8 days of a golden trip to the desert
8 days of a golden trip
Day 1-Arrive Marrakesh
We’ll pick you up at Marrakesh airport and deliver you to your riad, a delightful hotel in the historic medina. You have the day to unwind and relax, and a great place to begin exploring is Jemaa el-Fnaa, the center of Marrakesh life.
Day 2 –Marrakesh Guided Visit
Today you
have a private guided tour of Marrakesh. The tour lasts from 9:30am until
5:30pm Medina (including lunch). And with the knowledge you gained from reading
our Marrakesh travel guide, you will be able to discuss with him the sights you
would like to see most. It is worth allowing your guide an element of free rein
to bring out the best of the Red City and give you a bundle of memories to
carry home with you.
Day 3 – Ait Ben Haddou | Ouarzazate | Skoura
You leave Marrakesh
at 9am to begin your Morocco Desert tour down south. You’ll start by traversing
the Atlas Mountains by way of the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, a masterpiece of road
construction that peaks at 2260 metres above sea level. Before it was built by
the French in 1936, the only other way of crossing the High Atlas was by the
route followed by camel trains, and the zig-zag route of the road shows just
how arduous that would have been. You have lunch en-route and the chance to
visit the World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou, a splendid red mud and straw
village that has formed the backdrop for many a Hollywood film production, and
the final scenes of series three of the TV blockbuster, A Game of Thrones. You
might also like to explore Ouarzazate, home to Kasbah Taourirt, once owned by
the powerful Glaoui family who built their fortune on charges levied on camel
caravans passing between Marrakesh and Timbuktu.
Day 4 –Tinjedad | Sahara Desert
You
continue onward to the stunning Dades Valley where you can enjoy the region’s
impressive rock formations and Berber villages before continuing onward through
Tinjedad where a local Berber culture museum is worth a lunch stop. Then, it’s
off to Merzouga, which is where the golden dunes begin. Here at the hotel on
the edge of the dunes, you can store any baggage while packing an overnight bag
to bring along. After a short introduction with the camels, prepare for a one
hour jaunt into the desert to your tented camp. You can either ride your chosen
camel or keep up alongside to a steady pace. The night is spent dining alfresco
under the stars followed by sweet dreams in a Bedouin-style tent.
Day 5 –Sahara Desert (4x4 Explore)
This
morning, you’ll rise with the sun to witness what we hope is a spectacular
sunrise among the dunes. This is truly worthwhile and is what our Morocco
desert tours are all about! Following breakfast and a quick shower, you’ll be
able to hit the off-road trails in a 4x4 to begin exploring the region. From a
military outpost to a removed village where you’ll enjoy a local lunch. You’ll
then visit with a semi-nomadic family before returning to Merzouga where you’ll
have the afternoon to relax before dinner is served this evening.
Day 6 –Alnif | Draa Valley | Agdz
You return
by a different route today through Alnif to Agdz, giving a taste of the Draa
Valley. Agdz means ‘resting place’ and is set on the old caravan route that
connected Marrakech with Timbuktu.
Day 7 –Return to Marrakesh
You have a
reverse view of the Tizi N Tichka Pass and the High Atlas Mountains today as
you return to Marrakesh. You’ll have the evening to explore the souks, smells,
and sights of Marrakesh. Tonight is a good night to enjoy a special dinner
before your departure tomorrow.
Day 8 –Depart from Marrakesh
Airport Transfer
You depart from Morocco today and we hope you had a fascinating journey with our team!
