Day of Arrival
We’ll pick you up at the airport. We’ll get you checked in to your comfortable Riad or Hotel (your choice) and depending on your arrival time we may have some time to give you a taste of Marrakech before getting you settled in for your first night in Morocco.
Day One
Today we drive south, across the High Atlas Mountains with breath-taking scenery at every turn. This drive is utterly spellbinding and has a way of sweeping you up into the dramatic landscape. We’ll stop for tea along the way and have plenty of scenic photo opportunities. You’ll visit Kasbah Telouet, built in the 1800’s and known for its stunning mosaics and crumbling walls before heading to have a traditional Moroccan lunch at the World UNESCO site of Kasbah Aït Benhaddou. This world famous Kasbah is preserved by UNESCO and is a stunning example of an authentic Kasbah made in the traditional way, with mud and straw. You’ll get to walk through the Kasbah, visit some small shops and take in the glorious view of the city of Ouarzazate which lies below. You will spend the night at a comfortable Riad or Hotel in Ouarzazate.
Day Six
Another opportunity to experience the High Atlas Mountains as we drive back to Marrakech where you’ll have the opportunity to visit this Imperial City for as many days as you have available before heading home. Souks, gardens, palaces, and a traditional Hammam are just some of the experiences you can choose from in this bustling, energetic and diverse city that is rich in history and culture.
OPTIONAL ESSAOURIA/BEACH ADD ON (3 EXTRA NIGHTS)
After lunch in Tazenakht at the cooperative (see above) we drive to Taliouine, an area known for its saffron farms, for a quick visit on our way to Taroudant where we will spend the night (Riad or Hotel as you choose). Taroudant is known as the “small Marrakech” with a medina and square to explore before we journey on to the charming fishing town of Essaouria. Essaouria boasts a beautiful pedestrian-only medina to stroll the winding lanes and narrow streets as you browse the many traditional artisan shops, cafes and restaurants as well as a long golden sand beach and relaxed beach town vibe. It has long been a sought after destination for surfers and more recently kite-boarders as well as offering the opportunity to camel-trek along the beach and visit some of the haunts that Jimmy Hendrix and others enjoyed back in the day. You’ll spend two relaxing days and nights here before traveling back to Marrakech or Casablanca, depending on your departure city.
Day Two
Following breakfast our journey continues, heading through the Dráa Valley, the largest oasis valley in Morocco with lush palm trees growing alongside a river to Zagora. Here’ll we’ll stop for Moroccan tea and then head to Tamegroute and visit the oldest Islamic library in Morocco which houses some of the most ancient Koranic manuscripts. Tamegroute is also the home of the green ceramics the area is famous for. You will visit the ceramics factory and see the traditional way these beautiful clay pots and tablewares are made. Then on to Mhamid (where the road ends) for lunch before shifting into 4X4 and heading into the Sahara for a 2 hour drive to Erg Chigaga, the most remote camp in the Sahara. We’ll arrive in time for sunset on the dunes and then dinner before a campfire and your first night under the desert stars.
Day Three
Optional sunrise on the dunes (it’s well worth the early wake up call), and a relaxed morning that includes a generous breakfast before heading off to visit desert nomads and a picnic lunch. We’ll arrive at the start of the dunes in time for a sunset camel trek to the camp. You’ll have dinner when you arrive and enjoy traditional Saharan music around the campfire before your fourth night under the stars of the Sahara..
Day Four
After breakfast we’ll leave the camp and drive to the Iriki Lake, a vast salt bed that briefly transforms into a wetlands occasionally during the winter, and then a quick stop in Foum-Zguid before the spectacular scenic drive to Tazenakht, a village known for its carpet making. We’ll visit the carpet cooperative and enjoy a family lunch there before heading on to Ouarzazate where you’ll spend the night in a Riad or Hotel (your choice).
