尋找。撒哈拉 LOST in Sahara (Luxury Desert Camp)

//一個人至少有一個夢想。有一個理由去堅強。

心若沒有棲息的地方。到哪裡都是在流浪。//

在撒哈拉沙漠感受著三毛的一字一句。

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今次已是第二次到摩洛哥旅行了。第一次到撒哈拉沙漠時 在網上訂了一間評價不錯的沙漠團tenere tour，當時選了標準酒店的選擇，我們四個女生（大家也是獨遊）拼起來加上司機導遊已經玩得很開心

所以事隔大半年 再次想到沙漠一遊。便二話不說找回當時的導遊rachid 讓他給我安排一下。

今次我選了住上豪華酒店與帳篷 (caravanserai luxury desert camp)，想有不同的體驗 於是便決定在沙漠團後再留在撒哈拉三天，希望真切感受一下撒哈拉的美。

從沒想過沙漠的帳篷可以有多豪華，只知道會有獨立洗手間，有熱水洗澡，但就是這樣吧, 可以怎樣豪華?

這家的帳篷在網上看得多，因為導遊有微信有中文分享，看他的分享已大約知道是怎樣。可是今次真的到來了，想不到還要體驗更多，而且也和帳篷的那幾個帕帕爾人相處得很開心。他們教我說帕帕爾語， 雖然經常被他們笑說我有些音節未能發音，但感覺住上了幾天已變成了朋友了。

每朝早上在帳篷享用早餐時 更有我喜歡吃的烚蛋 （在摩洛哥其他地方很少呀！）還有乳酪，加上每早的一杯咖啡，為每朝早的撒哈拉生活帶來了生氣。

最令我意外的是帳篷裡的床和晚餐，床很舒服很舒服。每晚睡了本想半夜起來看銀河。可是每晚也起不來！！！（可能又要再去第三次）

而晚餐呢，那個沙律超好吃，晚上的tagine是我在摩洛哥之行最好吃的！（尤其是第三晚的那個雞。明明就吃了三天 但竟然好吃得，平常我不會學他們用麵包伴著吃。那晚我也忍不住要加上麵包了！）

最後當然是美美的水果盆。其實有點意外，雖然是豪華帳篷 我也沒想過真的整個體驗會是這麼好。畢竟是撒哈拉沙漠， 誰又會想到可以吃得住得這麼好？

最後想說的是因為我今次想在撒哈拉有深度體驗，所以特別和rachid說了一下，他便特意給我安排，不用到菲斯 而是在沙漠續住，逗留多數天，每天也關心我過得怎樣、 會否太熱等等 （這個當然是我繼續找他當導遊的原因）至少我不用擔心一個人在撒哈拉會怎樣..始終白天還是有點熱.....

而且在沙漠的數天，和帳篷裡的帕帕爾人也玩得十分開心，他們教我帕帕爾語，還說讓我留下來一年，便可以學會帕帕爾語呢~ (這確實是我的夢想...我就是喜歡簡簡單單的生活。

真想問一句: 帳篷需要中文翻譯嗎? 請給我一份工作~~~~

今次的沙漠之行雖然也有未完成的事，但確是一個很開心很難忘而且是喜出望外的體驗。

而且我相信，不是每個帳篷也能這麼容易安排給你續住的體驗吧!!!!!!~~~

真心推薦一下這個帳篷~ 其實在續住的第三晚，也發現有外國人是當天才安排入住，所以也不一定跟沙漠團，或是喜歡沙漠的話，即管跟他們聯繫一下幫你安排續住吧~! 在沙漠呆數天確實沒有什麼事可以做，卻會是一個好好的心靈洗滌的機會~

沙漠帳篷有網址可看一下照片 (比起我拍的美很多~ 卻是很真實~!!!!!~)

也有他們的微信，可以聯繫看看怎樣續住吧~

Wechat: Rachid_TravelMorocco 

(whatsapp: +212 662 050 499)

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摩洛哥確實是一個活著的天方夜譚。

從沒想過這個神話會在世界的另一邊發生。

是美麗的；是神秘的；卻又不是不可觸摸的。

是刺激的；是友善的；卻又令人難以捉摸。

神話將會延續，還是只是活著的美夢?

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LOST in SAHARA (Luxury Desert Camp)

//

Morocco, is a lively fantasy.

Never had I thought that this myth will happen on the other side of the world.

It is beautiful; it is mysterious; but it is not untouchable.

It is existing; it is friendly; but it is also elusive.

Will the myth be continued, or it is just a lively dream that I image?

//

This is the second time I have been to Morocco, a country that I am falling for. Last time, I have booked a desert tour with a highly recommended tour agency, Tenere Tours, staying in a standard hotel and desert camp, it was an unforgettable experience particularly with the attentive services offered by the tour guide, the berber man Rachid and his driver Imad.

After 8 months, I decided to go to Sahara desert again and hoped to explore more in this mysterious place. Therefore, I contacted Rachid again to arrange a tour for me.

This time, I decided to stay in a luxury hotel and the luxury desert camp, Caravanserai Luxury Desert Camp, and stayed in Sahara for 3-4 days, in order to experience the real local life and enjoyed the beauty of this amazing place.

How a camp (luxury hotel camp site) in Sahara does it look like? I knew that there will be individual washroom in your tent, with hot shower and what's more? 

With sharings by Rachid in his facebook and weChat, I have an idea how the camp looks like in Sahara desert. But once you are here, you will understand that there is more than that. The love and the happiness you feel in the camp are something that you cannot get from just looking at the website or sharings from the others. Yet, this is one of the most wonderful times I have ever had during the travel, with the Berbers, the blue men.  They taught me berber language, although I cannot pronounce some of the sound, we became friends in just a few days. I regretted that I didn't take a lot of photos with them. 

Sometimes, there are some people that you will only meet once in your life, and you won't know if there is any chance that you will come across again in the rest of your life. 

Every day in the camp, I enjoyed the breakfast there especially the boiled eggs. I just LOVE it!! The coffee has also provided me a little bit more energy to start my Sahara life in those few days.

What surprises me more is the comfy bed and the delicious dinner at the camp. Can you imagine how comfortable sleep you can have in the desert? I  tried to convince myself to wake up in the mid-night to see the milky way, but i failed most of the time.!! (maybe that gives me an excuse to go there again for the 3rd time). The bed is big enough for you even you got drunk. Oh yes, i was a bit drunk on the first night that I think I took up quite a lot of space of my bed.......

How about the dinner? I love the salad, and TAGINE! I have the best tagine in my morocco trip at the CAMP!! although i had almost the same dishes in the camp for 3 nights, but i still enjoyed it. I have to give thanks to the amazing Chef at the camp! Of course, a delicious dinner cannot complete without the freshness of the fruit plate!

This is SAHARA! A Luxury camp in Sahara!!!! 

As I wanted to stay in Sahara for a few days, and usually, desert tour offered by most of the company is around 3D2N or 4D3N with just 1 night in the desert camp, I particularly talked to Rachid my wish and of course, he is so kind to tailor-made this trip for me so that I can extend my stay at the camp. Yes, it was very very very hot in the day time but I SURVIVE. I can also choose to go to the nearby village and stay in a cafe, playing with the lovely children in the village, thanks to the extremely good network of Rachid, that he could find me places to stay and hang around in day time.

I would love to stay in Sahara. Yes, the Berber said i should stay in the camp for 1 year and i will become a Berber. hahahha yes, i will finally speak in berber language.....

Please. do you have any job in the camp? I can be a translator for your chinese customers......

Although there is something that I haven't done in the camp, something that I wish I could have done in the camp, something that I hope I can treasure my time there. 

This was definitely a memorable and once-in-a-life time experience for me. 

THANK YOU for YOUR Time. Truly from my heart.

I'm not sure if all of the desert camps can offer and arrange for you to extend your stay there, Caravanserai Luxury Desert Camp is definitely one of the great choices you should consider. Not only are the services and facilities it provides to the customers, but the attentiveness and the friendship you can get that will make your trip an unforgettable one.

Highly recommended to stay in the camp for a few more nights. You may not have much to do in the day time, but just throw away your troubles and worries, completely get LOST in the desert should be what you have to do in Sahara.

You may contact Rachid to get more details of the tour and of the camp:

Camp website: http://www.caravanserai-luxurydesertcamp.com/

whatsapp: +212 662 050 499

Email: info.tenere@gmail.com

Wechat: Rachid_TravelMorocco

撒哈拉沙漠團 - 要找一定要找BERBER人做導遊的團! Sahara's Desert Tour with a Berber guide

到摩洛哥旅遊，當然一定要到撒哈拉! 一般也分為3日2夜, 和4日3夜，對於我這類假期不太多的人來說，3日2夜是不錯的選擇。

(當然我發現4日3夜真的會感受很多，加上在路上時間不用太趕)

出發前做了很多功課，要麼參加散客團, 要麼當然是私人團啦~ 兩者分別在哪?

價錢︰不用多說，散客團由70歐到90歐不等；私人團呢，看人數吧，4人的由180至300歐也有, 不同公司、不同酒店質素當然也有不同

人數︰散客團，我在路上遇過的有10多人一團，人多好起來可以很開心，不好起來就大家不想說話太多吧~ 你懂的。

私人團自由定人數，你湊到多少人便多少人，我在窮遊網找到了一位好夥伴，加埋另外兩位，4人是完美配~

行程︰說實在行程應該大同少異，景點也是差不多，分別在於散客團時間不自由，想留長一點時間拍多一些照也不行

酒店︰沒試過散客團，不知道質素。私人團可預先和導遊溝通好，知道大約酒店的環境、情況，我選的是STANDARD酒店，但第一晚未進沙漠前已覺得很心滿意足，晚餐和早餐很好吃~!!!! 可想而知 豪華的私人團會有多豪華!

而在沙漠呢，STANDARD的一般是沒有沖涼的，但我9月去，晚上已微涼，所以不洗澡也沒問題~ 洗手間是公眾的，但意料之外很乾淨!大家不用擔心~

私人團WHATSPP/微信聯絡~超方便!

好喇~ 說回我選的私人團~ 出發前同其他人一樣，找好幾家問價，隻有一家回覆電郵，和最後我選這間Tenere Tours!!! 因為他有whatsapp和微信，對於我們這些希望立即溝通好的，確是十分方便 (難怪導遊在整個行程中也不停的用電話!!!! 他生意真的不錯呢~~~)

導遊是年輕帥哥，怎麼辦啊~~~~

出發前與導遊用WHATSAPP聯繫，有時候感覺像普通朋友一樣，甚麼也會解答，而且他也關心我們其他日子的行程，也不會很「商業」感覺似的，就隻顧做生意~ 加上從他的頭像看，他也是一個帥哥!!是年青的帥哥，這麼一來，閒聊時也可以容易一點嘛!!!

在確訂日子和人數前，我們問了很多問題，例如大家都想知的:

1. 價錢包什麼

2. 包午餐嗎? (大部份也不會包, 我認為不包也沒問題, 反而較為彈性)

3. 車輛是什麼的? (這個當然按人數而不同啦)

4. 行程怎樣? 騎駱駝又怎樣?

導遊Rachid一直也沒有促我們要立刻確認，隻是到後來因為我們的日子遇著他們的大節日，比較麻煩，所以我們待人數確認後便和他確定了。我就透過PAYPAL交按金便完成~

沙漠團第一天，一看到帥哥時當然感覺很親切啦~ 車子狀況良好，他們很關心我們有沒有暈車浪呀等，不舒服的可叫他們隨時停下來。一路上導遊也講解一下歷史、文化等，反而是我們沒什麼好問，他還說笑為什麼我們沒問題問!

導遊是柏柏爾人，很地道啊~~~~

午餐呢~他之前已說過不會帶我們吃昂貴的 (有看過別人說散客團/私人團也好，有些公司會帶你們吃貴的，數百元一餐!!!) 我們的呢~ 就隻是70-100 MAD一餐~ 而且他還幫我們向餐廳取得折扣呢~~!! 可能由於他是BERBER人，就是沙漠裡的原民族呀，在整過行程當中，也可看見到他處處也有朋友，餐廳、路上等，甚至是沙漠帳篷內的也是他的自己人!!!!所以我相信比起一般摩洛哥人做導遊一定會有優勝之處!!

(帥哥會再近沙漠時穿上BERBER人服裝…那時候就真的帥死了~~~)

一路上他們有講有笑，就像朋友一樣，沒有感覺導遊客人之分，在酒店/帳篷也可以一起聊天，這個分別就大了! 因為很多時候，你想深入認識當地文化，就是和當地人閒聊時才知道的呀!!!!!! 你不會預先設定問題，然後就像問答一樣~ 對嗎~!

而且RACHID人很友善和FUNNY, 一路上他也會和我們談笑風生, 令這漫長的沙漠車程過得很快, 他和司機IMAD大家都很關心別人, 一開始出發時我和其中一個同伴有點暈車, 他們知道後便不斷問我們需不需要停車, 相信這是散客團不能做到的~ 而且第一晚另一個同伴可能有點點中暑, RACHID也非常關心她, 還找來藥物給她, 第二早也再叮囑她要吃藥 (藥是RACHID從親友處找來的, 柏柏爾人的地方就是不同!)

我們每一個景點, 他們也不會預先講好要用多少時間, 就是到了, 下車, 你們隋便拍吧, 到差不多時候見我們也拍完才上車, 不會像散客團一樣趕時間似的

導遊太有愛心了，怎麼辦啊~~~~

在前往沙漠的第一天, 司機在開車中途突然停下來, 連導遊RACHID也問什麼事, 原來是司機發現了在馬路中心有隻出世不足一個月的小貓!!!!!!!!!為什麼會在路中心呢?我們不知道, 但司機和導遊立刻下車, 和截停了其他車輛, 抱起小貓回車, 楚楚可憐的小貓,十分令人憐憫呀~ 最後我們把小貓帶到酒店, 可能因為RACHID是柏柏爾人, 和酒店熟絡 (好像是親戚管理什麼似的), 所以酒店應承收留小貓呀~~~實在太好了~

我們把小貓起名叫 HAMIGUA (哈蜜瓜, 是撒「哈」拉的蜜瓜，因為小貓頭上有M字花紋, 加上導遊由一開始便不停和我們說, 他從其他遊客學會的中文: 哈蜜瓜, 哈哈哈!)

所以你們有機會參加tenere tours的沙漠團, 一定要問問導遊rachid, 哈密瓜現在怎樣喇~長大了沒呀~ 幫我好好的照顧他呀~~~~

說這愛心的故事是想說，一個導遊和司機,是否有愛心是從內心出發的~ 他們對待客人一樣，是否從心出發, 大家一定會感覺到。

所以當大家對沙漠團也有很多疑問, 而不同公司的沙漠團其實大大小小路程也差不多的時候, 我十分推薦大家試試TENERE TOURS, 至少你一定會帶著滿滿的回憶離開沙漠!

(這篇分享很少詳細講旅途的景點,住宿點滴, 因為相信大家在網上已找了很多資料, 行程, 時間等待., 我不希望隻給大家看見FACTUAL 的東西, 而是希望大家也能不枉此行~)

HAMIGUA生活好嗎?

最後, 既然帥哥有WHATSAPP,微信, 大家也可試試問他資料~ 認識一下帥哥

(或者用暗號︰ HAMIGUA生活好嗎? ) 可能他知道你們也是愛心人士,會給予方便啊~~~~~~~

TENERE TOURS

網址︰www.tenere-tours.com

WHATSAPP: +212 662 050499 (非常方便!!!!!!!!!!!!)
微信︰ wxid_3gy6hlv27lu012
(帥哥好似沒改 ID, 大家加了不他, 可先加我, Alyson_elisa 我把他的微信傳給大家, 記得幫我問候一下哈密瓜啊~~~~)

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Travelling in Morocco, one should not miss should be Sahara Desert Tour!  There are 3D2N or 4D3N and for the people who doesn't have many holidays, 3D2N is not a bad choice.

(of course i found that 4D3N should be much better and can experience more without rushing to another spot during the tour)

I have done a lot of research before my trip, taking a GroupTour with the people you don't know or joining a Private Tour. So what are the differences?

Price: needless to say, for Group Tour, it costs from around 70-90 euro; for Private Tour, depends on the number of people, for a tour of 4, it can range from 180 to 300 euro, varies from companies, hotel standard, etc.

Number of people: for Group Tour, I saw there are some 10 or more people for a group, of course, if all the groupmate are nice, that will be perfect and unforgettable, but it will be vice verse if there is an annoying one in the group, right?

For private tour, of course it depends on how many people you have, I was lucky enough to find a nice tripmate in qyer.com and another girl from HK from backpackers.tw and also another brilliant girl referred by one of them. We were definitely a perfect match! 

Itinerary: infact most of the trips are more or less similar, go to the same tourist spots, the different only goes to the time you will have spending on each site. For Group Tour, of course you have no choice on it because there's no flexibility!

Hotel: I didn't join a Group Tour so I don't know the quality. For private tour, you can discuss and negotiate with your tour guide in advance, understand the standard of the hotels you are going to stay. For the 1st night, the hotel I stayed was very good with spacious room and nice dinner and breakfast, it was just a hotel with Standard price, so it must be great if you choose to join a tour with luxury hotels

what about at Sahara desert? For most of the tour, like standard one, there will not have any shower available at the desert camp. I went there in September and the weather is perfect, a bit chilly at night, so it's okay not to take any shower at night. There were public toilets and actually its quite clean and neat.! so you don't have to worry about it .

Whatsapp/ Wechat with my Tour Guide! Soooo convenient!!

okay, let's talk about my private tour. Similar to many other people, i have sent emails to several tour companies but not many of them replied me so fast. And indeed only one of them replied my email but finally, me and my friend chose another one -- Tenere Tours! Because our tour guide can communicate with us thru whatsapp and wechat! you know we are always busy and want to get answers asap, and they did it! We can get what we want and ask what we want to know whenever we want!  (that's why our tour guide kept talking on phone or whatsapp during the whole trip! seems he got quite a good business!)

 A young and energetic Tour Guide! 

Before we confirmed with him our exact date and number of people, we had indeed asked quite a lot of questions, e.g.

1. what the price include?

2. Lunch include or not? (most of the tours won't include lunch and I found it no problem, because this will allow you more flexibility during the tour)

3. car condition? (of course it depends on the number of people, 4X4? mini-wan if more people. etc)

4. itinerary? camel-ride?

My tour guide Rachid (ooo forgot to mention his name till now!) had never forced us to confirm the tour with him, not until when he needed to reserve hotel and camp sites for us especially it was big festival (el adha) when we were there! So after we confirmed the details with him, we just needed to pay a certain deposite to him thru paypal. 

On the first day of our Sahara desert tour, i felt so comfortable with him because we had chatted for a while thru whatsapp, so it just felt like a friend meeting up! The car is in nice condition, comfortable even though we 4 little girls, with quite a lot of luggage! He and the driver always care about us and asked if we felt car-sick, etc. They didn't mind to stop for a while if we didn't feel well! During the trip, Rachid told us about Morocco, about Berbers (he is a Berber!) about their culture, history, etc. it's indeed we didn't ask a lot of questions!

(by the way, this Handsome is even more handsome when he is wearing traditional Berber clothes)

As we have communicated a lot before I went to morocco, I have kept good relationship with our tour guide, like a friend. He answered us a lot of questions and also cared about our itinerary. He's not only doing business with us, but just like a friend! Oo indeed, from his profile pic in whatsapp, he was quite a handsome guy! a young, handsome and energetic tour guide! what a great tour! 

A Berber Tour Guide! Soooooooooo local style!

What about lunch? We had communicated before that he wouldn't bring us to those expensive restaurants for lunch (I had read previous blogs saying that some tour guides will bring them for expensive lunch, like few hundred dirims!!!) for us? our lunch is less than 100 dirims and Rachid also bargained some discounts for us! It's because he is a BERBER! they got a lot of good connections in Sahara, in the restaurants, on the road, or even in the camp! they are all BERBERS! so i believe that having a Berber tour guide, you must gain more during the trip!

During the trip, Rachid was just like a friend. We chatted and shared experiences, life during the camp. This is when you got to know more about the locals there. You won't pre-set the questions and do a Q&A session during the trip right? You just can understand more about them thru casual chit-chat!

Rachid is also a nice and funny guy. He and the driver, Imad cared about us, if we didn't feel well, they can stop the car for a while, and i think that this won't be able to do so if we are in Group Tour! One of us felt a bit sick on the 1sy day, maybe too hot, Rachid cared about her and got some medicine for her. He even reminded her to take the medicine on the next day! (and indeed Rachid got the medicine from his uncle! you know, Berbers got connection everywhere!)

Whenever we arrived at a tourist spot, they wouldn't tell us how long we will have, because we are private tour! They will just let us stay as long as we want, and when we finished taking photos, we just went back to the car!!!! so flexible!

Our tour guide is just soooooooooo caring! 

why i said so?

On the 1st day, our driver stopped on the way suddenly, and even Rachid ask

ed what  happen! Imad found a kitten on the middle of the road! what the hell!!!!!!!! the kitten was born less than a month, it was tooooo dangerous right? But he stopped immediately and got off the car, stopped the following cars, picked up the kitten to our car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the kitten is soooo adorable! and guess what? Rachid brought the kitten to the hotel we stayed and the hotel agreed to raise the kitten! (heard that the hotel is owned/managed by the Berbers...not sure)!!!!!!

We named the kitten as "Hamigua" (in Chinese 哈蜜瓜; aka - SaHAra's migua) because there is a little "M" on the forehead of the kitten~ and also, one of the first Chinese Rachid told us he learnt from the other Chinese ppl is HAMIGUA!!!)

Anyway, if there  will be a chance that you are going to join a tour with Tenere Tours! please help me ask Rachid about Hamigua~~~ I so much wanted to see Hamigua's photo if you are going to stay in the same hotel we did! 

I didn't share so much in details about my trip because most of the Sahara desert tour are more or less similar. You are going to experience this yourself and I just don't want to disclose too much. The most important is that you have to find a great guide who will bring you a lot of unforgettable memories! 

How is Hamigua?

or maybe you can use this as password: How's Hamigua?   He may know that you are a cat lover or give you some good choices!)

  

So if you are interested to know how's Hamigua, you can whatsapp Rachid (of course if you are interested in finding out more about the tour details with him)

 

TENERE TOURS

website︰www.tenere-tours.com

WHATSAPP: +212 662 050499 (extremely convenient!!!!!!!!!!!!)
wechat︰ wxid_3gy6hlv27lu012

We arrived at Ait ben Haddou  (a film site of Game of Throne)

The breakfast and also dining room of our 1st hotel. It's nice!!!!!

All of our lunch just costs less than 100 dirim, with drink, appetiser and main course! sometimes we had dessert too!

On our way to desert camp, a Berber and his camels were resting and so our Berber tour guide just stopped there , and we could take some pics! (Photo of Imad, our Driver, another nice guy!)

Ready for camel ride? Ooo this Berber is so cuteeeee!

The dinner at the camp is good too!!!!!

Sun rise on the next day

It's not because we were hot. We just went out to "nowhere" of the desert and chatted till mid-night! so just casually slept there~~heheheh 

Rachid is nice and funny! 

He is busy too!!!

OO HAMIGUA~~~~~~~~