Explore Morocco in 5 Days, Sahara Desert

DAY 1: Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah – Ouarzazate
Departure from Marrakech at 8:00 am. We will cross the High Atlas via the impressive Tizi n’Tichka Pass, situated at 2,260 meters above sea level. Shortly after, we will take a detour to visit the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, an incredible walled city over 300 years old and a filming location for movies such as Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. After the tour and lunch, we continue to Ouarzazate, where you can visit the film studios and spend the first night.

DAY 2: Ouarzazate – Agdz – Draa Valley – Tazarine – Sahara Desert
After breakfast and a visit to the Taourirt Kasbah, we depart for Zagora, crossing the Anti-Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tinifift Pass at 1,600 meters. We continue along the track that runs through the Draa Valley, filled with Berber villages and ancient kasbahs. Leaving behind N’kob, Tazarine, and Alnif, we take another track to the village of Ramlia, traveling sections used in the famous Dakar Rally. The day ends with a stay in an isolated kasbah or hotel at the foot of the dunes.

DAY 3: Merzouga – Erg Chebbi – Merzouga
After breakfast, we cross remote villages, wadis (dry rivers), oases, and the dunes of Ouzina. We visit the village of Khamlia, whose inhabitants are descendants of African slaves, and enjoy their traditional Gnawa music. Then we continue to the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the highest in Morocco. We will ride tracks used in the Paris-Dakar Rally and have tea with nomadic families in the middle of the desert. In the afternoon, we take a camel ride to admire an unforgettable sunset over the dunes. Special overnight in Berber haimas, with traditional dinner, music, and a unique starry sky.

DAY 4: Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorges – Dades Valley
After watching the sunrise in the desert, we return by camel to the hotel for breakfast and a shower. Then we depart for Rissani, birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty and Morocco’s first imperial city. We continue to Erfoud, famous for its fossils and black stones, and optionally visit a local factory. We pass through the Tafilalet palm grove before arriving at the Todra Gorges, then continue to the Dades Valley for an overnight stay.

DAY 5: Dades Valley – Valley of the Roses – Skoura – Marrakech
After breakfast, we travel along the “Route of a Thousand Kasbahs,” crossing the beautiful Valley of the Roses to reach the palm grove of Skoura, home to one of the most famous kasbahs in the region. From there, we take the road back to Marrakech, stopping for lunch en route and crossing the High Atlas again via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass.