The Best Trips For Desert Adventures

Dreaming of a desert safari? Live your camel-riding, campfire-stargazing fantasies with Culture Trip on our best desert trips.

If you stare at the air long enough it begins to wobble. That’s the surreal effect of the desert, sun shining intensely onto a seemingly sizeless expanse of sand, folding over itself in the shape of epic dunes, slowly dismantled and reassembled by the power of the desert breeze. A noticeable hint of danger permeates across the dust, and the sense of adventure is palpable, but there’s also a strange serenity to the desert. It’s rare in modern life to be dwarfed so much by the scale of nature, and the vastness of empty space. Quite simply, these sandy wildernesses offer a truly unique travel experience. Marvel at the majesty of Mother Nature and live your wildest cinematic dreams with Culture Trip on these memory-making desert tours.

Winter Sale

Two people sitting atop a sand dune and watching the sunset in Merzouga, Morocco

Epic Morocco

Morocco’s natural diversity is remarkable, with dreamy coastlines, giant mountains and a fascinating range of towns, cities and cultures. All roads lead to the desert, however, and that nomadic spirit and those ancient Berber traditions are still infused across the land. Our 11-day trip is a comprehensive tour of Morocco, taking in all of the above. You’ll explore Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech, as well as the quirky blue town of Chefchaouen. We’ll explore Dades and Todra Gorges high in the Atlas Mountains, and visit the extraordinary desert kasbah of Aït Benhaddou. The proper dust-bowl adventures take place in the world’s most famous sandy expanse, the Sahara. We’ll go to Merzouga near the Algerian border to stay at a luxury desert riad, with sublime sunset views over the towering Erg Chebbi dunes. We’ll also visit a remote Gnawa village by 4×4, before ploughing on through bouncy sand dunes to a luxury desert camp. We’ll sip on mint tea, sing songs around the campfire and dine Berber style under the stars, before enjoying a wine tasting session – perfect prep for a mind-blowing telescope stargazing session with an expert astronomer. Finally, before leaving the Sahara behind, you’ll get to go on a once-in-a-lifetime sunrise camel ride. Now that is something you will never forget.

From US$2369

Next available from 10th Feb 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Casablanca, Morocco

ENDS AT

Marrakech, Morocco

DURATION

11

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Ultimate Egypt

Perhaps the nation most synonymous with deserts, Egypt has always been one of the most common entries on bucket lists across the world. There’s good reason for that, too. Visiting the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids might not be the most original travel ideas, but these otherworldly man-made desert structures are something to behold in person. Today, the contrast between the ancient pyramids and nearby modern cities is a fascinating glimpse at how different civilisations have attempted to tame the desert with grand works of architecture. On this nine-day epic we’ll guide you all the way down from Cairo and the most famous sights of Giza to the islands of Aswan, spending four nights floating through the desert on a luxury Nile cruise. Expect plenty of temples, souks and authentic Nubian delicacies along the way.

From US$2239

Next available from 23rd May 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Cairo, Egypt

ENDS AT

Aswan, Egypt

DURATION

9

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.