pigeon meat, almonds and eggs, seasoned with saffron, cinnamon and coriander. A delicious dish, originally from Fez!
Taktouka: tomato, green bell pepper and garlic salad.
Zaalouk: grilled eggplant caviar with paprika, garlic and cumin.
Loubia: a dish made from white beans, tomatoes, garlic, spices and chili pepper, which can be eaten as a main course or as a side dish. It is readily available on the street.
Ghoulal: snails served hot in bowls with broth, also on sale in the streets and squares.
Tanjia: typical of Marrakech, a dish of beef and spices cooked for long hours in an earthenware jar.

Desserts

Dates: Morocco is one of the world’s biggest date producers.
Oranges: tossed in salad and seasoned with cinnamon, they make a refreshing dessert.
Moroccan pastries are world-renowned: they are particularly popular at ceremonies such as weddings, circumcisions and Ramadan.

They are made from almonds and honey, with orange blossom water or cinnamon added as required. Here are a few examples:
Gazelle horns: made with almond paste and honey.
Briwate: fried brick pastry, triangular or in a roll, filled with almonds and sugar.
Sfenj: fritters fried in oil, eaten plain or with sugar or jam.

Drinks

Moto Morocco Tours Blog:Mint tea is drunk throughout the day: made from fresh mint, it is very sweet.
Fresh fruit juices.
Casablanca: beer brewed on site.
Stork: beer brewed in Marrakech, Casa and Fez.
Local wines are produced in the Meknes region, and some varieties are quite good, such as Guerrouane red, Muscat de Beni-Snassen and Volubilia rosé.
La Mahia: fig alcohol at 40°.

Types of restaurants

Moto Morocco Tours Blog:You can eat with street vendors in the squares or streets, or in the various stalls. There are also a number of small gargotes where you can eat simple, hearty dishes, soups or salads. In the cities, there are restaurants of all price and quality levels, serving Moroccan specialties or world cuisine. Fast-food restaurants are also springing up in many of Morocco’s major cities.

When to go to the Moroccan desert?

Desert climate and seasons, Morocco

The hot desert climate of the Saharan zone

The Moroccan desert lies in the intertropical zone, where the sun shines everywhere.

Temperatures are high almost all year round, evaporation is high and rainfall is rare. The regular winds, which can be very strong, amplify the dryness of the Sahara, and by a cascade effect cause the absence of clouds, the absence of humidity and the increase in daytime temperatures.

The climate in southern Morocco and in M’hamid El Ghizlane is characterized by :

Little to no rainfall, resulting in aridity (annual average between 50 mm and 100 mm / year): rainfall is very rare, but can be violent and torrential, mainly in late autumn and early winter (read the blog article: water in the Drâa Valley).
Long, hot spells: from May to September, daytime temperatures are high, reaching up to 50° in sheltered areas. Night-time temperatures remain warm, averaging 30°.
Wide temperature range: the temperature range is very wide, thanks to the clear skies (no clouds to reflect the heat accumulated during the day) and the dryness of the air (absence of water vapour, which acts as a natural barrier).

What’s more, sand does a particularly poor job of retaining the heat accumulated during the day. When the sun disappears, each grain of sand isolates itself from the others”, accelerating heat dissipation. As a result, the more erg (sand dunes) there are in the desert, the greater the heat loss accumulated during the day.

Tourist seasons in the desert

Moto Morocco Tours Blog:The trend in tourist seasons in the desert, for all types of holiday: trekking and camel trekking, quad biking, Motorbike KTM, 4X4 tours, overnight stays in the desert, camel trekking.

Low season in the Moroccan desert: January, May, June, July, August and the first half of December are the months with the lowest tourist numbers in the desert.
Middle season in the Moroccan desert: September, October, November and March are “intermediate” months.
High season in the Moroccan desert: February, April and the second half of December are generally the busiest months in the desert.

What’s the ideal time for a desert trek?

The weather is sunny almost all year round, and rain is very rare, occurring only in late autumn/early winter.

The best months for trekking and hiking in the Moroccan desert are October, November, December, February, March and April: temperatures in the desert during the day and at night are mild.
The coldest month is January. Trekking is possible (and pleasant) with a sleeping bag suitable for comfort 0° to -5° (and possibly gloves and a hat for the night).
The hottest and least favorable months for exploring the desert on foot are mid-May, June, July, August and mid-September. Travel by 4X4 is recommended to discover the Sahara during this period.

Autumn in the desert / Climate and favorable weather

Summer temperatures give way to mild temperatures in October, both during the day and at night. October is characterized by the onset of possible rains, the wettest period.

Autumn in the Sahara is ideal for a family trek, except for the first two weeks of October, which can still be very hot, depending on the year, and sleep under the stars.

What are the temperatures like in October and November?

Average daytime temperature in the Moroccan desert: 25° / 35°.

Average night-time temperature in the Moroccan desert: 10° / 20°.

Winter in the desert / Climate and favorable weather

Temperatures and sunshine in the Moroccan desert contrast with temperatures and hours of sunshine in Europe and North America. It’s a perfect time to discover the desert on foot.

Your sleeping bag will need to be adapted to the expected temperatures, especially in January when nights can reach 0°.

A good time to trek with children, with a suitable sleeping bag, hat and gloves for the night.

What are the temperatures like in December, January and February?

Average daytime temperature in the Moroccan desert: 15° / 20°.

Average night-time temperature in the Moroccan desert: 0° / 10°.

Spring in the desert / Climate and favorable weather

Daytime and night-time temperatures rise, but remain quite pleasant until late April / early May for a desert trek. This is also the start of the windy season, with possible sandstorms.

An ideal time for a family trek and nights under the stars.

What are the temperatures like in March, April and May?

Average daytime temperature in the Moroccan desert: 25° / 35°.

Average night-time temperature in the Moroccan desert: 10° / 20°.

Summer in the desert / Unfavorable climate and weather

In summer, the climate is not ideal for exploring the desert on foot. Daytime temperatures are very high, between 40° and 50°, making hiking difficult. Our tours are adapted to summer heat.

What are the temperatures like in June, July, August and September?

Average daytime temperature in the Moroccan desert: 45° / 50°.

Average night-time temperature in the Moroccan desert: 25° / 35°.

Please note: air fares are generally lowest in November, the first two weeks of December and March.