It all Begins at Fes
The tour starts from Fes, home to the world’s oldest university. Fes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and for good reason.
Visiting this ancient walled city will feel like you are being taken back to medieval times, but with a touch of modernity. Donkeys and ancient dwellings sit aside modern technology and architecture.
The four gates into the city are stunning, featuring unique Moroccan tile patterns, a breathtaking display of colours. The Medina of Fès el-Bali is a maze of narrow lane-ways and covered bazaars, rich with foods, crafts, mosques, and people. Colours and smells will overtake and delight you. And that is just the beginning…
Day 1
Fes – Ifrane – Ziz Gorges – Merzouga
After breakfast, we leave Fes and travel through the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains. En route we pass through Ifrane, known as “Little Switzerland” due to its’ likeness to as a Swiss Alpine resort. We drive through the Cedar Forest – the largest in Morocco – and home to the native Barbary apes. After lunch, we cross the Atlas Mountains through the Talghoumt Pass where you may see nomadic shepherds with their flocks. Before arriving at your hotel in the desert region of Merzouga, we stop for an impressive view of the hidden oases in this region of the Ziz Valley known for its palm groves.
Day 2
Merzouga Area and Camel Trek
After breakfast we will take a short drive to Dayet Srji, a small lake which has a large and diverse bird population. From there we will visit the village of Khamlia to experience the music and life of the Gnaoua, descended from slaves brought to Morocco from Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, and Ghana. We will have lunch with a local family in a small village. In the afternoon, you will meet your camel guide who will take you across the sand dunes to a Bedouin camp. You will spend the night experiencing the immensity and silence of the desert and get a beautiful view of the stars.
Day 3
Merzouga – Alnif – Tansikht – Agdz – Ouarzazate
After enjoying the sunrise in the Sahara desert, your camel guide will take you back to your hotel on the edge of the sand for breakfast and a shower. We will drive to Ouarzazate via Rissani-Sijilmassa, once a major stopping place on the trans-Saharan caravan route. On Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays there will be an opportunity to visit the Rissani Souk, one of the most famous in the area. Travelling on to Ouarzazate, we will have lunch in Alnif or Nkob and then continue through the dramatic Draa Valley. You will have an overnight stay in a hotel in Ouarzazate, not far from the famous Taourirt Kasbah.
Day 4
Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah – High Atlas – Marrakesh.
After breakfast in Ouarzazate, you will explore the famous Atlas Film Studios. We then travel to 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. We cross the Atlas Mountains by 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 Berber villages. Arriving at Marrakesh you will explore the famous Jemma el Fna square with its snake charmers, singers, fortune tellers, and teeth pullers. The tour ends when we drop you off at your accommodation in Marrakesh.
Contact Us
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