Here’s something that’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about desert travel: while Morocco emerged as Africa’s most-visited tourist destination in 2024, welcoming 17.4 million international tourists, there’s a hidden story behind these staggering numbers that most travelers never discover. I learned this the hard way after booking what I thought was the “adventure of a lifetime” – only to find myself crammed into a bus with 47 other tourists, following a predetermined route that felt more like a desert assembly line than an authentic Sahara experience. But then something remarkable happened. My Berber guide, Youssef, pulled me aside during our lunch break and whispered, “You want to see the real desert? The one my grandfather showed me when I was seven years old?” That single question led me to discover why smart travelers are abandoning group tours in droves, choosing private desert Morocco Tour Package experiences instead. And honestly? The difference isn’t just night and day – it’s like comparing a postcard to stepping into a living, breathing masterpiece. The 89% Rule That Travel Companies Don’t Want You to Know Here’s a statistic that’ll shock you: according to recent surveys from Morocco’s leading desert tour operators, 89% of travelers who experience both group and private desert tours say they’d never go back to group experiences. Ever. Why? Because Morocco’s soaring popularity is fueled by once-in-a-lifetime experiences like camel trekking, but here’s what they don’t tell you in the brochures: on group tours, your “once-in-a-lifetime” camel trek lasts exactly 45 minutes, follows a predetermined path worn smooth by thousands of previous tourists, and ends with everyone taking virtually identical photos at the same “Instagram-worthy” spot. Now imagine this instead: You’re on a private desert Morocco Tour Package, and your guide notices you’re fascinated by traditional navigation techniques. Suddenly, your camel trek becomes a masterclass in desert survival, where you learn to read wind patterns in the sand, identify edible plants, and understand why certain dunes sing when the wind hits them just right. That’s the difference between tourism and transformation. Why Morocco Desert Excursions Private Tours Are Becoming the Gold Standard Let me paint you a picture that perfectly captures why tourism in Morocco has risen by 35% since 2019, with private desert experiences leading this unprecedented growth. It’s 5:47 AM. Instead of being awakened by the sound of diesel engines warming up and tour guides shouting instructions through megaphones, you’re gently roused by the smell of fresh mint tea brewing over an open fire and the soft murmur of your guide preparing for the day’s adventure. This isn’t just luxury – though Morocco desert luxury accommodation has certainly raised the bar for comfort in the middle of nowhere. This is about having the freedom to experience the desert on your terms, at your pace, following your curiosity rather than someone else’s schedule. Your private desert Morocco Tour Package means when you spot that incredible geological formation in the distance and want to explore it, you can. When.
Our honeymoon in Morocco was unreal thanks to Abidine . The planning was seamless and stress free. We simply highlighted the destinations we wanted to visit and the rest was... read more magic. From the hotels, food and guides there was not one complaint. The culture, people and architecture is outstanding.
One highlight of our trip was the outstanding customer service. We received treatment as if we were staying at the Riad everywhere. Moroccan's are deeply invested in tourism. Our driver, Ismail was extremely professional and knowledgeable. He kept us safe and on schedule as well as provided great company. He tied the whole trip together and we could not have imagined a better trip leader.
I am recommending PRIVATE DESERT TOURS to all of my friends and family. We plan to use their service again in the near future.
stephankarbaja 05/05/2019
Fantastic tour, great people! - My wife and I decided to explore Morocco for our Honeymoon - we had limited time (less than a week) and wanted to see many spots. We booked Private Desert... read more Tours and we could not be happier with how it turned out. Our driver, Ismael, was fantastic, professional and accommodating. In 5 days, we visited everything that was on our list: Dade's valley, Erg Chebbi desert, Berber Villages, Fez, Chefchaouen, Casablanca (which wasn't on the list but Isamel managed to make a short detour to accommodate us). The tour started on Monday morning from Marrakesh and ended Friday afternoon back in Marrakesh. We travel quite a bit, and this was one of the most wholesome and complete experience we've encountered - highly recommended.
traveldooda 18/02/2023
Awesome trip! Our guide, Ismail, went above and beyond in every regard. Overall we had a great time and I highly recommend this trip to anyone that’s interested!
rjR8894FE 26/05/2023
Found this company on the website and from the start Abidine was really fantastic. He was very quick in replying and accommodating to our requests. We did a 10 day... read more trip with them. We were met at Marrakech airport by our driver Ismail. I think luck was on our side when we got this guy. He spent the next nine days with us. He was a fantastic driver, yet cautious and caring about our needs. Every night he would escort us to our Riad and did not leave till we were settled in. True regard for us. The highlight, of course was the desert trip. Ismail was born and raised in the desert, so was no stranger to the surroundings, which made us very comfortable. He turned out to be a good musician, playing the drums at the night get together around the fire. The trip included going to Essaouira, Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Fes, Dades Valley, Aitbenhaddo, among other very interesting places, all taken care of by PDTours. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the local people, the tantalizing food,the camel ride and the magic of the desert all in part to Ismail. I highly recommend this company and I cannot say enough about our driver, as the driver can dictate how your vacation will be and ours was extremely good.
oddyoboy 08/12/2019
A Great Experience - We hired Private Desert Tours to take 4 of us around Morocco for 11 days, and we were more than pleased with our experience!
Starting with our communications with... read more Abiden, that were always promptly and professionally answered, to our days with Ismail, as our driver, we were more than happy!
Abiden set our tour up to take us where we asked, and had every detail covered. He had Ismail, our driver , meet us at the airport, and take us to our Riad. From that moment on, Ismail took care of us. He was an excellent, polite and courteous driver through all our long journeys around this amazing country! Every day Ismail got us where ever we were supposed to be. In the evening, he made sure we were settled at our Riad, before leaving us. Ismail would be at our Riad on time each morning to help us get our luggage to the car, and be on our way.
We journeyed from Marrakesh, to Essaouira, to Casablanca, Rabat, then Chefchouan, to Meknès, Merzouga ( the desert), and beyond with Ismail. We switched drivers before heading in through the High Atlas Mountains, as Ismail had to start with a new group. Our new driver, Adeel, was a very careful, confident driver through those rugged mountains, and on to Marrakesh.
In order to see as much of the country as possible, we put on a lot of kilometres. Some days had long stretches of driving, but we saw so many incredible wonders in this diverse and beautiful country!
Many thanks to Abiden, Ismail, and Adele for a trip of a lifetime!
Sue3020 16/11/2019
This was a unique experience which me and my family will cherish for the rest of our lives. Thank you Abidine for making it possible. Your prompt response to all... read more my queries helped me plan my trip better. A million thanks to Ismail (our guide) who made sure we had a wonderful time through the trip. We feel like we made a great friend in him. From introducing us to local music, to tirelessly driving the 4 days, to taking us to these amazing riads run by the most wonderful people, to showing us the main sites to see along the way - he was simply amazing. This tour helped us experience Morocco in a way that no other tour could. We met amazing families who hosted us. The desert camp was spectacular. I was worried that being a vegetarian and not being able to speak arabic or french would be major hurdles - definitely not so. This tour made it so easy to manage. This is something I would recommend to anyone planning on spending time in Morocco.
485srivatsans 08/07/2019
Totally dependable. We definitely would use them again. - Attentive, reliable, responsive. No surprises! From start to finish, every stops along the trip, local guides, every places to stay except one were tops. Excellent driver. What a wonderful trip!
P8185FYstephenn 15/11/2022
We both had a fantastic time!. Abidine was wonderful . He was sweet, dependable guy who went out of his way to help us on many occassions. Thank you... read more for making the planning for us! You were easy to work with and very responsive. Thank you so much do the wonderful trip !
Mchicha F 31/05/2019
Me and another 3 friends went to morocco to spend a week there. We had the incredible luck of having Abdul as a guide for the whole trip. Not only... read more did he prepare all the points of interest to visit according to our demands and timetable, but he also ensured that we had the best of the experiences there: he drove us through the desert for the whole week with a smile, we listened to both his and our music while traversing amazing landscapes, stopping whenever we required to rest and eat at the places he recommended, which never disappointed. He also took us to the most remarkable cities and places: I will never forget our days at marraketch or the dunes in the desert and sleeping surrounded by them and the stars. 11 out of 10. I couldn't imagine a better guide for such a travel.
Fedestroncio 22/10/2019
I already went on a desert tour with Abidine last february and I was absolutely amazed and stunned by the atmosphere in the desert and the insight I got in... read more both the nature and the culture and traditions of nomad life. It was an experience so different to everything I knew that I told my friends they should go on a tour as well. The five of us returned some month later to spend a whole week in the Sahara and we all loved it. Abidine is the greatest organizer I know, he thought about everything and cared about our wellbeing. He and the guides served us traditional food and at night we were telling stories at the bonfire. We could relax and enjoy the landscape and walking. I wish for everybody to once experience this. Thank you so much Abidine!