The perfect tour if you don’t have much time to spare but would love to get a taste of the desert….
2 full days out and 1 night stop over in a nomad tent in the dunes near Zagora
1st day: Marrakesh – Zagora
At 8am our driver collects you from your Marrakech accommodation in an air conditioned, comfortable 4×4, you will travel across the High Atlas Mountains which are the highest in Africa and over the famous Tizi n’Tichka pass (2260m). From these mountains, you will see the most spectacular views of the valleys and the Berber villages which are sat on the edges of the sides of the mountain but appear to be part of the mountain – an awe inspiring sight.
After the Tichka pass, you will take a side road to the Telouet Kasbah, which now stands in ruins after the last Pasha left following the departure of the French. It once belonged to the Lords of the Atlas – the Glaoui family. The next stop will be Ait Benhaddou which is approached down a brand new road and there you will explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou.
This Kasbah is the most famous in Morocco and has been used in many Hollywood films. It was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road caravan routes – where traders brought salt, ivory, gold and slaves from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond.
After lunch in Ait Benhaddou, you will drive south over the Tizi-n-Tinfifite pass. When you reach Zagora, you will see the dunes of Tizi where we will leave the 4×4 and here you will take a camel ride of approx 1 hour to your overnight destination under the stars.
After dinner you will spend the night in a bivouac or you can choose to sleep under the zillions of stars and make a wish on the many shooting stars you see.
2nd day: Zagora – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Driving back to Ouarzazate aafter breakfast, along the Draa Valley, you will have lots of chances to take photos of the amazing scenery and going off-road along the ancient caravan routes between the mountains and the river. You will pass through many villages and gardens giving you a good idea of the way of life there. You will have lunch at the Kasbah Tamnougalt, which is the oldest Kasbah in the Valley. After lunch you will visit the Kasbah itself, some of which lies unused and some parts of which are still fully occupied.
On your return to Marrakesh, you will travel along the main road from Ouarzazate, passing many Berber villages along the river and through the mountains. Down in the valleys you will drive alongside the river which is bordered by oleander and fruit trees. The gardens are abundant in fruit trees such as olive, walnut, pomegranate, apple and pear. You will see Berber women and children tending their goats and sheep and carrying firewood. You will reach Marrakesh in the late afternoon.