ITINERARY: 5 DAY TOUR BEGINNING IN MARRAKECH
Marrakech » Ait Ben Hadou » Ouarzazate » Boumalne Dades Day 1
Depart from your hotel or the airport in the morning for a 5-day journey through the Dades Valley from Marrakech to Merzouga. We will cross through the High Atlas Mountains as we go via the famed Tizi N-Tichka pass, which is 2260 meters high. Along the way, we’ll stop at the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It has appeared in several films, including Laurence of Arabia, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and others. Enjoy beautiful scenery with a range of colors and little Berber villages. We’ll stop at several vantage points so you can view and snap photographs. Then go to Ouarzazate, well known as “the entrance to the Sahara desert.” Before proceeding into the Dades Gorges and passing the magnificent Road of 1,000 Kasbahs, stop at the Kasbah Taourirt and Films Studios. Enjoy supper and spend the night in a traditional Riad or hotel upon arrival in Boumalne Dades.
Dades Valley » Todgha Gorges » Merzouga Sahara Desert Day 2
After a typical Moroccan breakfast, we will leave Dades and proceed to Todra Gorges. Enjoy a tour within the small canyon of the Dades gorges and snap photos along the valleys of around 300 meters high, a popular spot for mountaineers, before going along the road of 1,000 kasbahs towards the town of Tinghir and the Todra Gorge. After lunch at a neighboring restaurant, the drive continues to Merzouga Sahara Desert, where you will arrive in the late afternoon at the Erg Chebbi dunes. Take a one-and-a-half-hour camel ride to the middle of the desert, where you can also see the spectacular sunset from the top of the highest sand dunes. Spend the night in a Standard or Luxury Desert Camp under a beautiful, star-studded sky, savoring a delicious meal and dancing to the beat of Berber drums.
Trip to the Merzouga Sahara Desert on Day 3
Your camel guide will wake you up early in the morning so that you may see and enjoy the most amazing sunrise of your life. After breakfast, you’ll ride a camel back to your Merzouga hotel or riad, where your driver and guide will be ready to begin your off-road adventure excursion over the sand dunes. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about Merzouga. Begin your journey through Berber communities by visiting Khamlia, often known as the “black people” area. I was served a cup of tea as I was cordially greeted and listened to their contemplative Gnawa music. Experience nomad life as they live in tents with hundreds of camels and goats while viewing the breathtaking panoramic panorama of sand dunes. Explore some abandoned mines and a palm-fringed oasis. Go back to Merzouga. You are free to roam the streets of Merzouga at your leisure.
Merzouga Sahara Desert » Rissani » Draa Valley » Ouarzazate Day 4
Get up early to see the sunrise over the sand dunes, then ride a camel back to the hotel for breakfast, a shower, and some relaxation. Then we take the route that leads to the gorges. Visiting Rissani’s ancient Sijilmassa monument, a key desert commerce centre, and kasbahs (village fortify). Then, as we proceed through the Ziz valley and gorges, we’ll stop for a short walk along the Todra canyon to see the natural beauty of the mountains and rivers. We’ll finally arrive in Ouarzazate, enjoy supper, and spend the night in a riad or traditional Kasbah. After breakfast, we’ll go to Ouarzazate to explore Atlas Studios and the Kasbah of Taourirt.
Day 5: Ouarzazate » Ait Ben Haddou » Marrakech
Then we go to the Fint Oasis, which is near Ouarzazate. After stopping for lunch, continue on the Tizi-n-Tichka route until late afternoon, when your 5-day adventure from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert concludes.