DAY 1: MARRAKECH – HIGH ATLAS – OUNILA VALLEY – AIT BEN HADDOU – OUARZAZATE – VALLEY OF THE ROSES – DADES VALLEY
We will pick you up from your accommodation in Marrakech at 08:30 to start our 6 days Marrakech to the desert. We will head to Ouarzazate, crossing the High Atlas through the Tizi N-tichka pass (It is the highest road pass in North Africa, with an altitude of 2.260m). Along the way, we will enjoy breathtaking panoramic views and make several stops for spectacular photos.
We will continue driving south, passing through numerous Berber villages, where we can see how their families live in authentic adobe houses lost in the mountains. This track will take us to the fortress of Ait Ben Haddou, where we will visit its famous Kasbah (The Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO). In this spectacular setting have been filmed several famous films such as Gladiator, Obelix, Sahara with Penelope Cruz ….
Lunch on the way in a typical local restaurant and after relaxing, we will continue our journey to the city of Ouarzazate, considered the gateway to the great desert.
We will drive to the palm grove of Skoura, a vast and lush palm grove that consists of more than 700,000 palm trees. The impressive greenery that contrasts with the arid plateau and the large concentration of kasbahs and authentic adobe villages that are scattered throughout the Oasis of Skoura, make this place of great beauty that will transport you to other times where time seems to have stopped.
We will cross the Valley of the Roses, located at the foot of the High Atlas and formed by hectares of rose bushes whose aroma is appreciated throughout the month of May. Flowering lasts from mid-April to mid-May. The cultivation of roses, the distillation of essences and the production of perfumes are the most important industries of this place. It is well known for its Rose Festival, which takes place every year in May.
We will continue our route until we reach the Dades Gorges. Finally we will go to our accommodation in Dades, where we will have dinner and spend the night.
DAY 2: DADES – TODRA GORGES – JORF – ERFOUD – MERZOUGA – DROMEDARY RIDE & NIGHT IN THE DESERT CAMP.
After breakfast, early in the morning, we will depart on a road dotted with small Berber villages and Kasbahs, all unique and different from each other, after several photographic stops, we will arrive at one of the highlights of the South: The Todra Gorges. These natural constructions of more than 300m high, are recognized worldwide for being one of the most spectacular rocky canyons. The road leading to the gorges offers beautiful scenery and a beautiful view of the majestic palm grove. We will have a relaxing stop for lunch and after resting, we will continue our route to the most desired point of our 6 day trip to the Merzouga desert from Marrakech: The impressive Merzouga Dunes.
We will ride our dromedaries and travel through sahara caravan that will take us to the Berber camp in front of the dunes. In this magical ride of about an hour, we will make stops in the middle of the road to see the majestic sunset over the dunes, it is here, where the dunes take a reddish color by the play of light and shadows of the sun’s rays on its top, an unforgettable spectacle that you can not stop photographing. It is the most desired moment of our 6-day excursion to the desert of Merzouga from Marrakech. Already in the camp, we will be welcomed with a tea of hospitality and before dinner, we will have free time to stretch our legs and enjoy the relaxation of the dunes. Then an unforgettable magical evening, where we will dine by candlelight typical local products, and after it, the Berber feast, you will have the opportunity, if you dare, to play the drums to the rhythms of the Sahara desert, a show of live Berber music by the campfire. We will have the opportunity to climb the dunes near the camp, to listen to Berber tales, local songs, discover shooting stars and make wishes.
We will rest in our Berber tents under a blanket of stars until sunrise.
DAY 3: MERZOUGA – PANORAMIC TOUR OF THE DUNES OF ERG CHEBBI – NOMADS VISIT- ROCK ENGRAVINGS- JDAID – OUZINA
After an unforgettable night in our berber camp, if you get up early enough, you will be able to admire the other charming postcard of our 6 days Merzouga desert tour from Marrakech, the impressive image of the sunrise in the Sahara and the sunrise between the dunes.
After living this magical experience in the desert, we will get back on the back of our camels to return to the lodge.
We will continue our route around 10 am, we will make the panoramic tour of the dunes of Erg Chebbi and then continue to the village of Mifis where we will visit the mines of lime and barytes, until we reach the village of Khamlia, between Merzouga and Taouz. In the area it is known as “the village of the blacks”.
A village where the inhabitants are called Gnawas, musicians of sub-Saharan origin, who will delight us with music and dances, while we savor a mint tea, where in addition to enjoying their Gnawa music, originally from Sub-Saharan Africa, we will have the opportunity to taste the famous Berber pizza.
For lunch, we will head to the village of Khamlia. Then we will continue to Taouz, where we will enter to begin our journey through the famous track of the old Dakar Rally, a journey in which we will enjoy breathtaking views where we will also have the opportunity to see some wonderful rock engravings. We will go to the village of Jdaid and in the afternoon we will arrive at the Ouzina desert.
Accommodation in berber Kasbah with dinner and breakfast
DAY 4: OUZINA – VISIT OF THE SURROUNDINGS: BARITE MINES, BOURIKA OASIS, OUBAHLOU AND OUZINA DESERT.
This day will be dedicated to discover Saharan sites, oases, small villages and local nomads.
The Ouzina desert is the purest and most authentic desert. A desert that offers the most absolute peace of the deserts of Morocco and the authenticity of its people. A diversity of desert images await us. The landscape is of incredible beauty, going from its immense aridity to the greenest vegetation and the beautiful orange dunes that contrast with the black mountains that characterize the area of Ouzina.
Saharan images that will remind us of the Paris-Dakar rally.
We will visit the large acacia trees of the Bourika oasis and then make a brief stop at the ruins of the ancient village Oubahallou to head south to the village of Ramlia, where we will rest for lunch.
We will continue along the Dakar track to the east. Arrival at sunset in the heart of the desert to enjoy the magnificent sunset from the ocher dunes and in the evening live Berber music in this charming lodge typically Berber.
DAY 5: OUZINA – DAKAR RALLY TRACK-TAOUZ – RISSANI-ALNIF – TAZARINE – NKOB
After a freshly cooked Berber breakfast, we will set off along the famous Paris-Dakar Rally track towards Taouz. On the way we will pass through different Berber villages and take direction to the village of Rissani, we will take direction to the village of Rissani, capital of the region of Tafilalet, center of supply of the ancient caravans coming from the Sahara. Rissani is one of the most emblematic places in the desert area of Merzouga, its market was one of the most active during the caravan routes. It is also spectacular to see the famous donkey parking on market days and its impressive souk. We will continue our 6 days trip to the Merzouga desert from Marrakech, driving to Nkoub, a village known for its 45 Kasbahs and its green oasis of palm trees. Numerous of these ancient kasbahs have now been renovated and converted into small charming hotels.
DAY 6: NKOB – DRAA VALLEY-AGDZ – OUARZAZATE – HIGH ATLAS – MARRAKECH.
After breakfast, we will head towards the Draa Valley (the largest valley in Morocco) through a winding road that accompanies the Draa River, one of the longest rivers in Morocco, during its journey. Along the way we can observe how the landscape changes, from arid and barren land to palm groves and fields that stretch for miles. We will make several stops to contemplate the authentic Berber villages and charming adobe kasbahs that dot the route. Wonderful constructions made of straw, mud and water overlooking the palm grove. We will cross the Zaghro to reach Ouarzazate and finally head towards Marrakech again crossing the High Atlas through the 2260m pass (Tizi-n-Tichka). Upon arrival in Marrakech in the afternoon, we will transfer you to your accommodation and end of our Family & Kids Tour from Marrakech to the Desert.