The Moroccan Sahara has a new asset: these "caravan" hikes are attracting visitors in the winter

Progressing in the desert is an exact science that requires a certain touch. Abdellah, a passionate guide who has been traversing these lands for 27 years, keeps a watchful eye and dispenses his technical advice to avoid turning the shoes into hourglasses: "You shouldn’t walk exactly on the heels, it’s not like in the mountains, you have to walk on your toes and try to pass very quickly so as not to have sand in your shoes." For him, these landscapes are much more than dust; they are the majestic symbol of the Sahara.

The journey continues through the plains of the Draa Valley. Although the country’s longest river is almost permanently dry, life persists thanks to the date palms, the true green lung of the region. Abdellah takes a break to organize an impromptu tasting and remind that three-quarters of Moroccan dates come from this arid basin. On average, travelers walk five to six hours a day, paced by the slow pace of the caravan of dromedaries that carries the essentials of the camp.

At the end of the day, logistics take over from the sport. The hikers actively participate in setting up the tents before the temperature drops sharply. In the makeshift kitchen, the chef is busy with a traditional couscous, prepared with a blend of spices specific to the remote areas of the country. Facing the spectacle of the sun disappearing behind the sand ridges, the physical effort gives way to an almost mystical contemplation: "It’s magnificent, it’s moving actually. It moves me. It’s nature in its purest form." The evening ends under the tent, in the purest tradition of the great Berber caravans, for a night of rest in the middle of the Saharan silence.