A packed 3 day trip showing you the mountains, the gorges, the valleys, lots of Kasbahs and the stunning dunes of the Saharan Erg Chebbi.
ITINERARY…
1st day: Marrakesh – Dades
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 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 at Ait Benhaddou, we head towards the Dades Gorge through the Skoura Oasis where there are numerous ancient Kasbahs, many in ruins and surrounded by palm trees. Going through Kela’a M’gouna which is known as the Valley of the Roses. Rose oil and beauty products are produced here from the beautiful smelling roses that grow profusely. Your over night stop will be in a hotel in the Dades Gorge.
2nd day: Dades – Merzouga
After breakfast, there is time to walk by the river before continuing through Tinghir and then to the Todra to the very different gorges there. Then on through Tinijdad and Erfoud, well known for its fossils, where you will take a visit to a fossils Museum and take lunch. You will then take in 45km off road through some stunning scenery over to Erg Chebbi where you can relax by the swimming pool for a while and be totally enthralled with those dunes. Life enhancing moments here.
Before sunset, you will take a two-hour camel ride into the Sahara dunes to the Berber tent across the high dunes after watching the stunning sunset from the top of the dunes. Your overnight stay is at the foot of the dunes in a berber tent where you will have dinner and listen to berber party tam tam music.
3rd day: Merzouga – Marrakesh
Having watched the magnificent setting sun the night before and after taking in the amazing sight of the sun rise over the dunes we head off east to the Draa Valley which takes you along the length of the Saghro mountains passing the villages of Tazzarine and N’kob, where we have lunch overlooking the mountains. Tazzarine was involved in the Brad Pitt film Babel.
After lunch we head through Tanasikht, and upon reaching the Draa valley, you’ll see lots of large palm trees and ancient kasbahs. We drive along the track of the ancient caravan route to Agdz and see the oldest kabsah in the valley, Kasbah Tamnougalt. Then we are on the paved road again, and drive back to Marrakech through the beautiful High Atlas mountains reaching your hotel later in the day.