Spending a night in the Sahara Desert changes the way you see travel. What looks like an empty landscape becomes a place full of life, community, warmth and unforgettable moments.

After our latest journey through Erg Lihoudi with Arawan Luxury Desert Camp—including a full nomadic desert camp experience—we realised just how many fun things to do in the Sahara Desert go far beyond the typical camel ride. This guide brings together depth, lived experience and helpful insight for anyone planning outdoor activities in the Moroccan Sahara Desert.

Overview

The Sahara is not just the world’s largest hot desert—though travellers often ask “what type of desert is the Sahara Desert?” . It’s a subtropical desert shaped by dunes, dry winds and a climate that can be surprisingly extreme depending on the time of year.

This allows for a whole host of activities in the desert given the calm nature of this desert.

If you’re wondering how hot is it in the Sahara Desert, daytime temperatures can soar, especially in summer, while nights drop dramatically. What makes the Moroccan stretch of the Sahara particularly special is how welcoming and calm it feels, especially around the dunes of Erg Lihoudi and M’hamid.

We’ve noticed many general travel websites touch briefly on recreational activities in the Sahara Desert, but they rarely explain what these experiences actually feel like.

Our aim here is to bring authenticity into the conversation—after all, the Sahara is a place that rewards travellers who slow down, observe and embrace its rhythm.

What to Expect From Your Night in the Sahara Desert

Staying overnight in a desert camp—whether luxury or traditional—is often the highlight for first-time visitors. A night in the Sahara Desert opens up experiences that simply aren’t possible on a standard day tour: silence unbroken by traffic, skies brighter than anywhere we’ve ever been, and a sense of calm that stays with you long after the journey ends.

Depending on the camp, some activities are included while others are offered at an additional cost. Luxury camps like Arawan provide spacious tents, ensuite bathrooms and on-site experiences, whereas nomadic-style camps focus more on tradition and simplicity.

Best Outdoor & Recreational Activities in the Moroccan Sahara Desert

Below are the activities we personally experienced—and a few we observed—that truly define what makes the Sahara unforgettable. Thinking what to pack for the desert? Read our guide below:

1. Immerse Yourself in a Nomadic Desert Camp Experience

Our nomadic desert camp experience at Arawan Luxury Desert Camp remains one of the most meaningful days of our Morocco trip. After fully enjoying the comforts of the luxury camp, switching to a simpler overnight stay offered a completely different perspective.

What made it special?

• We travelled by camel through different desert types such as sand dunes and black desert.
• We enjoyed a quality picnic style lunch, dinner and breakfast.
• The pace slowed down in a way that few travel experiences allow.

This type of experience helps travellers understand what desert life actually looks like beyond staged performances. Not all camps offer overnight nomadic stays; some only organise evening trips, returning guests to the main camp after dinner.

These experiences are typically chargeable, but we felt the insight they provided into nomadic life was invaluable.

Having said this, it’s important to be aware of the weather as on one of the days during our stay at the Luxury Camp in Erg Lihoudi we had a sandstorm which would’ve made our experience impossible had we gone that day.

You can read our detailed first-hand story here: What a Day in the Moroccan Sahara Feels Like: Camel Trek, Desert Dining & Stargazing

2. Stargaze Under the Clearest Skies You’ll Ever See

Stargazing is often romanticised, yet the Sahara truly delivers. The lack of light pollution gives you a sky so sharp it feels close enough to touch. On our night in the dunes, we spent over an hour lying on blankets and sipping tea, watching entire constellations drift above us.

If your camp is far from villages or other camps, the experience becomes even more spectacular. Luxury camps often enhance the experience with guided stargazing sessions.

3. Watch Sunrise & Sunset From the Dunes

Sunset in the Sahara is never the same twice. Each evening the dunes change colour, shifting from gold to burnt orange to deep red. Sunrise is calmer—quiet, slow and almost meditative.

We climbed the highest dune for sunset, and despite the effort, it was worth every step. It’s one of those moments where you forget about time entirely.

4. Share Stories Around a Campfire

Evenings in the Sahara often revolve around a small fire, live drumming and songs performed by the camp team. At Arawan Luxury Desert Camp, we ended up listening to Amazigh/Berber rhythms and chatting with other travellers.

These moments often become the heart of the trip—simple, genuine and very human.

5. Experience Camel Trekking at Golden Hour

Camel trekking is one of the most common outdoor activities in the Moroccan Sahara Desert, but timing makes all the difference. We think late afternoon treks just before sunset the most enjoyable, with softer light and cooler temperatures.

Don’t worry if you are camel shy, your guide will help you mount and dismount the camel, and the trek usually lasts between 45 minutes to two hours. These activities are typically chargeable and often priced separately from camp accommodation.

6. Go on a Guided Sahara Safari

During our stay at our desert camp, we joined a 4×4 safari near Erg Lihoudi where we saw:

• wild camels
• ostriches
• gazelles

A safari adds an element of adventure to the trip, giving you the opportunity to see how varied desert landscapes really are. These activities are also generally chargeable.

7. Try Sandboarding on the Dunes

While we didn’t personally try sandboarding, many luxury camps—including ours—provide boards for guests. It’s an activity that appeals to anyone looking to add a bit of adrenaline to the calm of the desert.

Expect to get a full workout; climbing dunes repeatedly is far more intense than it looks.

8. Join a Cooking Class With the Locals

One of our favourite moments at Arawan Luxury Desert Camp was joining a hands-on tagine cooking class. We prepared chicken lemon tagine using traditional techniques, guided entirely by our local host.

No YouTube video can replicate that level of innate knowledge—the spices, timing and intuition passed down through generations.

9. Trek the Dunes (For the Very Fit!)

Hiking sand dunes is no small feat. The sand shifts constantly under your feet, doubling the effort compared to hiking on solid terrain.

A few things to note:

• strong fitness is essential
• longer treks can be exhausting in heat
• guides will advise on safe routes and timing

Dune trekking activities are typically offered as add-ons but you can also go on your own to trek the dunes around your camp. To stay connected, we recommend using a Morroco eSIM from Saily to ensure you don’t get lost and can safely return back to your camp.

Final Thoughts

The Sahara is one of the few places in the world where time slows naturally. Whether you choose a luxury base or a simple nomadic tent, the experiences—from camel trekking to stargazing—leave an imprint you’ll carry for years. Combining recreational activities in the Sahara Desert with deeper cultural encounters helps travellers understand not just the desert’s beauty, but the life within it.

This guide brings together both practicality and emotion, ensuring future readers discover not just fun things to do in the Sahara Desert, but meaningful ones.