10 DAYS MOROCCO SAHARA STARGAZING TOUR FROM CASABLANCA

Sahar Stargazing Experience

10 DAYS MOROCCO SAHARA STARGAZING TOUR FROM CASABLANCA

Ten days lets the trip end on the coast rather than in traffic. After the mountains, the medinas, and the Sahara, Essaouira is a genuine change of register: a small walled port on the Atlantic where the wind blows steadily, the fishing boats come in mid-morning, and nothing is in a hurry. It is the right place to spend the last two days of a trip like this.

Before that, the route runs the full length of the country. An arrival day in Casablanca, then Rabat and the coast, the Rif Mountains and Chefchaouen, Volubilis and Meknes, a full guided day in the Fes medina, the Middle Atlas and the Ziz Valley down to Merzouga for two nights in the desert with a full day between them, west through the Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley, past Ait Ben Haddou and over the High Atlas to Marrakech for a guided day, and finally out to Essaouira.

Stargazing in the Merzouga Desert

Stargazing is one of the unforgettable experiences included in our Morocco desert tours. Rather than being a separate activity, it is part of your desert camp experience and takes place during your stay in the Erg Chebbi dunes, as outlined in your tour itinerary.

How Our Stargazing Experience Is Organized

After enjoying a traditional dinner at the desert camp, we gather together and take a peaceful 10-minute walk into the heart of the dunes. Away from any artificial lights, you’ll reach a quiet location where the night sky reveals thousands of stars in remarkable clarity.

Our experience begins with fascinating stories about the nomadic people of the Sahara and how they relied on the stars for navigation and orientation across the desert. You’ll learn about their traditions, legends, and their deep connection with the night sky.

Using a professional laser pointer, your guide will introduce you to the most prominent stars, constellations, and celestial objects visible above the Sahara. With virtually no light pollution, the Merzouga dunes offer one of Morocco’s most spectacular stargazing environments, making this a truly memorable part of your desert adventure.

Duration: 10 days / 9 nights

Start: Casablanca

End: Marrakech

Tour Style: Private

Stargazing Experience : Merzouga Desert

HIGHILGHTES:

– An unhurried arrival day in Casablanca and the Hassan II Mosque
– The Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat
– The blue medina of Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains
– The Roman ruins of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
– Bab Al-Mansour and the imperial architecture of Meknes
– A full guided day in the Fes medina
– Camel trekking into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset
– Two nights in a luxury desert camp
– Two guided stargazing sessions in the dunes
– A full day in the Sahara with nomad families and Khamlia village
– The Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
– Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah and the Tizi n’Tichka pass
– A guided day in Marrakech
– Argan cooperatives on the road west
– The ramparts, port, and medina of Essaouira on the Atlantic

TOUR Itinerary

You are met at Mohammed V International Airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is unstructured. If you have the energy, the Hassan II Mosque is worth the afternoon, and the Corniche is an easy walk and a good place to eat.

Overnight: Hotel in Casablanca

After breakfast the road follows the coast north to Rabat, where you visit the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, with the Kasbah of the Oudayas above the river mouth if time allows.

Lunch in Rabat, then the afternoon drive inland into the Rif Mountains, arriving in Chefchaouen in the evening.

Overnight: Riad in Chefchaouen

The morning is free in Chefchaouen, with the uphill path to the Spanish Mosque giving the view back across the blue town and the mountains behind it.

After lunch the road runs south to Volubilis, where the basilica, triumphal arch, and floor mosaics survive in place, then to Meknes and the gate at Bab Al-Mansour, and on to Fes.

Overnight: Riad in the Fes medina

A full day in the medina with a local guide, covering Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 and the oldest continuously operating university in the world, the Al Attarine Madrasa, and the Chouara tanneries. The afternoon moves through the artisan quarters, with a drive taking in the Royal Palace gates, the Mellah, and the Borj Sud fortress.

Overnight: Riad in the Fes medina

The route climbs into the Middle Atlas, stopping at Ifrane and the cedar forest near Azrou for the Barbary macaques. Lunch along the route.

The afternoon carries you through the Tizi n’Tilghmt pass and down the Ziz Valley to Merzouga. Camels and a guide are waiting. The trek climbs into the dunes and pauses for sunset before continuing to the camp. Tea on arrival, a private tent, dinner, and Berber music around the fire.

STARGAZING EXPERIENCE – MERZOUGA DESERT

After dinner, we gather together and walk for about 10 minutes into the dunes to a quiet, dark location where there is no light pollution.

We begin with an introduction to the mythology of the nomads and explain how they used the stars they observed at night to navigate during the day.

Using a professional laser pointer, we guide you through the night sky, introducing the most important stars and constellations.

The route climbs into the Middle Atlas, stopping at Ifrane and the cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques live along the roadside. Lunch along the route.

The afternoon carries you through the Tizi n’Tilghmt pass and down the Ziz Valley to Merzouga. Camels and a guide are waiting. The trek climbs into the dunes and pauses on a high crest for sunset before continuing to the camp. Tea on arrival, a private tent, dinner, and Berber music around the fire.

Sunrise over the dunes, then breakfast at the camp. The day is given to the area around Erg Chebbi by 4×4: the stony hammada beyond the dune field, a visit to nomad families with tea, and Khamlia village with its sub-Saharan musical tradition and live performance. Lunch locally. The afternoon includes the seasonal lake north of Merzouga when it holds water, and sandboarding on the dunes.

STARGAZING EXPERIENCE – MERZOUGA DESERT

After dinner, we gather together and walk for about 10 minutes into the dunes to a quiet, dark location where there is no light pollution.

We begin with an introduction to the mythology of the nomads and explain how they used the stars they observed at night to navigate during the day.

Using a professional laser pointer, we guide you through the night sky, introducing the most important stars and constellations.

Overnight: Luxury desert camp, Merzouga

A final sunrise and breakfast at the camp. You leave by camel or by 4×4. The route runs west to Tinghir and the palm oasis viewpoint, then up the Todra river to the gorge, where the limestone walls rise around 300 metres above the riverbed. The day ends in the Dades Valley with a stop at the viewpoint over the switchback road.

West through Kalaat M’Gouna and the Roses Valley. At Ouarzazate there is the option of visiting Atlas Studios. A short distance on is Ait Ben Haddou, with time to walk up through the ksar to the granary at the top. From there the road crosses the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 metres and descends into Marrakech.

A guided morning in Marrakech covering Bahia Palace, the Koutoubia Mosque, and the souks of the medina.

After lunch the road runs west toward the Atlantic, passing through argan country with a stop at a women’s cooperative where the oil is still pressed by hand. You reach Essaouira in the late afternoon, in time to walk the ramparts before the light goes.

Overnight: Riad in Essaouira

The morning is free in Essaouira. The fishing port is at its most active mid-morning, the medina is small and walkable, and the beach runs for miles south of the walls.

After lunch the drive returns inland to Marrakech, arriving in the afternoon for your departure or an additional night if you are extending.

– Private air-conditioned vehicle with fuel
– English-speaking driver, or a driver and a separate tour guide
– Guided walking tours of the Fes and Marrakech medinas
– Nine nights accommodation as listed
– Private room in hotels and riads, private tent at the desert camp
– Meals: 9 breakfasts and 3 dinners
– Camel trekking experience in the Erg Chebbi dunes
– Full day 4×4 desert excursion with nomad and Khamlia visits
– Sandboarding
– Two stargazing experiences in the Merzouga desert
– Airport transfer on arrival in Casablanca

– Lunches
– Drinks and beverages
– Entrance fees where applicable
– Tips

Please fill out the form below to contact us, and we will respond as soon as possible. For a faster response please send a WhatsApp: +212661144620 message or call us at +212661144620 . We look forward to connecting with you. Email: saharastargazing@gmail.com

How to pay for the tour?

Our payment process is simple and hassle-free. To confirm your booking, we require a small deposit, which can be easily paid via PayPal, bank transfer, or Wise at the time of reservation. The remaining balance is to be paid in cash to your driver or guide on the first day of the tour, in euros, US dollars, or the equivalent amount in Moroccan dirhams.

What currency is used, and how do I get money?

The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). Credit cards are accepted in many hotels and larger businesses, but cash is needed in many smaller towns and markets.

Is it possible to customize the tour itinerary?

The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). Credit cards are accepted in many hotels and larger businesses, but cash is needed in many smaller towns and markets.

What are the camps in the desert like?

You’ll spend the night in a traditional Berber desert camp featuring private tents. The camps offer essential comforts such as comfortable bedding, shared or private bathroom facilities (depending on the camp type), warm blankets, and a communal dining area for meals and relaxation.

Price & Booking Policy

As a staying guest of our hotel ,hotel KASBAH mohayut, we offer you a guided observation of the starry sky after dinner until midnight, seeing conditions permitting,
at 200
Dirhams per person.
As a non-staying guest of our hotel we offer a 3-course dinner with guided stargazing after dinner at 350 Dirhams per person. Only valid with a firm reservation and upon confirmation by hotel mohayut.
For passing through guests: Price: 350 Dirhams pp. Parking of the car and a guided observation after dinner for about an hour and a half .upon firm reservation confirmed by the hotel.
Occasional drive-by’s will not guarantee stargazing at SaharaSky.
Cancellations please 2 days before arrival date as confirmed by the hotel either by email to saharastargazing@gmail.com or by SMS to 0661144620 .

How Our Stargazing Experience Is Organized

Walk through the tranquil Erg Chebbi dunes under a sky filled with stars.
Witness the spectacular Milky Way in a pristine dark-sky environment.
Learn how Sahara nomads navigated using the stars for centuries.
Guided constellation and planet tour with a professional laser pointer.
Discover ancient Berber legends and celestial mythology.
Perfect opportunity for unforgettable night photography and astrophotography.
A romantic, peaceful, and unforgettable experience in the heart of the Sahara Desert.