We'd booked the private, 2-day tour. At the pick-up point the tour boss tried to add us to a minibus rammed with other tourists. We refused. After 20 mins of arguing, we were given a private guide, as paid for. The boss tried to claim that the private element just meant a private tent in the desert! Don't let this put you off..... you just have to stand your ground and refuse to join a large group (other reviews suggest this is a regular occurrence). But from there on, the whole tour was superb. Our private guide Amin was a lovely, sweet guy (even more so given that the two-day trip was a surprise for him haha). Amin was very knowledgeable, stopped frequently for visits to villages/towns, cafes, restaurants, viewpoints and of course the bathroom! It is a six-hour drive to the Sahara in total but these frequent stops made it seem very manageable (I believe it takes significantly longer with a large group in a minibus). Amin was very happy to personalise the trip, always asking if we were interested in stopping at/visiting places (for instance we have no interest in shopping so Amin was happy to not visit shops etc). The sites - such as a lovely local market where we not only walked around to soak up the atmosphere but also had a lovely sit-down in a local traders' cafe for mint-tea - where all fabulous. And we had a lovely local guide Aziz to show us around Ait Ben Haddou. Other reviews have suggested this was an unexpected extra cost but for us it was included as part of the overall tour fee (maybe because we stood our ground at the start?) And then of course the one-hour camel ride to the tents.... great fun, quite comfortable with another lovely local guy, Muhammed (who stayed the night, showed us the sunset, sunrise etc). Again, with the private tour this was just the two of us, led by Muhammed, then staying in the more luxurious camp enclosure. The tent was glorious.... comfortable, large with everything needed for a true, Saharan experience (although admittedly quite luxurious!) The food throughout the day and at the camp was superb. Confusingly, on the first day lunch was included but not brekkie. According to the itinerary it should have been the other way around... but didn't matter. After dinner at the camp there is a lovely area to lounge, chat, have tea etc. Unfortunately an American woman arrived later and decided this area was for her alone. She immediately turned her phone on full volume, placed it in the centre of the area and played her music while singing and dancing (neither of which were good!!). She, I'm guessing, was in her late 50s but acted like a self-absorbed, narcissistic teenager that hasn't yet developed full social skills. We did feel the staff should have said something but as it had been a long, tiring day, we decided to head for bed (as did everyone not in her immediate circle of narcissists). Hard to believe some people's ignorance. It does get chilly at night so bring some layers, but the bed is large, warm and comfortable. Next morning, up early for brekkie and sunrise, followed by 30-minute camel ride back to our car. The trip back to Marrakech is similar to the first day but with fewer major sights. Overall this was a fabulous couple of days not to be missed.... truly lovely to see more of Morocco, experience the Sahara and escape the hub-bub of Marrakech. The only reason I've given 4 stars rather than 5 was the unnecessary need to argue at the start, to receive the tour paid for, and perhaps the staff allowing the ignorant woman to take over in the evening. But a superb tour!! (And many thanks again to Amin, Mohammed and the staff at the camp.... I had unfortunately picked up an illness a day earlier and everyone was very kind throughout. As was Amin on the drive home when my wife also became ill).

I went on the 2-day tour to the Zagora Desert with six friends (aged 20-22), and it was an unforgettable experience! Even though the drive was long, (about six hours each way from Marrakech) our driver did a great job breaking up the trip and keeping it enjoyable. On the first day, we stopped for lunch and a tour of a village where Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and other famous films were shot. Our guide, who had even been in some of the films, gave an excellent overview of the town’s history. Later, we headed to our camel ride at sunset, which was a highlight for us. The camels were treated well, which was important to my friends when booking. The view was absolutely stunning, far from any signs of civilization. That evening, since it was a quieter day for the camp, our group of seven got our own campsite area, accompanied by the two guides. They served dinner, made a campfire, and we ended the night singing and stargazing. It was our favorite part of the trip. The next morning, we rode camels back to the road to meet our van for the return trip to Marrakech. The whole experience was incredible, thanks to the amazing team running the tour. Everyone, from our driver, to the village and camp guides, made us feel welcome and shared their culture with us. I have no complaints, but I would add to keep in mind that there’s a lot of time spent in the car. The drive is beautiful and well worth it though! 10/10 highly recommend! A big thank you to everyone who made this trip so special.

The only reason this is a one star is because of the four awesome camel tour guides and the great night we had in the desert with them. From the get go the communication was terrible and remained that way throughout the trip from both the organisers, the driver and at the Aït Benhaddou, where the tour guides there told us multiple different prices and tried to get us to spend money on “necessities” for the desert. The AC did not work in the car, and when it rained it leaked pretty consistently. Booking stated we got two breakfasts, however we got one, which was a piece of bread with spread and a tea. The tour guide took us to two lunch spots, both being far more expensive than everything else around.