First day : Transfer from Marrakech airport to a hotel or riad.
Second day : Departure in the morning from Marrakech to Ouarzazate by 4x4 passing through the High Atlas mountains and over the pass of Tizi-n-Tichka at 2260m. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos. Otherwise the first scheduled stop is to visit the Kasbah of Telouet which served as a palatial residence and the headquarters of the powerful Glaoui tribe, and we then drive along a track which crosses Oumila Valley and leads to the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, where we have lunch. In the afternoon, we visit the Kasbah before leaving for Ouarzazate for the night.
Third Day : Morning departure to the Toudra Gorge, passing the Oasis of Skoura, where numerous ancient kasbahs, some sadly in ruins, stand amongst the palm trees. From here, our route takes us through Kela’a M’gouna, the Valley of Roses, we stop to see cosmetic articles locally-made from the valley’s abundant roses. These products are well-known throughout Morocco and are highly valued. We drive off-road to the Dades Gorge for lunch, after which there is time for a stroll alongside the river before continuing to the Toudra Gorge for the third night.
Fourth Day : After breakfast there is time to wander a little in the Tinghir palm grove and then drive to the Merzouga dunes via the Ziz Valley, the Oasis of Tafilalet and arrive in Erfoud or Rissani in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we continue our trip to the dunes in time for a two-hour camel ride in the Sahara. The sunset from the top of the Erg Chebbi Dunes is spectacular (250m) and afterwards there is dinner and the night in a nomad tent at the foot of the dunes.
Fifth day : If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight. The drive back east to the Dra’a Valley takes us via the villages of Tazzarine (featured in the film ‘Babel’) and N’Qob, where we have lunch. In the afternoon we drive to Tanasikht, along the track of the ancient caravan route, reaching the Dra’a valley, abundant with large palm trees and ancient kasbahs, at Agdez. We spend the night in a kasbah in the village.
Sixth Day : Departure in the morning by 4x4 from Agdez through the Dra’a Valley along the track of the ancient caravan route to Zagora. From here the trip continues along paved roads to the village of M’hamid, which marks the end of the paved road and the beginning of the Sahara. Here we pause for lunch in a riad set in a beautiful garden full of palm trees and with a swimming pool.
In the afternoon, we leave for the Erg Cheggaga dunes (300m) with 60km off-road. This route passes different features of the desert; ‘erg’, ‘reg’, ‘hammada’, oases. These dunes are far away from civilization, in the desert proper … and the silence and the expanse of the sand are overwhelming. Dinner and the night are in a bivouac there.
Seventh Day : After breakfast, the track covers another 90km of desert with varying scenery; Lake Iriqui, the mountains and fossils. Lunch is in Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert, where it is also possible to freshen up with a shower. From here we drive back to Ouarzazate along paved roads via the village of Taznakht, famous for its Berber carpets and rugs, and we arrive in the course of the afternoon.
Eighth Day : After breakfast, we visit the Kasbah of Taourirt, originally the residence of the Pasha of Marrakech and a symbol of the feudal period of the Lords of the Atlas. We also visit the cinema studios, then drive cross-country to the Fint Oasis, tucked away in the mountains and once serving as a crossroads for the caravans traversing the south of Morocco. We then take the road back to Marrakech over the High Atlas, arriving in the course of the afternoon. We spend the night in a Riad.
Ninth Day : Transfer to the airport.
