1st Day: Marrakech – High Atlas – Ait Ben Haddou – Zagora – Camel ride and night in Berber tent
Drive southeast on the Caravan roads from your riad to Merzouga, passing the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas mountains. See the Cedar forest, have lunch in Midelt, and traverse the open high desert to reach Er Rachidia. Continue through the Ziz Valley and Tafilalet palm grove, arriving in Merzouga in the late afternoon for mint tea and check-in at your riad.
2nd Day : Merzouga area – Rissani Market – Erg Chebbi – Camel trek and overnight in berber tent
Start your day with breakfast in the riad and explore the area. Visit the Gnawa people, originally from Sudan, to hear their unique music and experience their lifestyle. See the bird populations at the stunning Merzouga lake, and head to the historic town of Rissani, a hub for caravans traveling to Timbuctou and birthplace of Morocco’s reigning dynasty. Return to Merzouga to relax before embarking on an afternoon camel ride to explore the sand sea. Spend the night in our comfortable desert camp with dinner and western-style restrooms
3rd Day : Merzouga Desert – Todra Gorges – Palm Groves of Tinghir – Dades Gorges
Wake up early to witness the best sunrise of your life, guided by your camel guide. Afterward, trek back to Merzouga and appreciate the unique beauty of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. After breakfast, leave for Rissani, Tinghir, and Todra gorges – the highest and narrowest in Morocco. Have lunch in the heart of the gorge and drive through the Dades Valley, where you’ll see majestic sand castles and rock formations known as “monkey toes.” Spend the night in a fancy hotel overlooking the Dades valley.
4th Day : Dades Valley – Kasbah Amridil – Palm Groves of Skoura – Ouarzazate
After breakfast in the hotel we’ll drive through the Dades Valley towards Kalaat Mgouna and Ouarzazat. Explore the picturesque Dades Valley route, famous for the thousand Kasbahs and great photo opportunities. Stop at “the rose city” Kalaat Mgouna to buy rosewater, and visit the historic Amridil Kasbah en route to Ouarzazate, formerly home to Berber chieftains and now to the Glaoui people. At night you will stop in Ouarzazat.
5th Day : Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah – Tizi n’Tichka Pass – Marrakech
Before visiting Ait Ben Haddou, a walled village well-known for its UNESCO World Heritage Site Kasbah, start your day with an early breakfast at the riad. This breathtaking setting has appeared in several movies, including Gladiator, Obelix, The Mummy, The Jewel of the Nile, and Sahara with Penélope Cruz. We’ll proceed to Marrakech by the Tizi Ntichka port, which rises to 2,260 meters and is the nation’s highest point, after touring the kasbah. We’ll stop at views along the journey to soak in the breathtaking scenery and snap pictures of Berber communities. By late afternoon, get to your riad in the Medina, and spend the night there.