Sahara Desert Trip | 4 Days in the Immense Desert
Our four-day Sahara Desert trip takes you into one of the wildest environments on the planet. A place of intense beauty and utter silences, you will never forget your time in the Sahara. Here, red desert dunes meet the stars, and in the silence, the desert unveils her beauty.
The four-day adventure begins at Marrakesh, a city ablaze with colours and sights. Marrakesh is famous for its markets, which are a spectacle to behold. There is so much to see and do and you might even spot a snake charmer! Adventure awaits.
Day 1
Marrakesh – Telouet Kasbah – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate
You will be met at your riad after breakfast when we will set off for Ouarzazate. We cross the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, which at an altitude of 2260m (7417ft) is the highest pass in Morocco. You will enjoy amazing views of this fascinating landscape and the Berber villages it contains and see the Telouet Kasbah, one-time residence of the pasha of Marrakesh. Continuing south we arrive at the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, probably the most celebrated, filmed and photographed Kasbah in Morocco. Featured in numerous films (including Lawrence of Arabia, The Sheltering Sky and Gladiator), it is the best-preserved Kasbah in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arriving in Ouarzazate you will be able to explore the famous Atlas Film Studios and two other interesting Kasbahs – Taourirt and Tiffoultoute – and stay overnight in a hotel with a pool.
Day 2
Ouarzazate – Agdz-Draa Valley – Tazzarine – Merzouga
After breakfast, we will take the Agdz road along the Draa Valley – the longest in Morocco. En route you will notice the Berber mud-built Kasbahs in the valley and the beautiful oases as we pass through many different small towns and villages. We will stop for lunch in Rissani where you can try traditionally-baked Berber pizza. In the late afternoon, you will arrive in Merzouga. You will meet your camel guide who will take you across the sand dunes to a Bedouin camp where you will stay overnight and enjoy the spectacular view of the thousands of stars.
Day 3
Merzouga – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley
After experiencing a beautiful sunrise in the desert, you will camel trek back to your hotel for breakfast and a shower. We then set off for Erfoud – fossil town. Here you will see stalls selling crystals and semi-precious stones as well as fossils. The workshop Usine de Marmar is open to visitors. We then travel through Todra Gorge, a narrow corridor with sheer cliffs 300m (985ft) high rising up dramatically on each side. These are the most impressive cliffs in southern Morocco and they are well known to experienced mountaineers. Here you will have lunch before continuing to the Dades Valley where you will see some impressive rock formations known by locals as “monkey toes” as well as interesting mud Kasbahs. Then an overnight stay in a hotel or riad overlooking the Dades Valley.
Day 4
Dades – Rose Valley – Skoura – High Atlas – Marrakesh
Today we travel off-road and explore the region between the Dades Valley and the Valley of Roses. You will encounter the local nomads, some of whom still live in caves and tents. At El-Kelaa M’Gouna up to 4000 tonnes of rose petals are picked every spring to be processed into rosewater or exported for the perfume industry. The Rose Festival is held here in May. As we travel from El-Kelaa M’Gouna towards Skoura you will see Kasbahs set out among the greenery of the Dades Valley. The small town of Skoura is surrounded by an impressive palm grove and the most beautiful Kasbahs in southern Morocco are to be found here. Crossing the mountains via the Tizi n Tichka pass, we arrive in Marrakesh where you will experience the famous Jemma el Fna square with its snake charmers, singers, fortune tellers and teeth pullers. The end of the tour!
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