Trip Description
Day 1: Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate - Dades Valley
At the designated time, we'll leave Marrakech and set off for Ouarzazate. During the journey, which takes approximately 4 hours, we'll enjoy the spectacular landscapes of the Atlas as we cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass, which is over 2,000 metres high.
At the halfway point of our journey, we'll stop at the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, which you might recognise from films such as Gladiator or The Kingdom of Heaven. After the brief stop, we'll resume our journey to reach the town of Ouarzazate, to be amazed by the impressive Kasbah of Taourirt.
Finally, we'll set off again to travel along the Thousand Kasbahs Road towards Skoura until we arrive approximately 30 minutes before sunset at the Roses Valley. We'll end the day in the Dades Valley, a unique spot where we'll enjoy our first night's accommodation (it's possible that, on some occasions, we'll stay at Skoura).
Day 2: Dades Valley - Todra Gorges - Merzouga
With the first rays of light shining on the Dades Gorges, we'll have breakfast and head towards the Dades Valley. Once there, we'll go through the spectacular Todra Gorges and walk around them while being surprised by the incomparable panoramic views of this valley.
We'll then resume our journey towards Merzouga by crossing the Jorf Palm Grove, famous for having the best dates in Morocco. We'll have a break for lunch before arriving in Erfoud, a small village known for its fossil fragments.
After visiting the fossil remains in Erfoud, we'll continue our journey to Merzouga. Once there, we'll change our vehicle to go up on the back of a camel and head into the desert to the camp where we'll sleep. If you'd prefer, instead of taking the camel ride you can take part in a quad bike tour, which cost must be incurred by those taking part.
Once settled in, we'll let the darkness of the night and the silence of the desert surround us while eating an authentic Moroccan dinner in Erg Chebbi under the stars - one of the most unforgettable experiences of your trip!
Day 3: Rissani - Ziz Valley - Middle Atlas - Fez
Can you think of a better plan to start the last day than witnessing the sunrise in the desert? After enjoying an unforgettable experience and being fascinated by the reddish tones of the sun on the desert dunes, we'll take a shower and have breakfast at the camp before starting our camel ride.
Then we'll set off for Fez, passing through Tafilalet and Rissani, the ancient capital of the Alaouite sultans and the birthplace of this famous dynasty that still reigns in Morocco today.
The tour will continue through Azrou and Ifrane, where we'll stop at the monkey forest to admire these beautiful animals.
After our meeting with the friendly primates, we'll resume our journey to arrive in Fez approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes later, around 6 pm. The journey can be made by taxi with an English, Spanish or French-speaking driver, depending on availability.
Accommodation
The first night we'll stay in Dades and the accommodation will be the same for the standard and superior options: Dar Essyaha, Hotel Babylon, Hotel Le Vieux Chateau, Kasbah Tifawen or similar.
The second night will be spent in a haima camp in Merzouga. The difference between the standard and superior category (Azawad Luxury Desert Camp or similar), is that in the standard category the bathrooms and showers are located in common tents, and the superior category has a private bathroom with a shower in each haima. Moreover, depending on the category you choose, the menu and the interior decoration of the haimas varies.
The standard and superior camps are totally separate and, in addition to the distinction of the bathrooms, there are differences in lunch and the interior decoration of the haimas. Also, air-conditioning in the luxury camps has an additional charge of € 30 (US$ 31.30) per person. Also, keep in mind that not all campsites have wifi.
Rooms are double or, if you prefer, triple or family rooms.
