Self-Supported Sahara Ultra Protocol Week

Highlights

• Completely self-supported across roughly 250 km of Saharan terrain over six stages.
• Terrain alternates between sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and dry riverbeds with no consistent surface underfoot.
• Midday temperatures regularly exceed 45°C and can climb past 50°C in exposed sections.
• Sleeping is in shared Berber tents at open-air bivouac camps with no electricity or running water.
• The race organization provides only water rations and emergency medical support. Everything else is on you.

Planning Steps

1. Register through the official Marathon des Sables website. Entry fills months ahead, and confirmation requires a medical certificate plus a race-specific health questionnaire.
2. Book flights to Ouarzazate or Errachidia, Morocco. The organizer arranges charter buses from the designated meeting point to the desert bivouac site.
3. Build a self-supported food strategy around lightweight, calorie-dense meals. You must carry a minimum of 2,000 calories per day for the full race duration.
4. Train with a weighted pack on mixed terrain for at least six months. Include back-to-back long runs and heat acclimatization sessions.
5. Arrive at the designated hotel in Ouarzazate at least one day before the official transfer to complete kit checks, gear verification, and final briefings.