Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley
Our journey through the Moroccan desert begins in Marrakech: at the airport, at your hotel or at any other point of your choice. There you will be picked up by our driver/guide to start the road trip in a vehicle equipped with the best comforts.
We will cross the Atlas Mountains through the Tizi n’Tichka pass, the highest in this mountain range, at about 2,200 meters above sea level, leaving behind spectacular panoramic views and Berber villages where time seems to have stopped. A few kilometers before Ouarzazate, known as the Hollywood of Morocco for its famous studios, we will visit the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou: a walk through its adobe enclosure will make us understand why it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 (optional entrance). We will also stop to take pictures at the Taourirt kasbah.
It will not be the only fortress that will appear on the horizon, because from then on we will travel part of the road of the thousand kasbahs’, through the Valley of the Roses and the Dades Valley. In the first, the rose bushes occupy hectares and hectares of land. And in the second, palm trees, birch and almond trees grow at the foot of the river that gives it its name.
Precisely in the Dades Valley we will make a stop on the way to spend the night in a riad full of charm and regain strength for the intense day of the next day, which will take us to the very heart of the Moroccan desert.
Day 2: Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Erfoud – Merzouga
The second day of this journey through the Moroccan desert begins with an energetic breakfast at the riad and will end in Merzouga and its famous Erg Chebbi dunes. But first, the day has another major attraction: the Todra Gorges. This is the name given to the rocky walls of up to 200 meters that have been chiseled over the years by the Todra River. The road here makes unlikely twists and turns and offers views typical of science fiction, and we will descend to walk through some of its most emblematic sections.
Back in the vehicle, we will continue to Merzouga, probably the most admired town in the Moroccan desert. Here we will change means of transport: we will park our vehicle and get on the back of our camels (option replaceable by a 4×4 specially designed for the desert) to head for the dunes of Erg Chebbi.
Our Berber tent camp is located there, equipped with all the comforts for a pleasant stay. But the real pleasure will be around you, where the sunset takes on a unique color and the sky, a purity that makes the stars shine as you have never seen before. In this special atmosphere, you will enjoy your dinner and your night’s rest.
Day 3: Merzouga – Rissani – Alnif – Tazarine – Draa Valley – Agdz – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
The magical sunset and the majestic starry sky of the previous day have their continuation in the sunrise of the third day, which you will be able to contemplate from the camp. With the light of the new day, it will be time to taste the breakfast included in the accommodation and then take a comforting shower, which will be done in the camp or in a hotel in Merzouga depending on the package contracted. After that, it will be time to leave by road to Rissani, a city known for having one of the most beautiful medinas in the south of the country.
After that, we will continue to other towns in this sector of the Moroccan desert, such as Alnif and Tazarine. We will also cross the Draa Valley and its extensive palm grove, considered the largest in North Africa. This can be seen in one of the towns on the route, Agdz, a traditional stop on the caravan routes that now houses places of interest such as the Kasbah des Arts.
From here, the return trip to Marrakech will take us back to Ouarzazate and the Atlas Mountains, which we will now cross through the Ait Saoun pass, at about 1,600 meters above sea level. Arrival in Marrakech late in the day will mark the end of an intense and fascinating journey through the Moroccan desert. And our farewell, at the airport or at the place of your choice, will be full of thanks, best wishes for the future and a sincere ‘see you soon’.
TOURIST PACKAGE INCLUDED
- Pick up and drop off at the airport
- Comfortable private transportation with air conditioning
- English speaking driver / tour guide
- Sandboarding in the desert
- Camel ride
TOURIST PACKAGE EXCLUSIONS
- Plane tickets
- Drinks
- Lunches
- Tickets
