Je voudrais partir faire un petit séjour dans le désert - trek ou 4 x4 en septembre ou octobre 2005
Questions : quel désert ? en Lybie, Egypte, Maroc ??
et aussi comment y aller ? avec un tour genre club aventure à partir de la France ou bien trouver une agence sur place qui organise ce type de séjour ?
Salut
Pour ma part je choisirais l'egypte pour la beauté de ses paysages ( désert blanc et mer de sable ) ou le Maroc pour la simplicité et le faible coût.
Pour ce qui est de la Lybie c'est vraiment merveilleux mais un peu plus difficile à faire en indépendant.
A près en ce qui concerne le mode trek, 4x4 ou autre c'est à toi de voir ce que tu aimes.
MAis quel que soit le mode prends un TO soit Français soit un local. On ne s'aventure pas seul dans le désert sans de bonnes connaissances des lieux.
Bien sur que je prendrai une agence mais à choisir et pour des rasions économiques je préférerais en prendre une locale, le probleme étant bien sur d 'en trouver une bien.
comment as tu fait le désert ? est ce que le trek n'est pas trop difficile? car marcher dans le sable pendant des heures ...
Pour le désert blan d'Egypte, il faut partir de quelle ville ? Et aussi pour le période est ce que septembr e/octobre te semble bien ?
As tu pensé à la Mauritanie?
les vols point Afrique sur Atar reprennent fin octobre, leur catalogue comporte pas mal de formules interessantes, sinon, certaines agences d'Atar ont des sites internet et peuvent concocter du sur mesure, un peu moins cher que les produits des catalogues européens.
En Egypte, c'est maintenant tellement règlementé que les itinéraires autorisés ne sont plus très intimes.
Le Maroc est tellement à la mode, il y a foule dans les 2 seuls ergs fréquentés. mais pas dans le désert ou personne ne va, le vrai, vers Smara.
La Lybie, connais pas (encore!)
En septembre il peut faire encore très chaud!
Salut Raoulx tout a fait d accord avec toi pour Smara, le probleme pour notre ami, il veut partir avec un TO et jusque la je ne connais pas de To qui descende a Smara, En mars dernier avons fait Tarfayaq Laayoune, les lacs asseches de Tah et remontee de Laayoune a Tarfaya par la plage (MAGNIFIQUE)
Concernant le conseille plutot octobre que tu parte en lybie, maroc ou egypte ou mauritanie .
Je pense que c est une premiere approche que nos ami veut faire, moi j obterais pour le 4x4 apres s il desire y retourner il peut approfondir en faisant du treck .
Raoulx, je suis entrain de faire mon programme pour un trajet Laayoune -merzouga par le sud sud .
As tu de bon tuyaux .
cordialement
Et bien pour le désert blanc tu peux partir des oasis de Dakla ou farafra ( mais le premier est préférable ) il ya pas de problème pour trouver un guide local qui t'emmeneras sur place, les villes sont minuscules mais cela se sait très vite que des touristes cherchent à se balader dans le désert.
En ce qui concerne les prix cela revient un peu moins cher de prendre des guides locaux mais pas beaucoup moins que des agences parisiennes.
Une chose est néanmoins importante c'est que tu connaisse dejà les grands lieux à voir. Pour cela ce n'est pa très difficile tu prends une brochure d'agence et tu notes les lieux qu'ils indiquent à ne pas manquer.
Pour ce qui est du moyen de transport, je ne suis pas un foudre de guerre de la marche. Mais s'il le faut .... Par contre la version 4x4 est pour ma part préférable car elle te permets de voir plus de chose en un minimum de temps.
Une deuxième chose est importante aussi xc'est la durée. essais si tu as les moyens financier de prendre le maximum de jour dans le désert car ce n'est que le matiin et le soir que les couleur sont vraiment magnifique. Entre 10 h et 16 h le soleil de plomb écrase tout.
La date, cela dépend de ta résistance à la chaleur mais je te conseille plutôt octobre.
je pense que tu confonds l'oasis de Dakhla avec celui de Baharya
en effet celui ci est le plus proche du Caire où généralement atterissent les vols venant d'Europe et on peut l'atteindre simplement en qqes heures de bus
le Désert Blanc se trouve entre Baharya et Farafra (tout en étant plus proche de Farafra)
une fois à Baharya aucun problème pour trouver un guide mais si l'on préféère tout planifier à l'avance beaucoup d'agences locales ou françaises proposent maintenant ce genre de circuit
Pour le Désert Blanc, je ne vois pas comment on pourrait bien l'apprécier si on n'y va pas marcher.
C'est comme ça que l'on va prendre conscience que l'on est dans une ancienne mer, il y a des fossiles à foison, on marche les yeux rivés sur le sol à la recherche de nouveaux fossiles. Le blanc est du aux couches de coquillages, c'est du calcaire !
Le désert blanc est sur une toute petite surface en fait. Ne pas manquer la "Montagne de cristal" à proximité.
La marche y est facile, le sol assez dur, ne pas croire que le sable est si mou que ça au Sahara.
Sur mon site, les photos du papillon Vanessa cardui - La Belle-Dame ont été prises dans le Désert Blanc, on y voit le sol,
et ce magnifique acacia où elles volent tout autour. Pour une autre preuve que le sable n'est pas si mou et qu'on ne s'y enfonce pas tant que ça, aller sur les pages des traces sur le sable, en attendant d'aller les chercher sur place.
Pour une première approche, le sud Maroc du côté de Hassi-Labied (Merzouga) est pas mal. Randonnée-trekking avec dromadaires 2-12 jours dans les dunes et le désert avec des gens locaux habitués à ce genre de randos personnalisées et à coût très abordable (hors tourisme de masse et TO!). A dispo pour + d'infos.
Saluti
Pour un premier contact, le sud du Maroc me parait être adapté.
Le mieux c'est d'aller dans une agence de voyage ou si tu as l'ame aventuriére, tu prends un billet sec pour Agadir et tu te débrouilles sur place (c'est pas mal aussi ! Mais attention aux tentatives d'arnaques !)
Tu peux aussi pour plus de détails me joindre au 06 08 24 62 76.
septembre meme octobre c'est encore trop chaud à mon avis. Je vais au sahara tous les ans depuis 5 ans. C'est dément !!
Sinon la mauritanie c'est magnifique (c'est le sahara central, la carte postale du sahara telle qu'on l'imagine) et les mauritaniens sont très accueillants. il y a encore pas mal de nomades là-bas. c'ets tres facile à organiser (charters pour Atar de marseille et paris), je connais un guide local (à atar) qui est vraiment super. Dis-moi si tu veux son adresse mail. Surtout ne pas aprtir avec Nomade ou autre agence française, contacter un guide à Atar ou Nouakchott (sauf si tu es seule parce que là c'est trop cher de prendre un guide sur place). Sinon tu paieras plus cher pour exactement la meme chose sauf que... tu seras dans un groupe de 15 au lieu d'avoir un guide pour toi et tes amis qui s'arretera ou tu veux. Meme à deux ça vaut encore le coup financièrement ...
L'algérie aussi (je ne connais que les tassilis des Ajjers) c'est tres tres spectaculaire au niveau paysage (vraiment incroyable, plus montagneux). Mais il y a moins d'oasis, j'ai trouvé moins riche au niveau culturel et au niveau rencontre. C'est plus dur à organiser en individuel que la mauritanie mais enfin il suffit de connaitre un guide à tamanrasset ou djanet (les deux point de départ).
La lybie parait que c'est grandiose mais je ne connais pas.
La Maroc c'est tres beau mais ce n'est pas là que désert est le plus beau, c'est seulement les portes du sahara. Si tu cherches des dunes à perte de vue ce n'est pas au maroc qu'il faut aller. la montagne est tres belle et il y a des régions comme le saghro (plateau volcanique désertique) tres belles.
Moi mon reve de sahara c'est le tchad et le niger mais bonjour l'expédition...
Moi je pars dansle désert du Ténéré pendant 15 jours en octobre c'est la 4ème fois que je le traverse je suis envoutée ou accro, mais ça m'est égal c'est une drogue très très douce.
bonsoir tout a fait d accord avec vous, on goute un fois au desert et l on en redemande tjrs plus, nous partons en general 3 fois par an, a chaque fois, nous nous disons que le prochain voyage sera une autre destination, mais voyez vous 6 fois dans le sud marocain en 2ans et nous n avons tjrs pas tout vu .
de plus je suis arenophile donc le sable c est une passion environ 350 sortes
cordialement
Et n'oublions pas le désert Algérien, je pars pour deux semaines et je passe par une agence locale de Djanet
Pour les amoureux du désert, on dit que c'est un des plus beaux du Sahara et vous avez de multiples paysages, canyons, oasis, Erg Admer, la Tadrart, les plateaux du Tassili N'ajjer et également toute la région de Tamanrasset: Assekrem et Hoggar
Le top reste le desert algérien, le plus varié et le plus spectaculaire ( hoggar, tassili du hoggar , tassili najjer, tadrart, ergs immenses, tenere a l'extreme sud etc...) et c'est vraiment immense !
Sinon apres il y a la lybie, le niger et le tchad qui sont magnifiques sur certains aspects.
Hi, we're looking for a guide to show us around Essaouira.
We're 11 adults and don't want to go through an agency. If you have a contact to help us discover this city, that would be great!
Thanks
I’m heading back to Egypt for the first time in 30 years this July. Last time, I was 20, and we spent two weeks traveling on a shoestring as backpackers.
I’m wondering about a "cruise" on a felucca from Aswan—mainly to avoid being stuck in an air-conditioned tourist bubble (we’re already spending our first week in that setting with our diving club). We’d like to explore the most interesting stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Do you have any thoughts on this option, tips, or maybe some contacts?
I was wondering if it’s possible to join a group as a solo traveler with local agencies in Djanet for circuits like Tadrart, Essendilene, Sefar, or Tassili?
If you have any agencies to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
I didn’t find any info on the forum.
Best,
Here’s a first draft for a 14-night itinerary during the Christmas break with two teens. We’re especially fond of hiking (nothing too extreme, though), which is why we’re drawn to the south.
- Marrakech (2 nights)
- Aït Ben Haddou (1 night)
- Dadès (3 nights, though we’re thinking of doing a day trip to the Todra Gorge on one of those days)
- M'hamid (1 night)
- Erg Chigaga (1 night)
- 4 nights to slot in
- Marrakech (2 nights)
Okay, I realize this involves a lot of driving, and we’re still debating the return route since we’d like to avoid the Tichka Pass in January, but going through Taroudant seems like it would add *a lot* of time. 😕
If you’ve got other suggestions for an itinerary with great hikes, I’m all ears!
Also, the 4 nights total in MRK isn’t really our preference, but since we’re arriving/departing super early from overseas, we’d like to be a bit rested before the long flight.
Another question:
For hikes (aside from the desert one), is it better to have a guide with us, or are the trails well-marked?
Hi everyone,
Our trip to Morocco will be from November 3 to 17, in the High Atlas.
Basically, our route would be:
Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou
Skoura - Tinghir - Merzouga
Merzouga via the N12 to Zagora
Zagora - Draa Valley - Marrakech
It seems to be the low season, so I’d love to travel without having to book accommodations in advance. In other countries, pre-booking has restricted us and kept us from visiting unplanned sites. Freedom is important to us, but I’d also like to avoid arriving somewhere and finding nothing available.
What do you recommend? Book ahead or not?
Your advice is always helpful, and thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this for me.
Roberto
First of all: a big thank you to everyone whose insightful, funny, lively, and exotic posts we’ve enjoyed. It’s a joy to find such lovely writers on this forum, who’ve given me tons of ideas and addresses to prepare our trip.
Our plan: to explore Morocco from November 2nd to December 4th. We’ll have our own vehicle (a 2011 Renault Grand Scenic, in great condition), shipped with us from Sète to Tanger Med. Returning from Nador.
Our profile: 75 and 62 years young, so old but happy to be, in very good health. Seasoned travelers—it’s practically our whole life. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, historic sites, fine craftsmanship, and road trips. This will be my 3rd trip to Morocco, but the first two were 20 and 17 years ago. I’ve never been north of the Essaouira-Marrakech line (though I’ve gone further south). As for my husband, a lifelong expat including in Muslim countries, it’s his first time in Morocco.
He’s the one driving. He’s very experienced, cautious, not necessarily fast, but used to driving in all conditions (and countries, including the most creative on the road). But I don’t want to tire him out, and he no longer drives at night (and we’ll be there in November).
I’ve decided to show him a bit of everything by taking a road trip along beautiful backroads, with daily distances averaging 180-200 km (except on highways, which will be rare), regularly broken up by rest days. I’m counting on a speed of 40-50 km/h, plus stops/visits along the way.
Since I’ve read so many posts, I’ve narrowed it down to some very specific questions.
1) Coming directly from Rabat via the highway, we’d prefer to skip Marrakech*. Still, we’ll need to sleep somewhere nearby. We’ll head toward Skoura the next day. Does anyone have a well-located address for this route, possibly east of Marrakech? Ideally, we’re looking for a small town, easy parking, clean accommodation (minimum) with average comfort (or better if available), a bit heated, and if possible, pretty and/or nice—but above all, a place to sleep well, wash with lukewarm (ideally hot) water, and have a decent dinner.
(*Explanation for the "no-go" in Marrakech: it’s a shame, because there are truly beautiful things in this city, but I think the vibe won’t suit us—it’s an understatement for "it’ll put us off" / "make us flee" / "traumatize us." Not because it’s too crowded and we want to stand out from tourists (we’re part of them), but because of forced henna on your hand, or spending 10 minutes every quarter-hour saying "no thank you" to a "guide" who’s as much a guide as I am a trapeze artist. Knowing us, it’ll wear us down. The country is vast and beautiful, and our time too short to waste our memories just days after arriving. And I don’t want to ruin things for my peaceful husband, or he’ll demand we turn back—and Sète in November isn’t exactly thrilling either.)
2) Which route to Skoura (in 2 days)? I see two options: either via the Tichka Pass, with a night in Telouet before reaching Skoura, or via the R307/N23 from Demnate, with a night near Megdaz before descending to Skoura. So: Tichka Pass or R307/N23? I have a slight (big) preference for the second option, even though I know the other route is very beautiful too. Of course, before deciding, we’ll check the weather and the current state of the R307/N23—does anyone know where to get info on the road conditions? But even assuming the road is "passable," is it a bit too tough in itself? In short, is it reasonable? If a kind soul could share their experience, a thousand thanks in advance.
That’s all I’ve written for now. I’ll save the other questions for later posts. Thanks again to those who had the patience to read this and to those who can respond. Happy Sunday to all!
I’m just a few days away from my trip to Marrakech—I’m leaving from November 13th to 20th and bringing my parents along! I’d love to plan my stay as best as I can, and I’m sure the forum crew can help. So, here are my questions:
- Where’s the best place to exchange money without getting ripped off? The owner of the riad where we’re staying told us to avoid doing it at the airport because it’s really expensive and to do it in the medina instead, near Jemaa el-Fna square.
- Which traditional hammams do you recommend that are reasonably priced? How much should we budget for one? That’ll help me plan my expenses.
- What are some nice restaurants in the medina?
- I’d also like to know roughly how much to expect for a tea, a meal, a taxi, a djellaba, and babouches. I don’t want to get overcharged and would like to know what to expect.
- What are the must-do activities and places to visit?
Hi, I’d like to head to Morocco next week with my car. I’ve looked online at all the different info about the ferry crossing to Tangier, but I’m finding it really expensive. Is there a way to buy tickets in Spain? Or another way to get the Algeciras–Tangier crossing cheaper? Thanks for any tips or info!
We found a guide who offers the trip from M'hamid to a camp (departure at 3 PM, tea, meal, camel ride, overnight stay, breakfast, and return to M'Hamid by 11 AM the next day via the sacred oasis). He quoted us a price of 380 € for April.
What do you think of this rate?
This might sound like a silly question, but is it common to negotiate the price for this kind of thing (we're booking from France)? It’s still a big part of our travel budget.
Hi there,
We're planning to visit Egypt between January 25 and February 15, 2027. I looked up the Ramadan dates and found some sites saying it starts on February 8, while others say February 18... Where's the mistake?
Thanks,
Christian
Hi there,
We’re a family of 4 with two boys aged 12 and 10 traveling to Egypt in February.
We’re spending 3 days in Cairo to take our time exploring the city and the sites before heading south.
-Is it necessary to have a guide to visit the GEM? Are audio guides available?
-Do you have any contacts for drivers to organize a few transfers (Giza, Saqqara, Airport)?
-Do you know a French-speaking guide who’s friendly, family-friendly, and good at making things exciting, with reasonable prices?
With our two teens, we’re heading to Morocco for two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. It’ll be our first trip that’s more "off the beaten path," even though we’ve visited several countries before. Given the overwhelming amount of info, I’m feeling a bit swamped with the prep this trip requires, and I’ll admit I’m a little lost when it comes to figuring out what’s realistic to visit in two weeks 😕 So, all your tips, personal experiences, and suggestions are more than welcome!
- Which places should we prioritize during this time of year? (I’ve read that some spots are less accessible in winter?)
- What’s the best way to get around? (rental car, train, private transport, buses, etc.? — just a heads-up, we’ll have a few suitcases!)
- In terms of "safety," are there any areas to avoid?
- Any recommendations for reliable local tour companies (beyond the big names like "Get Your Guide") that offer excursions or private transport to help us explore the country?
- A doable 2-week itinerary that lets us enjoy the country’s diversity without having to change accommodations every two days?
I’m planning a trip to the High Atlas in Morocco and have a few questions for you:
- Why do so many people recommend avoiding international agencies for car rentals? Can anyone explain why?
- Is Booking.com reliable, and has anyone rented a vehicle through their service? There’s a pretty big price difference compared to local Moroccan agencies.
- Is there a detailed road map included in the rental car?
- Is Google Maps enough to get around the High Atlas? This will be my first trip there.
Thanks so much to anyone who can help with this destination I’ve been dreaming about for years.
Have a great evening,
Roberto
hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend?
Cheers,
Laurent.
We're planning a 2-week trip in late February/early March for a road trip in the High Atlas with a rental car, and we'd love to avoid booking our accommodations in advance. Is that doable, easily manageable, or risky (are accommodations available, expensive, or not great)? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi,
This autumn, we’re planning to explore the Oriental region and we’re wondering where the best place to land would be. We’ll have three weeks ahead of us and we’ll be renting a car.
Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Is there an official website or list of certified Egyptologist guides in Egypt? And most importantly, what are the normal prices for a full day or half day? There’s so much scamming and crazy pricing—depending on who you contact, it can range from simple to quadruple!!!!
Thanks
Hello,
In September, my wife and I, along with another couple, will be traveling to Tunisia and staying at the Sheherasade Hotel near Sousse.
We’d love to hear your recommendations or tips on places to visit, as well as advice on taxis or other transportation options.
Thanks in advance!
This autumn’s trip should be in Morocco—barring any geopolitical issues between now and then.
After many trips to the south of Fès, I’m giving the north a try.
My plan is roughly to do a road trip loop from Rabat back to Rabat, passing through Asilah, Tangier, Tétouan, Chefchaouen, Akchour, Fès, Meknès, and Volubilis.
That’s a lot of cities.
Probably a bit too many for our taste—we usually prefer more isolated spots...
So I’m looking for tips on little backroads, secluded beaches, half-day hikes, and offbeat places.
If you’ve also got recommendations for accommodation... (We’re open to splurging over 100 € if it’s a real favorite.)
Feel free to think outside the box—this is an open-ended plan! !😉
Hello,
I’m looking for testimonials from Pieds-Noirs who have recently returned to Algeria.
There can’t be many left after 65 years of the country’s independence.
I’m planning to go back myself soon to reconnect with my roots... before I pass away...
I’ve started making a few pre-bookings for hotels and apartments to rent in Algiers. At first, I received friendly and welcoming responses. Then, when I mentioned I wanted to stay for two or three weeks—maybe even a month—explaining that my trip wouldn’t be strictly touristy but more of a pilgrimage to the places of my childhood, and that it would likely be a very emotional journey, I expected a positive and warm reaction to my approach. Instead, I suddenly stopped getting replies from the three or four people I’d contacted. So now I’m wondering about the reception former Pieds-Noirs can expect...
Anyone here who can share their experience of returning? I specified “recently” because it seems that right now, diplomatic relations between the two governments are extremely tense, not to say hostile... even if Macron claims otherwise...
Hello,
I’m traveling to Algeria from October 27 to November 16, 2026.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through the process about the accommodation attestation required for the visa application:
- Does it need to cover the entire duration of the trip?
- Is this document mandatory for a hotel to rent a room?
- Is it checked during inspections?
- Is a hotel booking (e.g., via Booking.com) sufficient for the visa?
- If so, does it need to be paid in advance?
I plan to visit several cities and do one or more treks with a guide or agency.
If you have any contacts you’d recommend, I’d be grateful!
Also, I’d love to share this trip with a companion who’s already done some traveling.
We’d organize the journey together, of course.
Thanks for your feedback!
Safe travels to all,
Dom, Dijon, 64 years old
I’m leaving for Tunisia in five weeks for a full 15-day trip. I’ll be arriving in Monastir and departing from there as well.
I’d like to do a route that’s a bit different from my first stay, which was more focused on cities and culture (Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, El Jem).
I’ll be getting around by public transport.
I’d like to head south toward Tozeur, and I saw that you can take a *louage* from Monastir to Sbeitla (2h30). I imagine it’s not too complicated to get to Tozeur from there afterward? The issue is the return trip to Monastir and safety in Sbeitla.
If this route seems too complicated, I might opt for Djerba instead, which looks simpler.
I’m heading to Morocco in September 2026, and part of my trip takes me through Merzouga. I’m looking for a 4x4 driver-guide to explore the area with my partner and me.
