5 Days in the Sahara: the trip that genuinely changes people

Why this journey won me over from the very first time

There are trips you organise, and there are trips you live. The Ouarzazate – Merzouga circuit over 5 days from Marseille belongs firmly in the second category. When I accompanied my first group on this itinerary, I understood why people come back to Jemaa el-Fna with tears in their eyes: the desert transforms you, gently but deeply.

What I love about this circuit is how it is built. We don't rush through the stages. We savour them. And the fact that you leave directly from Marseille, with no complicated transit, makes the adventure accessible to everyone — families, groups of friends, solo travellers who want to find themselves in something vast.

Day 1 – The flight, the arrival, and that first breath of Morocco

Departing from Marseille is a real advantage. No stressful connections, no 3 a.m. alarm to catch a flight from Paris. You board the plane, and a few hours later you are in Morocco. The moment you step outside the airport, the air has a different weight, the light a different intensity. Settling into the riad or hotel for the first night marks the beginning of something.

I always tell my groups: resist the urge to see everything on the first evening. Have a mint tea, watch the world go by, and let the journey begin at its own pace.

Day 2 – Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert

Ouarzazate, nicknamed "the gateway to the desert", is often underestimated by travellers in a hurry. That is a mistake. The Kasbah of Taourirt, the ochre-coloured pisé ksour, the golden morning light on the ramparts… this is where you realise you have truly left Europe behind.

The city also has a fascinating cinematic soul — dozens of films have been shot here, and you feel it in the silhouette of the sets. It is the ideal place to soak up Berber architecture before plunging into the desert.

Day 3 – The road of kasbahs towards Drâa or Dadès

The third day belongs to the road. And what a road it is. The landscapes change every half hour: palm-lined valleys, the Dadès gorges, the Todra gorges rising like a crack in the rock 300 metres high. I never tire of watching people's reactions in the minibus when the gorges appear around a bend.

We stop, we walk, we breathe. That too is part of this journey: pauses that become memories.

Day 4 – Arriving at Merzouga and a night under the stars

On the afternoon of the fourth day, the dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon. Some of my travellers have tears in their eyes before they even reach them. The camel ride up at sunset, the Berber camp nestled in the sands, the tea served under the tent, the night spent watching stars with not a single trace of light pollution… it is an experience that no one can truly describe to those who have not lived it.

That evening, no one looks at their phone. Everyone is there, truly there.

Day 5 – The return, but not the same as before

We rise before dawn to watch the sun come up over the dunes. The light is pink, orange, golden — all at once. Then comes the journey back to the airport, suitcases a little sandy, eyes still full of everything they have seen.

What I hear most often in those moments is: "I didn't think it would be this powerful." That is exactly why I organise this circuit. And it is exactly why you should live it.

If you would like to discover the full programme and availability, I invite you to visit the page for Désert du Sahara : Ouarzazate – Merzouga · 5J/4N · Départ Marseille directly on JustMarrakech. And if you would prefer to depart from Marrakech, there is also the Désert du Sahara : Marrakech – Merzouga · 5 Jours / 4 Nuits circuit.