DESERT TOUR VIA OUARZAZATE & AIT BEN HADDOU
Day 1
Marrakech – High Atlas Mountains – Ait Ben Haddou – Skoura – Dades Valley
Approx. driving time 6 hours
Your private driver-guide will meet you at your riad or hotel in Marrakech to begin your scenic journey across the majestic High Atlas Mountains. Travel via the famous Tizi n’Tichka Pass (7,415 ft), offering dramatic panoramic views and authentic Berber villages along the way.
Visit the iconic Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and filming location for major Hollywood productions including Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
Continue through Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses before arriving in the spectacular Dades Valley
Overnight in Dades Valley.
Day 2
Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Erfoud – Merzouga
Approx. driving time 4-5 hours
After breakfast, leave the Dades Valley and travel to the spectacular Todra Gorges, where towering canyon walls rise dramatically above the palm-filled valley. Enjoy time to walk through the gorge and admire its impressive natural scenery. Continue through Tinjdad before reaching Erfoud, known as Morocco’s capital of dates and fossils. The journey then leads to Merzouga, gateway to the Sahara Desert and the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi. In the late afternoon, enjoy a camel ride across the dunes while watching the sunset. Dinner and traditional music will be served at the desert camp under the stars.
Overnight in a Sahara desert camp.
Day 3
Merzouga – Nomad families – Khamlia village – desert landscapes
Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the dunes. Today we explore the desert region around Merzouga. You will visit nomadic families who live in traditional desert tents and learn about their lifestyle. In the village of Khamlia you will enjoy traditional Gnawa music performed by local musicians. The afternoon is relaxed, allowing time to enjoy the quiet beauty of the Sahara.
Overnight in a hotel or riad near the dunes.
Day 4
Merzouga – Rissani – Alnif – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate
Approx. driving time 5-6 hours
Wake up early to watch the beautiful sunrise over the dunes of Erg Chebbi.After breakfast at the desert camp, return to Merzouga by camel or 4×4 and begin the journey through the vast landscapes of southern Morocco. Visit Rissani, a historic town known for its traditional market and ancient caravan routes.Continue through Alnif, surrounded by rocky desert scenery and dramatic mountain formations. The journey then leads through the magnificent Draa Valley, famous for its extensive palm groves, traditional villages, and ancient mud-brick kasbahs.
Arrive in Ouarzazate in the late afternoon and settle into your accommodation
Overnight in Ouarzazate.
Day 5
Ouarzazate – High Atlas Mountains – Marrakech
Approx. driving time 3-4 hours
After breakfast we begin the journey back to Marrakech. The road climbs again through the High Atlas Mountains, offering spectacular panoramic views and scenic stops along the way. We pass traditional Berber villages before descending toward Marrakech where the tour ends in the afternoon.
