8 Day South Morocco tour

Day 01: Arrive in Marrakech

we will meet you Upon arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel.

Day 02: Exploring Marrakech with a local guide

Today, after breakfast, you will start sightseeing with a local guide. You will walk through the narrow alleys of the Medina. You will visit the fascinating Bahia Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque. You will also walk in the famous Jamaa El Fna Square. You can have lunch in the Medina if you want.

After, we will walk through the colorful souks of Marrakech. And, we won’t forget the beautiful Majorelle Gardens. You have a free afternoon. You can enjoy a sunset drink at a cafe overlooking Djemaa El Fna Square. Then, dinner and a night at the hotel/riad.

Day 03: Marrakech – Ait Benhaddou – Ouarzazate

Today we leave at 8:00 from Marrakech for Ouarzazate. We will go through the High Atlas Mountains and pass the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2260m. It’s the highest drivable mountain pass in North Africa.

We will make a few stops there to let you take photos. You can also enjoy the adobe houses and small Berber villages we will see on the journey. They blend with the reddish tone of the mountains.

Shortly after crossing the Atlas, we will take a track to visit the Kasbah of the Pacha Glaoui in Telouet. It has a special charm. Looking at the half-demolished exterior, nobody could imagine it. They could not imagine it was possible to keep the reception room so well. It has walls of paintings and engravings. The doors are made of cedar. And, there are motifs worked in plaster. This makes the Kasbah an important visit.

After that, we will continue to the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou (UNESCO). It sits on a hill next to the Ounila River. It was the ancient route for caravans between the Sahara and Marrakech. This small town is quite beautiful. It usually has overlapping houses and a continuous wall. It’s also well known for the filming of many famous movies, such as Gladiator, Prince of Persia, and Obelix.

Next Ouarzazate. There, we will visit the most important film studios in Morocco: Atlas Studios. Famous international producers have worked there. Many historical films have been shot there. Some examples are Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, and The Mummy: dinner and accommodation.

Day 04: Ouarzazate – Agdez – Draa Valley – Gorges of Mharech (piste of Dakar)

Today, after breakfast, we will stop to visit the Kasbah of Taourirt. A UNESCO heritage site. It was the home of one of the most powerful governors in the region. It is now the headquarters of an organization that conserves Morocco´s architectural heritage. It was one of Morocco’s most beautiful kasbahs. There is much to admire inside. The walls are thick. They keep the inside cool and protect it from the winds and sand.

We continue in the direction of Zagora. We crossed the Anti-Atlas Mountains and the pass of Tizi n’Tinifift at 1600 meters. From there, we saw an overview of the Draa Valley and the impressive Palm Grove. We will go off-road at this point, crossing an endless desert in southern Morocco.

We will pass various Berber villages and kasbahs. We will leave behind the villages of N’kob, Tazarine, and Alnif. We will take a stretch of track used by drivers at the Dakar Rally. It crosses many of the lost towns of the desert.

We will follow it until we arrive at the Mharech Gorge. The gorge is among the Moroccan desert’s most beautiful and simple places. Its beauty is so simple that it is immense. The gorge is stunning. It has a small oasis of palms inside. The gorge joins tracks from the north to the south.

Day 05: Mharech – Ramlia – Oasis Ouzina – Dunes of Merzouga

Today we will continue the Dakar Rally. We will cross more solitary villages and dry river beds. This part of the track is the hardest, but also the most beautiful. We will ride one of the most famous and difficult tracks from the old Dakar Rally. We will visit villages and nomads in the desert.

We will alternate between rocky tracks and dunes. Our real adventure goes through the oasis and the dunes of Ouzina. It follows more tracks until we reach Khamlia. Khamlia is a village in the shadow of the dunes. It is home to a mix of Berbers, Arabs, and tribes from sub-Saharan Africa. Most are the bambaras or gnawas. There, we will enjoy its amazing folk music while drinking tea.

Our journey continues across Morocco’s highest dunes. Overnight in a riad or hotel.

Day 06: Merzouga – Erg Chebbi – camel trek and night in the desert

Today we will do a stage where we will cross another one of the tracks that they use in the “Rally Paris-Dakar.”. We will cross amazing landscapes. They are the most needy villages and are away from the tourist routes. We will see the desert of Erg Chebbi in its purest state. It has a sea of dunes and many impressive landscapes.

After lunch, we will wait for the dromedaries to enter the dunes. This is a dream that many travelers want to have in the desert. They want to sleep in a camp under a sky full of stars. They want to discover the silence of the desert and watch the sunset and sunrise. They also want to hear the drums after dinner and the desert breeze at night among the dunes. Dinner and accommodation in a luxury desert camp.

Day 07: Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley

We get up early to see the magic hour of dawn. The sky’s colors over the dunes change bit by bit with the rising sun. It captivates us each minute. We return with the camels to our hostel.

After breakfast, we will continue our tour to Rissani. We will stop to visit the bustling market. There is a special parking area for the donkeys. They carry the villagers’ products, such as crafts, food, and animals, to sell. This sight amazes all the travelers and tourists that pass through this city.

Our adventure continues toward Erfoud. One of the charms of these small villages is their peace. We will also visit a fossil factory. Our route goes toward the Palm Grove of Tafilalet. It’s the largest palm grove in the country, with about 800,000 date trees. We will continue to stop in the Todra Gorges, next to Dades Valley, where we will spend the night.

Day 08: Dades Valley – Valley of Roses – Skoura – Marrakech

Today, leaving the Gorges behind, we will see the Valley of Roses. Its people grow Rosa Damascena in small plots. The valley’s colors create a stunning scene.

Next, we will visit the Palm Grove of Skoura. It has over 700,000 date trees. The grove stands out as an important enclave of greenery and many kasbahs. The kasbahs are scattered all over the oasis and its surroundings.

From this point on, we return to Marrakech. We will eat lunch in a roadside restaurant and reach the city by late afternoon, where the tour ends.