6 Day Desert Explorer

Departing from Marrakech, we will travel over the stunning Tizi n’Tichka pass through the Ounila Valley, dotted with ancient villages and kasbahs. Along the road we will visit Kasbah Telouet, the former palace of El Glaoui, the Pasha of Marrakesh from 1912 to 1956.

Driving through the Rose Valley and the Skoura Palm Grove, we will reach the Dades Gorges, a spectacular series of gorges carved out by the Draa River. This section of the road is considered one of the most scenic drives in the world. You will have some time to explore the gorge, before spending the night in your guesthouse enjoying panoramic views of the Dades Valley and a swimming pool overlooking the valley.

After breakfast you can enjoy one of the best views of the Dadès valley from a strategic lookout point. A very good asphalt road leads up the valley from the city of Tinerhir to the gorge and then to the desert. After some stops on the way we will reach the Todra Gorges. The scenery is spectacular. The course of the river has carved out a cliff-sided canyon.

After a short walk in the gorges we will have lunch in Tinejdad or Touroug and then continue our way to the desert to reach the spectacular dunes of Merzouga. Here, we will swap our motorized transportation for a 4-legged one (camels!) to enter inside the heart of the desert. Your camel ride lasts around 1.5 hours, during which you still stop at the top of a big dune to catch the sunset. You can also have a go on our sandboards here. When we reach the camp, you will enjoy dinner before spending the night in the dunes, listening to Amazigh music, or stargazing.

To get the most out of your desert experience, we recommend you wake up early in the morning to watch the splendid sunrise over the Sahara dunes. After lunch in your camp, we will head out into the heart of the desert.

We will stop in Ramlia, a sleepy desert village and the end of the tourist trail. Along our way today your guide will stop to share with you his local knowledge of the desert, from edible desert plants and tree sap, to the signs left behind by desert creatures moving at night.

You will spend the evening in a desert auberge with outdoor swimming pool. You have the option to enjoy a private hammam (included) before dinner in the peace of the desert.

To get the most out of your desert experience, we recommend you wake up early in the morning to watch the splendid sunrise over the Sahara dunes. After breakfast in your camp, we will head out into the heart of the desert.

We will stop in Ramlia, a sleepy desert village and the end of the tourist trail. Along our way today your guide will stop to share with you his local knowledge of the desert, from edible desert plants and tree sap, to the signs left behind by desert creatures moving at night. We will have a picnic lunch under the shade of an acacia tree.

In the evening, we have a very special experience planned for you. You will spend the night in a traditional nomadic tent made of goat hair surrounded by nothing but the desert. Unlike other places, there are no other camps – this is a truly authentic desert experience.

Your guide will show you how to cook bread underneath the sand in the traditional nomad way, before spending the rest of the evening relaxing under the stars and soaking up the silence of the desert. We retire from the tent in the late evening and sleep inside a tiny desert auberge run by a local nomad – you can also sleep out in the tent in April.

After breakfast we will leave the desert. Along the way we will stop to visit a local nomad family who have now settled and have a small farm with palm trees, as well as herds of camels and goats. This is a special opportunity to see how settled nomad families live in the desert. We will pass the village where you can see the local primary school for nomad children.

In the afternoon we will arrive in Agdz. With endless palm groves and beautiful earthen clay architecture, the fortified ksour village of Agdz is located on the old caravan route connecting Marrakech to Timbuktu and played an important role for merchants carrying goods across the Sahara.

We will arrive in the late afternoon and you will spend the evening in a beautiful lodge nestled in the palm groves, where you will enjoy dinner.

On our final day, we will take a drive to visit the Tizgui Pools, a magnificent natural pool surrounded by palm and fig trees, where you can take a dip if you are feeling brave.

We will make our way back to Marrakech through the stunning mountains. You have the option to stop in Ouarzazate if you would like to visit the cinema studio, or do some final shopping in the sleepy old medina.

We will stop for a late lunch in Ighrem n’Ougdal, a spot high up in the mountains with stunning panoramic views. You will arrive to Marrakech late afternoon/early evening.