3-Day Desert Trek in Mhamid: Camel Trekking & Nomad Camp

Three days walking the Sahara the way nomads do, sleeping in the open desert.

A 3-day camel trek through the Sahara from Mhamid, Morocco, where you walk the dunes by day and camp under the stars at night. The route moves from Sidi Naji to Bartham Dunes and back, guided by locals who know the desert. You'll set up camp, make fires, and spend nights in wild camping with minimal gear: no roads, no noise, just the silence of the sand.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Mhamid to Sidi Naji desert trek

• Meet guide and team
• Start walking through desert landscapes
• Have lunch after 2 hours
• Continue walking to Sidi Naji
• Set up wild camp
• Make fire and have dinner
• Do star gazing

Day 2: Sidi Naji to Bartham Dunes trek

• Have breakfast
• Walk for 2 hours
• Have lunch
• Continue to Bartham Dunes
• Set up wild camp
• Have dinner

Day 3: Bartham Dunes to Mhamid return

• Wake up and optionally watch sunrise
• Have breakfast
• Walk for 2 hours
• Have lunch under Tamarisk tree
• Head back to village

The experience

Mhamid sits at the edge of the Sahara, and this trek starts there. A guide meets you in the village, then leads you and the camel team into the desert landscape. The first day walks for two hours through changing terrain, breaks for lunch, then continues to Sidi Naji where you set up a wild camp, make a fire, and spend the night under the stars. The second day repeats the rhythm: two hours walking after breakfast, lunch in the dunes, then a push to Bartham Dunes for another night in the open. The third day wakes to an optional sunrise, a final two-hour walk to a shady tamarisk tree for lunch, then the walk back to the village.

What you carry is minimal. The guides and camels handle the tents and supplies. You get water for the trek, scarves for sun and sand, and a small tent for sleeping. Nights are wild camping: no walls, no roof, just the Sahara around you. The silence is the point: no roads nearby, no light pollution, no engine noise. Meals happen at camp, cooked by the guides. The walking is steady but not rushed. The pace lets you notice the dunes shift color as the sun moves.

Guides speak English, French or Arabic, so the commentary travels with you in your language. Children from age two can join. The trek asks for moderate fitness: three days of walking in heat and sand is real work, but it is not a race. Pickup from Mhamid is included, so you do not arrange transport to the start.

What’s included

• Local guides who speak your language.
• camels for the trek.
• water throughout the days.
• scarves for sun and sand protection.
• small tents for sleeping.
• meals cooked at camp.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 70 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (8 to 12 years) · Infant (2 to 7 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by SAHARA HERITAGE

Is this one for you?The guides speak English, French or Arabic, so you follow the commentary in your own language. If you speak one of those three, you're set. If you don't, you'll need to arrange translation or travel with someone who does.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (8 to 12 years); Infant (2 to 7 years): free.

What does a day of walking actually feel like on this trek?

Each day follows the same shape: two hours of walking in the morning, a lunch break, then more walking in the afternoon to the next camp. The terrain is desert: dunes, open sand, occasional tamarisk trees for shade. You walk at a steady pace, not fast, and the guides set the rhythm to the group.

Where exactly do you sleep, and what is the camp like?

Wild camping under the stars at Sidi Naji on night one and Bartham Dunes on night two. You sleep in a small tent, and the guides set up a fire for warmth and cooking. There are no buildings, no facilities. Just the camp in the open desert.

Do the camels carry your bags, or do you walk with everything?

The camels carry the tents, water, and camp gear. You walk with a day pack and water, so your hands are free and the load is light.

What happens if the heat or the walking is too much to finish?

The guides know the desert and can adjust the pace. If someone needs to stop, the guides work with the group. The trek is moderate fitness, not extreme, and the guides are experienced at reading the group's needs.

Is there any shelter from sun during the day, or do you walk in the open the whole time?

Most of the walking is open dunes. On day two, you reach Bartham Dunes where the landscape offers some natural features. On day three, you stop for lunch under a shady tamarisk tree, which gives a real break from the sun.