Desert safari from Marrakech

Day 1: Marrakech / ait Ben Hadou / ouarzazat/ zagora We will meet you at your riad or hotel at 8:30a.m., depart Marrakech, and transport over the High Atlas mountains Tizi nTichka pass. We will have time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, and break for coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We will spend the afternoon visiting World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou. This village of clustered Berber Kasbahs has been used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. We’ll pass through Ouarzazate, We pass through Ouarzazate, have lunch and follow the Valley Draa head for Zagora ; deeper into the desert landscape, until dunes appear on the horizon. Our mid-afternoon destination is the auberge (small country inn) , where you meet your camel guide and ride into the bivouac (camp). Upon arrival you will have a traditional tagine dinner prepared (vegetarians welcome) under the evening stars shining brilliantly in the clear night sky. Climb the dunes and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in a nomad tent.   Day 2: Zagora/ Ouarzazat / Marrakech Return by camel at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower. The remainder of the day is spent driving back to Ouarzazate where we’ll stop for lunch and visit the old Glaoui Kasbah Taouirt. Then we cross the High Atlas once more, down the Tizi nTichka pass. Arrival evening in Marrakech at approximately 6pm. Marrakech hotel this night optional with an extra cost.

    Day 1: Marrakech / ait Ben Hadou / Dades Gorges We will meet you at your riad or hotel at 8:30a.m., depart Marrakech, and transport over the High Atlas mountains Tizi nTichka pass. We will have time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, and break for coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We will spend the afternoon visiting World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou. This village of clustered Berber Kasbahs has been used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. We’ll pass through Ouarzazate, and the Valley of the Rose, famous for soft Persian rose oil. You will pass through many Berber villages, and once in the desert, see barren hillsides clustered with kasbahs (fortified dwellings that house many families and their livestock). After visiting the Tamnalt hills, we stay Dades valley auberge (small country inn) in the upper gorge. Day 2: Dades Gorgres / Todra Gorgres/ Merzougua After breakfast we have a short drive to walk through a massive fault dividing the High Atlas mountains. Todra Gorge sheer rock walls rises to 300 m in its narrowest part. Then we’ll head for the Erg Chebbi sand sea. We continue deeper into the desert landscape, until dunes appear on the horizon. Our mid-afternoon destination is the auberge (small country inn) 29km from Merzouga, where you meet your camel guide and ride into the bivouac (camp). Upon arrival you will have a traditional tagine dinner prepared (vegetarians welcome) under the evening stars shining brilliantly in the clear night sky. Climb the dunes and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in a nomad tent. Day 3: Marzougua / Ouarzazat / Marrakech Return by camel at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower. The remainder of the day is spent driving back to Ouarzazate where we’ll stop for lunch and visit the old Glaoui Kasbah Taouirt. Then we cross the High Atlas once more, down the Tizi nTichka pass. Arrival evening in Marrakech at approximately 6pm. Marrakech hotel this night optional with an extra cost.

Day 1: Marrakech / ait Ben Hadou / Dades Gorges We will meet you at your riad or hotel at 8:30a.m., depart Marrakech, and transport over the High Atlas mountains Tizi nTichka pass. We will have time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, and break for coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We spend the afternoon visiting the World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou. This village of clustered kasbahs has been used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. We pass through Ouarzazate, and the Valley of the Rose, famous for soft Persian rose oil. Our next destination is Dades valley. You will pass through many Berber villages, and in the desert, see barren red rock formations clustered with kasbahs (fortified dwellings that house many families and their livestock). Stay in Dades valley auberge (small country inn) with Moroccan dinner on the terrace, overlooking the valley gorge and gardens. Day 2: Dades Gorgres / Saghru montain/ Merzougua After breakfast we will through the Saghro mountains and stop in Rissani for lunch. Back in the car, we'll explore further until the Erg Chebbi dunes appear on the horizon. Our afternoon destination is the auberge 29km from Merzouga, where you meet your camel guide and ride into the dunes to the bivouac (camp). Upon arrival you will have a traditional tagine dinner prepared (vegetarians welcome), under the evening stars shining brilliantly in the sky. Climb the dunes and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in the nomad wool tent. Or you have a choice (with extra cost) of a sunset camel trek into the dunes, staying in the desert auberge with relaxing dinner, and breakfast early the next morning. Day 3: Merzougua / Todra Gorgres Return by camel at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower before going to Tinehir. Along the way we'll drive offroad, and pass through folded exposed rock slabs of fossils and we can stop and visit a fossil workshop for a closer look at Sahara’s wonderful varieties of ancient life. We'll have a visit to Todra Gorge, where sheer limestone walls rise to 300 m in its narrowest part. After lunch you can wander with a guide through palmeries, villages, gardens, and kasbahs for a close look at traditional Berber ways of life. Visit the market in Tinehir and old kasbah quarter. We will have a late afternoon arrival to stay in an old kasbah with evening Moroccan dinner by the pool. Day 4:Todra Gorgres/ Marrakech After breakfast the remainder of the day is spent driving back to Ouarzazate where we’ll stop for lunch and visit the old Glaoui Kasbah Taouirt. Then we cross the High Atlas once more, down the Tizi nTichka pass. Arrival evening in Marrakech at approximately 6pm. Marrakech hotel this night optional with an extra cost.

Day 1: Marrakech / Zagora We will meet you at your riad or hotel at 8:30a.m., depart Marrakech, and transport over the High Atlas mountains Tizi nTichka pass. We will have time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, and break for coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We pass through Ouarzazate, have lunch and follow the Valley Draa to overnight in Zagora, with a 4x4 pre-dinner side trip to look at the stars in the dunes. Day 2: Zagora / Daraa valley / Merzougua Today we retreat along the Valley Draa and turn east of the stark Saghro Massif. This route is peppered with isolated villages and towns, rocky mesas and acacia trees. We will have lunch near Rissani before departing for the Erg Chebbi dunes. Our late-afternoon destination is the auberge (small inn) 29km from Merzouga, where you meet your camel guide to ride into the dunes at sunset to the bivouac (camp). Upon arrival you will be served a traditional tagine dinner (vegetarians welcome), prepared under the evening stars shining brilliantly in the above. Climb the big dune and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in a nomad wool tent. Or you have a choice (with extra cost) of a sunset camel trek into the dunes, staying in the desert auberge with relaxing dinner, and breakfast early the next morning. Day 3: Merzougua / todra gorges Return by camel at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower or swim before going to Tinehir. Along the way we pass through folded exposed rock slabs of fossils and we can stop and visit a fossil workshop for a closer look at Sahara’s wonderful varieties of ancient life. We'll have a visit to Todra Gorge, where sheer limestone walls rise to 300 m in its narrowest part. After lunch you can wander with a guide through palmeries, villages, gardens, and kasbahs for a close look at traditional Berber ways of life. Visit the market in Tinehir and old kasbah quarter. We will have a late afternoon arrival to stay in an old kasbah with evening Moroccan dinner by the pool. Day 4: Todra gorges / Dades valley and gorges Our next destination is Dades valley of a thousand Kasbahs. You will drive off road through barren red hillsides clustered with Kasbahs, (fortified dwellings that house many families and their livestock), many Berber villages, and vist Nomads for tea. Stay in upper Dades valley auberge with dinner on the terrace, overlooking the valley gorge and gardens. Day 5: Dades gorges / ait ben hadou kasbah / Marrakech From Dades after breakfast we’ll head to Ouarzazate for lunch, passing through Valley of the Rose and Skoura oasis. After lunch, the World Heritage Site, Ait Benhaddou is our next stop. This village of clustered Berber Kasbahs has been used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. Descending the High Atlas mountains Tizi nTichka pass to Marrakech, we will have time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, with coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice breaks. You will need to book a hotel this night in Marrakech.