Exploring and experiencing the Sahara Desert with Merzouga Luxury Desert was one of our most memorable experiences and best Valentine’s Day yet! As we watched the sun rise and set surrounded by beautiful sand dunes, it was impossible not to fall more in love with each other and God. With no wifi available or buzzing smartphone notifications we were truly present with one another and it was incredible.
The Drive To The Sahara
It took about nine hours to reach the Sahara from Marrakech. We weren’t looking forward to such a long drive but it surprising went by quickly. We were suppose to leave at 8am but we overslept and didn’t leave until closer to 9am. Which meant we ended up skipping breakfast. Who does that before a 9 hour drive?! Thank God we had loaded up on our favorite snacks before heading to Morocco.
Even though you are able to arrange your own transportation to the desert; we chose to book a driver though Merzouga Luxury Desert. Our driver, Abraham was excellent. Along the route he stopped at many scenic or “paramaronic places” as he and other locals liked to call it. He didn’t mind being our cameraman along the drive.
First Night in the Sahara
To get to our camp, we had to go up and down some sand dunes in the truck and it felt like a fun roller coaster! The truck could only get us so close though. So the kind and professional Berber men who work at the camp, met us at the truck and carried our luggage. I’m embarrassed to say that even with them carrying our luggage, they made it to the camp much faster than we did. It’s no joke walking in sand! At one point, LJ thought he had pulled both of his hamstrings…yes both! Lol
We finally got to our tent and we were quite pleased. Although, I had read about the amenities before coming, we were still impressed that we essentially had a hotel room in the desert. In our tent, we had a sitting area, a king size bed, heat, a shower, a toilet and several lamps. The tent zipped from the inside so we felt safe at night. There was even a table and chairs outside our tent if we wanted to stargaze at night.
After freshening up after our nine hour drive, we left our tent and met more of the staff, met the camp owner and relaxed by the fire drinking delicious Berber Whiskey (aka Moroccan Mint Tea). There was also soda and wine available.
In the stillness of the night, we sat under the stars, surrounded by candles and kept warm by the burning fire. We were both filled with joy and gratitude to be there with one another and to experience God’s creation in a new way. Little did we know it was going to get even better.
After a good amount of quality time under the stars, we went to the camp restaurant for dinner.
Second Day in the Sahara
The next day was Valentine’s Day and it was beyond magical. We left our tent around 7:30 am to ride a camel to the top of nearby sand dune where we watched the sunrise. Words can’t even describe how beautiful and special it was. We thanked God for the opportunity and then danced to our favorite 90’s R&B in the desert.
After breakfast, I changed into an evening gown, partly because I’m extra and partly because I knew I’d be warm in it. It was quite cold in the mornings so LJ changed into warmer clothes, too. Then we were off to explore the desert with our driver, Abraham. He gave us some history lessons on different areas and took us to the The Depot for shopping.
Upon returning to the campsite, we had lunch outside our tent and relaxed for a few hours before getting ready for our photoshoot. By photoshoot, I mean we dragged our tripod, camera, clicker and ourselves up a sand dune and got to work. I’m so glad we captured these moments! It was difficult finding a dress that fulfilled my vision so I had it custom made by Jamila Jones of Jamila Mariama. Leslie wore a custom suit that I had made for his birthday last year.
Next up was our camel ride to watch sunset while having drinks and appetizers. We danced again but this time it was to Moroccan music. We’re so grateful that the Merzouga Luxury Desert organized this special setup for us! The evening was completely perfect. We will never forget it. Valentine’s Day 2019 goes down in our personal history book!
We were so moved by this experience that we are thinking about going back and taking YOU with us. Drop us a line in the comments, if you’d want to come.
