3 DAYS TOUR FROM MARRAKECH TO MERZOUGA DESERT

ITINERARY

 

 

1st DAY: Marrakech – Atlas Mountains – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate – Roses & Dades Valley

 

To start the 3 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert we will pick you up from your accomodation in Marrakech in the morning. Then we will proceed towards the direction of Sahara desert. The natural scenery along the way is rich in scenery worth admiring.

 

 

 

 

Near to Marrakech we will cross the High Atlas Mountains. We will reach an elevantion of 2260m above the sea level at the Tizi´n tichka pass, the highest major mountain pass in North Africa.

 

The route of our 3 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert continues to get to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  This is a fortified village made up of kasbahs made of adobe (sand, clay, water and sometimes organic material such as straw or manure) which, once moulded, is left to dry in the sun. A very peculiar way of local construction of buildings with materials from the ground itself is a method of construction of buildings and monumental structures that could send a sensation to any curious visitors that such buildings are constructed from natural durable earthy materials of the land.

 

We will walk to visit, have lunch near the Kasbah and we shall continue to drive to Ouarzazate also known as the “Hollywood of Africa”. That’s Ouarzazate for you!

 

After Ouarzazate we will continue to Skoura, the first stop on the 1,000 kasbahs road between Ouarzazate and Tafilalet. According to legend, it was founded in the 12th century under the Almohad dynasty.

 

The palm grove takes its name from the Berber tribe that lived there at that time, the Haskourene. Since then, several populations have followed one another, including the Arab tribes from the Tafilalet, making Skoura an Arab territory in the Berber country.

 

After Skoura we continue through the Roses Valley a tight slithering valley in the stony High Atlas Mountains of central Morocco, better known as the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. In spring, the terraced fields that hang above the threaded M’Goun River will be a riot of pink blooms that will strike a stunning contrast to the orange, purple, yellow and red banded mountains.

 

The last stop of the first day of the Marrakech to Merzouga trip is Boumalne Dades, where we will overnight in a riad.

 

 

2nd DAY: Dades – Todra Gorges – El Jorf – Erfoud – Merzouga (Night in Erg Chebbi Desert)

 

 

After having breakfast and taking shower in the hotel, we will start the 2nd day of our 3 days journey to the Sahara desert. Same day, the Oasis, Valleys and old Berber villages are waiting for us to visit along the way. Our first stop will be at Todra Gorges, you’ll discover one of the most spectacular canyons in the world. We will continue driving to Tenhir, Tinjdad, Jorf having lunch in a Berber Village.

 

The begining of the Shara Berber Villages and the desert Oasis comes with Erfoud. The Tafilalt Oasis is the largest Saharan oasis of Morocco. It comprises the fortified villages of Erfoud, Arab Sebbah du Ziz, Rissani, Seffalat, Aoufous, and Jorf, together with palm groves stretching 30 miles (50 km).

 

We will continue driving by this Oasis and then the dunes of the Erg Chebbi, welcome to Sahara desert. Our desert adventure starts by riding camels crossing the sand dunes (you can choose to go by 4×4). You will stop in the dunes to watch the sunset. This is a great opportunity to take magical photos of the sunset over the dunes.

 

 

When we get to our Merzouga luxury desert camp, you’ll have time to walk around and admire the sand dunes. In the desert the time stops and you feel a deep tranquility. We will have dinner, Berber Drums music around a fire camp and you’ll have free time to walk to the nearest dunes to watch the stars. You can find more information about the Sahara experience in the camp tab.

 

 

3rd DAY: Merzouga Desert- Alnif – N’kob – Agdz – High Atlas Mountains – Marrakech

 

Our guides at the camp will wake you up early in the morning to watch the sunrise in the dunes. Waking up early is really worth it in this case. A complete breakfast will be served in the restaurant Haima. You will have some time to take a shower and get your things ready before we take the camels and return to Merzouga where we will start the last day of our 3 days trip to Merzouga desert. The way to Marrakech is long so today you’ll have only a few stops passing through different desert areas. We will continue driving to Marrakech on the same road through the High Atlas Mountains. We leave you in your Riad in Marrakech wishing you had a great experience and pleasant memories with Sahara Tourism.