Offer includes a bib for the adventure, 7 nights in bivouac, 2 hotel nights in double or triple rooms with half-board, and full board in the desert.
Special offer for the 1st edition of the MDS Trek.
MDS TREK MOROCCO 2024
1st edition: From October 20 to 29, 2024
MDS TREK MOROCCO
“Mens sana in corpore sano - A healthy mind in a healthy body”
Registration opening: June 12, 2024
CONCEPT
After more than 50 editions and 38 years of experience in the world's most beautiful deserts, discover the new concept of the MARATHON DES SABLES: the MDS Trek.
Much more than just a trek - the MDS Trek combines the challenge of surpassing yourself, disconnection, and spiritual and mental enrichment through workshop conferences on physical and mental well-being in sport.
10 days of disconnection to dream, discover and share. 7 nights in the desert (in tents for 2 with mattresses), then 2 nights in a hotel.
During this MDS Trek, you'll enjoy some of the most beautiful places in the Sahara, on a course covering between 70 and 120km, divided into several stages.
During the stages, you will carry only a light backpack with a few items and your lunch. You'll adapt the distance of the stages to suit your physical form and, back at the bivouac, you'll enjoy a Berber shower, a massage and a buffet dinner.
If you've already taken part in an MDS, your knowledge of the desert will be shared and will be useful to your relatives and other participants. You will also benefit from a preferential offer.
This timed trek is accessible to all, international and mixed, and can be experienced alone or in a group.
Enjoy the DNA of the MDS in the MDS Trek - disconnection, challenging yourself, discovery and sharing, all in a comfortable and accessible environment.
The first edition of the MDS Trek will take place in Morocco from October 20 to 29, 2024. Registration opens on June 12, 2024.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE TREK
More than just a hike, the MDS Trek invites you to experience a moment of complete disconnection, immersed in the heart of the Sahara Desert. Throughout the adventure, engage your body during the day, and stimulate your mind with workshop conferences focused on physical and mental well-being in sports such as "Athletic Fasting - Its Strengths and Weaknesses", "Glucose and Blood Sugar Management" or "The Power of Breathing".
Accessible to everyone, this format is perfect for those who want to explore the desert, make new connections, push their physical limits, all while maintaining a comfortable level of comfort. It is also the ideal opportunity to test yourself before taking on another MARATHON DES SABLES event.
Discover the teaser of the MDS Trek Morocco
Program of the adventure
FORMAT
The MDS Trek Morocco follows the mythical route of the MARATHON DES SABLES.
It consists of 4 timed stages.
The distances of the stages vary, so you can choose to cover a shorter or longer distance during each stage.
A total of around 70 to 120km to cover.
Here's the approximate breakdown of distances:
- Stage 1: 14 or 24km
- Stage 2: 12 or 15km
- Stage 3 - day 1: 19 or 31km
- Stage 3 - day 2: 19 or 26km
- Stage 4: 13 or 24km
During the stages, you will only need to carry your daily ration and water, nothing more, as the rest of the equipment will stay at the bivouac.
Water stations will be available along the route, and you will have a capacity of 1.5 liters of water.
Enjoy this adventure at your own pace, with no time limits. In case of difficulty, if you don't manage to complete a stage, you will be repatriated to the camp and will be able to start the next stages.
New on this trek: The long stage will be marked by the Star Night. Halfway through, you will stop to spend the night in a nomad camp under the stars. Celebrated with a grand buffet, this timeless moment will allow you to enjoy the desert in an authentic way while resting and recharging. During this stage, you will need to bring your sleeping bag.
The selectable distances and reduced equipment of the MDS Trek will allow you to join the adventure with minimal preparation.
ON THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MARATHON DES SABLES
PROGRAM
Discover the program of the adventure
Day 1: Meet in Ouarzazate, transfer to the bivouac, first night at the bivouac.
Day 2: Technical checks, workshop conference, night at the bivouac.
Day 3: First stage, night at the bivouac.
Day 4: Second stage, workshop conference, night at the bivouac.
Day 5: Start of the third stage, Star Night.
Day 6: End of the third stage, night at the bivouac.
Day 7: Rest day, workshop conference, night at the bivouac.
Day 8: Fourth stage, night at the hotel.
Day 9: Day at the hotel, Gala evening, night at the hotel.
Day 10: End of the MDS Trek Morocco adventure.
THE CAMPSITE
The MDS Trek Morocco bivouac offers an optimal level of comfort for an unforgettable experience in the desert.
You will be accommodated in double tents equipped with separated mattresses, allowing you to come in groups, with friends, family, as a couple, or even alone. If you come alone, the organization provides for non-mixed and nationality-based allocation. You will only need to bring your sleeping bag. The bivouac is also equipped with showers (cabins with buckets of water).
After the stages, you will have the opportunity to relax with a daily massage* for better recovery, enjoy cold drinks* from the available bar, and share convivial moments in the social areas.
*Charges apply.
THE OFFERS
- MDS Trek Morocco offer: €2,350
- MDS Trek Morocco - 1st edition offer: €2,050
To celebrate the start of this new adventure, the 1st edition of the MDS Trek, the MDS Trek Morocco, will be exceptionally available at €2,050. The perfect opportunity to discover the Sahara Desert.
- MDS Finisher offer: €1,850
If you've already taken part in a MARATHON DES SABLES, you'll benefit from a special offer at €1,850. Come back to the desert and share it with your friends and family who haven't yet tried it!
* This offer cannot be combined with the multi-finisher offer.
- The first 100 registrants benefit from a €100 discount on their registration.
Offers
What is included in the offer:
- Transfers Marrakech airport - Ouarzazate, Ouarzazate - desert (outward and return)
- 2 hotel nights after your desert stay in double rooms at a hotel in the Ouarzazate region at the gateway to the Sahara, with half-board
- Meals in the desert (full board)
- Bib for the adventure
- 7 nights at the MDS Trek bivouac, in double tents
- Conferences
- Finisher medal and t-shirt
- Organizational and medical supervision
- Repatriation assistance
- Gala evening
THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME
Join the adventure with complete peace of mind
We have implemented flexible cancellation and rescheduling policies, allowing you to register with complete peace of mind.
Free postponement
In case of doubt as the adventure approaches, you can postpone your participation free of charge to the next edition, until September 8, 2024.
Cancellation conditions
Our registration conditions allow you to cancel free of charge until June 30, 2024.
Cancellation insurance
In case of cancellation of the event by the organization, you will be refunded 100% of the amount you paid within 60 days.
Details of cancellation and postponement conditions are available in the MDS Trek Morocco 2024 Regulations and Terms of Sales
SAHARA DESERT
Mysterious, enchanting, and soothing, explore the Sahara Desert and its varied landscapes: mountainous reliefs, rocky terrains, dunes, wadis, and dried-up lakes. The Sahara stretches over 8 million square kilometers, making it the largest hot desert in the world.
Follow in the footsteps of the MARATHON DES SABLES Legendary, which held its first edition in 1986.
Enjoy a journey to the heart of the Sahara, far from any form of civilization, presenting a unique opportunity to refocus on what's essential.
DISCOVERY OF MOROCCO
Beyond the desert adventure, this exceptional experience will immerse you in the rich cultural heritage of Morocco, with its traditions, captivating architecture, and people.
You will begin your journey in the Province of Ouarzazate, the gateway to the Sahara, located in southern Morocco. It is in this region, nestled among the Moroccan High Atlas mountains, that you will have a unique experience during the MDS Trek Morocco.
Extend your Moroccan experience by visiting Marrakech or Ouarzazate before or after the event.
INFO MDS TREK MOROCCO
HOW TO GET THERE?
The meeting point will be in Ouarzazate on Sunday morning, October 20th, 2024, to join the organization and take transfers to the desert.
To get to Morocco and Ouarzazate, you can arrive at different airports:
- Ouarzazate airport
Take a flight for Ouarzazate before the adventure and spend one or more nights at the hotel (at your own expense) then come to the meeting point on the morning of October 20th.
We recommend that you arrive before October 19th so as not to miss the shuttles in case of a delay at the airport on Sunday, October 20th.
Marrakech airport
Shuttles will be organized on Saturday October 19th in the morning, between Marrakech and Ouarzazate (5 hours journey).
You can either:
• Book a flight for Marrakech airport and on arrival, take one of our shuttles directly to Ouarzazate.
• Spend one or more nights in Marrakech and take a shuttle on October 19th to Ouarzazate.
The return journey at the end of the MDS Trek follows the same logic.
If you wish, you can take advantage of the bus organized between Ouarzazate and Marrakech. These buses will leave Ouarzazate on the morning of October 29th, therefore you'll need to book a return flight from Marrakech in the afternoon.
If you take a return flight from Ouarzazate, in this case you are free in the hotel-airport transfer and you can book a flight whenever you prefer.
All this information will be available on your MDS account, once you have registered. You will receive a detailed schedule by e-mail.
You can also extend your stay in Morocco by booking your own accommodation after Tuesday, October 29th.
If you have a doubt regarding your flight reservations, don’t hesitate to call us (+33 1 47 05 12 06).
Find our flight recommendations in our Frequently Asked Questions.
It is necessary to take airline tickets with cancellation and modification insurance, given the restrictions that may be applied by the countries.
PROGRAM OF THE WEEK
Sunday: Meeting point in Ouarzazate, transfer to the bivouac, first night at the bivouac.
Monday: Technical checks, workshop conference, night at the bivouac
Tuesday: First stage, night at the bivouac
Wednesday: Second stage, workshop conference, night at the bivouac
Thursday: Start of the third stage, night at the bivouac. Friday: End of the third stage, night at the bivouac.
Saturday: Rest day, workshop conference, night at the bivouac.
Sunday: Fourth stage, night at the hotel.
Monday: Day at the hotel, Gala evening, night at the hotel.
Tuesday: End of the MDS Trek Morocco adventure.
HOTEL
You will share your hotel room with one or two other participants. Once registered, you will have the possibility to indicate the name of the person you wish to share your hotel room.
The accommodations are not mixed, unless otherwise requested.
WHAT DO I BRING?
Once registered, we will send you a complete checklist of the material, but here is the main one to have per person:
- Backpack with water bottles, flasks or water pouch
- A running outfit (t-shirt + shorts)
- Trail shoes + anti-sand gaiters
- Cap and sunglasses
- Change for the bivouac: T-shirt + light shorts / leggings
- Windproof jacket for the evening and morning
- Sleeping bag for the night
- Towel
- Hygiene products (sun cream, soap, antiseptic...)
You will bring your suitcase with you to the bivouac, and you will have access to all your belongings during the adventure.
MEAL
The organization will provide evening and morning meals, as well as a lunch pack at midday on stage days. It is therefore not necessary to bring your own food, as the adventure is not self-sufficient.
PRICES
Prices for the MDS Trek Morocco 2024 are as follows:
- MDS Trek Morocco offer: €2,050
- Marathonien Des Sables offer: €1,850
INCLUDED IN THE OFFER
- Transfer to the bivouac
- 2 nights in a double room in a hotel in the region of Ouarzazate at the edge of the Sahara (2 after the adventure in the desert)
- Meals in the desert (full board)
- Bib for the adventure
- 7 nights on the MDS Trek bivouac, in double tent
- Medal and finisher t-shirt
- Conferences
- Gala evening and diner
ULTRA-FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION CONDITIONS
Here are the cancellations conditions for the MDS Trek Morocco 2024:
- Cancellation is possible without charge until June 30th, 2024.
- From July 1st to August 4th, 2024 included, 25% of the total amount of the registration will be kept by the organization in case of cancellation.
- From August 5th to September 8th, 2024 included, 50% of the total amount of the registration will be kept by the organization in case of cancellation.
- After September 8th, 2024 no refund is possible, however it will still be possible to postpone your registration according to the conditions of the event.
Here are the postponement conditions for the MDS Trek Morocco 2024:
- Up to and including September 8th, 2024, postponement possible to the next edition free of charge.
- From September 9th to October 13th, 2024 included: €250 fee for a postponement.
- From October 13th, 2024: no postponement possible
DISTANCES
The distance for the MDS Trek is 120km, divided into 4 stages.
Distances are adaptable and flexible (except stage 3), allowing you to adjust your adventure according to your physical condition.
SAFETY
During the race, you will be surrounded by the medical and organization teams from the beginning to the end of the stages.
The courses are marked with stakes every 50/100m, so it is almost impossible to get lost.
You will all be equipped with a GPS beacon with an alarm button, allowing the organization to locate you at any time.
A medical tent is present at the bivouac where you can go at any time.
RACE STOP
If difficulties prevent you from completing a stage, you will be taken back to camp. You will not be ranked for that stage, but you will have the opportunity to continue with the other stages and maintain your finisher status, even without participating in the official ranking.
PAYMENT TERMS
You can pay by:
- Credit card
- 1, 3 or 5 instalments
- Bank transfer
- 1 instalment
The number of instalments may vary depending on the date of registration. The registration will be 100% validated once the total amount of the registration is paid.
REGULATIONS
WHO ARE WE?
Since 1986, the MARATHON DES SABLES has been crossing the world's most beautiful deserts with several concepts: the MARATHON DES SABLES THE LEGENDARY (252 km in the Sahara Desert in Morocco), the MARATHON DES SABLES (70, 100 or 120 km over 3 stages) and the new 2024 concept, the MDS TREK (4 stages with a total distance of up to 120km).
