My OAT Morocco Sahara Review

Our Morocco Adventure: What We Loved Then—and What Travelers Should Know Today

You want an adventure? You want something different?

Spend a night—or two—deep in the Sahara Desert. Watch camels appear almost magically atop distant sand dunes. See a starlit sky unlike any you have ever experienced.

Walk the bazaars of Fez and Marrakesh. Experience a part of the world few travelers will ever see.

Morocco is not just a place you visit.
It's an adventure you experience.

What We Loved About Morocco — and What OAT Travelers Are Saying Today

From 2009: What a great trip—and what a unique adventure.

I had camped overnight in the Sinai Desert, so I remembered what an extraordinary night sky could look like. I wanted a repeat performance, and Morocco did not disappoint.

Neither did waking up early one morning to see a lone camel walking just behind our tent. I guess that's why they put camel-crossing signs along the desert trails.

This tour really gave us a fair and balanced view of Morocco and its people—from the large cities, where we enjoyed our Home-Hosted Dinner, to visiting Bedouins who lived in tents.

And, in terms of shopping, we usually don't buy many things when we travel. But we brought home a couple of great items from Morocco, including two rugs.

From OAT Travelers Today: Morocco Sahara Odyssey continues to receive exceptionally strong feedback from OAT travelers. The current adventure remains a small-group trip with no more than 16 travelers, and recent traveler feedback continues to emphasize the things that made our own experience memorable: Morocco's extraordinary landscapes, the Sahara experience, encounters with local people and the knowledge of OAT's Trip Experience Leaders.

Here are some of the comments and themes that stood out to me:

The Sahara / emotional impact - A 20-time OAT traveler described the Morocco trip as: “The icing on the cake, however. It was simply exotic.”She wrote extensively about how the "Sahara experience stayed with her, particularly the silence, dunes and night sky."

The People: "One of the best parts of the trip was meeting a Berber family living in a remote desert encampment. Through our Trip Experience Leader as interpreter, travelers sat with a local woman and her teenage daughter, shared mint tea, and learned about their nomadic way of life." One traveler wrote that the experience gave her an intimate look into a way of life so different from her own that she had to “pinch myself to remember what time period I was actually in.”

The Variety: Morocco isn't just the Sahara. One recent OAT traveler described "moving from an oasis and palm grove in the desert to the gardens of Marrakesh," where her guide introduced the group to hidden green spaces tucked inside the bustling city. As she put it, one of Marrakesh's gardens was an “oasis of peace.”

The Trip Leaders: This is one area where the current traveler feedback is particularly impressive. 98% of OAT travelers rated their Trip Experience Leader excellent, citing their ability to facilitate people-to-people interactions, communication skills and overall performance. That's important because a good guide does much more than explain what you're looking at. The right Trip Leader can open doors—and sometimes conversations—you simply couldn't have on your own.

Booking Your First
Overseas Adventure Travel Tour?

I created the Thrifty Senior Traveler website to share my experiences and tips with others who enjoy traveling (and bargains). I don't work or get paid from any particular company.

I clearly like Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). They meet all my checkmarks: great tours for great value. I am after all the Thrifty Senior Traveler.

If you are booking a first trip with OAT, I have a favor to ask.

OAT has a special "Referral Program". When booking your reservation, tell them "I was referred by Jesse Slome -
his OAT # is 932019."

You'll qualify for the first-time traveler savings of $100-per-person. And, I receive a 1-time credit toward a future OAT adventure. It costs you nothing. I only get credit once. Then you get to earn referral credits.

So far, 89 travelers have told OAT they were referred by Jesse Slome. If you decide to take an OAT adventure, I hope you'll be #90!

Thank you - and I hope to see you somewhere in the world!

The Overseas Adventure Traveler Differences - That Benefit You

People ask me why I am so passionate about Overseas Adventure Travel. I'll answer that here. And below, you'll find comparisons with other comparable tour companies.

Great Itineraries. Great Trip Experience Leaders. Great Value. A tour company must do all of these things well. After 19 trips with OAT, I can say they do.

I'm not alone: More than 700,000 travelers have traveled with OAT since 2016. They enjoy these benefits. And so can you.

The Small Group Benefit: I'm sorry, but there is a difference between 40 people and 16 people on a bus. It's more than the time it takes to load and unload everyone. With a smaller group, you can get into places a large group simply can't. You spend less time waiting, less time counting heads and more time actually experiencing the destination.

But there's another advantage I think is even more important: With 16 travelers, you get to know one another. Conversations happen. Friendships develop.

The Solo Traveler Benefit: OAT has made solo travel a major part of its business. And I've taken advantage of that on several of my trips. In 2026, OAT is offering 25,000 single spaces across its adventures, and an impressive 92% are available with a FREE Single Supplement. Even more striking, 50% of OAT travelers are solo women.

The Special Deals Benefit: Don't have to plan your vacation a year in advance? OAT regularly offers special prices on trips departing within the next 30 to 100 days. The savings can be remarkable—sometimes less than half the original trip cost—and I've taken advantage of them. It was even more valuable because my departure had no single-supplement charge.

Frequent Traveler Credits: OAT credits you 5% of the listed tour price toward a future trip. Take a second trip within a year and you get $250 off. The more you travel with OAT, the greater the credits. Post a video from your trip and earn another $250.

These credits add up. So much so that my 20th OAT trip, a 16-day adventure to Tunisia, is costing me just $8 (plus airfare). This may be the single benefit the Thrifty Senior Traveler loves most.

Comparing Morocco Sahara Tours: OAT vs. Odysseys Unlimited

The Solo Traveler: Both companies welcome solo travelers, but OAT has an important advantage for someone who doesn't want to pay a single supplement. OAT's Morocco Sahara Odyssey currently offers a FREE Single Supplement. Odysseys Unlimited also welcomes solo travelers, but a private room generally carries an additional charge. For a solo traveler, that difference can add up quickly.

The Small Group: OAT limits its Morocco adventure to 16 travelers. Odysseys Unlimited guarantees groups of 12 to 24 travelers. So while both are genuinely small-group companies, OAT has the smaller maximum. That may not sound like a huge difference, but after experiencing 19 OAT trips, I appreciate every time we don't have to wait for another eight people to get on the bus!

The OAT Advantage: OAT's 16-day Morocco Sahara Odyssey includes the major Moroccan highlights but also emphasizes the experiences that I think make an OAT trip special. There are opportunities to meet local people, enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner and spend two nights at a private tented camp in the Sahara. The current trip starts at $5,295 per person, including airfare, with a FREE Single Supplement.

The Odysseys Advantage: Odysseys Unlimited's Moroccan Discovery is a 14-day adventure that emphasizes excellent hotels, comprehensive sightseeing and its professional Tour Directors. Its small groups allow for experiences that wouldn't be practical with a large tour group, and the company places considerable emphasis on quality accommodations and allowing travelers some independent time. Those are meaningful advantages for travelers who prefer a somewhat more traditional escorted-tour experience.

The Price: Price is obviously important—especially to the Thrifty Senior Traveler. But comparing tour prices isn't always as simple as comparing two numbers. Prices for both companies vary by departure date and, when airfare is included, by departure city. Both companies also offer special pricing and promotions from time to time, so it's worth checking the current price before booking.

But here's my advice: Don't let price alone determine your choice. When you're traveling halfway around the world, the difference in price may be less important than the size of your group, the quality of the hotels, what's included, the itinerary, the single supplement and—perhaps most important—how the company gets you to experience the country.

A few hundred dollars can seem like a lot when you're booking. It can seem like very little after you've traveled thousands of miles to get there.

My Take: I think both OAT and Odysseys Unlimited offer excellent ways to experience Morocco. If you're traveling solo, want the smallest possible group or place a high value on people-to-people experiences, I'd lean toward OAT. If distinctive hotels, comprehensive sightseeing and a traditional small-group touring style are higher on your list, Odysseys Unlimited deserves serious consideration.

Either way, you're choosing a small-group adventure—not a 40-person bus tour. And that's a pretty good place to start.

If you're considering a Morocco adventure, Odysseys Unlimited is definitely worth a look. Of course, so is Overseas Adventure Travel's Morocco Sahara Odessey.

Like OAT, it specializes in small-group travel and is particularly popular with mature travelers.

In fact, Odysseys describes its tours as being designed specifically for travelers 60 and older.

Comparing Morocco Sahara Tours: OAT vs. G Adventures

If you're looking for a Morocco adventure, G Adventures deserves serious consideration. And I'll admit, I was initially surprised by just how much the company has to offer.

This isn't a big-bus tour company. G Adventures' land trips are generally limited to 16 travelers, and its current Solo-ish Morocco adventure is capped at 14, with an average group size of just 10.

The Solo Traveler: G Adventures is particularly strong here. Its Solo-ish Morocco trip is designed specifically for people traveling alone, and G Adventures offers a “My Own Room” option for travelers who want privacy. The company also emphasizes small groups and connection among solo travelers.

OAT still has an important advantage for me: its extensive FREE Single Supplement offerings can eliminate the additional cost altogether. For a senior traveler watching the budget, that's hard to beat.

The G Adventures Advantage: G Adventures offers a tremendous amount of variety—and often at a considerably lower price. Its current Morocco trips range from short eight- and nine-day adventures to an 18-day Complete Morocco adventure. Some focus on the Sahara, some on hiking and active experiences, and others combine Morocco's cities, mountains, desert and coast.

The company also does a good job of getting travelers into local experiences. Its Morocco itineraries include cooking with local people, visiting Berber villages, community lunches, local guides and opportunities to explore on your own. G Adventures' Chief Experience Officers are locally based and are specifically tasked with introducing travelers to local people and places.

The Price: This is where G Adventures can be particularly attractive to the Thrifty Senior Traveler. Current Morocco trips can start well below the price of a traditional escorted tour. For example, its 10-day Solo-ish Morocco currently starts at $1,079 on selected discounted departures. But be careful when comparing prices: airfare isn't included, some meals are not included, and a private room costs extra.

And G Adventures has something else I like: flexibility. Its philosophy is to provide the structure of a tour while leaving travelers plenty of free time to explore on their own. That's appealing if you don't want every hour of your vacation scheduled for you.

The OAT Advantage: This is where my personal preference comes in. OAT's Morocco adventure is designed specifically for older travelers, has a maximum of 16 participants, includes airfare and offers a FREE Single Supplement on the current itinerary. OAT also puts considerable emphasis on people-to-people experiences and includes many meals and activities in the tour price.

G Adventures is more of an adventure-first, flexible travel experience. OAT feels more like a carefully organized adventure designed around the needs of mature travelers.

My Take: If you're an active traveler who wants flexibility, a lower starting price and lots of opportunities to explore independently, I'd absolutely put G Adventures on your list.

If you're a senior traveler who wants airfare and more of the trip included, values a FREE Single Supplement and prefers a highly organized small-group experience, I'd lean toward OAT.

They're both small. They're both adventurous. They're both capable of giving you a terrific Moroccan experience.

The question is which style of travel fits you best.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Senior Travel to Morocco

Is Morocco a good destination for senior travelers?

Absolutely. Morocco offers an unusual combination of history, culture, cities, mountains and the Sahara Desert. The key is choosing a tour that matches your physical abilities. You should expect walking on uneven surfaces, steps, time on your feet and getting in and out of vehicles. If you're considering an organized tour, check its activity rating before booking.
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Is Morocco safe for American travelers?

Morocco is generally a popular destination for American travelers, but you shouldn't ignore current travel advisories. As of 2026, the U.S. State Department recommends “Exercise Increased Caution” in Morocco because of terrorism. Check the latest advisory before your trip and follow the guidance of your tour operator and local authorities.
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Do Americans need a visa to visit Morocco?

For tourism stays of 90 days or less, U.S. citizens do not need a visa. Your passport must be valid for at least six months at the time of entry and have at least one blank page available for a stamp. Always verify the current requirements before departing.
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What is the best time of year to visit Morocco?

Spring and fall are generally the most comfortable times for exploring Morocco, particularly if your itinerary includes the Sahara. Summer can be extremely hot in parts of the country, while winter can bring surprisingly cold nights in the desert and snow in the Atlas Mountains.
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How physically demanding is a Morocco tour?

This depends on the tour, but don't assume Morocco is an easy trip simply because you're traveling by bus. Medinas have narrow, uneven streets, and you'll encounter stairs, cobblestones and considerable walking. A Sahara adventure may also involve climbing into and out of a tented camp or camel excursion. Read the tour operator's activity rating carefully and be realistic about your own abilities.
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Should I visit the Sahara Desert?

If you've never experienced the Sahara, I'd say absolutely. Spending a night beneath that enormous desert sky is one of the experiences that makes Morocco different from almost anywhere else. And yes, you may even wake up to find a camel wandering behind your tent. I did.
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Should I travel to Morocco with a tour company or independently?

Morocco can certainly be traveled independently, but I'd strongly consider a small-group tour for a first visit. You don't have to worry about transportation between cities, navigating the medinas or arranging desert accommodations. More importantly, a good local Trip Experience Leader can introduce you to people and places you might never discover on your own.
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Is Morocco a good destination for solo travelers?

Yes—and this is one reason I think OAT deserves consideration. OAT has made solo travel a major part of its business, with thousands of single spaces available and many departures offering a FREE Single Supplement. For an older traveler who wants to travel alone without paying a huge penalty, that can make a significant difference.
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What should seniors pack for Morocco?

Pack comfortable walking shoes, lightweight clothing you can layer, a hat, sunscreen and something warmer for cool desert evenings. I would also bring a small daypack and leave some room in your suitcase. Morocco is one of those places where you might actually want to bring something home.
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Is Morocco worth visiting if I'm looking for something different?

That's an easy one for me.

Yes.

I've traveled to 19 countries with OAT, and Morocco remains one of the trips I remember most vividly. Where else can you walk through ancient medinas, cross the Atlas Mountains, sleep in the Sahara, meet people living traditional lifestyles and watch your wife teach Texas-style line dancing to Moroccan women?

That's not just a vacation.

That's an adventure.

Written by Jesse Slome, The Thrifty Senior Traveler
Originally published August 30, 2026 | Last updated August 30, 2026