5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert

Day 1: Marrakesh – Ait Benhaddou – Gorge Dades

Our 5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert when we meet you at the airport or pick you up from your accommodation Hotel/Riad, then leaving Marrakech which is considered as the fourth largest city in Morocco, and it’s one of the imperial cities and was a capital of the Almoravid empire, and it’s known as Red City, we are going to drive by a crossing the high atlas mountains, also it is our first spot to explore in our first journey of 5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert, through passing Tizi N’Tuchka is known as second highest in Morocco (2260m), where we have a stop for taking a break and for enjoying the landscapes of high atlas mountains. Later on, we continue our journey to the next spot called Telouet which is famous for its mud-brick Kasbah and with a history of lavishness and traitor ship, the Kasbah was built by Thami El Glaoui in 1860, he was one of the most Pashas of the 20th Century and Lord of the Atlas because he controlled Kasbah by imposing taxes and keeping order for those caravans who wanted to cross the High Atlas Mountains in order to reach Marrakech, thus sometimes called Kasbah as the palace of Glaoui, nowadays the Kasbah is a spot for those who want to visit it.

We continue our journey to the next Kasbah Ait Ben Haddo via driving of a huge Berber village till we reach Ait Ben Haddo Kasbah is a site that declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, the Kasbah located on the top hill affords a view of Ounila River, and its houses linked together within a great wall for fortification also inclusive corner towers and gate and houses decorated with geometric motifs, Kasbah Ait Ben-Haddou is regarded as a stopping place for caravan coming from Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as having free time for lunch in town. Afterward, we will drive to Ouarzazate, identified the gate of the Sahara desert, which is a city of Draa-Tafilalet region too, it’s a Berber town which a majority of inhabitance speaking Tamazight “Berber” from its name in Berber which signifies “City Without Noise”. Furthermore, Ouarzazate is called “The Hollywood of Africa” because it is an elementary tourist destination and one of the favorite spots for filmmakers over the world, and if you are pretty interest we can visit the biggest cinema studios in the region that attract international companies to work in. Movies filmed are “The Man Who Be King” in 1975, “The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)”, “The Mummy (1999)”, Gladiator (2000), and “Hanna in 2011”, and so on. In addition, Our next site in Ouarzazate to visit is Kasbah Taourirt built on 17th by a dominant local family, good to know that Kasbah has an important position which controlling the junction of several river valleys because considered as Desert Sahara Trade Roads, in the 1990s registered as historical attractiveness in UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Subsequently, we carry on our journey to Valley of the Roses drive over a widely palm grove of Skoura; a stunning place to contemplate more than 700,000 palms trees and countless kasbahs surrounding in area, Valley of the Roses “Kalaat M’gouna” the city is a central district of many villages have two majors days for the local market, the first day on Tuesday is only for livestock trade, and Wednesday is the second day is for food and other goods. Kalaat M’gouna is well known for rose products of beauty and recognized as natural products, also used in Moroccan cuisine and the perfume industry, as well the city famous for the festival in early of May because there is no set date for the festival, it determines on the harvest season, during festival local Berber musicians playing traditional instrumentals and dancing, In last day of a festival which is a special day because its day of choosing Ms.Roses. In the afternoon we go on our journey forward Boumaln Dades, famous with its lovely Valley located in a desert plateau, 1500 m high, and it’s known as an old way of transhumance, as well the valley recognized as Figs Valley going through Boumaln Dades region, we will have a short walk for exploring the charming of the valley and visiting Monkey Fingers, as well you will spend a night in that valley and dinner in your Riad/Hotel.

Day 2: Dades Gorge – Todra Gorge – Merzouga

After an early stunning morning in the middle atlas mountains with a great breakfast at hotel/riad, our second day of the 5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert, by driving back through Dades valley towards Tinghir and the Todra valley. After one hour and a half of driving, we will reach one of the famous spots of the high atlas called Todra Gorge located 16KM far away from Tinghier, it consists of several canyons and a huge river, and watching the panoramic views of the old mud Berber villages overlooking the valley. Besides, Todra Gorge deem as a station for tourists and locals who are interested to do climbing and hiking in its canyons. After having a walk through the gorge, you will have lunch in a beautiful restaurant which is overlooking the river. We take route to Merzouga Sahara via visiting Erfoud “Fossils City” as well-known as filmmakers’ destination thanks to the beauty of the surrounding Desert Sahara and town of oasis areas. Those movies filmed here were March OR Die, The Mummy, and Prince of Persia.
Afterward, we will drive to Merzouga Sahara where we find camels waiting for us for starting the desert trip, when reaching our location we will take a break and have a cup of Berber whisky “Mint Tea” before starting your camel ride to explore the golden Sahara planet, with it is magnificent views of dunes when you are close to reaching the desert camp you will have a stop for a sunset view on the top of the dune and experience its spectacular dunes, which it will be one of the best highlights of your trip. After your dinner at the desert camp, you will have a chance to listen to and play local music in the starry sky sitting around the campfire; you will spend your night in a traditional Berber nomad tent.

Day 3: Merzouga

After breakfast, we’ll start exploring the area of Merzouga, the first place of the excursion is Merzouga Lake (A seasonal lake) destination of popular migration birds when the lake is full of water, and then, we will continue our journey to Khamlia village will stop to visit a car museum on the way to Merzouga. Once we arrive at Khamlia, we’ll have the opportunity to listen and enjoy the spiritual Gnawa music played by local people originally from the Soudan, Mali, and other Subsaharan countries. Besides, we will continue our journey to the Mifis Village, an old village built by the French during the colonization also known as the mines village, because the mineral mines where some Moroccan people still work on the active mines. We will continue into the black desert (volcanic stones) and have a stop at a mountain with a panoramic view, it will be our first stop in the black desert before we continue to a nomadic family who is still living a nomadic life and take a cup of tea with them. Later on, we have to drive back to the Hassi Labied town, where we will visit an oasis and a garden beside the dunes. The garden managing by the people of the village and discover how the people get the water from the sand dunes to the oasis using a traditional irrigation system. Our journey ends in hotel where you will spend second night in Merzouga hotel including dinner&breakfast.

Day 4: Merzouga – Agdez – Ouarzazate

After breakfast, we leave Merzouga toward to Rissani is the ancient capital of Tafilalet (once Sijilmassa ) is the foundation of the Alaouite dynasty, the current ruling family. With most of the women veiled, and men hooded, this is a very traditional Moroccan town, also it was a major road of caravan and considered as a commercial center in the region with a large market “Souk”. We will continue our journey by driving toward the Draa Valley bypassing Alnif where would have a break for coffee and a toilet, then later continue our trip to N’Qob to have lunch there, then later we carry on our trip to Agdz by overpass the Draa Valley; considered as the most extensive river here in Morocco at 1,100 kilometers and it flows out from mountains of High Atlas. In addition to that, the Draa valley knowing with it’s a stunning oasis home to Berber villages, impressive kasbahs, and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Thereafter, we carry forward to Ouarzazate by crossing Ait Saouen pass. Spend your night at Riad including dinner and breakfast.

Day 5: Ouarzazate – Marrakech

The last day of the 5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert starts after breakfast, we will depart to Marrakesh through the famous Tizi–in-Tichka pass over the High Atlas Mountains. The range has snow on its peaks most of the year. Appreciate the beauty of the timeless landscapes on the twisted roads through Berber villages. Arrive Marrakech where our service of 5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert ends.

Tour Map: