A 4 day trip showing you the stunning High Atlas Mountains, the gorges, the magnificent Saharan dunes of Erg Chebbi, and a night at a hotel in the famous Draa Valley
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, you can take some time to walk by the river before we head off through Tinghir and then to the stunning Todra Gorge. 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 – Agdz
Waking up early enough you can watch a magnificent sunrise over the colourful dunes and heading back to the hotel you can relax by the pool or read a book overlooking those beautiful dunes. We head off to Rissani and visit the Kasbah and then head off to the Draa Valley passing through the village of Tazzarine (which was in the Brad Pitt film Babel) and on to N’kob where you will have lunch. In the afternoon, we drive along the Draa Valley towards Agdz, along side the river. The Draa Valley is the stop for the night.
4th day: Agdz – Marrakesh
You will have the chance to visit the Kasbah Tamnougalt this morning after breakfast, before we cross the Tizi-n-Tinfifite pass which is 1660m high, to Ouarzazate where we visit Kasbah Taourirt, which also belonged to the Glaoui family, the Pashas of Marrakesh. We will have lunch in Ouarzazate before heading off into the High Atlas Mountains for the stunning drive back to Marrakech where we will arrive by the end of the day.