4 day tour from Marrakech and back to Marrakech (including desert tour)
Itinirary
Day 1 : Marrakech – ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate
After an early start from your riad, we will begin this 4 day tour from Marrakech drive over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tichka pass at the breathtaking altitude of 2260m. Along our trip, there will be plenty of places to stop and enjoy the beautiful scenic vistas. Next we stop at the Telouet Kasbah, also known as the Palace of Glaoui. This once glorious structure still shows the work of over 300 craftsmen. By afternoon we will arrive at the Kasbah Ait Ben-Haddou, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most famous and historic places in Morocco. There, you will explore the ancient streets and earthen buildings and see where many popular movies have been filmed. Next we will visit the Atlas Film studio (Lawrence of Arabia, Patton, The Jewel of the Nile, The Living Daylights, The Mummy, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, etc.). Then we drive you your riad for the night.
Day 2 : Ouarzazate – Anti-Atlas Mountains – Draa valley – Rissani – Merzouga
Our day will begin with a drive through the Anti-Atlas mountains to the Draa valley, a palm tree filled valley and also the longest valley in Morocco at 680 miles(1100 km). Our first stop will be in Rissani, the ancient capital of Tafilalet and the home of one of the oldest markets in Morocco. We will visit this ancient souk, where visitors can still experience the true mystique of Morocco. Our tour continues with a visit to the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, third great-grandfather of Moulay Cherif, founder of the Alaouite Dynasty of Morocco. After lunch, we will continue our journey to Merzouga, the village on the edge of the great sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi. After a picturesque hour long camel ride through the sand dunes, you will arrive at your camp for dinner and enjoy some music by the fireside, under the star and moonlit desert sky. This camp has everything you will need for a cozy night in your tent.
Day 3 : Merzouga – Erfoud – Jorf – Todra gorges – Dades valley
The next morning you will want to wake up early to enjoy the magical sunrise among the sand dunes. After a refreshing shower, you will have breakfast at the camp followed by a camel ride to meet our driver. We begin our drive back to Erfoud and then we are off to a small village called Jorf. In this village you will visit an underground system of irrigation, a marvel of technology from ancient times. After Jorf, we will continue on to Todra valley with its beautiful palm orchards and old Berber-Jewish kasbahs, and explore the Todra gorges, a splendid series of limestone river canyons. After lunch in Todra valley we will continue on our way to Dades valley where you will spend the night in a hotel.
Day 4 : Dades valley – Roses valley – Skoura- Ouarzazate – Marrakech
We begin our journey in the morning after breakfast in the hotel. We will have plenty of time
to follow the ancient trading route through the Roses valley to the Skoura valley, known as
the valley with a thousand kasbahs.Skoura’s historic mud brick kasbahs dot the valley, a
testament to the ancient desert traders who made the two-month journey across the Sahara.
After Skoura we will drive to Ouarzazate to visit the Kasbah of Taourirt, the most impressive
fortification in Morocco.There, you will explore the ancient streets and earthen buildings.
Next we drive over the Atlas mountains via the Tichka pass. Our 4 day tour from Marrakech will end at
your riad in Marrakech.
