Merzouga & Erg Chabbi 3 Days Sahara Tour

Nice experience with Great travel

Ismail was the best driver we had in Morocco. He made our vacation better, he was helpful and friendly.

via Tripadvisor

Sahara Desert 3 days 2nights

We did the 3-day, 2-night Sahara Desert tour from Marrakesh, with the Great Travels Morocco and it was honestly one of the highlights of our trip to Marrakesh. A good reason for that was our driver, Morad. Morad was extremely friendly from the very beginning and made us feel comfortable throughout the journey. Long drives can easily become tiring, but his warm personality and easy conversations made the time pass quickly. He was also very punctual and organized. Every morning he was ready on time, the itinerary ran smoothly, and we never felt rushed or stressed about the schedule. It made the whole experience very relaxed.

via Tripadvisor

Do not Trust this company

It’s honestly hard for me to start writing this review about the travel agency, because the experience was deeply disappointing and traumatizing for me and my two co-travelers. We booked this trip only because it was the last available option to spend New Year’s Eve in the desert. I wish we hadn’! The journey began unpleasantly. The van was freezing as we drove through the snowy Atlas Mountains, only becoming warm hours later. I was surprised that there was no actual tour leader, only a driver who was somehow expected to manage everything, including the group’s timing and an 800 km drive from Marrakech to the Merzouga Desert. During the so-called tour in the beautiful buil Ouarzazate , two fellow travelers — a couple — got temporarily lost due to the local guide’s complete negligence. The village layout was confusing, and instead of guiding us properly, the man spoke only about Hollywood movies. Thirty minutes later the couple were found stressed and desperate, and instead of apologizing, the guide blamed them for getting lost and even demanded money for his “tour.” We didn’t know where we were sleeping until just ten minutes before arriving at the first hotel — something the driver apparently kept secret, probably to hide how poor the conditions were. The hotel, located in the Valley of Roses (Auberge des Peupliers), was full of red flags from the moment we arrived. The three of us women were placed together in one room with a broken lock. When we asked to have it fixed, they refused, assuring us that the hotel manager could “guarantee our safety.” Later, when we got locked inside due to the same faulty door, other travelers had to help us get out. We were the only guests not provided with a key. When I complained, the hotel owner shockingly suggested he could “sleep in our room to protect us.” I told him that would make me feel even more unsafe. After contacting the agency— the door was finally fixed. But that was only the beginning of the chaos. The hotel staff and local men were already drinking heavily before dinner. Later, when we asked if we could have a small celebration for New Year’s Eve, things became extremely uncomfortable. Drunk men constantly asked us to dance, invading our personal space, and one person even followed my friend on Instagram afterward. One of my co-travelers also had 200 euros stolen from her bag — clearly taken in the hotel, though the thief left 100 euros inside to make it less noticeable at the time. The next day, we headed to the desert. The camel ride at sunset was beautiful, even though the guide didn’t speak a single word — I genuinely wondered if he had taken a vow of silence. The food at the camp that evening was good, and it seemed like things were finally looking up. But the next morning, everything changed. When we mounted the camels before sunrise, it was still dark. I told the camel guide that I didn’t feel comfortable because I couldn’t see and had never ridden before. He ignored me, rushed the process, and stood dangerously close to my camel. As the camel rose, it pushed me off balance, and I fell from nearly two meters high. I screamed for help, but the man didn’t even turn around, if he did I would not have fallen. No first aid was offered. Afterward, they took me to a “jeep activity” that made no sense, and while my co-traveler had paid for sandboarding, it turned out to be unsafe and poorly organized — no equipment, no shoes to strap onto the board, nothing. It was a miracle no one else got hurt. When I asked for a refund for her unused activity, the camp manager became hostile and dismissive. I ended up sitting in the jeep with him until sunrise, in pain and frustration. To make matters worse, the travel agency later asked the driver to film me walking — as if to “prove” I was fine — while I was actually in pain and that took 2 ibuprofen to move. They showed zero respect for data privacy or for my wellbeing. The agency manager even blackmailed me, saying she wouldn’t process my refund unless I gave her my medical results. She also accused me of “making up problems” and said no one had ever complained before — a classic gaslighting tactic. This entire trip through Morocco was ruined because of this agency and its unprofessional partners. I ended up spending another 300 euros for hospital testing in Marrakech just to ensure I hadn’t suffered serious injuries. Thank God I’m physically fine — but emotionally, this trip traumatized us. Please, do not trust this agency. Their partners were equally irresponsible and disrespectful. We invested time, money, and trust into this trip only to be left feeling unsafe, disrespected, and utterly disappointed.

Response from the operator: We are sorry to hear that this guest is disappointed with her experience. While we always welcome feedback, we would like to clarify several points to ensure future travelers have an accurate understanding of the situation and of the nature of this tour. This booking was for our most basic shared 3-day Sahara tour, which the guest chose as the only option available at that time. The tour description clearly explains the level of comfort, shared transportation, and services included. Regarding transportation, the tour took place in winter, when temperatures in the Atlas Mountains are naturally very cold, especially early in the morning and at night. This is a seasonal condition experienced throughout Morocco. This tour is operated by a driver-guide rather than a separate tour leader, which is standard for basic shared Sahara tours. The total distance from Marrakech to Merzouga is approximately 660 km, completed over three days, with the first overnight stop around 300 km from Marrakech, not in a single drive. Regarding the visit near Ouarzazate, the local guide mentioned in the review was not included in our tour package. It was an independent guide offering optional on-site services, which guests are free to accept or decline. We did not receive any complaint about this guide during the tour, nor have we received similar feedback from other travelers. On the first night, the guest contacted us regarding a room lock issue. We intervened immediately with the accommodation, the issue was fixed the same evening, and the guest confirmed at the time that she was satisfied with our response. Regarding the camel ride, the guest did experience a fall while mounting the camel. Our local team checked on her immediately. She was conscious and stable and did not request medical assistance at that time. She continued the program and returned to Marrakech by road. The driver who accompanied her for the entire return journey confirmed that she was able to walk and sit normally and showed no signs of serious injury. She did not request a hospital visit during or after the drive. After returning to Marrakech, the guest contacted us, stating that she could not walk and requested a refund. We would like to clarify that the guest has already been refunded through Viator, the platform used for the booking. As a responsible agency, we request a medical report when an injury claim is made to assess the situation properly. To date, no medical documentation has been provided to us. Should the guest be able to provide an official medical report confirming an injury directly linked to this tour, we remain open to reviewing the case further and resolving it fairly. The allegation of theft was communicated only after the trip had ended. No report was made during the stay, and no evidence was provided. While we take such matters seriously, we cannot act on claims without timely notification or proof. Regarding the short video mentioned, it was requested solely to clarify the guest’s condition after receiving contradictory statements about her ability to walk. It was used only for internal clarification and was not shared publicly. We regret that this experience did not meet the guest’s expectations. However, we respectfully disagree with the claim that we acted negligently or without care. Throughout the tour, we remained responsive, intervened when issues were raised, and followed appropriate procedures afterward. We invite readers to consult our full profile and feedback from other travelers here: https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Attraction_Review-g293734-d6378935-Reviews-Great_Travel_Morocco-Marrakech_Marrakech_Safi.html We remain committed to transparency, guest safety, and fair treatment of all travelers.

via Tripadvisor

Trauma Caused by this agency

It’s honestly hard for me to start writing this review about the travel agency, because the experience was deeply disappointing and traumatizing for me and my two co-travelers. We booked this trip only because it was the last available option to spend New Year’s Eve in the desert — I wish we hadn’t. The journey began unpleasantly. The van was freezing as we drove through the snowy Atlas Mountains, only becoming warm hours later. I was surprised that there was no actual tour leader — only a driver who was somehow expected to manage everything, including the group’s timing and an 800 km drive from Marrakech to the Merzouga Desert. During the so-called tour in the beautiful buil Ouarzazate , two fellow travelers — a couple — got temporarily lost due to the local guide’s complete negligence. The village layout was confusing, and instead of guiding us properly, the man spoke only about Hollywood movies. Thirty minutes later the couple were found stressed and desperate, and instead of apologizing, the guide blamed them for getting lost and even demanded money for his “tour.” We didn’t know where we were sleeping until just ten minutes before arriving at the first hotel — something the driver apparently kept secret, probably to hide how poor the conditions were. The hotel, located in the Valley of Roses (Auberge des Peupliers), was full of red flags from the moment we arrived. The three of us women were placed together in one room with a broken lock. When we asked to have it fixed, they refused, assuring us that the hotel manager could “guarantee our safety.” Later, when we got locked inside due to the same faulty door, other travelers had to help us get out. We were the only guests not provided with a key. When I complained, the hotel owner shockingly suggested he could “sleep in our room to protect us.” I told him that would make me feel even more unsafe. After contacting the agency— the door was finally fixed. But that was only the beginning of the chaos. The hotel staff and local men were already drinking heavily before dinner. Later, when we asked if we could have a small celebration for New Year’s Eve, things became extremely uncomfortable. Drunk men constantly asked us to dance, invading our personal space, and one person even followed my friend on Instagram afterward. One of my co-travelers also had 200 euros stolen from her bag — clearly taken in the hotel, though the thief left 100 euros inside to make it less noticeable at the time. The next day, we headed to the desert. The camel ride at sunset was beautiful, even though the guide didn’t speak a single word — I genuinely wondered if he had taken a vow of silence. The food at the camp that evening was good, and it seemed like things were finally looking up. But the next morning, everything changed. When we mounted the camels before sunrise, it was still dark. I told the camel guide that I didn’t feel comfortable because I couldn’t see and had never ridden before. He ignored me, rushed the process, and stood dangerously close to my camel. As the camel rose, it pushed me off balance, and I fell from nearly two meters high. I screamed for help, but the man didn’t even turn around, if he did I would not have fallen. No first aid was offered. Afterward, they took me to a “jeep activity” that made no sense, and while my co-traveler had paid for sandboarding, it turned out to be unsafe and poorly organized — no equipment, no shoes to strap onto the board, nothing. It was a miracle no one else got hurt. When I asked for a refund for her unused activity, the camp manager became hostile and dismissive. I ended up sitting in the jeep with him until sunrise, in pain and frustration. To make matters worse, the travel agency later asked the driver to film me walking — as if to “prove” I was fine — while I was actually in pain and that took 2 ibuprofen to move. They showed zero respect for data privacy or for my wellbeing. The agency manager even blackmailed me, saying she wouldn’t process my refund unless I gave her my medical results. She also accused me of “making up problems” and said no one had ever complained before — a classic gaslighting tactic. This entire trip through Morocco was ruined because of this agency and its unprofessional partners. I ended up spending another 300 euros for hospital testing in Marrakech just to ensure I hadn’t suffered serious injuries. Thank God I’m physically fine — but emotionally, this trip traumatized us. Please, do not trust this agency. Their partners were equally irresponsible and disrespectful. We invested time, money, and trust into this trip only to be left feeling unsafe, disrespected, and utterly disappointed.

via Viator

Perfect 🤩

The driver Murad was so friendly and social guy. He was very good with taking us to many places while the journey. He was very respectful for the time of arriving and stops. We arrived to Sahra as our schedule. He speaks different languages and put many different songs. He was nice to everyone in the car. I recommend him very warmly.

via Tripadvisor